This is such a beautiful and well thought out concept of how sustainable communities could function in the future. I love this whole idea and would gladly move my family to somewhere like this. Thanks for sharing your vision.
Wow! You have fully articulated something so rich and special and best of all—possible. This is the sort of vision we need if we are going to create a future where we all want to live. Thank you so much for sharing this vision. Now, if we could only get a socially progressive, future-forward developer/philanthropist on board...
A few pods of these with a few businesses would make a wonderful community, wouldn't it? The add in robust, electrified public transit, and a shared garden or two and lots of wild and walkable spaces.
Hi Carl, I am planning on creating just such a home. Methinks that finding a rich supporter only delays and doubles the work... We have to do it ourselves..... If you are interested - I have just launched a Substack that will include updates... https://thiscreativeadventure.com
"I wonder if there's a septic system that is a cross between a composting toilet and a septic tank, where the sewage could somehow be turned into fertilizer for trees on the property."
YES! There 100% is a solution like this. The HomeBioGas methane digester. You can flush, it looks like a typical toilet, is uses 1/10 the water, it even produce 2 hours of methane cooking fuel daily, AND it gives you liquid fertilizer:
Diana, you might enjoy reading "Group Living and Other Recipes" by Lola Milholland. I read it last year and it discusses some living situations like this, with a focus on the PNW.
What a glorious vision! I’ve shared it for years and seen many of my architecture students embrace it for their master’s thesis projects. On a practical level, what you describe sounds a lot like co-housing. One of the biggest hurdles in the U.S. is the cost of land - even in urban areas. The trick would be finding an area that’s been neglected but that isn’t too unsafe. Where are you located? I’m in the mid-Atlantic region.
Hi Dianna, Your vision is very close to the Project I am proposing. Lets see if we can develop a serious conversation with like minded folk via our stacks...... But first I'll comment on a few points in your post...
Thatcher Deliberately Destroyed communities, That's what the Right wing do. Tiny houses are a bit cramped yet serve several purposes, and there are ever more communities that include them.
Any size house with a big barn / workshop will do me for starters. If it's too small to convert to a 4/6plex, then Tinies & Yurts would be quicker to construct. The House can be extended later. A shared Main kitchen and community lounge is important (I already have a library...
I'm thinking of a south facing home on a moderate slope rather than a ramp - have spent a fair bit of time in Pennine villages built like that. I sub to three Permaculture groups in Yorkshire, Belgium & France, who are part of "Incredible Edible" who have 600+ Indie green sites World Wide.....
The first place I shall explore is the valley that splits the Pyrenees, on the French side of the border, and will be updating in my new stack https://thiscreativeadventure.com
Regards your interview..... my hearing is too poor for a Zoom or phone, so need to stick to Emails or Substack... but that's also a way to reach a broader crowd. Will contact you next week. TU parlas Francais, Oui ? Non ? A bien tot, Maurice
I love the community concept! We're doing this to a high degree with family, building out a cluster of homes on family land. Grandparents, uncle, my wife and I, toddlers. It's living in a more traditional manner.
Permaculture gardens, livestock, methane digesters, solar, biochar, solar ovens... They're building blocks for this family homestead.
I like the building idea alot! The main trick is adapting our individualistic culture here in the USA. Having small kids, my wife and I would almost only do this with family. If I were single or a couple with no kids, I'd consider living in a bigger community like this as I get to know folks! If it was a community of people I'd known for years, I could see myself bringing our kids there.
Hi Kemble, love your posts here. I am an Englishman, living in Nederland, Planning to establish an Ecosite in the South of France or maybe North of Spain. Lets keep in touch. BTW I will be interviewing Diana soon on my second stack https://thiscreativeadventure.com
This is such a beautiful and well thought out concept of how sustainable communities could function in the future. I love this whole idea and would gladly move my family to somewhere like this. Thanks for sharing your vision.
My pleasure, Olix. Actually it was nice to get it out of my head and written down.
Wow! You have fully articulated something so rich and special and best of all—possible. This is the sort of vision we need if we are going to create a future where we all want to live. Thank you so much for sharing this vision. Now, if we could only get a socially progressive, future-forward developer/philanthropist on board...
A few pods of these with a few businesses would make a wonderful community, wouldn't it? The add in robust, electrified public transit, and a shared garden or two and lots of wild and walkable spaces.
