Since Ruth Holladay's column about us on February 17th, we have been to see three barns. Though none have been quite right for our initial need, each has some value in it's beams, posts, braces and other members.
First, thanks to the three new friends who have considered offering their barns to us.
So far none is complete enough to allow us to reconstruct an entire barn with it. One is too small, one is too damaged by weather, and one has a block wall for the first level, so we'd need to construct another wall on our site to support it.
As one travels the state it is not unusual to see old barns in the countryside. Many of these are in terrible states of disrepair. What a shame.
Today, a family farmer is faced with many problems trying to stay on the farm. Very few can make a living without working "in town" to supplement their farm income. Some work another job so they will have insurance coverage for their families.
It is costly to maintain farm buildings, and, with property taxes rising across Indiana, it's not surprising that many farm families must choose other expenses before putting money into their old barns. The result is that small problems soon turn into large ones and the barn slowly begins to deteriorate.
When much of a barn is damaged the number of useful pieces is reduced, but the cost in time and equipment needed to dismantle it isn't. In fact, when parts of a roof or loft are ruined by weather, dismantling them requires more equipment and planning than taking down a "healthy" building.
Further, the damaged pieces must be disposed of, a potentially costly and/or polluting effort. One could cut up the damaged parts and use them for fire wood, but, remember, we're moving to a site with enough renewable potential fire wood to last our whole community forever.
So, the search will continue. If you know of a barn, especially an historic barn, that is in danger of being pushed over and buried or burned by its owner, please let us know.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Nearby cob project
Our group met in Bloomington, Indiana, last night for dinner and to meet some new folks who are interested in what we're doing. About a dozen of us enjoyed dinner together and then walked a few blocks to a meeting of the Natural Building Group, one of many groups that meet under the umbrella of the Center for Sustainable Living (CSL) in Bloomington.
CSL has recently moved to a smaller location just blocks west of downtown Bloomington. By the time we arrived about a half dozen folks had already assembled to discuss natural building ideas and projects. That number had more than half filled the cozy meeting area, so our arrival was, to say the least, a surprise to them. We all scrambled for a few minutes to make more room to sit and watch the presentation.
While waiting for the presenters to get their equipment set up, we gave a brief description of the Raccoon Creek Community project.
This month's program was a talk and slide show from Chris and Jen Reinhart, and the reason we met in Bloomington this time. The couple, with help? from their now-three-year-old son, have been building their own natural structures on 15 acres they own east of Bloomington.
They talked about the process they used to find their property. It was all too familiar, driving back roads throughout the area, asking folks about various properties. They eventually found a property with woods, meadow and a creek.
Their first building was a privy, but a very nice privy, with a beautiful stone foundation, and lots of light. Chris worked on the site with their son while Jen continued her job in town. He decided to do all the work by hand, so the project took longer than it might have, but the results appear worth it.
He dug into the soil about two feet deep around the foundation-to-be, saving the top soil for their garden and setting the rest aside for use in the cob walls. The foundation started with purchased gravel across the entire floor area, and some flexible plastic drainage pipe running from the building outward into a drainage trench. After covering the pipe with more gravel, the actual foundation walls were started with large stones and "urbanite," a coined term to describe found concrete slabs, broken into manageable pieces.
The foundation was built up to a foot or so above grade and it was ready for the cob. The cob was mixed on a tarp in batches that could be managed and applied by hand to the foundation. As the cob rose higher, a door frame and windows were built into it, and eventually a roof was added. The end result is a beautiful natural building that looks like it grew there. I'll add a picture if Chris or Jen will send me one.
Their next building was a small house they had planned to build for their son to use as he grew older. Talk about planning ahead! But building the little house next wasn't the original plan. First the foundation for the family home was dug, but reality struck as they recognized that they wouldn't be able to finish the larger building before cold weather set in, and they wanted to get themselves moved to their property and eliminate the monthly rent they were paying.
So they turned their attention from the larger foundation pit and started from scratch on the smaller home. The foundation was built much the same as the privy's. This house was to be two floors, though, so instead of building it all with cob, it was to include straw bale sections. The gravel was dumped and spread, the urbanite foundation was finished, and they started with the cob. As the cob wall grew, the door and window frames were added. Soon the straw bales were incorporated. Pictures in the slide program show that soon the leaves were off the trees and they had to move promptly.
Without my belaboring the process, the second-floor loft was added, they finished it off with a custom designed roof and, voila!, a home for three, albeit a very small home. This year they will restart the family home, finish plastering the cob walls in the privy and small house, and start a wall for their garden.
If you'd like to visit their homestead, or want to offer some volunteer help, you can contact Chris and Jen by email.
And if you are in the Bloomington area on the fourth Wednesday of a month, you can't go wrong stopping in at the CSL building for the Natural Building Group's monthly meeting. Contact Joe Davis for more information.
CSL has recently moved to a smaller location just blocks west of downtown Bloomington. By the time we arrived about a half dozen folks had already assembled to discuss natural building ideas and projects. That number had more than half filled the cozy meeting area, so our arrival was, to say the least, a surprise to them. We all scrambled for a few minutes to make more room to sit and watch the presentation.
While waiting for the presenters to get their equipment set up, we gave a brief description of the Raccoon Creek Community project.
This month's program was a talk and slide show from Chris and Jen Reinhart, and the reason we met in Bloomington this time. The couple, with help? from their now-three-year-old son, have been building their own natural structures on 15 acres they own east of Bloomington.
They talked about the process they used to find their property. It was all too familiar, driving back roads throughout the area, asking folks about various properties. They eventually found a property with woods, meadow and a creek.
Their first building was a privy, but a very nice privy, with a beautiful stone foundation, and lots of light. Chris worked on the site with their son while Jen continued her job in town. He decided to do all the work by hand, so the project took longer than it might have, but the results appear worth it.
