Homesteading communities

Caelma · #1 05/09/05, 08:02 PM

How does one go about finding them?
I did a web search with no luck.
Is there a need for more homesteading communities?
Communities in general?
A single parents one?
Womens one?

I had an idea but don't know if it would be desirable.
Would like opinions and suggestions.
Just a thought, not a plan currently.

If someone had 20 to 30 acres and built 5 or 7
seperate deck/platforms with 30 ft yurts, with some sort of heat
(maybe even electric)
Each yurt would have an area for a garden and chicken house
and small barn to be built. Each yurt was given the 1 to 2 acres
around it and a community Stable area.
With a covered community picnic area.
The above for folks who would love this life but
can't afford their own land.
But this was rented to them at low cost.
Is this a cool idea or a weird idea?

Kazahleenah · #2 05/09/05, 08:08 PM

Sign me up!

I've thought of similar things. But knowing our govt, they'd probably call it a cult. :no:

Pony · #3 05/09/05, 08:25 PM

You might find this interesting.

http://www.libertymls.com/gulch/what.html

Pony!

cruiser3006 · #4 05/10/05, 12:24 AM

You can usually find them by using 'intentional communities' in your search bar. I have mine listed in a couple of places and I have found that there is a large variety of intentions and beliefs combined with strict adhesion to their rules.

Be sure to research the community before you agree to commit. There are a few good ones out there.

Be self-reliant, nobody else will do it for you!

Beyond Tomorrow

raymilosh · #5 05/10/05, 11:49 AM

Nope, it's not weird at all. Lots of folks think the same things. There are thousands of communities around the world. some like your idea with one owner, some cooperatively owned (Like the one where i live), some with religious or ideological ideas, some artist communities. Basically, there are all kinds.
www.ic.org is a good place to start.
i live at blue heron farm, for what it's worth.

I am one of the more homesteading folks here, but we all built our own houses and have been cooperatively changing a rundown abandined farm into a viable working community and farm. We share gardens and meals, and equipment and land and ponds and labor and knowledge and whatnot, so in a very practical sense, i spoze we are all homesteading here.

hollym · #6 05/10/05, 01:23 PM

It's a cool idea! Yurts are great, or so I assume, having seen them in catalogs and movies.

hollym

Caelma · #7 05/10/05, 05:00 PM

Ok well I am considering this.
This is just the thinking stages, nothing firm.
Just dream stage at this point.
If it were to happen I am thinking 2007 ish.
If any ladies are interested in exploring the idea,
please message me.
I am thinking Alaska.
10 to 20 acres. Maybe more.
5 yurts on large beautiful decks. (to start)
Heat, electric, (hey it may not be roughing it,
but it's a start)
I would buy and set up the place.
Then offer the yurts and the acre around it to use at a small
monthly price.
Have a community stables/paddocks.
We could all get together on occations
to plant, can, freeze and dehydrate.
I have a lot of learning and researching to do.
A person could make their own hen house and garden
and mini paddocks for like sheep and goat or ?
For women who want to get their feet wet and try the
homesteading thing on a less harsher level.
With help and companionship of the others.
Absoluetly no drugs or illegal activities at all.
This would be a great inviroment for women who know or want
to either have their own businesses as a means of support.
And would like the help to market their own products
to support themselves or
Many folks up there work spring, summer and fall and
veg (hibernate) winters.
single moms would be welcomed.
Think of it, nice fairly warm summers, gardening and all.
and in the winter, snow mobiling, mushing and watching the
northern lights dancing in the shy.
If this became a reality I would like to see it like a sisterly
type enviroment. Mostly doing ones own thing but
getting together to help one another with chores and maybe
a once a week to 3 x a month community dinner.
AGAIN, this is just the thinking stages and even if you're interested
now life happens and I realize someone interested now may not be
in 2007.
Would love ideas and input on this.
Where I am thinking is within 20 miles of a city and colleges.
(for work and classes)

cruiser3006 · #8 05/10/05, 08:38 PM

ranchlady:

