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Intentional Community in Arkansas

  • Status: Re-Forming
  • Started Planning: 2016
  • Started Living Together: 2020
  • Visitors Accepted: Yes
  • Open to New Members: Yes
  • Website: www.veganvisions.org
  • Contact Name: Patricia Mikkelson
  • This Community Is Re-Forming

  • Year Re-Formed: 2018

Former name: Jesus Vegans: Although I still am a passionate follower of Jesus, I realized that I do not want to limit the community to only Christians. I want to focus on shared values which can be proven to be effective, rather than shared beliefs which may not be so provable.

Mission Statement

A vegan, values-based, rural community that demonstrates values which yield a world where all life thrives.

Community Description

Right now, I am the founder and only member. And I am looking for at least one co-founder who aligns with the values that I have good reasons to believe, if practiced by everyone in the world, would yield a world where all of life can thrive.

I have wanted to live in a community or found a community ever since I first heard the word “intentional community” in 1976 and when my former husband (present friend and neighbor) Cliff, purchased the first Communities Directory.

I have lived in, visited, and researched communities and their best practices for the past 44 years, At age 65, I believe I know myself and the values I want to share with fellow residents. I have been very fortunate in the last 3 years to have funding to build a common house which is close to being finished, and my 2nd former husband decided that he would let me have the full deed to the land so I could make something similar to a land trust.

I still need to pay him back, but there is no risk of losing the land which is very important to me. I feel very responsible for the well-being of anyone who invests their energy in this project.

Veganism is a value that really includes more than just a diet. Veganism is about contributing to the well being of all of life, including people, animals, plants, rocks, and insects. However, many vegans are not living as whole of a life as they could. Therefore, I want to experiment with living such a life and prove that it is possible.

I’ve worked on identifying and defining my values for almost the past 4 decades. The list has grown tremendously and my visits to the Bay Area over the past 10 years have expanded my knowledge of even more values that I want to embody.

I hope you will check out the blog and learn about the values and the community. Blessings on your journey to find the ideal community for you.

About

  • Type(s):
    • Commune (organized around sharing almost everything)
    • Ecovillage (organized around ecology and sustainability)
  • Programs & Activities:
    • Transition Town (post-petroleum and off-grid communities.)
    • School, Educational Institute or Experience
    • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
    • Ethical Business, Investment Group, or Alternative Currency
    • Organization, Resource, or Network
  • Location: Rural

Housing

  • Status: We have land we have developed on
  • Current Residence Types: Tent or hut sites.
  • Current Number of Residences: 0
  • Planned Number of Residences: 100
  • Planned Residence Types:
    • Room(s) in a house or building
    • Tiny houses and teeny-tiny houses
    • Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent
    • Mobile homes, RV’s, converted buses
    • Natural built structues
    • Small Lots to build on
  • Housing Provided: Work-exchange plus rent
  • Land Owned By: Community
  • Additional Comments: We have a common house that is partially built
  • Visitor Process: Email Patricia Mikkelson livablefutureproject@gmail.com to start the process of getting to know each other.
  • Open to New Members: Yes
  • Membership Process:

Government

  • Decision Making: Sociocracy
  • Identified Leader: Yes
  • Leadership Core Group: No
  • Additional Comments: Sociocracy 3.0 helps everyone to be empowered to be a leader and to use their talents and strengths effectively.

Economics

  • Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: Yes
  • Shared Income: Partial Sharing of Income
  • Required Weekly Labor Contribution: 20
  • Open to Members with Existing Debt: Yes (some debt)
  • Additional Comments: Since we plan on creating a cooperative business, people will receive a fair share of profits until they become a full member at which time they will be part of the shared income community.

Sustainability Practices

  • Energy Infrastructure: We are totally off grid.
  • Current Renewable Energy Generation: 0%, or close to 0%
  • Planned Renewable Energy Generation: Almost All, aroud 90%
  • Current Food Produced: 0%, or close to 0%
  • Planned Food Produced: Almost All, around 90%
  • Food Produced Locally: From 50-75%

Lifestyle

  • Common Facilities:
    • Common House
    • Garden(s)
    • Greenhouse(s)
    • Vehicle Share
    • Library
    • Workshop
    • Outbuilding(s)
    • Swimming pond or pool
    • Outdoor Kitchen
    • Stage or Auditorium
    • Fire pit
    • Swingsets & play areas
    • Waterfront access
    • Gym or sports area
    • Internet
  • Internet Available: Yes, community provides it
  • Internet Fast?: yes
  • Cellphone Service: Good for people who have Verizon in parts of the community land
  • Shared Meals: Approximately all meals
  • Dietary Practices:
    • Vegan (plants only, no animal products)
    • Raw or Mostly Raw
  • Alcohol Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
  • Tobacco Use: No, this community does not permit tobacco use.
  • Common Spiritual Practice(s):
    • Ecumenical (accepts all religions or spiritual practices)
  • Spiritual Practice Expected?: Yes
  • Education Style(s): Private Un-schooling at the Community
  • Expected Healthcare Practices: Natural healing as much as possible. Minimal dependence on medical doctors and big pharma. Natural aids for such things as depression. Eventually we want to have health insurance provided for by the Federation of Egalitarian Communities that we are going to apply to be a part of. www.theFEC.org
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