Our Communities Needs

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Comment by Jamie Jedinak on September 28, 2010 at 3:01pm

Hello,

I am a long time resident of Whatcom county. I have lived in Bellingham for the past 7 years stewarding on 1/2 acre in town and I am seeking to live with others and support a larger tract of land. I am currently raising chickens, dogs, cats and I am interested in learning about farm animal care/ bee keeping care/ furniture making/ tracking, survival skills/ sustainable living etc. I am handy and generous. I am experienced at food storage. I enjoy people and like to have fun while working hard.



Are you wanting to be able to go on a vacation knowing someone loving is caring for your property and your loved ones, animals, garden, home etc. Do you want to do more with your land but feel there is not enough human resource to go around and thus projects are still on the drawing board?



I am seeking a place that I may call home and join others in a rural living/sharing experience. I am a hard worker and learn fast. I am reliable and trustworthy. I have references and would love to see what is out there for me.



Some of my interests are to build my own natural alternative home, root cellar, natural bee colonies, Donkey stewardship, Llama stewardship(perhaps), various berry bushes/ orchard care, buried greenhouse(using thermal inertia), aquaculture and begin to practice many permaculture techniques. Do you have land enough for that in the future? I currently have my own cottage flowering arranging business and I am a dahlia growing fiend.



I am a single, female, 47 yrs. I moved to Whatcom county in 1981 and call this my home. I graduated from WWU in 1986 and went on with further post graduate studies.



Do you have wild land on your property, water running thru your property, pond(s)? These are qualities I seek, not a must but definitely desired option(s)

Comment by Cindi Landreth on April 19, 2010 at 3:09pm

I have observed a need for people that are passionate about communication issues due to our need to transition to a powered down world and to reach folk that are not on computers. I have been in touch with a woman on Transition US (Kathy Jacobson) that has helped me find some links on the web to learn more about what is possible. I, personally, do not have the time nor the passion for following up on this but would love to inspire others to see if it is something they want to do. There was a group of people at The Great Unleashing that were talking about this but I have not got any contact info for them.

I have attached a couple of links to get someone started on this:

http://www.itstactical.com/2010/02/04/family-radio-service-an-optio...

http://www.emcomus.org/commwp.html

http://www.nerp.myeweb.net/

As Kathy put it "We are continuing our efforts in the arena of radio communications but I need to write up a description for some of my community partners about emcomm toward greater resilience and to help build neighborhood connections. I don't think they understand where we are coming from as emcomm is often geared toward acute disaster response...we're in a chronic disaster and it's getting worse."

Comment by Juliet Thompson on December 30, 2009 at 11:25pm

Hi,
Thanks so much for your responses, Avielle and Cindy. It looks like I'll continue to research a venue, content, and a tactful way of announcing/advertising this event, and will call Cindy about making a date to do this. I have developed the idea a bit more, and I want to talk to a couple of possible presenters. The topic may well be: The Government's Making Home Affordable Plan: What's Your Experience? What's Next?

Comment by Cindi Landreth on December 30, 2009 at 1:49pm

I am getting some software from a generous donor and will be looking at the work ahead very soon. I will keep you in mind. Thanks!

Comment by Avielle Heath on December 30, 2009 at 1:47pm

I've taken a few business classes but have never needed to put together a business plan. I can offer some insight on an existing business plan.

Comment by Cindi Landreth on December 30, 2009 at 1:42pm

Hi Juliet and Avielle
Juliet, I would LOVE to do an open space day about this! Let's see what we can pull off. Do you have some dates in mind? Location? From there, it is pretty easy.
Avielle, Thank you for your interest! No, we haven't done a business plan yet. That is next. Do you have experience with such things?

Comment by Avielle Heath on December 30, 2009 at 1:40pm

Juliet,
I think it would be a great idea to start a discussion group. I know there are a lot of families out there like yours and I'm sure talking about it will help out immensely. Make sure to keep a productive and positive spin on it, maybe focus on doing or collecting research on government programs or local organizations that offer support. Help each other fill out DSHS forms and so forth. I've been laid off twice in the last 12 months, so I can understand some of your difficulties. This is a great idea and something that our community will really benefit from. Have you had a chance to develop you idea a little more? Let me know if you need any help. What your trying to accomplish sounds very easy to do. All you really need is a space for your meeting and a way to outreach to those experiencing the same thing. Again let me know if you need help.
Avielle

Comment by Avielle Heath on December 30, 2009 at 1:29pm

Cindi,
Have you guys completed the business plan yet? I'd be interested in getting involved but I don't know how much time I have to commit to it. If you'd like to keep me up to date, I'll help out when I can. Is there anything you need help with now?

Comment by Juliet Thompson on December 28, 2009 at 7:23pm

Hi there Avielle, Cindy, Elaine, Tristan,

I have a big need right now and it is difficult to express, so I am hoping that this might be a forum where I can start to plant a seed and possibly get some ideas from you brilliant people out there.

I prefer to remain solution oriented, but I have a big barrier to that at present. I am facing the social taboo of publicly talking about what this economic crisis is doing to my family and household. I know that others are similarly affected, and that a majority of the world's inhabitants would love to have the set of problems that I have, and I know I can handle it. Yet...if I don't start talking soon, I may find that this particular opportunity may be lost. Okay, I'll try to cut to the chase.......

I see the personal transition I (and my partner) may have to go through as an opportunity here to really work with others in a similar situation, yet don't know how to approach making a more public statement around this. My household has faced a 50% reduction in income since 2007, is facing bankruptcy, and we may have to find a different living situation. I have a sense that a strategic and focused group of people of the caliber that I have met in the Transition movement could possibly turn these kinds of situations into something that actually moves us forward as a community.

So Cindy, maybe I and you could possibly do an Open Space day around the financial crisis and the problems it has created for people with support from Angela so we could have time for grieving and wailing, and maybe this catharsis will help make the way for some new ideas?????

What do you think??

Comment by Cindi Landreth on December 14, 2009 at 7:30pm

NWFU functioned here since the '70s as a 'free university' - affordable, grassroots, community teachers and students,...at its best. It stopped getting support from WWU (office and classroom space) and closed its doors around 2003. There were classes in flirting, kite making, fiber arts, massage, gardening, pruning, rainbarrel making, ....you name it! At that time, classes were way too cheap to make it sustainable ($12 plus expenses). We are working on making it work, getting all four colleges back in support of it and so far so good. We have some important steps to take before we can move forward: draft up a business plan. I can fill you in more if you think you might want to get involved. My phone number is 319-9092.

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