# Cooperative Homesteading



## FoxbatFarms (Mar 21, 2015)

Greetings, All. It seems to me that once you have a big garden, milk goats, chickens, etc, it could be quite a problem should you become ill or injured, or wish to visit family in other parts of the country. You never treacly get a day off, and neighbors may or may not be helpful in such a situation. I've seen posts from people having to sell their homesteads for one reason or another, and that is unfortunate. Homestead living is about living closer to Earth, getting back to our roots, and our roots are living in cooperative groups, bound by shared values and mutual goals. I look at society today and see people wounded and scarred, living in the radioactive fallout from the decay of the nuclear family. I would much rather be a member of a Tribe.

I hope members will share thoughts or experiences regarding the topic. Anyone who might be interested in a cooperative arrangement can make it known here as well. 

BTW, I am Jude in the southeastern part of the Kansas Territory I look forward to getting to know others.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I love the concept. I'm not sure how it works in reality, though. How do you divvy up the land? How does each person feel protected if the arrangement doesn't work, etc. 

With that being said, I'd LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to have a tiny home community with each person owning their own home, and maybe have a central community garden, parking, laundry facilities, barns and animals, recreation room-type thing, etc. It would obviously have to be single people, or older people. Homes too tiny for children. Or maybe I'd just build all the buildings and rent them out. Don't know....just fun to think about.


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## FoxbatFarms (Mar 21, 2015)

I read some old threads on the topic and it seems that many people see the potential benefits of cooperative living but experience shows them that people have trouble cooperating. Most people are reluctant to labor on land they do not own, and some people just plain work harder then others. These are things to consider. Some " intentional communities" do well, others fail for a variety of reasons. Nationwide we have half the population mooching off the other half, so find the right people for such a community is the challenge.

I used to visit a community garden project when I was young. Each member kicked in a nominal sum at the beginning of the year, $60 or so. Then members volunteered to plant, weed and harvest at the direction of a coordinator. The harvest was divided into baskets for each member as the produce came out of the field. If no one volunteered, there would not be much of a harvest. 

Tiny homes are a great. I left the rat race and a 4500 sqft to love in a 1995 motorhome for for two years an am much happier. How much space does a person need? I like to spend as much time out of doors away, even if just sitting an enjoying the view. I can see a few tiny homers, with similar values working together. We shall see.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

I have thought about doing something like this before, I think if someone had the money to get things set up with the purchase of large acrage. Then that person could divide off smaller acreage for others to purchase with no true commitment. I think that at least in this state, you could divide it off to 3-10 acre lots to be sold. If the person that owned the larger property wanted they could make some restrictions on the properties to protect their values. I have a lot more details I have thought out about this, but I won't bore everyone with more details.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Startupman, how is that any different than subdividing your land and selling it off? That doesn't make it a "cooperative homestead". Not unless you dictate who moves in and what they do or don't do. Please elaborate because I'm not seeing it yet.


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## Seeria (Jul 21, 2006)

Microcommunities do it. Intentional communities do it, too. Check them out for ideas. They also have forums and communities for discussion.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

I think the model that has stood the test of time is the one of the Amish and Mennonite communities. 

You are emotionally invested in the success of your family, and concerned with the well being of your neighbors. You are united in a common set of beliefs that you can always retreat to. Every family has their own land and space. You can call on your neighbors for work parties and socializing. 
I would be interested in being a part of that kind of community.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

The old German method was to have homes grouped together, a small village. Everyone&#8217;s plot extended from the village. You have the benefit of like minded neighbors that one. In such situation, where you had &#8216;the community&#8217; each living within a mile or so of each other you could trade and you could babysit livestock for one another.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Can someone give me an example of this type of community that is in existence today? Not amish... you can't just "join" an amish community. I've seen tiny house communities, but they are mostly drug rehab-type places. At least the ones I've found.


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## FoxbatFarms (Mar 21, 2015)

cc-rider said:


> Can someone give me an example of this type of community that is in existence today? Not amish... you can't just "join" an amish community. I've seen tiny house communities, but they are mostly drug rehab-type places. At least the ones I've found.


