Homesteaders Co-op: The Model of an Ethical Marketplace
Hey y'all, Nate here again, ready to talk about money!
The world runs on money, right? Til just recently, I think I'd join a lot of people in saying that that system kinda (okay, really) sucks. A weird notion coming from a die-hard capitalist, huh? Well, that's because I'm an ethical capitalist. People and community are always before money, just as in permaculture:
- Earth care.
- People care.
- Equitable sharing.
Those are the permaculture ethics. They're in that order for a reason, and as permaculturists, we need to recognize them and their order.
Now, I'm not here to talk politics (such a divisive and counterproductive subject usually), so I do need to point out that permaculture is an apolitical system with no heirarchy except as implied in the ethics. Permaculture doesn't care if you're left wing or right wing or wherever. As long as you align yourself ethically, you're welcome here. That's why this co-op has an emphasis on sustainable goods and is based heavily on the Steem community. Without those two requirements, what else is there to distinguish us from the unsustainable conglomerate down the street?
That's also where crypto comes in. For the first time in a long time, we have access to a medium of exchange that is simple, available, and equitable. We have an economical ecosystem here that has lent itself to support of a community, rather than a heirarchy that we didn't expressly consent to.
We have an outlet now for truly ethical commerce and we want to share it.
We're here to build and support this earth first and foremost. Without that requirement, how is a system sustainable? Secondly, we're here to build and support our community. Without people, there is no market; no economy; nowhere to make progress. We need people. And that market space is where we share by our own standards of equitability.
Ethical money. Ethical food. Ethical markets. Ethical community. That is what Homesteaders Co-op is about.
I appreciate y'all reading this far. That's one awesome step. But the main step is to join me in conducting ethical commerce at Homesteaders Co-op. For example, go check out our newest vendor of ethically produced medicines, @ofsedgeandsalt on her Vendor Page. I'm sure she'd love to have you as her first customer through the Co-op.
Be blessed.
Be fruitful.
Stay relevant.
Nate
@nateonsteemit is a budding permie in North Texas. Family man and welder by trade, his goals inside permaculture are the advancement of Liberty and saving a few bucks. Check his intro to the Co-op here.
A Free Marketplace for Steem
We provide a FREE marketplace for you to transact in SBD. Our co-op vendors are committed to sustainability, ethics and quality in their lives and work.
Unlike other marketplaces our vendors are not charged listing fees, subscription fees or transaction fees. This service is 100% free to them.
Support our alternative economy:
- Purchase handmade products with SBD at https://homesteaderscoop.com
- Spread the word that sustainable vendors are accepting SBD
- Up-vote our posts to @homesteaderscoop
- Follow our Curation Trail on SteemAuto to automatically upvote our contributors and vendors
- Delegate to @homesteaderscoop
Why Delegate to Homesteaders Co-op?
Your delegations will help us grow our community and reward our members for their ethical choices and actions.
In our modern world it is not always easy to choose to live sustainably. To do so often means forgoing income potential and the status quo. Our SteemPower is used to up-vote Homesteader Co-op contributors and vendors in order to reward and support their hard work. Some extra STEEM/SBD may one day go a long way for some individuals of our community.
10 SP | 25 SP | 50 SP | 75 SP | 100 SP | 200 SP | 500 SP | 750 SP | 1000 SP
Who is Homesteaders Co-op?
Get to know our mission in our introduction postWant to sell sustainable, handmade products for SBD?
Learn more and apply here
You need a marketing push. This deserves way more attention then it's getting. You have a functioning marketplace with Steem or SBD as payment options.
I believe that's what we're doing. @sagescrub has brought a lot of us onboard to spread the word here on steem. It's a really awesome marketplace, and I believe he's wanting to make the market stuff available to other industries as well.
I'd love to chat on discord if you have a minute one day. (thedarkhorse #6765). Think what you are building is great, but very niche. Niche works, but it's outside my niche of selling so wondering what all went into building this out.
Will need to dig around the site a little more. Want to buy something and then do a post about it. Just stocked on the items that I would buy for sure, but only had a couple minutes to poke around.
I think @sagescrub is the one you want to talk to. He built the whole thing, I'm just a blogger that wants it to spread and become a big deal. This is exactly what the crypto space needs. Everyone is always asking "but can you buy anything with it?" Now the answer is "absolutely, let me show you this online shopping experience!"
dstors is also trying to create an online marketplace at a much larger scale. But I always think there is a place for niche sites like this one. Some items I think are better suited to being on a niche site that caters to the needs of a specific market.
