Intentional Community Article

mpillow · #1 08/03/05, 08:57 AM

There is an article in Nat'l Geographic this month on an intentional community in MO for those of you interested. Short but interesting.... Points out some pitfalls but they certainly are making money on peanut butter. Looked kind of unkept for my liking but to each his own.

Frank_P · #2 08/03/05, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpillow

There is an article in Nat'l Geographic this month on an intentional community in MO for those of you interested. Short but interesting.... Points out some pitfalls but they certainly are making money on peanut butter. Looked kind of unkept for my liking but to each his own.

Here's a link to the article.

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/n...re7/learn.html

greenacresusa · #3 08/03/05, 09:54 AM

I had just picked up the latest issue of National Geo yesterday and read the article. I was amazed to hear that it was around Tecumseh MO. We had driven by that area this past spring and other years on some trips from Mountain Home Ark to West Plains MO. Didn't realize we were going past such a famous place!!!

Meg Z · #4 08/03/05, 11:54 AM

You know, around here, my daughter couldn't wear a sleeveless shirt to work when she worked at a restaurant. I think the health code laws would have something to say about cleaning the kitchen wearing nothing but a rope and a couple of tattoos. Is that where the nut butters they sell are made? I think maybe I'll pass.......

Meg

seedspreader · #5 08/03/05, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Some of our buildings and interior spaces are not finished or in need of repairs and finishing touches are in short supply. We live lightly, not lavishly. Personal wealth acquired previous to joining the community is must be loaned to the community after one year of membership. Personal money acquired while one is a member, such as earnings or investments, are turned over to the community. Private vehicles do not have to be loaned, but they cannot be driven while one is a member. Members share use of the community's fleet of vehicles.

ok...

Thatch · #6 08/03/05, 12:11 PM

I'll take the "accidental community" I've got right here thank you very much....

Thanks for the figs Meg! (and I didn't even have to turn over my paycheck to get them..

)

J

dheat · #7 08/03/05, 12:15 PM

I like the idea of an Intentional Community. Does anyone know of any Christian ICs?

Thanks,

Doug

Meg Z · #8 08/03/05, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thatch

I'll take the "accidental community" I've got right here thank you very much....

Thanks for the figs Meg! (and I didn't even have to turn over my paycheck to get them..

)

J

Yeah, and Mrs. Thatch got to use her own vehicle and not turn it over to me! I think our way is working just fine, too!

I'm glad ya'll were there to share the figs with.

Meg

texastami · #9 08/03/05, 02:42 PM

Hmmm... I just got my magazine, and didn't realize that they were only about 45 miles from me!!!

Famous eh?? at $500,000 a year for nut butters for profit...someone is doing something right... have to remember NUTS grow well down there!!

sullen · #10 08/03/05, 03:48 PM

Sounds like Communism to me....

Ken Scharabok · #11 08/03/05, 05:22 PM

Unfortunately I don't get NG. Will have to check at the library.

$500K a year profit sounds suspect to me. For it they would have to be retailing a couple million of nut butter. As noted, I doubt they are growing their own nuts, so they must be purchased from somewhere. Even the wholesale cost is likely to be high.

LittleJohn · #12 08/03/05, 05:46 PM

They cant be makeing that much money from what I hear they live under pathetic conditions. Some friends of mine went to get some nut butters from them he said they were so nasty he didnt want to eat their stuff they bought.
And yes it is a very restrictive comune cant imagine liveing like that. I wont even get into the moral character stuff I have heard.

Ken Scharabok · #13 08/03/05, 06:44 PM

Recognizing it might not be the only source of income, $500K doesn't go far when it is spread amoung 75 people - about $6,667 per year or $556 per month. Mention is made of a car pool. Assuming they have insurance it would be fleet-type, which, from my understanding, is expensive. They can grow only some much of what they consume and surely must purchase staples such as flour, sugar, salt and vinegar (for canning). From where they are located, I rather doubt they do much row cropping type crops, but even gardening to feed 75 people year-round must be quite a task.

Am wondering what they do for health care. Up until very recently if they were in TN they would have qualified for TennCare based on their income level. Those are the type of folks the Governor wants off the program for the most part.

