This co-operative of around 22 people adults is now embarking on its fifth decade. We live in and around a huge Edwardian main house, with its walled garden, stables and cottages, surrounded by 200 acres of beautiful woods, pastures and marshland which stretch to a loch in the north. Trees we planted are now being coppiced. Living spaces use wood for heating and cooking. A hydro supplies much of our electricity.
Because of covid we are not currently hosting events here. We grow as much fruit and vegetables as we can, keep cows, pigs, hens and bees, and do most of our own maintenance. All of us pay a portion of our rent in unwaged labour for the co-op. This means ideally spending about two and a half days a week doing what we call “workshare”.
Issues that affect everybody come to a weekly co-op meeting in which decisions are made by consensus. Co-operation is our common ideology; under that umbrella we lean this way and that, are generally better at dealing with tomorrow than next year, are supportive of each other as individuals as well as co-op members… and we try to have a good time!
We are considering (as of Feb. 2023) to facilitate a calendar for working visitors. For a maximum of two weeks the first time, but longer once we know you. If you’re interested, email us at vi*****@***il.com. This is not in place yet but will, we hope, be in place this year.
For any other enquiries, please email en*******@***il.com
We are not actively seeking new members, but are not closed to them either. Joining this community can be a long process.
collectivity, regenerative land management
Writing in winter 2023, we’re not currently prepared for new members. Application for membership usually follows several visits, and then a long stay visit of several months, after which a joining period may be requested. Joining periods are usually 3- 6 months long, and prospectives members are expected to participate as fully as possible in the life of the community. At least half the community must agree to the joining period, and the applicant is assigned two residents acting as”guardian angels” to oversee the process. The process can be circumvented by establishing an intimate Many with a current member.
Write a bit about yourself including what skills you bring. Write to us giving your preferred dates, and preferred length of stay – usually one week to three months. Be prepared to contribute labour, and money. You are likely to be kitchen-sharing. Please give us a couple of months notice.
The whole membership decides collectively.
Everyone must agree before moving forward.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
Many day-to-day decisions are made by working groups who look after specific areas of work: maintenance, animals, admin, garden, etc. These decisions are subject to co-op approval at our weekly meetings, especially if the decision involves expenditure.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Join fee: $3
Regular fees: $135
Labor: Yes (22 hrs/week)
monthly rent
Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Waterfront access
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
Private homes with shared common facilities, designed for neighborly
interaction while maintaining independence.
Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
kitchens, dining, and social areas.
Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
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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