Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Planning with Intent: Planning my Intentional Community

So planning for a long term intentional community might seem like a big and scary task. Something that might easily overwhelm any person who was to take on such a venture, but for as complicated as it is, to plan such a community isn't insurmountable. I have been kicking around ideas to plan, build, and make profitable a intentional community aimed towards self sustainability, agricultural education, and a farm stand/store. Below is my starting five year plan.

The Compound....(Yea I know its kind of intimidating but we haven't figured a name yet)


  • Year 0
    • Membership:
      • 4-8 central starting members
        • Likely to be divided between major financial contributors and major labor contributors.
        • Planning will be equally shared and voted on, so a odd number of people would be best.
        • Full-time, live in staff responsible for labor, building, and management.
        • Part-time, non-live/seasonal live-in in staff responsible for finance, legal, PT-labor.
    • Central members set goals and a overarching vision for group/project.
      • Plans that set guidelines and expectations for years 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.
    • Combine initial investments and incorporate as a group.
    • Search for a suitable land investment:
      • 150-200acres
      • Good water, (lake, ponds, streams, rivers, quality ground water)
      • Good initial soil and slope for farming
      • Reasonable timber resources for building and sustainable timber operation
      • Proximity to local municipalities
      • Proximity to major towns and/or cities
      • Access to local grid (phone, power, network)
      • Standing structures are a bonus
      • Previously farmed land is a bonus
    • Set final plan for farming and long term expansion of farming efforts
      • Viable crops, cash crops, subsistence
      • Crop rotation
      • Agricultural style (organic, no-till, etc)
      • Make initial contacts with Timber management company
        • Early income potential
    • Begin initial equipment investments
      • Basic tools
      • Tractor and attachments
      • Portable Sawmill? (would be excellent for structure building)
      • Power generation equipment (solar or small scale wind)
      • Water storage
      • Power tools
  • Year 1
    • Establish residency.
      • Initially part time
        • Rehab of standing structures and construction of small scale residences 
      • Initial structure building prep
        • Season timber for building (why we would use/need a sawmill)
      • Establish structures for farm facilitation and equipment storage
    • Clear/prep land for farming.
      • Establish green manure/composting/soil building program at this time to effectively recycle cleared materials.
      • Soil tests for pH and mineral contents to plan amendments and initial cover crops
    • Cut and dry firewood for future
    • Establish water and waste systems 
      • water conservation and protection
      • water acquisition
        • if a well is needed have it dug
      • water storage (cistern or catchment system)
      • waste water recycling. (earthships model)
      • waste recycling (composting)
    • Establish subsistence farm
      • provide food to residence
      • provide crop effectiveness feedback
    • Plan and establish initial animal husbandry
      • chickens are easiest!
      • plan for sheep, pigs, horses, cows, or whatever animals are desired for draft and food purposes.
    • Begin contacting schools for initial internship possibilities and planning
      • cheap labor
      • agricultural education is positive for the community
      • get kids out of the cities and off the streets for the summers
      • provide skills, training, and food for good, honest labor on the farm
  • Years 2-3
    • Establish living quarters for full time residents and a bunkhouse for visitors.
      • Living spaces would be best if shared initially via a large common farmhouse or lodge.
      • Built from harvested timber for year before, and built with recycled or locally sources materials. Strawbale would be best, in my opinion.
    • Expand farm to commercial scale. 
      • Expand residential food garden too support a local farm stand and farmers market stand. Possibility would exist to create a CSA out of farm should that be desired at the time.
      • Cut and clear more land, expand crop variety.
      • Management of farm must be efficient if venture is to succeed
    • Begin implementation of internship program to staff farm through the summer months
      • This would also be a good time to begin looking for people to "buy in" 
    • Expand animal husbandry and seek a facility to process animals locally or on site if possible.
    • These years will be critical to success of venture because of initial dependence on the success of the farm and related commercial ventures. If revenue from farm is substantial enough to see a profit then profit should be reinvested into the farm in order to expand and streamline production. Larger farm=larger return.
    • Begin development of processed foods such as syrup, honey, cheeses, preserves, pickled vegetable etc as an expansion of agricultural market.
  • Years 4-5
    • If things with farm are on an even keel this would be time to begin planning of other investments on site. 
      • Suggestions include: meeting spaces, artists retreats, artistic facilities and work spaces, bed and breakfast, restaurant etc.
      • These must be viable businesses that stand alone from farm financially. Financial interdependence could be a dangerous web should one venture or another fail.
    • Lodge and surrounding full time residences should be complete along with workshop spaces, equipment sheds, water storage and processing, bunk houses, part time residences etc. These should have power and facilities independent of one-another.
    • Development of a CSA group to better facilitate farm growth.

    So this is where my ideas begin to stretch and get foggy. However, this is just because I have been more preoccupied with the details of the initial buildup that I haven't developed a solid plan that extends further than five years. So here is where I want your input and suggestions. What can be developed further? What can be added? What should be changed? What risks do you see? What could potentially make for a more sound idea? Anything you wish to contribute would be appreciated! Thank you!

    3 comments:

    1. hey there kupinski, i am liking the in-depth plan for the commune, i think it will really work well...my concern is to make sure you have some backup plan of some sort in case a season is crappy (i.e droughts, floods). That can cause a bumpy season, and if it does happen, and your money source rely's on those products, you might end up in a tight spot. My suggestion is to have a backup plan, or something else the commune can contribute as well in case the food production is not on a surplus one year. Other than that, it is going to be based on trial and error, and from there on you will b able to build a strong, ecological, and efficient commune that i know will be a great place to live!

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    2. Well we'll be hoping to have a few members who will be working outside of the farm making money. Specifically a doctor and an accountant. Hopefully those thing pan out!!! But yea we definitely need to have other investments that would cover a season for drought and floods or disease. Which is why I need to get my favorite organic gardener and her dad together some time to toss ideas around ;-)

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    3. I assume this would be a mostly self-substainable enviroment. My question would be if you would be interested in barter systems/trading goods and secrets with other local farmers? This could promote good realtionships and offer solutions to some problems.

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