He dug into the soil about two feet deep around the foundation-to-be, saving the top soil for their garden and setting the rest aside for use in the cob walls. The foundation started with purchased gravel across the entire floor area, and some flexible plastic drainage pipe running from the building outward into a drainage trench. After covering the pipe with more gravel, the actual foundation walls were started with large stones and "urbanite," a coined term to describe found concrete slabs, broken into manageable pieces.
The foundation was built up to a foot or so above grade and it was ready for the cob. The cob was mixed on a tarp in batches that could be managed and applied by hand to the foundation. As the cob rose higher, a door frame and windows were built into it, and eventually a roof was added. The end result is a beautiful natural building that looks like it grew there. I'll add a picture if Chris or Jen will send me one.
Their next building was a small house they had planned to build for their son to use as he grew older. Talk about planning ahead! But building the little house next wasn't the original plan. First the foundation for the family home was dug, but reality struck as they recognized that they wouldn't be able to finish the larger building before cold weather set in, and they wanted to get themselves moved to their property and eliminate the monthly rent they were paying.
So they turned their attention from the larger foundation pit and started from scratch on the smaller home. The foundation was built much the same as the privy's. This house was to be two floors, though, so instead of building it all with cob, it was to include straw bale sections. The gravel was dumped and spread, the urbanite foundation was finished, and they started with the cob. As the cob wall grew, the door and window frames were added. Soon the straw bales were incorporated. Pictures in the slide program show that soon the leaves were off the trees and they had to move promptly.
Without my belaboring the process, the second-floor loft was added, they finished it off with a custom designed roof and, voila!, a home for three, albeit a very small home. This year they will restart the family home, finish plastering the cob walls in the privy and small house, and start a wall for their garden.
If you'd like to visit their homestead, or want to offer some volunteer help, you can contact Chris and Jen by email.
And if you are in the Bloomington area on the fourth Wednesday of a month, you can't go wrong stopping in at the CSL building for the Natural Building Group's monthly meeting. Contact Joe Davis for more information.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
It's still living
I had another chance today to visit the living machine at PAWS in Muncie. (See earlier post.)
I could not believe how much growth there has been in the marsh and how many more hyacinths are growing on the surface of the tanks. Russ says he has to cull the hyacinths at least every two weeks in the summer and every six weeks or so during the winter. The papyrus plants in the marsh have more than tripled in mass since my first visit just three weeks ago today. See the pictures below.
The hyacinths make great mulch and decay quickly since they contain lots of air. Russ uses them around plants and trees on the PAWS campus. The sludge from the system is sprayed directly on the ground around plants.
We asked more questioins about what could be grown in the marsh, and I was more intent on checking each step in the process. I was surprised to see the water flowing from the sixth tank into the lagoon was so clear one would not know it wasn't a woodland stream.
Tropical plants are used because native plants go dormant in the winter. Russ thinks we could grow tropicals, trees, herbs, roses, pretty much whatever we want to if we construct a living machine for our waste processing.
I hope we can design a smaller version of the system to include in the community house, and add one or two more identical systems as we add residents.
I could not believe how much growth there has been in the marsh and how many more hyacinths are growing on the surface of the tanks. Russ says he has to cull the hyacinths at least every two weeks in the summer and every six weeks or so during the winter. The papyrus plants in the marsh have more than tripled in mass since my first visit just three weeks ago today. See the pictures below.
The hyacinths make great mulch and decay quickly since they contain lots of air. Russ uses them around plants and trees on the PAWS campus. The sludge from the system is sprayed directly on the ground around plants.
We asked more questioins about what could be grown in the marsh, and I was more intent on checking each step in the process. I was surprised to see the water flowing from the sixth tank into the lagoon was so clear one would not know it wasn't a woodland stream.
Tropical plants are used because native plants go dormant in the winter. Russ thinks we could grow tropicals, trees, herbs, roses, pretty much whatever we want to if we construct a living machine for our waste processing.
I hope we can design a smaller version of the system to include in the community house, and add one or two more identical systems as we add residents.
Thanks, Ruth
This morning's Indianapolis Star, on the front page of the City/State section, carried Ruth Holladay's column with the title "Group dreams of community with communal interests".
We appreciate the thoughtful brief on what we're up to, though it's my first memory of ever being described as "bookish-looking." Those who know me might suggest that's better than the truth, but I'll leave that to folks with first-hand knowledge.
Without detracting from Ruth's words, I want to comment on one item.
I am not certain that we can say intentional community is "new to Indiana." If one looks to the "Communities Directory" of the Fellowship for Intentional Community, a number of other entries for Indiana can be found, though none of them are described as we envision Raccoon Creek Community. "Intentional community" is in the eye of the beholder. Further, since listings in the directory are self-entered, there's a fair chance there might be other communities in Indiana that qualify to be included.
And, yes, we're still looking for a barn to move to Raccoon Creek. We have a few leads and a promising chance to find an historic barn nearby, but if you know of a barn that is no longer wanted where it sits, let us know.
We appreciate the thoughtful brief on what we're up to, though it's my first memory of ever being described as "bookish-looking." Those who know me might suggest that's better than the truth, but I'll leave that to folks with first-hand knowledge.
Without detracting from Ruth's words, I want to comment on one item.
I am not certain that we can say intentional community is "new to Indiana." If one looks to the "Communities Directory" of the Fellowship for Intentional Community, a number of other entries for Indiana can be found, though none of them are described as we envision Raccoon Creek Community. "Intentional community" is in the eye of the beholder. Further, since listings in the directory are self-entered, there's a fair chance there might be other communities in Indiana that qualify to be included.
And, yes, we're still looking for a barn to move to Raccoon Creek. We have a few leads and a promising chance to find an historic barn nearby, but if you know of a barn that is no longer wanted where it sits, let us know.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
The building dilema.
We have been discussing for months what building should be built first.
