There are places where wilderness-type land is only about $800-$2000 an acre. Like everything, land is apparently cheaper in bulk. Look: http://www.land-fsbo.com/search.cfm?State=Colorado So, I have this idea. What if about 15-50 cool hippy people contribute some money and buy enough land to form a village for the number of people we have. It wouldn't cost that much for each individual. Then we would need to sign an agreement to live off the land in an ecofriendly way, and also agree on what "ecofriendly" means. And then we would probably pool the land, but if we split it up into "property" I don't really care either. We'd probably end up pooling a lot of resources anyway. There wouldn't be any leaders or any religion or philosophy involved. If we have to make a decision that affects the land or everyone who lives on it, we could do it through consensus, or we could do that thing where each person rates the various options we have on a scale of 1-10, and then we average the ratings to find the least unacceptable option. Or as a last resort we would vote directly. It would be great if it ended up like this settlement: http://homepage.mac.com/pardass/IRWINKLEIN/NEWSETTLERS/index.htm Or at least the way that settlement is portrayed through the photography. That place in northern NM is not that far away from some of the places in CO in that first link. We could build cabins and cob houses, grow our own food, and then build a few wind\solar power generators. It's just a daydream of mine at the moment. Any information or ideas would be helpful. Anybody who just wants to say "If you get this thing together count me in!" is also welcome to do so. I don't actually know that much about this stuff so if I have assumed a fact that is actually very unrealistic please tell me about it. Actually, I just read on another thread that there's land as cheap as $225 an acre in WY. I need to lurk on the "Communal Living" board some more... I've been neglecting it.
Yah I responded to a thread wbout land for 1.2mill and said if you could get a group to buy it that would be loke 300 an acre or less something like that. Trying to get a group to buy in is kinda tuff but can be done. Good luck to you!
Hey...something like this ever rolls around in the Eastern PA area or anywhere in Jersey...drop me a line, even if I didn't stay there or stay there all the time, I'd toss some money to a worthy cause like this
the most important thing to me is the quality of the farmland. the cheapest best farmland ive found is in southern ohio and NE kentucky, although the best hookup with other farms is in SW wisconsin and minnesota, but they dont get enough rainfall. which makes it hard to stay cheap.
Hey, I am in. I have been checking out land for this very idea. I live in Western Pa. and I expect to be moving when this idea becomes a reality. I want to suggest other requirements for choosing a location. First, I would want to be upwind and far away from nuclear power plants. The best spot I have found for this is is either Northern California or South Eastern Oregon. Growing season is also important. The number of clear days in January is a typical indicator of available sunlight and is important for greenhouse growing. Second, you guys are not alone. I have seen a lot of people with this same basic idea. The problem is that there is no universal community for info sharing. It takes forever to search through all the web sites and it is impossible to get people together one at a time. What is needed is for some non-profit organization to set up seekers/finders database. This would need to be advertised or news out-letted to enough people make it viable. I think Air America Radio and the Coast to Coast AM show would be great places to get this information out to like-minded people wanting to break from society. I will keep searching the net for other groups. Be wary of pyramid schemes or swamp land for sale. -Hilary_155
An acre is 43,560 sq. feet. Does this place in Nebraska look like it might be ok farmland? http://www.land-fsbo.com/property.cfm?ID=3896 It's 138 acres... $800 per acre... so if we scrape together as many as 75 people, it would cost each person $1472. But that's a pretty big settlement. There are better deals with less people needed, but it would be even more rocky and wilderness-like and less farm-like. A 5 acre piece of land in the first link in my first post costs $6,200. Looks like there's not a lot of vegetation there, but if we get 12 people, it would cost each person $517. I got excited over that piece of land just because it was cheap and not that big, and that kind of spelled "FREEDOM" to me, but yeah I guess living somewhere that rocky looking could turn out to be a bad idea. The landscape looks beautiful though, and it does have a nice river. But it doesn't have to be super farmland, does it? Because we'd mostly just be doing subsistence farming, and having wilderness around is cool too. Also, I really don't know how many people per acre is reasonable. I guess part of that depends on how good the farmland is and how close together people are willing to live. Enlighten me, Hippie People, what do I need for a nice little inexpensive settlement?
keep on looking and the right property will smack you in the face. make sure you take care of the legal aspect and are extremely educated or have an advisor in that area. Either way man, put me on your mailling list and if the price is right im in for sure. i've got a nice chunk of change in the bank and some stock I'll have access to in about a year and a half that is an even nicer chunk so please keep me informed. thanks. I like the last land you posted. also I agree we need organization to this movement. . . -bz
Yes, yes. I think one group to check out on how to make a community that isn't a commune but supports each other through trade/share/I do this if you do that are the amish. So we may not all agree on their particular religious doctron yet they are a group who has survived by acting as a whole when need be while maintaining strong family ties. Sure they don't always get along (ex-members will tell ya that), but all in all whatever they are doing has worked. Also, for those interested please check into the legalities/information on intentional communities to see how it could apply to an intentional village. Besides thinking what kind of land you have availible, you need to make sure people come with viable skills to help the village grow. For instance, I have skills with horses, have a draft cross who can not only be ridden but can pull a wagon or plow for farming and is a mare for breeding. I would totally be into a group were little fuel was used and more livestock of duel purpose was for transportation/farmwork. You need to think little and big. I'm in if such a group wants to get it going in the States. In England there is such a group but more of an intentional community-however they might have ideas as to how to get started on the basics. Lastly let me say that some kind of council will be needed with active, willing to work members to keep the village going. Look into how other cultures have their councils, then look into how westerns do council meetings. Not all will agree on ideas yet whatever is done must be for the good of the village. How much are you willing to compromise? What if others want some on grid while others are against any grid? To sell or not to sell surplus energy back to the big corps? Geesh, I could go on and on. The biggest benefit I can see to this village is children being raised in an environment that supports while building strong, independant minds. After all it does take a village to raise a child. urby