Hi Carl, I am planning on creating just such a home. Methinks that finding a rich supporter only delays and doubles the work... We have to do it ourselves..... If you are interested - I have just launched a Substack that will include updates... https://thiscreativeadventure.com
"I wonder if there's a septic system that is a cross between a composting toilet and a septic tank, where the sewage could somehow be turned into fertilizer for trees on the property."
YES! There 100% is a solution like this. The HomeBioGas methane digester. You can flush, it looks like a typical toilet, is uses 1/10 the water, it even produce 2 hours of methane cooking fuel daily, AND it gives you liquid fertilizer:
https://www.homebiogas.com/product/hbg4-biotoilet/
Thanks for sharing. This looks great!
We have four of these units. One at a tiny home, one at a cabin, and one at my suburban home. We really love them! (and one we'll build next spring)
Diana, you might enjoy reading "Group Living and Other Recipes" by Lola Milholland. I read it last year and it discusses some living situations like this, with a focus on the PNW.
Sounds interesting, Chloe. Thanks.
I like your idea of sidewalks underneath solar panels that would also keep the snow off the sidewalk. Of course I should move south !
Dodobbird.pixels.com
It's always made sense to me -- over sidewalks, driveways and anything else that needs to be shoveled.
What a glorious vision! I’ve shared it for years and seen many of my architecture students embrace it for their master’s thesis projects. On a practical level, what you describe sounds a lot like co-housing. One of the biggest hurdles in the U.S. is the cost of land - even in urban areas. The trick would be finding an area that’s been neglected but that isn’t too unsafe. Where are you located? I’m in the mid-Atlantic region.
I'm in the Kootenays, in BC, Canada -- a beautiful area!
OOhhhh!! Sublime landscape!
Culturally, it's amazing too. Doukhobors, Quakers, draft dodgers from the past and in the present have created an amazing culture.
More co-ops than anywhere in Canada, I think. Lots of shops that sell produce that's organic, much of it locally grown.
It's economically depressed, but such an amazing place to live if you can figure out how to support yourself.
Hi Dianna, Your vision is very close to the Project I am proposing. Lets see if we can develop a serious conversation with like minded folk via our stacks...... But first I'll comment on a few points in your post...
Thatcher Deliberately Destroyed communities, That's what the Right wing do. Tiny houses are a bit cramped yet serve several purposes, and there are ever more communities that include them.
Any size house with a big barn / workshop will do me for starters. If it's too small to convert to a 4/6plex, then Tinies & Yurts would be quicker to construct. The House can be extended later. A shared Main kitchen and community lounge is important (I already have a library...
I'm thinking of a south facing home on a moderate slope rather than a ramp - have spent a fair bit of time in Pennine villages built like that. I sub to three Permaculture groups in Yorkshire, Belgium & France, who are part of "Incredible Edible" who have 600+ Indie green sites World Wide.....
The first place I shall explore is the valley that splits the Pyrenees, on the French side of the border, and will be updating in my new stack https://thiscreativeadventure.com
Regards your interview..... my hearing is too poor for a Zoom or phone, so need to stick to Emails or Substack... but that's also a way to reach a broader crowd. Will contact you next week. TU parlas Francais, Oui ? Non ? A bien tot, Maurice
No, I don't speak French, at least not much, unfortunately.
Best of luck with your vision!
Email will be fine -- even better, in fact, since I can give the answers some thought.
All the best,
Diana
I started with French in 1950… still struggle with the grammer, but vocab & accent OK…. Email Ya soon, Maurice
Sounds like an Earthship.
I love the community concept! We're doing this to a high degree with family, building out a cluster of homes on family land. Grandparents, uncle, my wife and I, toddlers. It's living in a more traditional manner.
Permaculture gardens, livestock, methane digesters, solar, biochar, solar ovens... They're building blocks for this family homestead.
I like the building idea alot! The main trick is adapting our individualistic culture here in the USA. Having small kids, my wife and I would almost only do this with family. If I were single or a couple with no kids, I'd consider living in a bigger community like this as I get to know folks! If it was a community of people I'd known for years, I could see myself bringing our kids there.
Love the vision!
Hi Kemble, love your posts here. I am an Englishman, living in Nederland, Planning to establish an Ecosite in the South of France or maybe North of Spain. Lets keep in touch. BTW I will be interviewing Diana soon on my second stack https://thiscreativeadventure.com
All the best ! Maurice