We envision a community building that is large enough to hold a community meeting, or for a visiting group to be able to hold a meeting in the building. It should allow us to feed a large group in one seating. But such a building, even with a frugal construction manager and the use of found materials where possible, might be much more expensive than our current members can afford. As our number grows, the cost per adult of the community building drops.
Individual members will only build homes for themselves that they can afford. We cannot expect anyone to build extra living space to house visitors to the community other than their own personal invitees.
So what comes first?
We are leaning toward building a large barn first. The positive benefits of this plan are many.
In the loft of a large barn we would have space to build two apartments while leaving the ground floor available for other purposes. Family units could move to one of the apartments while building their eventual homes. As their home became ready, each family would move to it from their apartment, freeing that apartment for the next family to move on site.
During periods when an apartment was not needed, the space would be used to house visitors, interns, or visiting groups.
This plan will allow some of us to move on site earlier.
The uses for the ground floor of a barn are almost too numerous to list here. We need a place right now to store building materials, supplies, equipment, things that we might have the opportunity to acquire as we find it. We will need a place to build things like signs, cold frames, bird houses, shelving and lots of others. We will need space to start seeds, store garden supplies and protect non-hardy plants through freezing seasons. We will need to store equipment that should not be left outdoors. The list goes on.
Of course new barns are expensive also, so we have decided to look for standing barns that are no longer wanted where they stand. Barns are available from businesses that dismantle them, catalog their parts, and document how to reassemble them elsewhere. These, though, are not necessarily less expensive than starting from scratch as there is a significant cost to taking down a barn.
We are also keeping our eyes open as we travel through the area. Fewer than ten years ago I found, in a single day, three barns whose owners were willing to give them away in exchange for the property being completely cleaned off. Such opportunities are not so readily found today, but we will continue looking. Ideal would be an historic barn from close by that we could preserve and show to visitors.
As you read this post, if you know of a barn that might be available, please let us know at the community's email address.
We envision a community building that is large enough to hold a community meeting, or for a visiting group to be able to hold a meeting in the building. It should allow us to feed a large group in one seating. But such a building, even with a frugal construction manager and the use of found materials where possible, might be much more expensive than our current members can afford. As our number grows, the cost per adult of the community building drops.
Individual members will only build homes for themselves that they can afford. We cannot expect anyone to build extra living space to house visitors to the community other than their own personal invitees.
So what comes first?
We are leaning toward building a large barn first. The positive benefits of this plan are many.
In the loft of a large barn we would have space to build two apartments while leaving the ground floor available for other purposes. Family units could move to one of the apartments while building their eventual homes. As their home became ready, each family would move to it from their apartment, freeing that apartment for the next family to move on site.
During periods when an apartment was not needed, the space would be used to house visitors, interns, or visiting groups.
This plan will allow some of us to move on site earlier.
The uses for the ground floor of a barn are almost too numerous to list here. We need a place right now to store building materials, supplies, equipment, things that we might have the opportunity to acquire as we find it. We will need a place to build things like signs, cold frames, bird houses, shelving and lots of others. We will need space to start seeds, store garden supplies and protect non-hardy plants through freezing seasons. We will need to store equipment that should not be left outdoors. The list goes on.
Of course new barns are expensive also, so we have decided to look for standing barns that are no longer wanted where they stand. Barns are available from businesses that dismantle them, catalog their parts, and document how to reassemble them elsewhere. These, though, are not necessarily less expensive than starting from scratch as there is a significant cost to taking down a barn.
We are also keeping our eyes open as we travel through the area. Fewer than ten years ago I found, in a single day, three barns whose owners were willing to give them away in exchange for the property being completely cleaned off. Such opportunities are not so readily found today, but we will continue looking. Ideal would be an historic barn from close by that we could preserve and show to visitors.
As you read this post, if you know of a barn that might be available, please let us know at the community's email address.
2005 Midwest Small Farm Conference
Yesterday we wandered out to Greencastle to attend the Midwest Small Farm Conference. The conference is produced by Sustainable Earth, a not-for-profit established by Steve Bonney that promotes sustainable agriculture and education in its value.
There were eight sessions on two tracks. I sat in on "Finding Your Niche in Small Farm Agriculture" presented by Greencastle "pastured poultry" farmer David Harris, "Guerrila Marketing" with David Robb of Indianapolis, "Femmes in the Furrows" co-presented by Janet Feavel of Hillsboro and Valerie Metzger of Logansport, and "Building Our Sustainable Community", a discussion moderated by Rich Molini that allowed attendees to begin planning for a more effective communications sceme for proponents of sustainable agriculture.
We met many people who are growing safe food and marketing it without the aid of sophisticated advertising, and mostly close to home. I hope we can put many of the sustainable farming ideas we picked up into use at Raccoon Creek, both for growing and later for marketing. In addition to nice people and good ideas, we brought back numerous flyers, articles and documents that will come in handy.
I recommend the conference for anyone who wants healthier food to be available to everyone.
There were eight sessions on two tracks. I sat in on "Finding Your Niche in Small Farm Agriculture" presented by Greencastle "pastured poultry" farmer David Harris, "Guerrila Marketing" with David Robb of Indianapolis, "Femmes in the Furrows" co-presented by Janet Feavel of Hillsboro and Valerie Metzger of Logansport, and "Building Our Sustainable Community", a discussion moderated by Rich Molini that allowed attendees to begin planning for a more effective communications sceme for proponents of sustainable agriculture.
We met many people who are growing safe food and marketing it without the aid of sophisticated advertising, and mostly close to home. I hope we can put many of the sustainable farming ideas we picked up into use at Raccoon Creek, both for growing and later for marketing. In addition to nice people and good ideas, we brought back numerous flyers, articles and documents that will come in handy.
I recommend the conference for anyone who wants healthier food to be available to everyone.
Friday, February 11, 2005
Still learning to blog right
I discovered Picasa and Hello yesterday, two tools for organizing and sending pictures.