This type of arrangment doesn't give much of an incentive to earn money on your own. Apparently someone bringing in $40K a year would receive the same level of substance as perhaps someone doing odd jobs and bringing in $5K a year. Pretty soon the mindset sets in of why should I bust my butt to benefit so and so.

Apparently works for them, but it isn't my cup of tea.

sisterpine · #14 08/03/05, 07:07 PM

wow that is just way way to cult looking to me! or is it a nudist colony with children? i think that would be against most state's laws? i mean, geeze i'm glad they are happy and all but it looks just like one of the communes of the 60's 70's. not clean, not healthy and they all needed to see a dentist LOL

Quint · #15 08/04/05, 05:18 AM

Looked at their website.

There is no way I could live like that. It is so utterly diametrically opposed to my good old American rugged individualist and capitalist tendencies that I'd probably go insane or the group would string me up.

Not to mention the ghosts of my forefathers would probably rise from their graves and strangle me for engaging in such foolishness.

For those that have the suitable personality for such a thing more power to you but there is no way I could live like that. Absolutely foreign to my thinking.

Ken Scharabok · #16 08/04/05, 05:52 AM

What is addy of the web site?

I haven't read the article, but I have a strong suspicion they are about to receive a visit from the MO Department of Ag, Food Services Inspection Division to ensure their nut butter production is in full compliance with applicable state regulations, such as a thoroughly sanitary facility with all workers wearing overgowns and hairnets.

Alice In TX/MO · #17 08/04/05, 06:46 AM

I just browsed the website, saw no naked people cleaning kitchens. Did see a hair-netted dude working at nut butters.

Sure is easy to cast stones at those who have different ideas.

It takes many folks to make the world go round, and they can't always live like WE think they should.

Chill.

gardentalk · #18 08/04/05, 06:56 AM

I find it ironic that people today aren't geninuely caring enough and dependent on one another to have a real community. Such as the type of community you saw portrayed in Little House On The Praire. Today, it's cult-like communities (I hear there is a "naked community" near Georgetown, Kentucky) or nothing. My wife grew up in a religious cult, and what I learned from her and some of her family that was able to escape the mindlessness, there's no way we're going to be living in one.

Ken Scharabok · #19 08/04/05, 11:40 AM

Found web site: www.eastwind.org.

After looking at their web site I am semi-impressed, and yes it does show part of their nut butter production facilitity. Certainly does appear modern. I now suspect the $500K profit mentioned was for all of their enterprises, not just the nut butters. Without labor consideration, I'm guessing 40% net. They would have to have gross sales of about $1.25M to do it. With the office set-up shown, it is apparently far more 'business' oriented than I had envisioned from brief NG overview and above comments.

Web site does clearly indicate they are not self-sufficient, and it really doesn't seem to be a goal.

I don't think we are critical as much as just reacting to a lifestyle we personally would not want to participate in.

Their web site also refers to several other intentional communities. Several are small, but one in VA is even larger than East Wind. Interesting to note The Farm is not listed. I was not aware of these IC groups.

While on the site click the link for Oran (somethng). I suspect many groups go through similar start-up problems. Here four of the original six founders left within a couple of years.

Have marked a visit on my 'to do' list if I get back into the Mountain Home, AR area again.

Ken Scharabok · #20 08/05/05, 08:03 PM

Also check out www.twinoaks.org. I was not aware there are that many intentional communities scattered around, and apparently they vary greatly in their philosophies.

Interesting to note on this one if you are over 55 years of age, there is an extra step to go through for membership. I suspect one reason is so it doesn't take the place of a retirement option.

East Wind doesn't say much about their health care options. This one specifies they are very limited as to what they can offer, but that members can qualify for state health care for the needy due to their low income levels. I suspect more and more of those, like TennCare is doing, will not be available much longer to able-bodied people.

For those who are interested in trying out intentional community living, they offer a three-week, work while your learn, orientation program.

Doug (dheat): You can to this site (http://directory.ic.org/iclist/) for a very long list of ICs. If you use the search feature you can do so by spiritual path. However, Christian, per se, isn't one of the options. You will need to look under "Other". You will find four pages of listings.