If you are serious about Alaska, what part (area) are you considering? Southeast is not an area to raise hoofed animals without very expensive housing and care, Animal food has to be shipped in. (fishing, trapping and hunting is great) If you try to raise poultry or rabbits, you will have to deal with a lot of weasels (mink, marten, weasel) The Aleutians hare even more costly. Mainland has high property cost (purchase), and the Matsu area would have a good soils for growing. A lot of areas only have a few feet of soil covering bedrock. I had to drill and blast to level a place to build my cabin. Growing season is shorter, but can be extended with greenhouse. Fishing, trapping and hunting is great (if I do say so myself). SE AK recieves over 170 inches of rain a year.

I lived there for over twenty years, just left 15 months ago. Is beauutiful country and also can be very harsh to the unwary. Your choices are limited if you don't have independent income. By the way (fishing, trapping and hunting is great) Fuel was well over $2.00 a gallon when I left there and that was before all these price increases started hitting. Last month, a friend in Thorne Bay, told me they were paying 2.73 gal.

Did I mention, the fishing, trapping and hunting is great?

Caelma · #9 05/10/05, 08:50 PM

I'm looking at property a little north of Fairbanks.
Ok since you're from there
tell me the difference between that they call Brome?? hay?
and hay in the lower 48 like alfalfa, orchard and grass hays?

I love it up there. I love fishing and hunting (weird female I guess)
Trapping I have never got into.
I do have independant income Thank God.

Yeah I know SE AK is like western Wa, would not like it there.
I'll like Wasilla and Talkeetna, but Fairbanks and slightly north are
for me.
Are you talking fuel as in heating fuel
or as in gasoline? Here in Wa it is 2.25 to 2.35 a gal, heard
from a friend recently it is about the same there in Fairbanks.
(gasoline)
I can hardly wait to get up there.
Looking forward to working hard 3 seasons (gardens, business, and such)
and just mushing, sewing and chillin' all winter.

cruiser3006 · #10 05/10/05, 10:26 PM

I'm not real familiar with types of hay. That was Gasoline price, Diesel and stove oil was cheaper than gas when I left.
I will get email address from some friends that moved to Fairbanks a few years ago. They said they love it there. Will send to you so you can talk direct with them about Fairbanks. Tok and Glenallen were closest I ever got to Fairbanks. Kodiak, Homer and Valdez, (shrimp and crab fishing) I spent some time there from 80 to 83. Also know some people in Circle, that might be a little farther north for you. From 1983 to 2003 was in SE. on Prince of Wales island.
Plus a little bonus you will get from the state after you meet residency, a permanent fund dividend check each Oct. And no state income tax. Property tax will depend on borough you live in, p.o.w. had none when I left.

-----------------------------------------------
Be self-reliant, nobody else will do it for you!

Beyond Tomorrow

When I was young, the Dead Sea was only sick

cruiser3006 · #11 05/10/05, 10:39 PM

The other thing with the fuel price is it was on an island, so it had to be barged in. Ketchikan was usually 18 to 20 cents cheaper (it was barged also) Fairbanks, Anchorage, etc, are connected to road system, so fuel can be trucked and there is a small refinery in that area, somewhere.

Not weird that you like hunting and fishing, Just rare and appreciated.
Living with nature is not the same as strolling thru a cultivated park.

Kathy, does pottery and has/had her own kiln. That will be the people I dig out address for.

cruiser3006 · #12 05/11/05, 11:56 PM

Still waiting to hear back from up north with addy.

Natureschild · #13 05/13/05, 10:09 AM

New brunswick canada would be a nice place...

wizzard · #14 05/13/05, 12:10 PM

this is exactly what i want to do. more land though. i have a group of about 15 close friends that want to go off and homestead. 3 married couples, and some random friends. we have been planning it for about 2 years now. no religion necesary. the only rules you must abide by are comon curtesyy and do your part of the work. we are looking to purchase 50-100 acres to live on and share. have looked at land in canada, north america, and south america. still undecided. but the gulching thing was a good bit of information. we do not want to be considered a cult, for that is not our purpose..... our purpose is to.... gulch