I am hoping to visit some communities in the coming year to see how things are done. I like the idea of a community living as you mentioned earlier; Tiny homes for personal living, but community garden and facilities. If someone gets sick or needs to travel somewhere, the others can more reliably pick up the slack vs. relying on a neighbor who has no vested interest in the end product. Isn't this how indigenous people throughout the world lived stably for thousands of years? 

I think the difficulty in forming new communities has to do with in bringing together even modest differences culture and values. The Amish, and historically, Native Americans were born into and raised in homogeneous societies. Everyone was of the same religion, race, and had been insulated from other cultures. One poster in an old thread said it was human nature for people look out for themselves, but I believe that tendency is a product of economics. There was a time when one could not accumulate more than food for winter, and you could not do that without the rest of the tribe. 
Would love to hear what others think.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

FoxbatFarms said:


> Greetings, All. It seems to me that once you have a big garden, milk goats, chickens, etc, it could be quite a problem should you become ill or injured, or wish to visit family in other parts of the country. You never treacly get a day off, and neighbors may or may not be helpful in such a situation. I've seen posts from people having to sell their homesteads for one reason or another, and that is unfortunate. Homestead living is about living closer to Earth, getting back to our roots, and our roots are living in cooperative groups, bound by shared values and mutual goals. I look at society today and see people wounded and scarred, living in the radioactive fallout from the decay of the nuclear family. I would much rather be a member of a Tribe.
> 
> I hope members will share thoughts or experiences regarding the topic. Anyone who might be interested in a cooperative arrangement can make it known here as well.
> 
> BTW, I am Jude in the southeastern part of the Kansas Territory I look forward to getting to know others.


My dad always said, "No one milks a cow like the person that owns them". I grew up on a dairy farm, and it seems to me, one has a choice.

Either have critters and take care of them or not have critters.

Communal/co-operative groups have a tendency to fail, miserably.

Of course, I look at my kids as critters and my critters as kids. I would not trust many people to watch my kids, either.

Just sayin'


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## fffarmergirl (Oct 9, 2008)

The book Buffalobird Woman's Garden, is an account written in the 1930s from one of the last remaining native americans who still remembered what life in her tribe was like before reservations. She belonged to an agricultural tribe and she talks about how the women would get together and take care of another woman's garden together if a woman was very sick. All of their garden plots were near one another. They would all pick a time to do the sick one's gardening together all at once, singing and having fun together as they did it.

She also talked about how there were people in her tribe who were "not very industrious." The more industrious tribal members would plan ahead, knowing that the lazy ones would run out of corn and come begging. Of course - the law of supply and demand worked the same then as it does now. When the supply is low, the product becomes more valuable and those who planned ahead would get furs, etc. as payment  Much better than the current welfare system, IMO.


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## FarmerCathy (Mar 14, 2009)

Thanks for giving me more to think on this topic. I am at this time looking for a farm to live on. Getting mostly older farmers looking for someone to date. I'm not ready to get back into that, I just want to help someone farm and be able to use some land in exchange and somewhere to live that is safe for my kids.


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## FoxbatFarms (Mar 21, 2015)

I imagine tribes had systems of peer pressure, reward and punishment, shunning, banishment, etc to encourage productivity. Certainly we all have have had our share of experience with people who are all take and no give. Didn't Jesus say the poor will always be with us? Perhaps that is who he was talking about. 

If you are going to work with others, everybody needs to bring something to the table - skills, resources, or just plain willingness to work hard. 

It's nice to be able to do what I want, how I want, without negotiating or consulting with anyone. On the other hand, I frequently feel like I could sure use an extra pair of hands now and then.


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## Wanttobefarmer (Apr 27, 2015)

I had thought of cooperative homesteading but was not aware of the interest. I own a few hundred acres of land but my work requires that I travel. This makes homesteading impracticle at this time. 

I have thought of offering small acreages (3-10 acres) for long term lease to interested potential homesteaders (5-10 homesteads). This would allow for privacy but build a community of likeminded people. I would not care for communal living or farming however, I do see sharing equipment; laundry, social, and recreation facilities. 

