HOMESTEAD EXPERIENCE/LABOR SWAP-HELP WANTED:

[FarmTeam]

We are looking for people who are willing and able to relocate with the idea of developing an extended non-Amish community in close association with the Amish. Our primary search at this time is for a capable couple. We have housing available for an additional couple at this time (November 2009)(onward until filled): an apartment with bath and shared kitchen. We can provide housing, light, wood heat, water, food, and access to growing more food, training, and experience in all aspects of homesteading as reflected in this listing—in return for help with the labor of the homestead.  Things could start soon or next spring.
There are over 1000 openhearted Amish in our area, with farms, a general store, harness shops, bakeries, wood shops, buggy shop, metal shops, and schools. People who are actively making life decisions with peak oil, peak everything, economic depression, climate change, and potential societal collapse in mind have much to offer to these good neighbors, and much to learn from them.
We are about an hour north of Madison, Wisconsin. We are a “self-sufficient-ish” homestead: a 100-acre farm, some hand tools, horse equipment and buildings, trained Belgian work horses, milk goats, rabbits, chickens, sheep, rabbits, big dogs, gravity-flow water, root cellar, garden, sorghum press, grain and beans, and fruit and nut trees. We are also over-committed, cash poor, and have too few hands for the work and security of the homestead if it had to try to stand alone. We are looking to learn, teach, and share ideas and resources with people who understand that our world is now changing very fast. We hope to form an organized mutual-support community, modeled after our Amish neighbors. We are nonjudgmental, mature, thinking people; we are not flakes, cultists, or con-artists. We are workers, we are not theorists. We do not smoke, drink much, or tolerate drugs. We eat meat, butcher, and hunt. We do not care about race, gender, age, sexual preference, religion preference, or absence of religion, etc. We value people as they demonstrate their personal and collective worth and ethics. We are focused on a solid sustainable homestead and community based on hard work, honesty, stewardship, local food and craft production, and respect between people, creatures, and the planet.
Survival is not enough; we intend to thrive. If you think we may have mutual interests and complementary needs, we would like to talk by email, IM, or telephone, and then plan a meet-up ASAP.

[Deb]

Good luck. Sounds like you are situated in a community that has the experience necessary to lure more appropriate people.

 My husband and I, along with my 8 year old son, have tried over the last couple of years to do a similar thing. We have 50 acres, and we are working towards becoming as self sufficient as possible. I envy you your gravity fed water supply, by the way! So far, the people that have come to live with us in our very rough little guest house (sleeping room is fine, attached garage, now kitchen/bath space is still very primitive) have had a tough time. One thing to consider with semi communal living, because that's what seems to be needed for cooking meals, etc. is the meshing of all the people. This takes time, and some awareness on everyone's part, I think, as to getting through the rough patches. Aside from this, I have found that I have more "privacy" needs/desires than I had previously realized. And, I think most folks do, too.

I also found that, no matter how clear it might be presented that we are working towards self sufficiency, many folks still want the quick meals, which means boxes, short cuts, etc. and most really don't seem to think it will ever be necessary, really, truly, to cook on a wood stove full time, make your own bread, can your own food, and to stop eating, whenever possible, anything you don't actually grow or kill. This is a huge leap for even "mentally prepared" people, I've found. I can't say that I'm all that good at it yet, either.

We have had, so far, four perfectly decent people live with us, and for one reason or another, it has not worked out. I have my character defects, my husband his, and our doomers theirs. Getting past all this, into that area of "shared expectations" and compatible ideas seems to be nearly impossible. Frankly, I don't want to try again anytime soon. The other thing I'm finding is that "doom" means different things to different folk, and depending on that vision, the process itself will adapt itself to it. As a result, everyone will strive towards it doing different things in different ways, and this leads many times to incompatibility.

The reality of self sufficiency was generally understood by our ancestors, however; thus, twelve children. While my husband works his ass off on the farm, I am "officially" employed outside. And, until this situation changes, I find it impossible to do all that I feel I "should" do. Simply run out of energy. I can use the James Handwasher for the laundry, or I can bake bread. I can bake break, make cereal, cook on a wood stove, but then I do not have the time to do the wash. So, click the button and let her spin. Sigh. I think, for this next year, I'm simply going to do the best possible and stop guilting myself. lol.

As time goes by, the more respect I have for the memory of my grandmother. She did all the things that I am trying to learn, and she did them with grace and style, and a whole lot of fatigue! When my granddad retired from his "employment" outside of the farm and found himself home more during the day, he told my grandmother that maybe it was time to get that "thermostat." They had heated with wood for 70 years prior to this, and it was grandma that hauled the wood in, fed the stoves, cooked on it, etc. Grandmother's response was, "Oh, NOW you want the central heat!" Cracks me up. . .

[motherearth]

Hi Farmteam 

I really hope you find a family to compliment yours! If we weren't burrowing in here, we'd head east in a heart beat; I am pretty sure we would get along famously.
Best of luck and warmest regards,
motherearth

[Lord Black Eyes]

If we weren't burrowing in here, we'd head east in a heart beat

Why would you be so eager to head east? Just to join others?

[motherearth]

...because we are already only a few hours away ( to the West) and have previously chatted back and forth.

Why does heading East surprise you? It is still 'just' the fly over MIdwest, not the East coast.

[Lord Black Eyes]

...because we are already only a few hours away ( to the West) and have previously chatted back and forth.

Why does heading East surprise you? It is still 'just' the fly over MIdwest, not the East coast.

Oh my mistake motherearth. I didn't catch you "sneaking" in here and mistook you for the original poster.    I was like, wait, they're all set up great but they'd ditch it in a heart beat??

[motherearth]

LOL 
Yup, us farm folk are hard to move once we get comfy

[Anoki]

Hi there,
 I'm just a few hours away in Minneapolis, and would be happy to come by for a work trade visit sometime for a few days.

[Mangudai]

Farmteam

I sent you a private message.