ant village

Jeremy Butler wrote:It definitely seems clear that commuting jobs are out of the question, but what about setting up something like a woodworking shop and selling my creations at the labs and in town?

When you say "selling my creations at the labs" do you mean to other residents?

As for "in town" - Missoula has an excellent saturday market for that.  "The People's Market".  

Would you allow newcomers to live out of a travel trailer until they got a more permanent structure built?

How many months are you thinking?  How big of a trailer?  

paul wheaton wrote:When you say "selling my creations at the labs" do you mean to other residents?

Yes, that's what I mean. I wouldn't set up a shop open to  the permies. It's clear that you don't want non-residents coming and going all the time.

paul wheaton wrote:How many months are you thinking?  How big of a trailer?

I have an 18' trailer. I'm not entirely sure how long I would need considering that I have never built my own house before. Is there a maximum time that you would allow someone to do that? I would need time to get the lay of the land, design the house, collect materials, and build it.

Selling to other residents sounds like an excellent idea.   Jocelyn read this over my shoulder and is already wanting to talk about a table.

My primary concern about the trailer is that we have had people say "three months tops" and then "just another couple of weeks" and ... and ... and ... and somehow I end up being the bad guy.   How about this:  first five months is free and then it is $250 per month?  And I could raise that to $500 per month later.  And maybe even more later.   The idea is that I feel like "sure, for a few months - just to get started." and then the $$ is really about saying "time's up!"

paul wheaton wrote:My primary concern about the trailer is that we have had people say "three months tops" and then "just another couple of weeks" and ... and ... and ... and somehow I end up being the bad guy.   How about this:  first five months is free and then it is $250 per month?  And I could raise that to $500 per month later.  And maybe even more later.   The idea is that I feel like "sure, for a few months - just to get started." and then the $$ is really about saying "time's up!"

Your concern is definitely valid. You don't want the lab to turn into a trailer park. Your offer seems reasonable. I'm not sure if 5 months would be enough to get the whole house finished. Especially if I were to arrive in the winter months. However, it would definitely be enough to at least get some sort of shack or a small living space in a workshop built. Just something that can stop me from freezing to death in the winter.

So I guess I would accept your offer assuming that I arrive there either late winter or spring, which is probably what is going to happen anyway.

I think that most folks start tenting in early april or so.   So if you showed up today, you could stay in the camper through april 5 without getting dinged.

paul wheaton wrote:I think that most folks start tenting in early april or so.   So if you showed up today, you could stay in the camper through april 5 without getting dinged.

I didn't think about that. I'll be in touch again once I've taken care of some more things over here.

Hello,

Your aunt village is exactly what we are looking for. Please email me at sbaire2187@gmail.com to discuss this further.

Sarah

Sarah,

How many podcasts have you listened to?

The time has come! I am planning to be there in May. How do you want to proceed with the details?

Jeremy Butler wrote:The time has come! I am planning to be there in May. How do you want to proceed with the details?

Send over $900 via paypal to paul at richsoil.com.  Or bitcoin.

You can choose from raw land or two plots that have some small improvements.  

paul wheaton wrote:Send over $900 via paypal to paul at richsoil.com.  Or bitcoin.

You can choose from raw land or two plots that have some small improvements.  

Done!

Jeremy Butler wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:Send over $900 via paypal to paul at richsoil.com.  Or bitcoin.

You can choose from raw land or two plots that have some small improvements.  

Done!

WOOHOO!! Welcome Jeremy!

Jocelyn Campbell wrote:WOOHOO!! Welcome Jeremy!

Thanks! I look forward to being a part of the community Do you guys have a map of the different plots that I can choose from?

Have you listened to more than 200 hours of podcasts?

There are maps, but a little outdated:  https://permies.com/t/49643/permaculture-projects/Maps-wheaton-laboratories#563256

paul wheaton wrote:Have you listened to more than 200 hours of podcasts?

Yes. I have listened to all of your podcasts.

Jeremy Butler wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:Have you listened to more than 200 hours of podcasts?

Yes. I have listened to all of your podcasts.

When you arrive, you will be able to select your plot.  

Of course, if seven people sign up to be ants in the next hour, and get here before you, they will probably pick the spots you wanted.  

paul wheaton wrote:Of course, if seven people sign up to be ants in the next hour, and get here before you, they will probably pick the spots you wanted.  

I guess I'll have to take my chances

Participate in our permaculture bootcamp for four months and get an ant plot through the end of 2019.  Details here.

It's getting very close to the time for me to head over there. Next week is my last week at my job. I plan to leave sometime the week after that. It will probably take me like 4 or 5 days to get there. I'm gonna be pulling my travel trailer across the country from Virginia! I have another question. Will I be able to bring my two pet cats? From what I could tell in the podcasts, you wouldn't mind, but just wanted to make sure.

I don't mind your cats.  Wildlife might think they are yummy.  People have had cats here for a long time without incident.  

I'm going to be leaving here on Wednesday. It's gonna be like 40 hours of driving, so expect me there sometime before next Wednesday. I wanted to know how you guys do mail there. Can I get mail sent directly to base camp? Or would I need to set up a PO Box?

Jeremy Butler wrote:I'm going to be leaving here on Wednesday. It's gonna be like 40 hours of driving, so expect me there sometime before next Wednesday. I wanted to know how you guys do mail there. Can I get mail sent directly to base camp? Or would I need to set up a PO Box?

The answer about mail should have been in the email about how to get here.  Do you still have that?

paul wheaton wrote:The answer about mail should have been in the email about how to get here.  Do you still have that?

