Not so far from the town of Zwettl, Lower Austria, directly on the riverside edge of the tiny village of Negers, you can find the Holzmühle, the „wood-mill“, a former sawmill on the Zwettl river, with history going back to the 13th century.
The present mill buildings have 700 sq. meters useable space, plus a large hall, not to forget circa 17 acres (7.5 hectares) of surrounding land, with meadows, arable fields, orchards and woodland. In addition, there is a small hydro-electric plant.
The Holzmühle has been collectivized since the start of 2014 and is used by members of the non-profit association for the promotion of solidarity and ecological living, the Hofkollektiv Zwetschke.
The association makes the rooms and land available for a multitude of uses, for example, local, regional and international network meetings, artistic and cultural presentations, political activities, a regional food cooperative, educational events, promotion of methods supporting health and of therapeutic methods, collectively useable workshops and machines, etc…………
The land and wooded areas are cultivated and used following basic ecological principles, with the aim of preserving and improving the soil fertility and the bio-diversity in the natural cycles.
In addition, the Holzmühle provides living space, as the various activities are organized, looked after and made possible by the residents of the Hofkollektiv – the Zwetschken
Our collective, the Hofkollektiv Zwetschke is, at present, a community of 5 adult members and two children, and we put lots of energy, time and love into the Holzmühle. In the long term, our aim is to grow into a group of between ten and twenty people. We organize our communal life together free from hierarchy, needs-based and in solidarity.
We organize ourselves structurally and economically as a collective, giving and taking all of our income and expenditure into and from a common purse which ensures that both common and individual needs can be satisfied.
We break new ground and take alternative ways in a variety of sectors of life.
Wheresoever we are in disagreement with the current social or economic norms, constraints or mechanisms, we experiment with alternatives, e.g. in the usage of rooms and space, the social forms and the organization of labor, the provision of food stuffs, and also in questions of economy and finance.
To promote solidarity, ecological life, organic agriculture, collective property and income sharing.
First, visiting a few times, then a probationary test period of several months.
Contact us by email with your motivation, ideals and a date and time period. We will reply.
The whole membership decides collectively.
Everyone must agree before moving forward.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
All member income goes into common pool for community use.
Regular fees: $800
Labor: Yes (10 hrs/week)
Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Waterfront access, Internet
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
kitchens, dining, and social areas.
Communal living with shared resources, property, and often income or work responsibilities
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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