The first, Picasa, searches all of one's on-line files and extracts an entry for every .jpg, .gif, and .tif file it finds (and maybe other formats). They are all added to an "album" and presented in any number of formats for one to use. I have just scratched the surface on using Picasa and already have saved a bundle of time.
Hello allows one to share pictures with others without posting them to a web page nor attaching them to an email message. The other person(s) must also be using Hello.
But the reason I got Hello was to allow me to easily upload pictures to this blog, and that's how the picture below got where it is. I was hoping I could cause it to be inserted next to the entry about the living machine, but it didn't offer any such placement option and I don't know if I can move it there. More on that if I learn how.
For now I'll just try to remember to upload the picture just before or just after I post the article to which it relates.
The first, Picasa, searches all of one's on-line files and extracts an entry for every .jpg, .gif, and .tif file it finds (and maybe other formats). They are all added to an "album" and presented in any number of formats for one to use. I have just scratched the surface on using Picasa and already have saved a bundle of time.
Hello allows one to share pictures with others without posting them to a web page nor attaching them to an email message. The other person(s) must also be using Hello.
But the reason I got Hello was to allow me to easily upload pictures to this blog, and that's how the picture below got where it is. I was hoping I could cause it to be inserted next to the entry about the living machine, but it didn't offer any such placement option and I don't know if I can move it there. More on that if I learn how.
For now I'll just try to remember to upload the picture just before or just after I post the article to which it relates.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
It's Classified!
Although Raccoon Creek is located within 154 acres of commonly owned, contiguous property, only a relatively small part of it will ever have buildings, roads, gardens or orchards. Much of the rest is enrolled in Indiana's Classified Forest program and the rest soon will be.
The community will use the part that is not enrolled.
The Indiana Classified Forest program is one of the most successful and longest running forest stewardship programs in the United States. Read more about it.
The community will use the part that is not enrolled.
The Indiana Classified Forest program is one of the most successful and longest running forest stewardship programs in the United States. Read more about it.
Using the worst will preserve the best
"What a beautiful spot; let's build here!"
That's a typical statement one might hear from a person planning to move to a property. Heck, it's something any of us might say before looking around a property in depth.
But before choosing a building site, if we truly want to be environmentally conscientious, we should look for those locations that have already been "damaged." Is there a place that had a building before? How about one that doesn't have good soil, or a spot that doesn't drain all that well?
Since we're going to do "damage" by excavating and pouring a foundation, shouldn't we do it where it's not likely to take an area out of production? Besides, if one builds on the worst spot, that spot will no longer be visible and wherever one looks will be prettier.
I hope we can keep this simple idea in mind as we designate sites for every building at Raccoon Creek.
That's a typical statement one might hear from a person planning to move to a property. Heck, it's something any of us might say before looking around a property in depth.
But before choosing a building site, if we truly want to be environmentally conscientious, we should look for those locations that have already been "damaged." Is there a place that had a building before? How about one that doesn't have good soil, or a spot that doesn't drain all that well?
Since we're going to do "damage" by excavating and pouring a foundation, shouldn't we do it where it's not likely to take an area out of production? Besides, if one builds on the worst spot, that spot will no longer be visible and wherever one looks will be prettier.
I hope we can keep this simple idea in mind as we designate sites for every building at Raccoon Creek.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Lots of great ideas
Last September three of us made a drive to Ball State University to meet with some of the staff of the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Architecture and Planning. We were there to ask if they could help with planning our community and to offer our site as a "lab" that classes could use as Raccoon Creek grows over the coming years.
The reception was positive. In fact, a visit was proposed for the graduate level LA 603, Community Design class later in the semester.
In December the class visited Raccoon Creek to walk the site, ask questions, and hear from a few of us about what we knew we wanted and what we knew we didn't want for the community. The assignment for each student was to recommend an overall site plan and a sequence of implementation that recognized the community will grow over a period of years and not all the funds will be available from the start to design and build everything. Though we did not ask for this, they were also assigned to recommend a name for the community.
About a week later two of us went to meet the class at Ball State for a preliminary presentation of their ideas. Rough sketches of the individual plans were presented, and we had an extensive give and take about what was being considered. We learned a lot from each of them. We also pointed out a few of the evolving recommendations that we were certain just would not be adopted by the community. This allowed them to drop these few ideas and concentrate on the more promising ones.
About a week after that some of us went back to their site to see the presentations of the final recommendations. We got seven very well prepared and presented overall plans for Raccoon Creek, along with seven unique suggestions for a community name. I thought "Beechfront Property" was the most clever.
The proposals included not just buildings and locations, but also suggestions for alternative energy systems, a living machine, water collection schemes, garden locations, parking areas, and lots more.
Though no single proposal will be adopted in toto, each has multiple features that will be incorporated as the Raccoon Creek Community grows.
We are very grateful for the efforts by this class and the faculty at Ball State, and look forward to future chances to work together.
The reception was positive. In fact, a visit was proposed for the graduate level LA 603, Community Design class later in the semester.
In December the class visited Raccoon Creek to walk the site, ask questions, and hear from a few of us about what we knew we wanted and what we knew we didn't want for the community. The assignment for each student was to recommend an overall site plan and a sequence of implementation that recognized the community will grow over a period of years and not all the funds will be available from the start to design and build everything. Though we did not ask for this, they were also assigned to recommend a name for the community.
About a week later two of us went to meet the class at Ball State for a preliminary presentation of their ideas. Rough sketches of the individual plans were presented, and we had an extensive give and take about what was being considered. We learned a lot from each of them. We also pointed out a few of the evolving recommendations that we were certain just would not be adopted by the community. This allowed them to drop these few ideas and concentrate on the more promising ones.
