Scenic view of Zephyr Valley Community Co-op with rolling hills and farm buildings.

Zephyr Valley Community Co-op

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Home-sharing
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1993

What we do

Zephyr Valley Community Cooperative is a vibrant rural cohousing intentional community. Currently we have 7 households with 12 adults and 4 children living on 500 acres of farm and woodlands in the beautiful bluff country of SE Minnesota. The land, bought by the Coop in 1994 and cooperatively owned, has restored wetlands, pastures, woodland, bluff lands, high grass meadows, ponds, creeks and a trout stream. Approximately one hundred acres are farmed organically, currently in pasture, hay & prairie flower plantings. We have a large barn, several outbuildings and a community center (for community meals, parties, meetings, guests, etc.) as well as a spring-fed swimming pond, a soccer/baseball field, and trails for walking and skiing. Decisions about the land and community are made by consensus, all other decisions are individual ones. There are seven individually owned homes and one small apartment that is owned by the community. Homes are occasionally available and it is possible to build on approved building sites. Winona, Rushford, and La Crosse are all within a 30-minute drive, offering six college campuses, an arts community, and a family-friendly environment. This is a wonderful place to live and a great place for children to grow up with an intimate knowledge of the natural world. Whether you are interested in small-scale, organic farming and gardening or just living in a rural community, your interest is welcomed. Please email us to arrange a visit.

Our Mission

Building community and Nurturing the land.

  • Purpose
  • Home-sharing
  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Activities
  • Experiences

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1993
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1994
  • Started living together
  • 12 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
16

How to join

Our membership process is described on our website: www.zephyrvalleycoop.org

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Contact Zephyr in advance by letter or email, letting us know something about yourself and your interest in intentional communities. We need a least a few days notice in order to make arrangements for someone to show you around

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

Decision-making process

  • Full Consensus

Everyone must agree before moving forward.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Conflict resolution approach

We have bi-monthly all community business meetings and subcommittees as part of our decision making process.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Join fee: $10000
Regular fees: $90
Labor: Yes (0 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Seasonal community work parties 4-5 times a years generally requiring a few hours of work.

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Library, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas

Frequency of communal meals

  • About once a week

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Community activities and engagement

  • Festivals, Conferences, Events

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Multi-generational (all ages well represented)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Community type

  • Cohousing

    Private homes with shared common facilities, designed for neighborly
    interaction while maintaining independence.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • 33 - 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Land area size
    500 acres

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Minnesota, United States

Zephyr Valley Community Co-op

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

Need
  • Events
2 weeks ago

Restoring Choice - free online practice group, from Australia

Restoring Choice – free sessions and a practice group Many of us are less practised at three things than we realise: making clear requests, saying no when it isn’t a full yes, and hearing no without something getting damaged. These aren’t personality traits. They’re capacities that were trained out of many of us by ordinary structures – families where some needs were allowed and others weren’t, workplaces that reward overstretch. They can be trained back. Why this might interest people here Most communities teach communication after people arrive, once conflict has already surfaced. This works the other way round – building capacity first, and finding out what a group can do when most people already have it. What’s running Free 60-minute introduction, online. Same session each time; come to whichever suits. Register for intro session below: https://events.humanitix.com/reclaim-your-power-with-restoring-choice Four-week practice group, Tuesdays from 15 September, 6:30-8:00pm. One session a week, and at least one short written entry a day about a real situation in your own life. The writing is the actual work; the sessions support it. Sign up by Sunday 13 September. Register for practice group below: https://events.humanitix.com/restoring-choice-practice-group Everything is free. Times are Australian Eastern 6:30pm here is the early hours in most of the Americas. Worth checking before you register. Who it’s for No prior experience needed. It isn’t therapy, and I’m not a therapist. Many people find that looking honestly at how well they ask, decline, or hear a no is less flattering than expected. That’s common, and it isn’t a verdict on anyone. Run by Glenn Russo – 13 years practising this material, seven years co-facilitating an NVC practice group in Castlemaine. If you’re already living in community and would rather share what you’ve learned than join anything, I’d like to hear from you too.
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
3 weeks ago

Unit C-2, Woodard Lane Cohousing — Olympia, WA

Join Olympia’s first and longest-running cohousing community, in a quiet West Side neighborhood 1.6 miles from downtown, backing onto a forested ravine along Schneider Creek. Unit C-2 offers 1,904 SF. Two stories, 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, and a bonus loft room on the main level. It can be lived in as one spacious family home — or split into two independent living spaces, each with its own kitchen, entrance, and effective soundproofing. Great for multigenerational households, live/work arrangements, or an owner-occupied half with a rented or shared half. Upper level: bedroom, full bath, bonus room with built-in loft bed, and an open kitchen-dining-living area with a deck facing the forest. Lower level: 3 bedrooms, full bath with dual sinks, second full kitchen, laundry room, and a second patio. Features: 2 full kitchens, radiant floor heat, stained concrete floors (bamboo upstairs), double-pane windows, bolted keyed entries at both levels, dedicated laundry, concrete patios facing the ravine, shared parking with 18 EV charging stations.   Ownership includes a Common House with a guest room, full kitchen, gathering space, and kids’ play area; a shared vegetable garden; a wood shop and bike storage; and wooded grounds with a stream path and central Green. Monthly dues are $799, covering all utilities except internet. Established in 2010, Woodard Lane is home to ~40 residents across 18 homes, with shared meals, work parties, and genuine neighborliness. Learn more about Woodard Lane Cohousing  We’re looking for a buyer who wants to participate fully in community life. $630,000. Contact Kate Greene: yo******@***il.com or text: 360-789-7587.

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