Any of you damn hippies live in a commune?

[Mortos]

I just bought an acreage and I am seriously considering starting a small commune. I have tons of questions and wanted to know if anyone who has done it can give me some pointers.

Thanks

[OneGrassRoot]

1. LOL...

Maybe this link is a start?

:hi:

http://www.ic.org/

[G_j]

3. beat me to it

:hi:

http://directory.ic.org/

[jotsy]

36. New bookmark and great companion to the Institute for Local Self Reliance.

TYVM

[KittyWampus]

2. I did once. My advice- hire someone to do housecleaning. Cause taking turns

doesn't work.

I got so sick of constantly having to clean the kitchen 3 times a day before cooking my meal. In the end, I gave everyone one set of dishes and silverware and if it was dirty, I put it in their rooms. Dirty pots/pans went outside.

[metapunditedgy]

7. LOL. Reminds me of my college housemates. We weren't supposed to be

a commune, though... :-)

[K8-EEE]

13. My friend did this technique with her nephew

Who had moved in with her....if he left a dirty pot in the sink shoes on the floor or whatever it would all end up on his bed. He got a lot better.

[happyslug]

17. If you lay down the rules and enforce the rules not a problem

One of those rules must be who clean up what and when. If someone does NOT do it, that person MUST be brought up in front of the Commune and "Punished" i.e. exiled from the group until such time as they correct their error i.e. do what was expected of them.

Rules MUST be clear and ENFORCED by the group. If the group does NOT enforce the rules, then you must be willing to tell them you are leaving.

Now you need to read other groups rules to make good rules for your self. Below are several rules your need to read. Most of the rules within the rules will NOT apply to your case (a lot of the Rules of the Templer Knights will not), but do NOT dismiss them on religious grounds alone, read them carefully and if applicable adopt them,

Rules of the Temple Knights (These are the "Primitive" rules, rules first written for them on their founding. There are 76 "Primitive" rules out 608 total rules the Order found they had to adopt. Remember they were a Communal organization and as such a good Start):

"The rules and Statutes of the Templer Knights";
http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/religion/monastic/tk_rule.html

The "Primitive" Rules of the Templer Knights:
http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/religion/monastic/t_rule.html

Another good source is Von Steuben's "Blue Book" on how Infantry men should train and work together. The parts about how to file a flintlock and where the flags should be when in formation can be ignored, but he even addressed basic things like requiring all bedding to be washed. If someone is sick and dies, to boil the sheets and burn the straw that made up the bed etc. I tried to find it on line but ran across to many people selling a copy of it. It is on line but where I could not find.

Develop a good set of rules AND enforce them. Discipline anyone who does NOT follow the rules (i.e. expel them). If other do NOT want to enforce the rules then given them a choice, enforce the rules or you are leaving.

One other comment, make the group as a whole enforce the rules. Don't be the bad person, don't be the person who enforces the rule EXCEPT that you will leave if they are not enforced. Tell others that they can even have the property when you leave, you are leaving for they are NOT enforcing the rules and without rules the Commune is doomed to failure. Once other people in the Commune accepts that fact, discipline will either be imposed OR the commune dissolved. Either way the problem of no rules being enforced is resolved.

[sandnsea]

4. Alpha Farm

Been there forever and one of the more functioning communes I've ever heard of.

http://members.pioneer.net/~alpha/

[bluesmail]

15. I lived in Florence from 1974-1994. I have eaten at Alpha-Bit yum the soup

and sandwiches. Now that I am retired I live in Eugene (after living 15 years in Mendocino County). It's good to be back in Oregon. My daughter lives and works in SF. HA! I may move closer to SF soon.

[sandnsea]

16. Moved here in 97

Just missed each other, lol.

[Blue_Tires]

5. i remember a few stories about this place a few years ago

may want to find that issue and get the full story

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0508/feature7/

[jwirr]

29. This article is so true. We failed because of lack of money. Someone

has to bring in some money. However, money is earned in socialist countries to.

[cleanhippie]

6. Are you reading my mind?

I too, have been mulling this over. MY wife and I as well as about 6 of our closest friends have seriously discussed this.

What is your plan and how do you intend to operate?

[Mortos]

9. I have no plan

Just an idea. The main problems I see are incompatibility and inconsiderate behavior. I have looked at the info on IC (intentional Communities) and really just wanted to talk to some folks who had done it or are living in one now.

[cleanhippie]

10. I would love to trade ideas with you via PM

I would be happy to share the ideas we have already come up with.

[m00nbeam]

8. I lived in an intentional community for a short time

This community was in the inner city. Our dwelling was a large Victorian house.

The comment about hiring someone to clean is spot on. Having a rotating schedule for cooking meals, and doing dishes works really well.

Also make sure you and your community mates are very clear as to what is personal property and what is community property, and the expectations with regard to community property (for example, the kitchen chairs do not leave the house unless everyone agrees, etc.)

And if any house guests are to appear, make sure everyone in the community is OK with overnight visitors, etc. My housemates had overnight guests that ended up stealing stuff from our house.