About a week after that some of us went back to their site to see the presentations of the final recommendations. We got seven very well prepared and presented overall plans for Raccoon Creek, along with seven unique suggestions for a community name. I thought "Beechfront Property" was the most clever.
The proposals included not just buildings and locations, but also suggestions for alternative energy systems, a living machine, water collection schemes, garden locations, parking areas, and lots more.
Though no single proposal will be adopted in toto, each has multiple features that will be incorporated as the Raccoon Creek Community grows.
We are very grateful for the efforts by this class and the faculty at Ball State, and look forward to future chances to work together.
It's a living (machine, that is)
A few weeks ago a few of us visited a facility north of Muncie, Indiana, that was built, or at lease paid for, by the creator of Garfield the Cat, Jim Davis, at his corporate site know as PAWS. With the urging of Russ Vernon, whose business card reads "Horticulturist/Plant Manager" and who also helped design the system, the folks at PAWS have built a "living machine." [NOTE: See picture posted above on Feb 10.]
We didn't meet Jim Davis, but I bet we would have stumped him with some of our questions. On the other hand, Russ took on every question with practiced ease. He has been describing his waste processing system to visitors for fourteen years.
Instead of a large septic system to handle solid waste from the PAWS campus, the living machine, with only a monthly infusion of purchased bacteria, and a system to maintain a desirable temperature in a few of the tanks, has transformed all of the site's sewage waste --toilets, showers, and kitchens-- into water that could be drunk and an occasional small amount of sludge, too small even to need regulation. The system handles the mostly business-hours waste for about fifty people.
I won't describe it in detail in this entry but I will note a few things, especially one that surprised me.
There was no --zero, nada, zilch-- detected odor of sewage in the building. The building had a climate and aroma more like that of a greenhouse.
There are a series of tanks with various green plants floating in them, a lagoon with fish and more plants, and a "marsh" with various live and dormant plants in it. (The visit was in January.) The predominate plant was the water hyacinth which I later learned is very useful for composting, especially those taken from a living machine that will have absorbed extra neutrients.
We have been discussing how we would deal with sewage at Raccoon Creek and still don't have the final answer, but incorporating a living machine is now something we are seriusly considering.
Since we have decided we will build a community building of some sort, why not incorporate a living machine into the front side of it?
Many areas in passive solar buildings might, at best, hold a seating area and some plants. We are now thinking at least the final stages of a livnig machine --the lagoon and the marsh-- might be a beautiful place to enjoy the plants and the humidity (in the winter) while also performing an essential task for the community. The initial tanks in the system and the pumps that aerate all of the tanks could be housed in a room outside of this green house-like section if necessary for the esthetics of the design.
Further, the ultmate system can be built in stages. By that I mean, we could build two or three parallel systems, essentially replicas of each other, as they were needed. This step-wise approach would serve two purposes. It would allow us to pay for the separate systems as they were needed and as funds became available, and, after the second system was in place, it would give us redundancy in case one system had to be taken off-line for maintenance of any sort. (By the way, Russ told us his system hasn't failed once in fourteen years!) We could build each system as the number of members approached the processing capacity of those installed already.
Each building at Raccoon Creek would be connected to the living machine just as one would connect a typical home to a municipal sewage system.
If you'd like to read my full notes on the visit to the PAWS site, send me an email message at rcc@netdirect.net. It's about 150 80-character lines. I'll send it as a plain text attachment.
We didn't meet Jim Davis, but I bet we would have stumped him with some of our questions. On the other hand, Russ took on every question with practiced ease. He has been describing his waste processing system to visitors for fourteen years.
Instead of a large septic system to handle solid waste from the PAWS campus, the living machine, with only a monthly infusion of purchased bacteria, and a system to maintain a desirable temperature in a few of the tanks, has transformed all of the site's sewage waste --toilets, showers, and kitchens-- into water that could be drunk and an occasional small amount of sludge, too small even to need regulation. The system handles the mostly business-hours waste for about fifty people.
I won't describe it in detail in this entry but I will note a few things, especially one that surprised me.
There was no --zero, nada, zilch-- detected odor of sewage in the building. The building had a climate and aroma more like that of a greenhouse.
There are a series of tanks with various green plants floating in them, a lagoon with fish and more plants, and a "marsh" with various live and dormant plants in it. (The visit was in January.) The predominate plant was the water hyacinth which I later learned is very useful for composting, especially those taken from a living machine that will have absorbed extra neutrients.
We have been discussing how we would deal with sewage at Raccoon Creek and still don't have the final answer, but incorporating a living machine is now something we are seriusly considering.
Since we have decided we will build a community building of some sort, why not incorporate a living machine into the front side of it?
Many areas in passive solar buildings might, at best, hold a seating area and some plants. We are now thinking at least the final stages of a livnig machine --the lagoon and the marsh-- might be a beautiful place to enjoy the plants and the humidity (in the winter) while also performing an essential task for the community. The initial tanks in the system and the pumps that aerate all of the tanks could be housed in a room outside of this green house-like section if necessary for the esthetics of the design.
Further, the ultmate system can be built in stages. By that I mean, we could build two or three parallel systems, essentially replicas of each other, as they were needed. This step-wise approach would serve two purposes. It would allow us to pay for the separate systems as they were needed and as funds became available, and, after the second system was in place, it would give us redundancy in case one system had to be taken off-line for maintenance of any sort. (By the way, Russ told us his system hasn't failed once in fourteen years!) We could build each system as the number of members approached the processing capacity of those installed already.
Each building at Raccoon Creek would be connected to the living machine just as one would connect a typical home to a municipal sewage system.
If you'd like to read my full notes on the visit to the PAWS site, send me an email message at rcc@netdirect.net. It's about 150 80-character lines. I'll send it as a plain text attachment.
Eco-village?
Is Raccoon Creek Community an eco-village? It's a question we have even asked ourselves.
