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[bob ford <bobford79 AT yahoo.com>]

Jerry your post sounds great, but where do people actually work together like 
you describe.  Some of my relativess are in close-knit rural communities 
(with other kin, even) and except for big things on occasion, they rarely 
interact outside of church.

 I agree that Sage is making good step in her community; but will this work 
in the average community, rural or not? ....bobford

 
--- On Mon, 9/29/08, Jerry B <liberty AT kaballero.com> wrote:

> From: Jerry B <liberty AT kaballero.com>
> Subject: [Homestead] Healthy Harvest (was Re: Community, the importance of)
> To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Date: Monday, September 29, 2008, 1:07 PM
> Sage wrote:
> > In our area most people live on large ranches and
> their 
> > only community is their church. We are trying to build
> 
> > community and just started a local group called
> Healthy 
> > Harvest to focus on food issues.
> >
> > We held our first meeting a couple of weeks ago and 
> > discussed rising food costs, food scares, loss of the
> old 
> > timer's knowlege of farming and storing food, 
> > environmental impact, nutrition for the elderly and
> school 
> > children. We also spoke of seed saving and sharing, 
> > growing organic, cooking healthy, community gardening,
> 
> > finding local sources for food, raising food
> awareness, 
> > etc. Eleven people showed up and the local newspaper 
> > covered it. We expect more this month.
> >
> > A historic ditch irrigated 800 acres of local river
> bottom 
> > croplands here from 1860-1960. We know these former 
> > residents had to provide food for the community
> because 
> > there were no grocery stores in those days. The grain
> mill 
> > was across the street from us. Food is a subject that
> cuts 
> > across all party lines, and pride in the pioneer
> ancestors 
> > who farmed this area runs deep around here. If it was
> once 
> > accomplished, it can be again.
> >
> > --Sage
> > Way Out in Texas
> >   
> Sage,
> 
> I can't let this post pass by without comment.  To
> emphasize how great I 
> think is the venture you and your neighbors are
> undertaking, I must say 
> I think it is representative of the next step, even the new
> economic 
> order of tomorrow!  That's all.  :-)
> 
> Totally free and voluntary association for the joint
> production, 
> distribution, and consumption of goods not only "cuts
> across party 
> lines", but lines of culture, education, financial
> status ... in short 
> all human differences. The focus on food,  in this case,
> works as well 
> for any type of economic activity ... building, selling and
> buying 
> houses, raising chickens, or even manufacturing
> automobiles. (Note: If 
> such things are done by and for oneself and/or one's
> family  then this 
> limited definition of 'economic' as a *social*
> activity, does not apply. 
> However, it is rare that even such private activity does
> not include 
> some element produced, distributed and consumed by others,
> known or 
> unknown. And yes, James, 'do-it-yourself' has
> social implications as well.)
> 
> Though it is the product that is the goal, a very important
> 'by-product' 
> of these endeavors is the meeting and rubbing-shoulders
> with very 
> different persons, learning to cooperate in a neighborly
> manner. The 
> common need and desire for the product provides motivation,
> but the 
> process can lead to, what to call it? ... brotherhood?
> fraternity? (sure 
> need more genderless terms) friendship? camaraderie?
> communion?  Or the 
> opposite if not done aright in freedom.  It turns out that
> in striving 
> to fill our human needs, opportunity is given to mix with a
> wide variety 
> of  persons, not just those who think like we do, look or
> act like we do 
> ...our very lives depending on it.
> 
> This type of free and voluntary association is a far cry
> from either 
> Capitalism or Socialism.  It transcends both, in synthesis,
> hence the 
> next step. Each individual remains his or her own boss ...
> freely 
> choosing who they wish to work with, choosing what they
> want to do, and 
> determining how much time and labor they choose to apply to
> it. One's 
> 'time' and 'labor' are no longer made into
> commodities.  There is no 
> 'servitude'  in the negative sense involved, or
> making a few rich from 
> my time and labors ...  each working for fulfillment of
> their own needs, 
> self-determined, yet in company.  As the 'company'
> succeeds so do the 
> individuals and their dependents. 
> 
> Any one that wants to, and can, provide any or all of their
> own needs is 
> left totally free to do so.  No one is  telling them they
> must associate 
> with others,  how or where.  In such joint ventures,
> leaders arise quite 
> naturally and spontaneously, in fact changing often or
> having several at 
> the same time as different aspects of the project arise. No
> vote need be 
> taken.  The degree of expertise in the particular economic
> activity soon 
> becomes obvious to all. The 'authority' of skill
> and knowledge, not 
> social position or financial position, is the determinative
> factor. As 
> this increases, so does compensation for the quality and
> quantity of the 
> product produced   No dole, nor hand outs. No salary based
> on time (who 
> can put a value on how much one hour, one week, or one
> month of my time 
> is worth?).  The product, in this economic order of social
> life, is the 
> thing. No product, no pay. More product, better quality,
> more pay. This 
> is quantifiable, understood by all participants.
> 
> Profit becomes a just means of measurement of demand and
> value. 
> Voluntary contracts are made between persons and between
> other 
> associations, even contracts across borders and nations. 
> It  works on 
> any scale.  I don't know if your dreams for Healthy
> Harvest include 
> these types of exchanges and outreach but I would think it
> well might. I 
> am interested in continuing to hear more about what you all
> are learning 
> from this adventure.  I want to keep up to date with
> developments.  If I 
> were a neighbor, I would be right there in middle of it. 
> I'm thinking 
> already how such a group can be initiated in our own
> neighborhood.
> 
> Was it you that began this activity? Are there other
> projects that serve 
> as a model?  btw, I recently saw a piece done on TV about
> 'Growing 
> Power'.  http://growingpower.org/Index.htm.  The TV
> article was 
> specifically about the city food center in Chicago and
> it's remarkable 
> founder, Will Allen 
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/dining/01genius.html?ref=style
>  but 
> the home page reveals its broader scope including farming
> communities as 
> well. I am much impressed. 
> 
> The underlying promise, to me, of all this, is that there
> are indeed new 
> things that can be and are being, done, independently and
> along-side the 
> old. This allows for simple free choice by anyone as to
> which is the 
> better way. As the 'old' ways fail, no longer
> encompassing present 
> circumstances, vital alternatives can grow and thrive on
> new ground. I 
> think it is mainly through such joint ventures that some
> can survive 
> what is quickly coming down upon us as a result of our past
> choices. So 
> as you notice, I think what you all are doing is most
> important, and 
> exciting.     Jerry
> 
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