[Warpy]

11. The only one I ever saw that worked well

was an SDS commune with 13 people plus guests and only one bathroom. I was there all the time and I never heard a single fight over bathroom space.

While many were the type of Marxists who had never read Marx, I honestly do believe with that sort of skill level, they really could have ruled the world. Alas, they weren't receptive to my telling them what the rest of the country was really like, so they didn't have a chance.

Usually communes break apart because some people are lazy and some are greedy, usually the same people. Co-ops have a better track record, with each person buying a share and membership a little more fluid, shares being bought and sold as people come and go.

[stuntcat]

12. I'd like to!

someday.

[slampoet]

14. Look up the Amana plantations in Iowa. A great example of long term communal living before WWII

[Dappleganger]

21. They sound like a small group of quakers...

at least from their practice.

[slampoet]

25. Not exactly. The way the villages were set up was importantly different.

Also they had a Whole lot of commercial products to sell to the outside world for cash.

I would equate them with the Mennonites more than the Quakers.

[Cleita]

18. Better check the laws in your county first.

Although many ranchers in my area rent trailers and other sub-standard housing to the poor on their properties, it is against the law in my county.

[Dappleganger]

19. Sometimes I feel like that's what we run...

[edbermac]

20. Just me and a bunch of hot, free-lovin' hippie chicks.

Far out, man...:hippie:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

22. My commune dream has morphed into a multi-generational extended family compound.

Where my kids and their families and my parents all live in a huge building together. With a courtyard in the middle for gathering.

:)

[shanti]

27. me too!

me, sis, bro, and room for our respective children all on about 5-10 acres in the country. everyone would have their own "home", be it mobile or otherwise. oregon or washington would be my states of choice. ideally, it would be on a river or stream, with lots of trees and room for veggies, fruits, and critters. oh, and it would be off the grid!

a girl can dream...:)

[MineralMan]

23. I lived in a large group home in the early 1970s.

It was a decaying old mansion, with a population that varied from about 16 to about 30 people, all students. It had no real rules, no real leadership, and no real plan. Everyone pitched in enough to pay the rent and utilities each month, but there wasn't a lot of other structure. No group meals or anything of the sort. Everyone was responsible for their own food and behavior. Bad behavior got you tossed, and there were actually a lot of voluntary potluck meals from time to time, usually without any notice.

It all worked amazingly well, overall, although there were occasional issues. General cleaning was usually done on weekends, with whomever was willing to participate pitching in. Everyone was expected to clean up after themselves in the kitchen and that worked pretty well. We had a commercial gas range and an enormous restaurant refrigerator in there, and you were expected to mark your food to identify it as yours. I don't remember any food stealing. Generally, there was a large group gathered in the main living room and the old parlor every evening, passing joints and watching television.

There were half a dozen bathrooms in the place, so that wasn't much of a problem, and we had a massive outdoor shower area with six shower heads and some semblance of privacy fencing around the whole thing. That was strictly coed and voluntary, but it got lots of use most of the year, since we were in California.

Lots of couples living in the house, along with a lot of singletons. Musical bedrooms was pretty popular.

I lived there for a year, then moved into more normal housing. It all worked OK, somehow.

[Matariki]

24. I've always thought a piece of property w/ private living spaces

and a large community center and some group meals would be nice. I'd love to build a bunch of yurts somewhere with like minded people. But I don't think I could live in a big group house.

[m00nbeam]

26. If I were to move into another intentional community

I would definitely want to try a community that had the individual dwellings rather than the large house. The drama in our large Victorian was tedious (and since I am no longer young and energetic, I am not sure I could handle it now).

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

31. I've thought of the same thing. I would definitely need my own dwelling.

[OutNow]

28. Yes, But Never Again

Our "collective" was based on political action back in the 1970s. It lasted about 18 months. I learned a lot about people, including myself. We had lots of problems.

When a couple broke up and one of the ex-couple began sleeping with another member, jealousy caused tension and hostility (i.e. bad vibes).

When one person lost his job and decided to "take some time off from working for the man" he expected all of us to pay his share of the bills. Without even discussing it.

Playing Jimi Hendrix as loud as possible is great for a party, but not every night when some people have to get up to go to work.

When one member gets crabs it means everyone gets crabs.

Some possessions are "private". They really are. Like shoes and underwear.

[AnArmyVeteran]

30. I've been wanting to do that for years.

Everyone chipping in and everyone enjoying the fruits of their labor. 'Communes' used to be family farms where entire families were virtually independent of the external economy.

I wish you well on your commune.

[TheKentuckian]

32. No but I often think of a village situation

[thecrow]

33. Where is your property?

I lived in a large townhouse in Philadelphia with about six other people for a few months.
We got our food at a coop and generally everyone was pretty self sufficient, but it fell apart.

I've often longed to live on a large property and live off the land.

[Mortos]

34. I live in Oklahoma

Maybe the family commune would be a good idea. At least you know what you are getting into.

[Redstone]

35. Whatta you, nuts? You're opening a BIG ol' can-o-worms if you do that.

You'll regret it forever. Communes don't work.

Redstone