# Intentional Communities



## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

How do these intentional communities work, what are the benefits/disadvantages of them? How hard is it to start one? How do you join/learn from these communities? Are politics involved in decisions made? How are medical supplies provided? How do you incorporate others into the community? Just some ideas and questions I would like to have answered...

Homeopathology - using plants or medical? Survival? Everyday needs?
Livestock - how to help them survive the winter/droughts?
Deer/hunting - are they usually naturally inhabiting the property or is it possible to import cattle or deer onto the property
Security - background checks? Keeping pedofiles, violent convicts, rapists out?

Could someone please explain these to me?


----------



## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Each is different I would suppose. Personally, I'd say the best case scenario is a community made up of people who know each other in some way and who mutually agree on most things. Prob a psych eval would hurt either-- don't want any ego maniacs, power trippers, and those who generally can't/won't get along with others. 

Our group is mostly family with a few friends. Our home is 'base camp' if you will; we have sustainable water, enough land for house sites and small garden plots plus large garden and cattle range (mostly mountainside). As the property owners, we have final say in what/where something is built but if its a situation that would affect the whole group, I would hope a vote would be utilized and all could agree on 'majority rules' with each person having an equal say.


----------



## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

Not sure i can answer any of the OP questions, but i do think a group is a good idea. It would be awesome to get together with 10-20 people, for an S-corp, buy a big chunk of land and build a self sufficient community. Everyone chips in on the farming such that everyone has plenty of food, find ways to cover the property taxes, pool funds for ammo and common weapons... it could work and be very kewl. 

With the wrong mix of personalities, tho, it could also be a complete disaster. And you would have to keep a lot of what you do on the down low, so as to avoid government/corporate media interventions.

At this time it is my opinion that it is imperative to seperate, as much as possible, from the system we currently live under.


----------



## Geek999 (Jul 9, 2013)

What do you mean by an "intentional community"?


----------



## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

Geek999 said:


> What do you mean by an "intentional community"?


These type of communities or anarchy collectives are known as intentional communities.



FatTire said:


> Not sure i can answer any of the OP questions, but i do think a group is a good idea. It would be awesome to get together with 10-20 people, for an S-corp, buy a big chunk of land and build a self sufficient community. Everyone chips in on the farming such that everyone has plenty of food, find ways to cover the property taxes, pool funds for ammo and common weapons... it could work and be very kewl.
> 
> With the wrong mix of personalities, tho, it could also be a complete disaster. And you would have to keep a lot of what you do on the down low, so as to avoid government/corporate media interventions.
> 
> At this time it is my opinion that it is imperative to seperate, as much as possible, from the system we currently live under.


I completely agree, speak of; I posted a thread called government shutdown results and it was asking if this shutdown could lead to mass panic and to mass "runs" on the banks, clinics and grocery stores... If this is the case, and this were to happen this type of community would be the only hope for order and civilized living. That's why I believe that starting these could eventually help make our country a self-sustaining country again, rather than a poor ticking time bomb. But as far as personalities go, how could you get a psych eval without offending anyone or anyone turning away. Or for legal reasons, are there legal problems with these kind of methods?

Also since I am looking to build one of these communities, would it be a good idea to one day; once self sustainable of course to connect with other communities for trading and supply or medical help? What do you think about something like that, like a network of communities?


----------



## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Legalities are different state by state-- research them online. In KY, you can ask for an eval, provide a waiver of some type and be kosher. Just make sure that all applicants know up front what they need to provide. Some could see it as discrimination based on disability, but with the right group of ppl and good OPSEC, you shld be fine.


----------



## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

Ok that make sense, but again also as far as hunting...is it possible to import or integrate livestock and deer onto a property that naturally has none?


----------



## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

iForgeDesigns said:


> Ok that make sense, but again also as far as hunting...is it possible to import or integrate livestock and deer onto a property that naturally has none?


You can't even bring your dog across state lines anymore without ' permission ' from the gestapo, so don't think you can have your own little safari of game imported or even brought in.


----------



## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

I'd like to do something like this but my luck a Hitler wanna be would join up and take control.

I had a softball team about 25 yr.s ago. I loved playing ball and the leaques were full of women players. So I started my own team. What a riot that ended up being. One of the rich bitches decided to buy off half the other players. No more important practice, just cookouts and parties at rich bitch house. No practice means no team unless you like being the biggest loser in the leaque, which we were. Besides the ones who did show up at 9am were hung over from the party the night before. Telling them to run around the field 3 times was like asking me to now. Ain't gonna happen.


----------



## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

Well what are you supposed to do as far as hunting game, because the majority of land for sale don't contain game anymore. Atleast from what I've seen...


----------



## Justaguy987 (Mar 2, 2013)

Are you planning on living there now and how big is this place? Why not forget the deer and just bring in some cattle or sheep? Or goats? Depending on area, water, food, and other factors such as predators, they will do just fine without you having to do much. Just be sure and have some good fences.


----------



## hitman3872 (Oct 21, 2013)

The Amish already have a great model for you to look at. And of you combine that model with the models of the Sioux and other tribes you have a perfect community. First you have a democracy, with a patriarch that has the ultimate say and responsibility for the safety and welfare of their people. Second every member is assigned duties and responsibilities, kind of like a military structure. You have guards, cooks, cleaning, maintainence, farming, etc.. And every division has a leader that reports to the patriarch. Those leaders are also the council for the democracy. Finally as far as for pedophiles and other criminals you establish a maritime law system where corporal punishment fits the crime a person hurts a child there is a public execution.


----------



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Yes, the Amish are an example of this. There are other groups that are based on religious and cultural backgrounds. The Mennonites and Hutterites have some communities. Not all Mennonites live this way, but some do. There are many such communities in the Dakotas, Montana, Nebraska, etc.

Personally, I have long thought an intentional community would be a very strong way to go. I lived in a house in college with 5 others. The challenges: some are slobs and don't care, some want things their way even when it is not best for the bigger community, personality differences, typical group dynamics.

If you had a dozen people on a homestead, you could/would make quicker work of any project. Two people can lift and move more than one person. The division of labor in some situations based on skill sets and interest would make life better, kind of like how we live now, only in a smaller dynamic with more dependency on each other.

There were many communes in the 60s and 70s. Some had some messed up leaders and stuff I was never into. There are some in existence now, but they all have their own purpose.

http://directory.ic.org/records/communes.php

You can search by location, country or state: http://directory.ic.org/iclist/geo.php


----------

