As Spring inundates us all with unsettlingly warm weather, every living thing is emerging anew. One of our native prairie plants, Ironweed, seems to congregate in a part of the village we call the hollow (most frequently referred to as "down in the holler"), where Penn, Tamar, Sara and Ted all live. In the spirit of native naming at DR, Ironweed is the name chosen by a new group forming here at Dancing Rabbit.
Ted, Sara and Tamar in front of the Ironweed garden
Dancing Rabbit envisions evolving into a village of 500 to 1000 people. The framework for sharing land and ecological values is put forth by the ecological covenants and sustainability guidelines of Dancing Rabbit Land Trust. Beyond this it is up to the individual or any group of individuals to build the closer ties that might be had in community. Folks here have formed support groups, eating co-ops, couples, and discussion groups, and encouraged gatherings and celebrations to build connection. The founders envisioned a community of communities--the formation of sub-communities (or pods) as a means to foster connection and cooperation.
Until recently, Skyhouse has been the only sub-community to define itself as such. Sara, Tamar and Ted are now striving to create their own vision of sub-community, Ironweed Co-op. Since before Sara and Ted arrived in April of 2003, they have talked with Tamar of their shared interests in gardening, permaculture, livestock and food production. Their first cooperative enterprises were the acquisition of a small flock of chickens last fall, followed by an agreement to form an eating co-op. More recently the group has decided to share land, a gardening enterprise, livestock enterprises, food production and solar power.
Ironweed envisions developing its shared land to house a common building with kitchen, toilet and bathing facilities, greenhouse, root cellar, hang out /activity space and office/work space. Surrounding the common building will be a number of small cottages to house individuals or families (by whatever definition). Presently, members live in two small cottages. Kalen's House, an artist's cottage with light clay-straw insulation and lath and plaster walls, is home to Tamar. Ted and Sara will soon move into their new two-room, two-story, hybrid-construction cottage with attached greenhouse. Both households confess to desires to expand their private living space (pack rats, you know), so the construction schedule already stretches out several years.
The decision to share land came easily to this group, but was one that needed to be made before beginning construction on the new Ironweed kitchen and the start of the gardening season. Tamar held garden space while Ted and Sara's warren will be home to the new kitchen. The three now share lease payments on all of their land and hope to lease more land as need and membership grow. Members value personal space outdoors as well as in. Private residences are privately owned. Some area around each private residence will be managed by the folk living there, while the remainder will be managed in common. In determining the style of its organization, Ironweed has chosen to work as a cooperative for the time being, so that in its shared activities members will share equally (one member, one share) in the costs and the benefits. Income sharing is a possibility for the future, but not for now.
For some, food may be little more than fuel for the machine. For Ironweed members, food and its production is what brought them together. Members value lovingly grown and prepared food. All enjoy being creative in the kitchen. Ted and Tamar have been vegetable gardening for years, enjoying the fruits of their labors. Until her internship for Long Branch Farm at Dancing Rabbit, Sara was far more comfortable with trees than veggies. Wedding their talents and labors, Ironweed looks to create a permaculture landscape in which to live and work.
Ironweed canine companions--Maya and Isis
Creativity and artistic flare are not reserved just for cooking, but for the kitchen itself as well. This year Ironweed is building a cob kitchen with an attached greenhouse and an attached coop for the chickens. Members easily lose themselves in thoughts of how to create a beautiful and functional space and to do so on a small budget. This building is intended for use as a kitchen only temporarily. It will evolve into studio space or housing when the pieces fall into place to build the larger common building. In a few months, Ironweed will start hosting its first work exchanger, to help out on the gardening and building tasks. With all the tasks set for it, it is good that Ironweed and all the other plants down in the holler are getting an early start this year!
Until their kitchen is completed, Ironweed Co-op members and work exchangers will be eating with Bluestem Co-op. Members of the resulting entity aren't sure whether to call this group Ironstem or Blueweed.
Intentional Community Bookstore