2.  An intentional community is a planned residential
community designed to have a much higher degree
of teamwork than other communities.
 The members of an intentional community typically
hold a common vision.
 They typically have shared resources and
responsibilities.
 Intentional communities include; cohousing
communities, eco-villages, communes, co-ops, etc.

4.  To have a working farm that produces food for the
community members (and possibly a CSA/
market farm).
 To have cooperative businesses that support our
endeavors.
 To build and live in a way that is in harmony with
the Earth.
 To live out these goals in a way that is conscious of
our intent and celebrates the challenges and
rewards of collective living.

6.  78 acres of land, 16 acres of pasture. 62 acres of
wooded rolling hills.
 The land has a creek and a few groundwater
springs.
 We are located on a gravel road 3 miles off the
interstate.
 The land is located outside of Colfax, Iowa. 23
miles east of the Capitol.
 It has an existing open-sided barn with electric,
and three fenced paddocks.
 There are many black raspberries, mulberries and
wild plums growing wild across the property.

7. The Land

8. •The Main house is a 2,300 sq ft. building designed
for community dining, workshop and office space.
•There is living space on the second floor.
•A wrap-around porch will accommodate outside
seating when completed.

9.  Whole tree construction using ‘round wood’ taken
from the property.
 100 yr. old barn beams and other recycled materials
designed into a pole framed structure.
 Designed and built as a strawbale building. The
plaster failed and the walls were re-constructed using
‘stick framing’ and recycled cellulose insulation.
 Plans include incorporating-water catchment, solar
hot water heat and PV Panels.

10. We Live & Learn
Compost Happens . . .
And We Try Again – Possible is Better than Perfect!

11.  Membership
 Decision making and Group Process
 The Farm
 Cooperative Businesses
 Housing
 Structure
 Culture
 Spirit

13. 1. Most people are full time Residential Members.
2. Others are transitioning to the farm, and are
full time Associate Members.
3. At the beginning, everyone is a Provisional
Member to get to know each other.
4. People that do not want the country life, but
want to be involved, can become a Support
Member (i.e., someone involved in a
cooperative business).

15. Ideas we like~
1. We believe that everyone deserves to have a
voice in the process of community.
2. We would like to have regular meetings run
with a modified consensus model (consensus
minus 1).
3. We would like to have twice monthly business
meetings.
4. We would like to have monthly visioning
meetings.

17. Permaculture Land use:
 Food forest and perennial food crops
 Humane animal husbandry (chickens, goats, etc.)
 Organic vegetable gardens (ornamental flowers?)
 Ponds and aquaculture
 Greenhouses and four season food production
We would like to grow most of the communities
food on the land.
We would like to employ canning, preserving and
drying to eat wholesome foods year round.

19.  We envision diverse enterprises on the land.
 Businesses could be owned by a few members
or Community owned.
 Some ideas we have~
-Artist cooperative -Events and retreats
-CSA/ market garden -Educational workshops
-Healer’s co-op -Drum making
-Green Building Business -Spirituality classes

20. Even Working Together Can Be Fun

21. We envision different options ranging from –
1. Green built cabins scattered around the property with a shared dining facility
2. A large central dormitory style building.
3. Yurts and other 3 season housing that people can live in while building more
permanent structures
4. Lots of ‘common spaces’ throughout the community (i.e., libraries, music
space, entertainment areas, workshops, meeting spaces, etc.)
One of the important things for us is that the community is designed for
people to ‘run into’ one another during the course of our daily lives
(while ensuring private space for individuals also).

22. the Heart is

23.  Housing types-  Styles-
• Single family houses • Strawbale,
• Dorm/ Group housing • Cordwood,
• Short Term/ 3 season • Yurts
housing • Cob
 Costs • Underground/Berm
 Sharing the labor of • Living Roofs
building • Earthbag Foundations
 Ownership
• Leasing/ renting/
contract
• Zoning & Permits

25.  How will we be organized? Areas to talk about are:
•Legal Structure •Buildings/ Residences
•501 (c3) (d) non-profit •Who will build them?
•Limited Liability Corporation LLC •Where will the capital come from?
•Community Land Trust •How would spaces/ land be
•Cooperative allocated?
•What happens if folks want to move
•How will Enterprises be run? on?
•Community Owned
•Income and Community Resources
•Small groups (like an Arts Coop)
•What will be the expectations for
•Individually
member contributions (both physically
•How would space be used for each of and monetarily) to the community?
these?
•Will there be work and enterprises
that community members can support
themselves with in the community?

27.  An agreed on code of ethics:
 Non-violent, egalitarian, accepting of all sexual orientations,
gender identities, races and ethnicities.
 Goals:
- To be joyous in our shared endeavors.
- To strive to be:
 Collaborative, respectful, open minded, helpful,
communicative, progressive, and feminist.
 - To pursue an environmental ethic, loving kindness, willingness to
work through conflicts, sharing of knowledge & skills, inclusive
socializing, tolerance of differences, practicing generosity, forgiveness
& abundance consciousness.
 - Most importantly to have the simple willingness to keep trying.

28. Spirit in Community
~ Connecting in our common respect for the
Earth and the cycles and seasons of the land.
~ Finding the Sacred in each other and ourselves.

29. What’s Next?
 Land Tour
 Discussions
 Potlucks
 Decisions
 Commitments
 Work Parties
 Drum Circles
 Coop Projects
 Planting
 Building
 Fun Creating
Community!