Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Uriel <uriel@nasalam.org>]

Paul,
I have enormous respect for the job you do with this list in expanding 
all our knowledge of living on the land in an intelligent and productive 
way. But I must question how well you understand the community movement. 
Having been involved with community for 35 years I've seen a lot and 
think I've gained some understanding of why communities seem to have had 
limited success. The biggest single handicap that I've observed (and my 
own prejudice shows here, I'm sure) is that in order to live in 
community you have to be able to relinquish many of the concepts of 
ownership and control that are basic to capitalist philosophy. I do 
believe that we are seeing the beginning of the demise of international 
corporate capitalism and that its collapse will result in many changes, 
eventually, in how the survivors view those concepts.

BTW, you sneer at communities that only have 3 or 4 members. Do you 
sneer at families that have only 2 or 3 children as failures to 
reproduce more abundantly? We in community have the luxury of choosing 
our families and it's an ongoing process that can lead to immensely 
rewarding experiences and relationships. I would not for anything trade 
it for the confining environment of the nuclear family that has devolved 
from the traditional extended family tribal grouping. It is that sense 
of the tribe that many of us are searching to reproduce as best we can.

Uriel / SW Missouri

TradingPostPaul wrote:
> Doing more checking to see if there are agricultural ICs I missed in the
> past. Going through the "A"s, I find  Alpha Farm at Deadwood, Oregon, and
> it looks promising. Been around since 1970. Then I scroll down and see they
> have a grand total of 4 adults.
> http://directory.ic.org/records/?action=view&page=view&record_id=34 .
>
>
> They include upscale real estate developments like
> http://www.altadore.com/covenants.html .  Alchemy Farm is an elite
> development on Cape Cod
> http://directory.ic.org/records/?action=view&page=view&record_id=3878
> . 
>
> And here's Bear Creek Farms
> http://directory.ic.org/records/?action=view&page=view&record_id=1555
> :
> "Couples and homeschooled children in wholistic resolve! No pacifist,
> religious guru, racist, dopers, TV, caffeine, booze, sugar, or para
> military types. We're happy in the 16th century & prepared with high tech
> in town apartments over our health food store, martial arts & gym. We enjoy
> a pristine aquifer, abundant solar, family wholesome videos * huge library
> of alternative medical. We own the ultimate tools, equipment,
> blacksmithing, timber-framing, construction items necessary. Our strictly
> organic orchard-refuge sanctuary is in a million acre private timber
> preserve, off the electric grid. We're into Amish buggies, non-electric
> items, and ready for when "Mad Max" strikes. We enjoy 4,300 miles of
> Pacific Ocean that purifies our air at 3,400 ft eleveation set in neat
> meadows — ideal for: alpacas, horses, cats, dogs, all the critters for
> gardening. Accomplished artist, craftsmen, and writers will marvel at how
> well set up our studios are for such. A concise rundown on your individual
> spirituality is a must, together with what you'll bring that will enhance
> this micro community. Best to come with a self-contained home on wheels and
> be ready to assist in finalization of our huge community structure (half
> completed)."
>
> They have 4 adults. 
>
> I give up. Maybe it's the urge to live close to people we have something in
> common with. Or lesser motives. In a past age we had extended families for
> a support network, many were born and died in one place, they knew each
> other, they had a sense of place. But do artificial families - ICs or
> communes, whatever - take the place of real families? You're born into a
> family of some kind, you'll always be in that family no matter how far away
> or estranged. In ICs you opt in, you opt out. Usually you put up money to
> join or pass some trial period. 
>
> We do need community, don't we. We need to know people where we live, not
> like the city where you get lost until you join something and pay your
> dues. We need people we can work with, swap with, help out and go to for
> help. And just enjoy good times. We need family though. Working and living
> on the land can be a dreary time without other people involved. 
>
> paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
>
>
>
>   
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Livingontheland mailing list
> Livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland
>