In 1991, Robert Gilman set out a definition of an ecovillage that was to become a standard. Gilman defined an ecovillage as a:
"Full-featured." Hmm... We expect to have everything on site that a person would want at their own residence, and we expect some residents will be able to run small businesses from the community, but it is not likely we will every be full-featured. To me that term implies at least a few small businesses that won't likely ever be on the site, like a grocery store. On the other hand, we expect many things one would "go into town for" will be available in the community, but, if we accept "full-featured" as a requirement, and my definition of having most of what one would need from town on the site, then we fail this test.
"Human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world." We should get an A-Plus on this qualifier. I doubt anyone can build any significant building without some harm to the natural world. The questiion is, what will be done to compensate nature for the damage. We hope our "mitigation" will more than compensate for any damage done.
"Supportive of healthy human development and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future." The first part of this one is easy, and goes without saying. Continuity, thouigh, is something we just won't know for some time to come. Clearly it is a goal that has been accepted by all participants.
In 1991, Robert Gilman set out a definition of an ecovillage that was to become a standard. Gilman defined an ecovillage as a:
Let's take each line in order. Raccoon Creek will definitely be "human-scale." We are expecting no more than fifty residents at the most, though events held at the community might boost the population from time to time.
- human-scale
- full-featured settlement
- in which human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world
- in a way that is supportive of healthy human development and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future. "The Eco-village Challenge" by Robert Gilman, One of the articles in Living Together (IC#29), Summer 1991, Page 10
"Full-featured." Hmm... We expect to have everything on site that a person would want at their own residence, and we expect some residents will be able to run small businesses from the community, but it is not likely we will every be full-featured. To me that term implies at least a few small businesses that won't likely ever be on the site, like a grocery store. On the other hand, we expect many things one would "go into town for" will be available in the community, but, if we accept "full-featured" as a requirement, and my definition of having most of what one would need from town on the site, then we fail this test.
"Human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world." We should get an A-Plus on this qualifier. I doubt anyone can build any significant building without some harm to the natural world. The questiion is, what will be done to compensate nature for the damage. We hope our "mitigation" will more than compensate for any damage done.
"Supportive of healthy human development and can be successfully continued into the indefinite future." The first part of this one is easy, and goes without saying. Continuity, thouigh, is something we just won't know for some time to come. Clearly it is a goal that has been accepted by all participants.
Monday, February 07, 2005
You gotta believe
While I'm thinking about it, let me dispel another myth about intentional communities:
Raccoon Creek does not have a spiritual focus, at least not in the normal sense. There is a strong respect for all life shared by all of our participants, and a self-imposed mandate to live lightly on the earth.
If anyone has more current statistics, please post them with a comment. An update to the directory was published in 2000 and another will be published this year.
"Most intentional communities are organized around a particular religion or common spiritual practice."While it's true that many groups have a spiritual focus--and most of the better-known historical communities did, such as Amana and Oneida, and even New Harmony here in Indiana--according to the 1995 addition of the Fellowship for Intentional Communities' Directory of Communities, of the 540 North American communities listed, 65% were secular or didn't specify, while only 35% were explicitly spiritual or religious.
Raccoon Creek does not have a spiritual focus, at least not in the normal sense. There is a strong respect for all life shared by all of our participants, and a self-imposed mandate to live lightly on the earth.
If anyone has more current statistics, please post them with a comment. An update to the directory was published in 2000 and another will be published this year.
"How's your commune coming?"
It seems like every week we hear this question from someone who has heard we are creating a co-housing community. They chuckle, and we smile, and we generally leave it at that.
I'm sure my friends don't mean anything by it, but it has made me think. Even kidding comments are likely based on some idea held by the speaker, rightly or wrongly, that came to mind when they asked the question. If people who know us have a misimpression about what we're up to, I worry how the idea strikes others who don't know us.
So let's see if I can explain briefly the difference between a commune and an intentional co-housing community, at least as I see it. Many people use these terms interchangeably, however, it is probably more appropriate to use the term "commune" to describe a particular kind of intentional community whose members live "communally" in an economic sense--operating with a common treasury and sharing ownership of their property. Most intentional communities, including Raccoon Creek, are not communes.
I'm sure my friends don't mean anything by it, but it has made me think. Even kidding comments are likely based on some idea held by the speaker, rightly or wrongly, that came to mind when they asked the question. If people who know us have a misimpression about what we're up to, I worry how the idea strikes others who don't know us.
So let's see if I can explain briefly the difference between a commune and an intentional co-housing community, at least as I see it. Many people use these terms interchangeably, however, it is probably more appropriate to use the term "commune" to describe a particular kind of intentional community whose members live "communally" in an economic sense--operating with a common treasury and sharing ownership of their property. Most intentional communities, including Raccoon Creek, are not communes.
Getting to know you, getting to know all about you...
From the start we agreed that we wanted Raccoon Creek to be an inclusive community. Anyone who cared about the things we feel are important and was willing to accept rules that we might collectively establish would be welcome. Race, finances, marital status, family size, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs... none of these should matter, as long as one didn't intend to impose their choices on others.
We asked each participant to draft a "personal vision statement" describing the community they wanted to help establish and live in. Then, after a group meeting for the purpose of discussing our shared vision, one of us drafted a "community vision statement". We may revise it from time to time based on experience and input from future members.
Next we found a list of items or issues that might be concerns or desires for a community. We modified the list to remove some things we knew were not needed, and to add a few entries that deserved consideration. This document is called the "Goals for Site Plan Questionnaire." Each of us then graded every item on the list from 1 to 10 and from two perspectives: "importance" and "urgency." A large table was developed with all the responses and averages, and it was posted to the files section of our discussion list for all participants to see.
We began to discuss the findings of this exercise, especially the items for which there was a significant difference among us. To date only a few of the entries have been discussed in detail, but, perhaps not so surprisingly, not that many indicate a significant difference of opinion. On one issue, for example, discussing our responses indicated more of a difference of interpretation of the meaning of "importance" rather than a difference of opinion on what the community's position should be. We hope to discuss remaining differences, not necessarily to change each others' opinions as much as to understand them.
