Planning For Freedom And Self-Reliance...

in #freedom6 years ago (edited)

Finally started a plan!!!

And I thought this Homestead thing would be easy...Ha! Yeah I've been planning for years but it really was just all concept, and then we got a property to actually build a community of free thinking people, something that would be a resort for artists and travelers alike. We called it No Man's Land Extravaganza. Today our four year old little human calls it Dreamland.

We like that name, it's fitting one because there is Mugwort growing everywhere and second because it really is the fruit of our dream! What a clever little boy... I'm not partial or anything, heehee!

And You guessed it, of course we changed the name.


Making a plan is difficult without observing a place all year...

I wish I could make time go a little faster, fast forward to 5 years from now just to see what we've accomplished, sometimes it feels like we've done nothing. Ok I don't really wish time to go any faster (that would be a curse)... slow and easy wins the race, right @mountainjewel? They keep telling me that. And we did accomplish quit a bit, it's just that I want more!

There are no Natural buildings as of yet and we are already talking about getting a pre-fab house which doesn't make this Coconut feel very good but hey... we need a place warm enough for next winter so that we don't have to pay rent. Negotiations for something that would be half pre-fab, half cordwood (or strawbale) have also begun... so all hope isn't lost yet!!!

Never lose hope!

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Do you see on our handy map of Dreamland, there's a pond? That's also been renamed by little homie, it is no longer plain old boring Pond, its new name is The Swamp Of No Return!

A little Explanation:

The Launching Pad:

This is where it all starts, the great meeting point. It's where events will be held and food forests will be started...it's somewhat flat and was cleared some 12 years ago. It's pretty much a blank slate for the heart of our eventual Permaculture design. This is also where I would like to build a small Earthship (to the right of the natural swimming pool, basically where the tent is.

Unstable Maker/Fixer Space:

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It isn't built yet, but we know where we want it. This is what the negotiations are about... Get a pre-fab timber frame barn with a roof and the walls will be cord-wood and/or strawbale. The name is from a time when we had joined a team of community builders who wanted to create an ecovillage. The property we were looking at together had a giant horse stable that we wanted to turn into a great artist space, with studios, workshops, dance and yoga rooms.... Beside un-stabling the stables, we ourselves are a little unstable, you know with that travel bug that bit us and all that!

Lotus Landing:

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This is the valley with the Swamp of no return to the north. To the south we want to build a stage, and of course it will look like something out of a Tim Burton cartoon, for sure! This is an area we are thinking would be fitting for small festivals... big sound systems!

Dreamland Express:

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Like I was saying earlier on, the name for this artist retreat, homestead has changed to Dreamland Express. I haven't mentioned my love for Natural Building. I'm talking about working with your hands, building with cob, straw bales, cord-wood, timber, logs...

I like everything about it, the community aspect of building as a group, working with handtools instead of powertools (when possible), the rounded shapes, the lack of sharp corners, the live roofs and the feel of it all.

I've only taken one 8 day workshop on building with cob and strawbale but I'm hooked and all I think about is creating a learning center for Natural Building.



The idea or the dream, is becoming more and more clear everyday. It's an artist retreat on a multy-family homestead with a learning center for primitive and natural building techniques... Of course with self reliance and permaculture always in mind.

I have a funny habit of making my dreams come true... so if you'd like this place to be on the map for yourself, keep your fingers crossed 💚

AS ALWAYS... THANK YOU FOR LOOKING, YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED

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The @EcoTrain has made me very happy and proud to be a part of it, have a look at what other passengers have been writing

If you really want to know what is inside this Coconut, take a look at my Humans Of Steemit.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: @HimalayanNomad
Spread your wings and fly to where your heart takes you.

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And don't forget… #DreamsComeTrue!

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Planning and dreaming are always a blast. I am sure you will make your dream a reality

I'm pretty sure the dream will become reality... but you know sometimes it feels like swimming in the middle of a never ending ocean!

This winter will be a planning winter for me 😁

Thanks!

this is awesome! you guys!!! dreamland, i love it!! haha i'll say it agan slow and steady all the way home <3 !! love to see all of these plans and everything you've done. well done!

Hey thank you so much 😁. I didnt mention it in the post, but I met with our NRCS field agent a couple weeks back. So that got started too... we're on our way, slow and steady!

woop woop!!!! :D

The first step is always the hardest! Thanks again to you guys for the inspiration on that

I share a similar vision, I believe communities like these will lead a new direction for humanity. If we support each other in these endeavors I believe humanity will see a brighter future manifest. Leave the old systems behind, and let's build these amazing projects supporting each other along the journey.

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Yeah very well said man! For a while now, I've been living life with this state of mind of creating the system we want to love in instead of trying to change the old one. The circle of influence for this kind of thinking is growing it seems... so we're on the right path towards a brighter future.

I'm in for supporting eachother on this road!

Amen brother, there are all kinds of tools out now and I'm looking to build some of my own to provide incentives for others to become move toward resiliency. It's a big vision for our maker challenges and the Meadow's and Makers podcast. I'd love to get to a point to travel around to help other people get set up with their own power infrastructures/help on the farms.

Oh man, I love this idea of traveling around to help other people set up their infrastructure... I need to set my own first 😁.

Whay kind of tools are you talking about?

congrats on what you have achieved.. it is already most than most ever do!

There is a saying, start as you mean to go on!
You know i have built three small earthships from the ground up in 14 days and almost no paid or skilled labour.. ROOF ON! Never underestimate the power of a passionate group of people!

<3 xx

Ah thank you so much Alex, that males me feel good 💚! And I really love this:

Never underestimate the power of a passionate group of people!

I hope you're doing well... are you back in the earthship by the way?

thanks! ill be back in India and the ship in two days!! ;-) i HOPE! My visa SHOULD BE Ok but you never know with the immigration people.. lets see!

Ah that's good news... I remember the lovely bureaucracy in India. Good luck Alex, you'll be back home in no time ✌

Drawing at the top is awesome. All dreams should start like this!

Love this sooo much! Dreamland is just so sweet. Your little fella is awesome. I love how you name parts of your property - we do the same. For some reason the new chicken/garden shed/potting area under the elder trees is now called Romania. We did have a pit of despair (a big hole that was under a trampoline when we moved here) that we filled in and renamed the Mound of Joy haha. It's actually much handier than saying 'you know that spot, over there, where the thingie is?'

I like that you name things too! It is easier to talk about areas when they have names... Do you think it comes from the Festival Culture?

Oh yeah, maybe!!! Like we call our stationary cupboard 'Stationary Village' and Jamie calls his tool hanging rack 'Tool Village', and where the bees are is 'BeeVille' and so on - hahahaha - just creating a huge landscape within a small one, that's a good point about Festival Culture - makes sense!

Lol, yeah I figured you've both been to your fare share of festivals! That's a great point by the way, creating a big landscape in a small one. It works too

We are like Gods, naming our worlds!

Mostly nice Gods though, I think!

I've always liked the look and feel of cob, but I've never made a cob house for myself.

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Oh it is so satisfying. You really work with your hands, pushing the mud in with your fingers and thumbs... shaping the window sills and nooks. It's so fun! Have a try one day

I'll bet my wife would enjoy it. She likes making pottery and working garden soil with her hands.

Yeah she probably would.

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