Living in an Intentional Community
Our community sits on a piece of land of about 200 acres, and is made up of 14 shares (each roughly 1 hectare in size). The rest of the land is shared and is what we’ve come to call our ‘wild playground’. While some of the land has been cleared, much of the area consists of untouched rainforests, rivers, creeks and swimming holes.
Each share is unique in its own way. We have a small house and studio (both off the grid) and both myself and my partner work from home. Within our share we have a small orchid of citrus and nut trees, a vegetable garden, and some chooks. We also contribute to milking the community goats once a week, providing us with a small supply of milk.
Our children spend much of their time outside – helping in the vegie garden, collecting firewood, building tree-houses and fortes, or racing around on their bikes. There are no fences on our share, so they roam freely. They have developed their own sense of ‘boundaries’ and while we may not always be able to see them, they are always within calling distance.
Within the community, there are five other families with young children, so there is very little need to travel into town for social outings. We create them here in our community – with weekly soccer games, regular jam sessions, pizza nights, bonfires, and for the mamas, a monthly women’s circles.
As well as families, we have an eclectic mix of people – some work professionally, while others choose to live a quiet, simple life. Each member is valued for what they bring to the community. When there is problem there is usually someone that is able to help – whether it’s repairing a roof, mending fences, or locating leaking water pipes.
While we feel blessed to have found a community which functions so well, it still comes with its challenges. As with most communities, there are differences of opinions and values – within adult relationships and the children’s. It is important for all members that issues are bought to the table and are addressed – to avoid conflict in the future.
When living in a community, it is expected that you contribute. Each month we have a working bee in which we all come together and work on shared projects. We also hold quarterly general meetings to discuss what is happening within the community, work and maintenance, and work through any issues that need addressing as a community.
I really do feel incredibly blessed to be a part of a community. It’s how we used to live – and it is my hope that one day we’ll all come a full circle and return to community.
