Homestead mailing list

["Lisa K.V. Perry" <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

On 6/21/07, Clansgian AT wmconnect.com <Clansgian AT wmconnect.com> wrote:
> I've read the histories of many intentional communities and seen a few
> first
> hand.  Two kinds, says I, endure much beyond the pipe dream stage.  I call
> these the Amish-type and the Benedictine-type.
>
> The Amish-type are communities where everyone independently owns their own
> means with the other members of the community assuring that each
> independent
> person's assets and opportunities are protected and maximized.  In the
> Amish-type
> community decisions are made by consensus.
>
> The Benedictine-type community is where all things are held in common.  No
> one owns anything peronally.


We have both an Amish and Benedictine-type IC in Floyd that are doing well
and slowly growing, if they need or want new members. The one we're
interested in is the Amish type. The Benedictine one has too much community
for our liking, including daily group meditation and every meal shared.
Gives me the hee bee gee bees (sp?) just thinking about that much community.
;)

If you are 93, in poor health,  and have 50 square feet of garden, you can
> homestead it.  Use it to directly provide as much of your sustenance as
> you can.


But if one's idea (or ideal) of a homestead is fixed with the homesteader
> having to expand to fit it, rather than the homestead shrink to fit the
> homesteader, then I suppose it's possible to not be able to do it.


Point taken. We have learned that we would rather take care of a small
homestead ourselves or share the responsibility of taking care of a larger
one. Meanwhile, the boys don't want us to sell until they leave the farm.
Youngest will be 12 in August. We may wait or we may not. Meanwhile, we
think about what could be next. We love our place, but we'll see.

Lisa