Then we established a process for adding interested people to our group. First we agreed there would be two categories of "participants" - members" and "associates".
"Members" are those who were committed to create a home and live at Raccoon Creek and who pay the community's annual dues. They would also agree to "parity" among members with respect to contributions, both financial and participatory. (More on finances in a later entry.)
"Associates" are all others interested in the health of the community who pay the annual dues. Associates may participate in all community meetings and activities, and they may participate in community votes unless the members should decide that a particular decision should be made only by members.
"Dues" were suggested to be $100/per year or $10/month. They are paid by all adult participants.
The following steps have been established to bring new participants into the Raccoon Creek Community:
We asked each participant to draft a "personal vision statement" describing the community they wanted to help establish and live in. Then, after a group meeting for the purpose of discussing our shared vision, one of us drafted a "community vision statement". We may revise it from time to time based on experience and input from future members.
Next we found a list of items or issues that might be concerns or desires for a community. We modified the list to remove some things we knew were not needed, and to add a few entries that deserved consideration. This document is called the "Goals for Site Plan Questionnaire." Each of us then graded every item on the list from 1 to 10 and from two perspectives: "importance" and "urgency." A large table was developed with all the responses and averages, and it was posted to the files section of our discussion list for all participants to see.
We began to discuss the findings of this exercise, especially the items for which there was a significant difference among us. To date only a few of the entries have been discussed in detail, but, perhaps not so surprisingly, not that many indicate a significant difference of opinion. On one issue, for example, discussing our responses indicated more of a difference of interpretation of the meaning of "importance" rather than a difference of opinion on what the community's position should be. We hope to discuss remaining differences, not necessarily to change each others' opinions as much as to understand them.
Then we established a process for adding interested people to our group. First we agreed there would be two categories of "participants" - members" and "associates".
"Members" are those who were committed to create a home and live at Raccoon Creek and who pay the community's annual dues. They would also agree to "parity" among members with respect to contributions, both financial and participatory. (More on finances in a later entry.)
"Associates" are all others interested in the health of the community who pay the annual dues. Associates may participate in all community meetings and activities, and they may participate in community votes unless the members should decide that a particular decision should be made only by members.
"Dues" were suggested to be $100/per year or $10/month. They are paid by all adult participants.
The following steps have been established to bring new participants into the Raccoon Creek Community:
We feel this process has served us well so far but are always open to new ideas.
- Invite a new prospective member ("visitor") to a community meeting.
There are no expectations of visitors for their first two meetings. They are given a copy of a "Schedule for Prospective Participants", essentially this list of steps.- If a visitor choses to attend a third meeting, they are asked to bring with them a personal vision statement.
- After that third meeting, current participants discuss the visitor's personal vision statement and decide whether to invite them to continue.
- If invited to continue, visitors are
- given a copy of the "Community Vision Statement" and invited to suggest any changes to it they might want the community to consider;
- given a copy of the "Goals for Site Plan" worksheet to complete so their opinion can be consolidated with everyone elses';
- given full access to the community's e-mail discussion list, including all minutes of past meetings, maps and pictures, and other documents useful to the group. (Non-participants can only see the description of the list.)
- asked to make, or begin to make, their annual dues payment.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
A community by any other name - definitions
Intentional community, eco-village, co-housing community... call it what you will, but to us the terms are not so far apart.
The "co-housing" community model suggests that the residents will share some things that need not be purchased by every household. These might include lawnmowers, tillers, a pick-up truck, laundry equipment, exercise equipment, and so forth. Co-housing residents will share occasional meals as a group, and will make group decisions on issues that affect them all. Co-housing communities are intentional communities.
An "intentional community" is one in which all residents share certain values and agree to certain rules about how their community will operate. Both of these terms describe the Raccoon Creek Community.
An "eco-village" may not be an intentional community when it begins. Whether it does or doesn't begin intentionally, though, over time, residents of an eco-village take up practices that are environmentally sound and the community expects all members to abide by them.
None of these terms necessarily implies that a community will grow vegetables or fruits, or raise poultry or livestock. But the term "sustainable agriculture" implies that whatever things are grown will be grown in an earth-friendly, sustainable manner. Raccoon Creek will use sustainable practices to raise as much of our own food as we can. Who knows, we might even sell some at farmers markets or along the road nearby.
Raccoon Creek will have a "community building", sometimes called a common house, that will allow residents to meet, house shared equipment, perhaps hold a library in which members can share their books, encourage work on community projects, and provide a place to accomplish other shared purposes. The community house may also include a few apartments for residents or visitors.
The "co-housing" community model suggests that the residents will share some things that need not be purchased by every household. These might include lawnmowers, tillers, a pick-up truck, laundry equipment, exercise equipment, and so forth. Co-housing residents will share occasional meals as a group, and will make group decisions on issues that affect them all. Co-housing communities are intentional communities.
An "intentional community" is one in which all residents share certain values and agree to certain rules about how their community will operate. Both of these terms describe the Raccoon Creek Community.
An "eco-village" may not be an intentional community when it begins. Whether it does or doesn't begin intentionally, though, over time, residents of an eco-village take up practices that are environmentally sound and the community expects all members to abide by them.
None of these terms necessarily implies that a community will grow vegetables or fruits, or raise poultry or livestock. But the term "sustainable agriculture" implies that whatever things are grown will be grown in an earth-friendly, sustainable manner. Raccoon Creek will use sustainable practices to raise as much of our own food as we can. Who knows, we might even sell some at farmers markets or along the road nearby.
Raccoon Creek will have a "community building", sometimes called a common house, that will allow residents to meet, house shared equipment, perhaps hold a library in which members can share their books, encourage work on community projects, and provide a place to accomplish other shared purposes. The community house may also include a few apartments for residents or visitors.
