Have you ever had an idea that insisted on being explored?

Thanks Pixabay!
Usually, dismissing some of my more hare-brained ideas is not a challenge. The flaws and obstacles are obvious and many, therefore, it's easy to brush them aside.

But every now and then, there will be one that refuses to go away. It doesn't fall apart at the first whisper of opposition.

In fact, it gains strength from bumping up against arguments to the contrary. Until ignoring it is not an option. (This is how my pet-sitting business came to be, btw.)

As a matter of fact, I've floated an outline of the concept in question already – very, very briefly – to the Steemit Homesteaders Slack Community. It sparked enough interest to encourage me to organize my thoughts and to present an understandable version to a wider audience.

To do that, I'm going to have to break this 'Introduction' into three separate sections. The first two will be focused on descriptions and capabilities of two distinct systems. The third will focus on how pairing these systems could benefit not only a specific community, but all the rest of us as a result.

So, please, bear with me as I piece this together. Thanks in advance!

Co-Operatives

We'll start with the definition:

Adjective:

1. Done in cooperation with others: a cooperative effort.

2. Marked by willingness to cooperate; compliant: a cooperative patient.

3. Of, relating to, or formed as an enterprise or organization jointly owned or managed by those who use its facilities or services: a cooperative department store; cooperative apartment buildings.

Noun:

1. An enterprise or organization that is owned or managed jointly by those who use its facilities or services.

2. a. A building or complex in which the residents buy shares of stock in a building corporation and are given a lease to a specific apartment.
   b. An apartment in such a building or complex.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

The specific definition I'm using here is the third one - regarding forming an enterprise and/or organization. The main group would be comprised of our Homesteader Community here on Steemit and on YouTube.

The concept is to form a global organization to allow these separate entities to come together under one umbrella and the purposes would be many-fold.

This organization would cover the various facets of homestead life, including resources for education on best practices and innovative solutions to problems.

Co-Operatives in the United States must abide by Local, State and Federal laws. Depending on those laws, it may be advisable to explore every member's local regulations to find the best fit for the goals of the organization.

The members of the organization establish the by-laws under which the organization will operate, generally by voting on the policies and electing people to positions to carry out those policies. There are even organizations to help get new Co-Ops set up!

CooperationWorks! — or CW for short — is the Center of Excellence for cooperative business development. We are a dynamic and innovative national cooperative created to grow the cooperative model across the United States.

CW members, a national network of Cooperative Development Centers, work together to revitalize communities through effective cooperative enterprise development. Members provide expertise across all aspects of cooperative development, including feasibility analysis, business plan development, training and education.

The reason this business model is ideal for Homesteaders is the flexibility to tailor services and products to their specific needs and concerns. They know what works for a small-scale operation, but do not usually have the resources available like the large-scale operations do.

One very dark chapter played out recently for our dear friend, @wholesomeroots. She and her family were basically on their own trying to solve a deadly mystery that claimed several of their goats. If she hadn't doggedly insisted on following up, the reason for the deaths still would not be known. The information she uncovered could save untold amounts of grief and loss - if she had a way to distribute that knowledge.

A Co-Op would give her the platform to reach the folks who would most need that information. It could also provide a mentoring program to make sure that knowledge is carried forward by subsequent generations.

I've made a (very rough draft) chart of the structure I'm describing. Obviously, any and all of this would be up for discussion and vote by the members. This chart is for explanatory purposes only. (However, it does offer a hint on the second system mentioned earlier.)

My queries are:

Would something like this be a benefit to the Homestead Community?

Would Homesteaders actually be interested in forming AND operating a Co-Op?

Upvote, ReSteem,

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Dislosure Statement:
I am not a Homesteader, but I am very eager to see as many homesteads prosper as possible.
My vested interest in this venture is peace of mind - knowing my food isn't going to kill me.