Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Agriculture as a community funding process is probably not realistic

[Honeysuckles (honeysuckles]

Rob,

In case I gave the wrong impression as to why I was asking those questions,
I'd like to respond.  We aren't looking at the farm activities as a way to
fund the community or our mortgage.  We currently raise our own chickens for
meat and eggs and don't wish to stop that.  Prior to discovering cohousing
we had planned to get Alpacas and sheep for the fiber (and enjoyment) - the
fiber being for my personal use.  But as we brainstormed about what we would
give up for cohousing and what we didn't want to give up, the question of
"What if I started selling fiber at a later date?" arose.  That's why I
wondered what scenarios other communities had faced and how they had solved
them, when communal land is involved.

As for the shop question, our current income is from my husband's work as an
artist.  While he's used to having a small shop near our house, he loves the
feedback and energy from working around other artists, and would be happy to
share his tools.  We were wondering if any communites had done a shop with
perhaps a communal center area and private shop space around the perimeter
or something.  When brainstorming about community, a community shop just
comes to mind.  It seems like a natural extension.

However, after reading the replies and some posts from the archive, it seems
the best scenario would be to go with a private shop on our land, or to
designate land away from the housing, that can be purchased by members for
shop/studio building.  ???  (The reason my husband's shop isn't part of the
house is that his work involves power tools, welding, and hammers.)  We're
just thinking it all through.

I appreciate all the replies and input.  Thank you!
Rhea
Cohousing with a homesteading twist wannabe in South Central Alaska  : )

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