Our common vision
Through a series of group meetings we arrived at this Community Vision Statement for the Raccoon Creek Community. It may be updated from time to time.
----------------------
The Raccoon Creek Residential Community intends to achieve long-term social and environmental sustainability. Ideally, the community becomes a model for environmental excellence and social equity. To achieve these goals we will emphasize:
----------------------
The Raccoon Creek Residential Community intends to achieve long-term social and environmental sustainability. Ideally, the community becomes a model for environmental excellence and social equity. To achieve these goals we will emphasize:
Raccoon Creek Community members subscribe to this vision to acknowledge the link between a healthy environment, community and personal health and quality of life.
- Minimizing our impact on the earth through reducing, reusing and recycling
- Utilizing renewable, organic and non-toxic materials wherever possible
- Creating shared spaces and resources to minimize unnecessary duplication
- Recognition of individual needs for privacy while encouraging spontaneous interaction
- Respect for and encouragement of diversity among our membership
- A co-operative, supportive attitude in achieving community projects
- The opportunity to participate in shared activities, celebrating members' joys and aiding one another in times of need
- Personal safety and security utilizing peaceful conflict resolution techniques
- Accountability for the contributions of each member to ensure an even distribution of the workload and responsibilities
Deciding to move, finding a site
About this time last year, 2004, I began looking for a place to create a home that would allow Sandy and I to live lightly on the earth, and to avoid the downsides of living on the main N-S street through Broad Ripple, anorthside community in Indianapolis. We aren't real happy with the rising property taxes either. It's too bad, because Broad Ripple is a neighborhood that used to be less business-centric. Almost everything one needs can be found within walking distance from home.
Deciding to move has been a difficult choice. We have been updating this 100-year-old house for years now. I've added a greenhouse and remodeled the kitchen and the entire second floor, including doubling the size of the bathroom with a glassblock shower enclosure and a whirlpool bath.
At one time I knew the names of everyone who lived on the block, their kids, and their pets. Now so few live here that only two properties' sidewalk are shoveled after a snowfall.
It's taken us a long time to accept the fact that the city of Indianapolis has no interest in us staying put. The city has time and again approved zoning variances in the neighborhood to the point that now there are only three homeowners left in the 14 buildings on our block. Leaders of the primary neighborhood association, the BRVA, have stated publically that they want this whole block, and, in fact, the next two to the south, to convert to small business uses.
So the decision was made and the search began.
A started looking with a friend who was also looking to move to a more environmentally sensitive home. We began by drivnig around the rural areas within two counties of Indianapolis/Marion County. Most of these drives were to the south, southwest and west because these areas offered the most topographic interest and are generally less developed.
I also checked the "Farms, Acreage" entry in the Sunday paper's classified advertising section. Another couple found me through a note a friend had hung in some grocery stores. We shared our "finds" with each other and looked at sites the others thought might work. Using these three methods, Sandy and I eventually looked at at least 40 properties. Each had some drawbacks. They were either too large, and consequently too expensive, or too close to subdivisions, or as flat as an ironing board. One was incredibly beautiful, including rare plants, a stream, and a spring we could drink from right out of the ground. Unfortunately it also bordered a main state highway and the noise of trucks climbing the hill could be heard almost anywhere on the site. We later learned that same highway is planned to be upgraded for regional north-south traffic in the area.
So the search went on. I decided it was time to try to get others looking for us and sent a note to a friend who has an email list of folks who had talked about intentional communities in the past. Someone responded to him and he got us connected.
The most amazing thing is that we already knew each other. She didn't know we were looking, and we didn't know she owned property she hoped could accommodate a co-housing community.
We visited her property, realized it had most of what we were looking for, and began the process of forming the Raccoon Creek Community.
Deciding to move has been a difficult choice. We have been updating this 100-year-old house for years now. I've added a greenhouse and remodeled the kitchen and the entire second floor, including doubling the size of the bathroom with a glassblock shower enclosure and a whirlpool bath.
At one time I knew the names of everyone who lived on the block, their kids, and their pets. Now so few live here that only two properties' sidewalk are shoveled after a snowfall.
It's taken us a long time to accept the fact that the city of Indianapolis has no interest in us staying put. The city has time and again approved zoning variances in the neighborhood to the point that now there are only three homeowners left in the 14 buildings on our block. Leaders of the primary neighborhood association, the BRVA, have stated publically that they want this whole block, and, in fact, the next two to the south, to convert to small business uses.
So the decision was made and the search began.
A started looking with a friend who was also looking to move to a more environmentally sensitive home. We began by drivnig around the rural areas within two counties of Indianapolis/Marion County. Most of these drives were to the south, southwest and west because these areas offered the most topographic interest and are generally less developed.
I also checked the "Farms, Acreage" entry in the Sunday paper's classified advertising section. Another couple found me through a note a friend had hung in some grocery stores. We shared our "finds" with each other and looked at sites the others thought might work. Using these three methods, Sandy and I eventually looked at at least 40 properties. Each had some drawbacks. They were either too large, and consequently too expensive, or too close to subdivisions, or as flat as an ironing board. One was incredibly beautiful, including rare plants, a stream, and a spring we could drink from right out of the ground. Unfortunately it also bordered a main state highway and the noise of trucks climbing the hill could be heard almost anywhere on the site. We later learned that same highway is planned to be upgraded for regional north-south traffic in the area.
So the search went on. I decided it was time to try to get others looking for us and sent a note to a friend who has an email list of folks who had talked about intentional communities in the past. Someone responded to him and he got us connected.
The most amazing thing is that we already knew each other. She didn't know we were looking, and we didn't know she owned property she hoped could accommodate a co-housing community.
We visited her property, realized it had most of what we were looking for, and began the process of forming the Raccoon Creek Community.
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