My question is... Would there be interest in rental of a homestead within a larger farm? A possible benefit would include a chance to try homesteading in a supportive environment while not making a substantial land investment. The benefit for me would be having neighbors with common interest. 

I will appreciate input and thoughts.


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## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I've thought the same thing. I have some land, but I don't live near it and would love someone to "caretake" it, but I've found that no one wants to live on and improve someone else's land. Especially if it will never be theirs. And rightfully so. I totally understand. I wouldn't want to pour love and sweat into a property that won't be mine forever. I wouldn't want to build a house or plant trees. And anyone that goes into it with the idea that it is just a temporary housing agreement and learning experience...they won't put the effort into it like an "owner" will. Not sure how to make it work out, short of giving or selling small lots to people, but I don't really want to do that, either. I want to keep the land for myself, just in case some day I decide I want to use it. Yeah, I guess I'm selfish that way. I worked hard to buy this land, and I don't want it frittered away. LOL


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## ThatOneFarmHope (May 4, 2015)

We are about to plan out this very thing with a farm in Kentucky and we have some ideas and a lot of questions as well, which is what drew me in to this discussion. The farm website is http://farm.thatonefarm.com/ and my son is already out there with a family friend and his family who have been out there for four years already and have had very successful harvests. Another family friend and his wife are right now selling their house and getting ready to move out there. The farm is 112 acres of rolling countryside with with a few ponds and being part of the extensive Mammoth Caves karst topography, it has a few sinkholes with springs and a large underground river running underneath before it emerges to the surface at the main river a few miles east of the property. There is electricity at the property along with piped in water so we aren't without water if the springs dry up or we can't access the underground river. The reason I am here is to learn about the issues you guys have already brought up and to learn more so that we keep mistakes at a minimum. This is a community of friends already, we have been neighbors for years in the city and are familiar with each others work ethic already. Of course, things will be different on the farm and situations will arise that will test our resolve, but we are doing this for our families. Those here that have already experienced the Intentional Community for themselves we are very interested in talking to you. Those who have come to get information about doing the same thing are always appreciated because questions we may not have thought of can be discussed and worked out. I am looking forward to hearing about the pros and cons that come with doing a community such as this.


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## wunderdarling (Feb 9, 2012)

http://www.cohousing.org/

Cohousing......close as I have been able to find. Still seems to mostly be for the "wealthy" as the prices I saw were not cheap. 

Guess it's a step in the right direction.


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## Wanttobefarmer (Apr 27, 2015)

That's scramble,

Your place sounds great. It's good you already know yor partner/neighbors. This should greatly reduce potential future problems. I reviewed your website and see governance is planned to be consensus based. I have worked with a Quaker organization and believe this works best for small groups. There may be but falls. Consensus is not always efficient especially as your organization grows. Without strong leadership consensus trends towards the lowest common denominator. Again, as the group grows there may be a lowering of the denominator.

My thoughts about governance is the our intention community would be a collection of independent farmers, gardeners, and people wanting to just live in a peaceful setting. No group planning or decision making regarding activities. The American dream. If multiple people want to organize a common garden they can do so and operate it as they desire. 

For the common areas there will be set standards and basic common sense rule like respect of people, cleanliness, etc. the same things we follow daily in the civilized world. Because of the rural setting and the need for selecting common goals, there would be a need to specify a few points. 

Motor vehicles - limit access areas, time of operation, type of vehicle, type of use. The community is a location for living and farm activity not vehicular sports. 

Fire Arms - No firing of fire arms due to noise and potential danger to neighbors. There are plenty of hunting areas in the area and firing ranges. I see the community being a place of peaceful quite living. 

I am interested in learning other thoughts on planning and governance...


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

cant remember what it called but they have a web site for like minded farmer wantabes to live and work on farms/homesteads to learn. Maybe all you need is a live in helper.


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

Google, Dancing Rabbit ecovillage. There are some interesting things to think about there.


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## Rosepath (Feb 18, 2011)

One interesting community model is written about by a young woman who grew up in Canada, the book is called I am Hutterite. A very personal look at growing up in a communal society, with their religion at the center, it was rural in nature but lots of families lived in each of the communities.


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