Well, here's my problem with the IC idea. In a rural area that is economically depressed (great for buying property, but lousy for making a living), how does one actually make a living without having a nest egg to live off? We have to assume that more members than not will not have funds to live off and the IC can't really be completely self-sustaining.

My thought is that the IC needs some kind of economical base which will sustain it (for incidentals, property tax, car repairs, etc.) What are your thoughts?

THE RESPONSES:

• You have to be out of debt first. Sad but true. Homesteading makes you very little extra $$$ so to be out of debt is a must. I think that way to make $$$ is at your finger tips! All your husbands have to get jobs where you work from home mostly online.

• Dh and I work completely online, but that doesn't mean that we don't EVER have to leave our homes for work. I go out of town once a week, he goes here or there every now and again - sometimes for up to a week. For the majority of our lives though, we are both home 24/7.
• But see, we're back to my problem of IC's being composed of mostly white, college educated, middle/upper middle class folk. My DH is an electrician, not a white collar in his closet.
• The thing about trades is while the job market plummets when corporations lay people off, and people get pushed out of work when mills and mines close, trades people always have jobs. Electricians will always be needed as will plumbers. As a side bonus, if we have an electrician living in the IC we will not have to make as much $$$ as we will not need to bring anyone in to fix wiring, or wire new buildings.
• What if the IC (as an economic base) had a birthing suite on the property and we set it up something like The Farm (but without all the interventions)? Just a raw idea...
• What do other ICs do for money?

• I did a little research. Here's what some do:

  "At any given time we run several small businesses. So far this has mainly focused on crafts, and currently our largest income source is tinnery made from recycled cans. At the time of this writing we are trying to start making candles to complement the tinnery. Local folks buy subscriptions to our Community Supported Agriculture garden, and we make deliveries for a 30-week growing season. Our massage therapist sees clients in town. Members here offer a variety of products, services and part-time wage labor to Twin Oaks and the surrounding area."

  "Most community members do a variety of work, both through our community-owned businesses and on the farm. Our businesses are Alpha-Bit, a cafÈ/bookstore/craft shop in nearby Mapleton (a half-hour drive); Alpha Mail, through which we operate three rural mail routes under contract from the U.S. Postal Service; and Alpha Institute, through which we practice and teach consensus decision making and meeting facilitation."

  "Breitenbush is a retreat and conference center. We host thousands of guests each year."

  "Soltane Communities creates a comprehensive, therapeutic and supportive environment for individuals with developmental disabilities, ages 18 to 25."

  "Cerro Gordo is intended to be as self-supporting as possible. The first business, Equinox Industries, a manufacturer of bicycle trailers, moved to Cerro Gordo in 1989. Eventually, a variety of employment opportunities is envisioned: light production companies, remote services, research and education, agriculture, and community shops and services. Some of these will be located in a central village, while others will be spread throughout the community. The Forestry Cooperative, created in 1985, and replaced by Cerro Gordo Silviculture in 1995, owns and manages 450 acres of forest. Using a system called Individual Tree Selection Management, it can harvest enough lumber for 25 homes a year while maintaining the ecosystem. Space also has been set aside for organic community gardens, reducing dependence on outside suppliers of food."

  "Cobb Hill members will earn their living variously from the land, through work for the Sustainability Institute, through teaching or workshops inspired by the land, through arts or crafts based on the land, and through outside jobs."

  http://www.dancingrabbit.org/economy/businesses.html

  "Another goal is to create the potential of making a living while positively contributing to our community and the world. We are involved with local Farmers' Markets, are creating a septic system business, and have future dreams of a retreat center/Bed & Breakfast , farm/natural food cafe/store and possible "high tech" cottage industries. We are also exploring some network marketing opportunities."

  Here's a URL for more IC info: http://www.ic.org/