This was a real pleasure to read...I am pretty much in the same boat! Though I have significantly less experience than you two (altogether, about 10 months farming/gardening experience over the course of a little over 2 years, on 3 separate farms, in addition to various carpentry experience), I too dream of moving onto a community built around sustainable agriculture, or helping to get one going. It's a dream some college friends and I started talking about while in school 3 years ago (I graduated last May with a degree that now seems useless). I hail from Toronto but consider upstate NY, where I went to college and earned the vast majority of my farming experience, my 2nd home. Permaculture is relatively new to me but starting to become an obsession for sure. I am looking to gain more experience while still having time to read up on permaculture practices, but I completely agree that one can only help others realize their projects for so long before one begins to yearn for a project of one's own. That's where I stand, I want to keep learning but there's also a lot I already know how to do or could figure out with other knowledgeable workers like yourselves. Everything you mention in your idea of a sustainable community is exactly what I want--and I'm glad you mentioned the beer brewing!! I have looked into numerous communities in the states but you never know what you're getting into until you visit, and traveling's an investment in itself. I am not religious and while many communities deem themselves spiritual and respectful toward all religions, a lot of them still frown upon activities such as alcohol consumption...I am somewhat spiritual but at the end of a hard day's work my idea of the perfect evening is a communal dinner cooked with food from the garden, shared among friends and accompanied by a good homebrew or hard cider (we pressed TONS of apples at the farm in NY) or wine from last year's grapes...whatever! A couple of my friends who shared in this dream were all about the school aspect too, as they've spent the past several summers working on a farm camp in Mass, introducing kids to the garden life.
I also don't have my heart set on any particular place though I've been exploring the states since they're closest to my family and friends, and I prefer the sun to the cold
These are just a few of my quick ramblings so don't let my disorganized thoughts be a turn-off, this is truly a serious goal of mine and something I intend to accomplish, I am just uncertain of how, considering I am by no means prepared to buy my own land or go at it on my own, I just figured I'd keep gaining experience and maybe making money along the way if I can though at this point I think information and hands-on knowledge and good food that I've grown myself are more important to me. I'd love to keep this convo going and hear more about your ideas! Any advice is appreciated
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