with Rikardo Jahnke and Lamar Janeses

Intentional Community: A group of people having a common purpose in being together, with an agreement to co-operate and create a sense of unity together.

New realities in American culture and economy, and environmental issues have more folks looking to live cooperatively. But the information on how to get started and how to do it is hard to find.

Dancing Waters Permaculture Co-operative has been around for 29 years, hidden away in a narrow valley seven miles south of Soldier’s Grove, Wisconsin. The 12 present residents include six who came in the first year and others who moved in at various times, up to a couple in their 20’s with a toddler who moved in the end of 2010. By offering this workshop we hope our collective memory can help others make the leap and actually get started forming community.

We’ll divide up the workshop three ways. From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. we’ll talk about our own process of beginning and becoming a co-op, and developing over the years. We’ll break for lunch, during which Q + A can happen. Then we’ll tour the buildings (and land a bit, if folks desire). After the tour we’ll regroup for an open exchange, where we can touch on the many issues involved in co-op living, and possibly watch parts of a documentary video showing various other intentional communities around the U.S.

Recommended reading: Builders of the Dawn by McLaughlin and Davidson

Link: http://driftlessfolkschool.org/courses/intentional-community