Pretty sure I never received such an email. I only ever saw an initial questions email.

Jeremy Butler wrote:

paul wheaton wrote:The answer about mail should have been in the email about how to get here.  Do you still have that?

Pretty sure I never received such an email. I only ever saw an initial questions email.

Durn. Sending them now! We searched our records and since you've been here before we assumed you already had directions! Though I think it was through a workshop put on by others here and perhaps they never sent them.

Jocelyn Campbell wrote:Durn. Sending them now! We searched our records and since you've been here before we assumed you already had directions! Though I think it was through a workshop put on by others here and perhaps they never sent them.

Got the email. Thanks!

I got a ride from the airport last time I was there, so I didn't need directions.

Did I miss a post? Wasn't the ant people village filled?

ost by: paul wheaton , master steward
Aug 09, 2016 13:03:23
(2 likes) +1 -1 Quote Report
Spot #4 is now available.  Curtis tells me that he won't be returning to ant village this year.

Joseph Yarbrough wrote:Did I miss a post? Wasn't the ant people village filled?

ost by: paul wheaton , master steward
Aug 09, 2016 13:03:23
(2 likes) +1 -1 Quote Report
Spot #4 is now available.  Curtis tells me that he won't be returning to ant village this year.

Joseph, I think you missed a lot. Not all information is in this one thread. If you listen Paul's podcasts and read his 'pseudo-blog' you'll have a lot more details on the Ant Village and its people.

There are currently spots open in ant village.

Firstly, thank you infinitely all ye brilliant folks of which have given others a better way.
Secondly, Hallo! This is my first post to permies but I am no stranger to the bottomless well of knowledge that is this site.
Thirdly, ant village calls my name, and I will answer!

I am currently listening to the podcasts in order to get to the 200 mark and beyond, and I absolutely jive with the "forced" values (as Paul has said). I have also been reading all of what the ant villagers have to say, watching videos, taking notes, etc.
Growies, critters, permies, natural building, music, books, and community top the list of importance in my life. If you want to know more about me, I will happily answer any questions as best I can.
Are there still raw ant plots?

Danke Schon!

Justin Shropshire wrote:Firstly, thank you infinitely all ye brilliant folks of which have given others a better way.
Secondly, Hallo! This is my first post to permies but I am no stranger to the bottomless well of knowledge that is this site.
Thirdly, ant village calls my name, and I will answer!

I am currently listening to the podcasts in order to get to the 200 mark and beyond, and I absolutely jive with the "forced" values (as Paul has said). I have also been reading all of what the ant villagers have to say, watching videos, taking notes, etc.
Growies, critters, permies, natural building, music, books, and community top the list of importance in my life. If you want to know more about me, I will happily answer any questions as best I can.
Are there still raw ant plots?

Danke Schon!

Bitte Schön! (Das ist fast alles Deutsche, das ich kenne. Had to use Google translate for help here.)

Welcome to the forums and Hallo back! We're glad you're interested in ant village and that you're jiving with the podcasts.

Yes, there are still raw plots.

Thank you Jocelyn for the reply, and thanks for indulging some German speak (of which I am not fluent in but like to have fun with). I think joining the bootcamp program in Feb, if it hasn't filled up, will help me transition into ant village come spring, and currently nothing is stopping me. I am itching to get to work on any and all projects.

Danke Schon!

I went forth and paid a gapper's fee.

I just updated the price to make an offer for 2019 and 2020:

Special offer for the next 6 ants: March 1, 2019 through December of 2020 (22 months) $1200 + deposit. Or 3 acres for $2400 + deposit. I suspect that this will be six people coming to ant village through the bootcamp, but I'm open to having them be direct also. Deposit is $1500.

And a matching update to the bootcamp program:

https://permies.com/wiki/200/59706/permaculture-projects/permaculture-bootcamp-learn-permaculture-hard#773494

I'll be there!

Somebody emailed me and expressed interest in getting started with ant village.  And then asked:

I'm not the most tech savvy, but I looked around to try to find the podcast stream and I couldn't find it anywhere. Would you be so kind as to help me find where to listen?

All of the podcasts are here:  https://permies.com/f/88/permaculture-podcast

At the top of that forum are links to itunes and the like.   But they are weird in that for some reason only the first 40 show up.  

One of the things we have done is to mash all of the podcasts into big zip files here:

  https://permies.com/wiki/37733/giant-gob-podcasts-videos-stuff

Does this help?

Can I come up and have a look around at the place? Maybe over Turkey day or Xmas

Yes.  Pay the gapper fee and we will get you sorted out.  

An anonymous donor has sweetened the pot.  

The next five ants to sign up, will each get a brand new cordless electric chainsaw.

Further, there are four plots that have something structure-ish on them and there is no need to purchase improvements.  

paul wheaton wrote:Ant plot rent for 2019 will probably be $1600 but reduced to $800 if certain criteria are met:

If  the plot meets our (my?) "earth integrated beauty" standards, then the ant can enjoy a $400 discount.

If the plot has a willow feeder system that is better than the current "chateu de poo", then the ant can enjoy a further $400 discount.

Ant plot rent for 2020 will probably be $1700 but reduced to $900 with the same discounts.


2019 rent is due September 30, 2018.

2020 rent is due September 30, 2019.

As always, work trades are preferred.

Ant plot rent for 2021 will be $900 (with discounts) and $1700 without.

2021 rent is due September 30, 2020.

How would being an ant during the winter work?  Has that been done?  Or not advisable?