Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Work Participation at EC

[Elizabeth Stevenson (tamgoddess]

I've talked about this before, many times, but if people don't mind me
repeating, I think it's easier than looking in the archives.

As part of their work obligation, everyone is required to cook. Few people
can't contribute in this area. Some choose to do far less complicated meals
than others, as is their right. There are only a tiny number of people who
don't cook. One of them is our accountant, who is both physically disabled
and does our accounting for a lower-than-market rate.

We have teams that stay together over a quarter. You can have as many people
on your team as you like. Each quarter, a team of three has to cook four
times, or once per month. The rate changes according to the size of the
team. So a team with 4 people would have to cook 4 times, and a team with
two would only have to cook 2 times. Almost all teams have three people on
them, as this seems to be the most comfortable. We have about 40 people at
each meal.

WE have only social pressure as a prompter for cooking. There is a list of
what teams have cooked every month, so you can see if one hasn't done their
part. After ten years, it still works well.

I can't believe I've lived in cohousing for ten years.
-- 
Liz Stevenson
Southside Park Cohousing
Sacramento, California
tamgoddess [at] comcast.net

> From: "Elaine" <itchyink [at] spiritone.com>
> Reply-To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Date: 17 Jul 2003 09:08:16 +0800
> To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_Work Participation at EC
> 
> 
> I guess I'm curious at how, more specifically, duties are doled out in
> communities where participation is high in meals. We have a team of five per
> meal, two to shop and cook, two to clean and a swing person who helps with a
> little of both in the middle. Also, there is a 'rule' that if you eat 8
> times a month then you should work twice a month cooking or cleaning.
> 
> I have lived in my community less than a year and have seen participation in
> meals drop off. Part of the frustration I hear is the varying dietary
> restrictions, which include no wheat, no dairy, no red meat, no meat at all
> or vegan. Vegan meals don't seem terribly popular. Perhaps summer also has
> something to do with it.
> 
> I quit participating because I have a new baby as well as a toddler and
> neither my husband and I can reliably work for the time being. I think we
> are switching to a system where two people do all the cooking and cleaning,
> but have to work less often.
> 
> In the community where meal participation is mandatory, does that not create
> resentment?
> 
> Elaine
> Cascadia Commons
> Portland, OR
> 
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