Report #: 9
Name of Topic: Urban Homesteading
Name of Leader: Steve Arpin
Names of Participants: Steve, Clare, Angela, Rainer, Gayatri, Valaria, Jim, Liz, Janelle, Cathy, etc.
Previous story regarding this topic if there is one:
Leader defined urban homesteading: Live in urban environment producing much of own food, power and harvesting water for use.
There are various experiments with urban homesteading in Asheville, in varying degrees of development. Leader shared his urban homesteading experiments in West Asheville where he shares a 3 bedroom home on ½ acre with housemates interested in furthering the vision in a cooperative way. Homestead includes organic gardens, solar heating, water catchment, etc. Goats and bees had to be removed because of restrictive city ordinances.
Highlights of Discussion (present story unfolding):
Participants shared experiences with off-grid stories, including some desert living experiments. Questions arose about how to sustain a homestead in WNC in Leicester and Weaverville and other similar rural areas. How to relate to locals in mountain areas and wealthy newcomers in urban areas and communicate ideals and practical applications. How to reach out and bring benefits of sustainable community to wider community, including poor and elders, and to learn from accumulated wisdom of local elders.
Remember that change begins with oneself and as one makes one truth visible in the world, others may learn. Begin the dialog, gently yet honest with differences. Hold space for differences and look for common threads.
Future Action/Next Steps:
Some suggestions included:
Cooperative sharing, forming group to help one another, find ways to take political action to prepare for coming crises: peak oil, dangers of nuclear waste transport through ara,Neighborhood based meetings, porch-sitting conversations, sharing stories of visions and success and process with wider community through public access TV, etc.
Form neighbourhood work days, share land, resources, etc. cob workshops, adobe brick building, offer of facilitators.
Resources Required (who should be involved, finances, non-paid labour, other):
Sundance Solar
Alternative local currencies, Clayworks, Mother Earth News, Organic Volunteers.org, CAN, WOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms). Perma culture, etc.