I'll have to start a conversation with @sagescrub. Life is crazy for me right now with the holiday, but soon for sure.
Very true! I am keeping a keen eye on dstors and looking forward to their launch. As you astutely observed we are a very niche marketplace and certainly not a competitor of dstors by any mean. I think there is plenty of room in the market for both to coincide. Who knows, maybe there is opportunity for dstors and @homesteaderscoop to work together at some point. I am certainly looking forward to their community stores feature and I think there is no reason @homesteaderscoop can't have a community store on dstors as well! I look forward to speak with you more.. I'll send you a DM on discord :)
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Thanks @pennsif!!!!
Hey Nate, thanks for this awesome post... not to mention this wonderful marketplace. I liked it so much that I included it in my curation-style post https://steemit.com/payitforward/@stortebeker/look-what-i-found-on-the-sustainability-front, which at the same time is an entry to the contest by @pifc: https://steemit.com/payitforward/@pifc/week-37-pay-it-forward-curation-contest
Thanks for the support man! It's a really cool thing that @sagescrub has built. I keep saying it, and I'll say it again: this is exactly what the crypto space needs.
No worries, I agree completely! I started to appreciate Steem in comparison to other cryptos for providing something, other than nothing, when all it had was a blogging platform. Now we have steem monsters running around, which is cute and all, but meagre compared to actual tangible goods being exchanged. The fact that they are quality things, healthy and sustainable just makes it all even better!
Right?! The first marketplace for steem (that I've heard of) is an ethical marketplace, which makes it so much better than just any old big box stores accepting crypto on their site.
Aye man!
Very interesting. Nice to meet people like you who refuse to follow the flock.
PS: I have found your post because @stortebeker featured you in his entry for the Pay It Forward Contest
The flock can often be led off a cliff. Come with us to the ethical summit of humanity ;)
Wow @nateonsteemit, that sounds great up there I would like to be there too :P
You're driving the train!!! Or at very least putting the coal in the engine. ;)
Really interesting project @homesteaderscoop, a friend on steemit was always posted about permaculture sometimes ago, but seems like she's busy somewhere else with her permie project. I read some articles about permie too because my friend ITR also working as a consultant to help farmers in Borneo Island. And about the coop, that's more interesting and never heard one on steemit before.
Thanks for sharing and found your post through @stortebeker entry post in the pay it forward contest this week. Wish you all the best!
It seems @stortebeker is becoming a fast friend of the Co-op, thank you for your support @cicisaja!
Permaculture is a really awesome movelent that we here at Homesteaders Co-op are all very passionate about. I deeply hope the co-op can be of service to you, by offering either quality products or relevant information that can help increase your quality of life :)
Is there a specific area you'd like to see us focus on?
Information about quality products I think would be good @nateonsteemit, I like to read to broaden my view and perhaps I can use that knowledge to implement it myself.
Thank you so much for asking me and how's the coop works on steemit? Do you think that people could buy the products with steem too?
Oh yes, the co-op is completely operational already! The market is at https://homesteaderscoop.com. The prices are listed in US dollars, but the only currencies accepted are steem and SBD, and the available products range from plants to clothing to worms for composting! I think we have vendors in six countries already as well, and the co-op isn't even a month old!
whooaaaa.. that's really cool! I should check on it and maybe I can promote it to my peers too. that's an amazing initiative!!
Thanks so much!!! We're new still, and expect some learning curve, but the site and service function very well already. @sagescrub has done an amazing job.
To me, this is an integral part of crypto reaching mass adoption.
Wonderful article. I'm big on permaculture too - simply because it makes sense. It works better on less (overall) work and less space. Have you looked into aquaponics? Even if you only keep ornamental fish, it really does work well - I've played around with it a bit and am chomping at the bit for a little more space so that I can grow my veggies inside, at least salad which is more expensive and doesn't last long enough for us.
I found you (today) thanks to @stortebeker's entry into the Pay it Forward Curation contest this week. Keep up the great work!
Ahh, yes! I'd love one day to try aquaponics. Not there yet , but I do think I have an idea for "one day..."
@makinstuff has an aquaponics system he's working on and posts on often, and the lovely and always helpful @porters is big on indoor growing. I'd recommend following this two for sure!
Thanks for the encouraging words, I'm glad you've found the Co-op! Any chance you've checked out the website yet?
I absolutely LOVE this!! So nice to see priorities in order and earth care at the top :)
Thank you @stortebeker for finding this post and featuring it in your Pay it Forward Curation Contest entry! Such a great idea ... A Marketplace for Steemit Homesteaders :)
:)
It just makes sense that way!