Interested in info on Independent Communities (buying, Mennonites, to live)

[netwit]

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quote=Timberwolf232;9115706]That is really good to know. I've heard the "stud" stories my entire life, but have never met anyone who has actually participated.. Just one guy that said he was "propositioned".

Since when have men or boys ever told the truth about sex?

[Timberwolf232]

Well my wife tells me I'm still as much a kid as my son.. (3 yrs) He's a chick magnet! (He gets all the girls, but at least we have the same taste in cartoons!)

[severdsoul]

Originally Posted by Reziac

I know people who did that in Arizona, out near Sedona. After a few years it fell apart -- the problem is that when it involves people from widely varied walks of life, the sense of community falls apart as soon as someone fails to do their share, or feels like they're doing more than their share, and then the finances start to unravel and there's no going back. I can't think of any such community that's lasted longer than about 10 years, and usually not that long.

These concepts only really seem to work in the long term when they're also based on a fairly homogenous founding culture, like the Amish or Hutterites (who've been at it for hundreds of years, and don't look likely to fail any time soon), where you DON'T have a lot of differing lifestyles or opinions lurking in the background.

That would be the challange, diffrent backgrounds diffrent opinions, would eventualy get in the way. I could see that happening for sure.

Sad though with things going south as they are, would be great for a group to show the powers that be how to do it right. (if thats even possible *lol*)

[Timberwolf232]

What was the name of that community in Iowa, that was destroyed by a tornado, and rebuilt with a self-sufficient electrical system? I vaguely remember hearing about it. It's not totally self sufficient, but it seems like a good start.

[Broz]

Was it Parkersburg Iowa? Rebuilt completely by the community with in and volunteers all over the state.

[brandifromtcu]

Thanks NETWIT. I visited the website and found it very interesting and informative. Kinda makes me want to join them.

[netwit]

A German guy did that and wrote a book about it. I can't remember much more about the whole situation. The Hutterites do have a small stream of idealists coming in once in a while with ideas of living close to the land, in a communal setting but turn out not to be prepared to the lack of privacy, the lack of individuality. And since Hutterites communicate between themselves in Hutterisch, you'd have to learn the dialect or feel pretty left out.

I think you have to be born into it otherwise it must be stifling. On the other hand, the concept of worrying about making ends meet, is not theirs. Everyone has enough. Or take the way farmers work during haying or seeding time, that's not there in that sense either. They work around the clock in shifts - no one pulls 20 hour shifts the way you do when you are on your own.

That lack of understanding about regular folks extends to when, for example, they have shown up at my parents' farm, (they rent a barn from my parents) and started placing orders for how they want their eggs done. My busy farm-wife mother was not amused. But on the colony, there's a bunch of women cooking so it isn't a chore or a big deal.

And a bright memory I have is of young Hutterite men (or boys/sometimes it is hard to tell under the archaic outfits), jumping on my parents' trampoline when I was visiting them. Made me feel like kicking off my shoes and joining them - they were having a wonderful time.

Those simple values are there too. They do like their wine but i recommend anyone who loves wine not drink it. It's dandelion or chokecherry wine around here. Might be something else in Montana, I don't know.

I've never come back from a Hutterite colony without free bags full of fresh vegetables and cartons of eggs. It's often easier to accept than to say no, thanks.

Best of all, they never proseletyze.

[T-310]

Hutterites live in a communal society. The colony provides for their needs and they work for the success of the colony. Everyone has a function in a colony. They have no dead wood. All the members vote on major purchases for the colony, even the women. There are varying degrees of how the Hutterites conduct themselves or rather different sects. Some follow the Darius version which is less strict. Other colonies have a more strict regimen specifically dealing with the public and they dress to a specific code. You can tell by the scarves women wear. The Darius version tend to be "Hutterite-lite". They have a more open society and the women are not shepherded around as those from other sects.

I know several from one colony out at Gildford and when my wife visited them, they were the most hospitable people around. They treated her like a queen and so my wife went out of her way to bak one her homemade cheesecakes and gave it to them and they were genuinely touched by her gesture. Since then we have exchanged gifts with them and I love their homemade sauerkraut and sausage and breads.

As for the inbreeding story, sheer bunk. Not a word of truth.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by brandifromtcu

Thanks NETWIT. I visited the website and found it very interesting and informative. Kinda makes me want to join them.

Isn't that a great site? Sure makes you feel the "community-ness" of their lives. Would be hard for outsiders, but I think if you're born into it, it must be a very satisfying life.

[Fodderman]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Isn't that a great site? Sure makes you feel the "community-ness" of their lives. Would be hard for outsiders, but I think if you're born into it, it must be a very satisfying life.

After reading about them, I'm almost ready to join. In the last few years, we've been steadily moving from a very fast-paced life to a much, much more simple life. We're not quite there yet, but these fine folk are a source of inspiration.

If only they didn't have that "pacifism" rule. I can completely see one not wanting to go to war and kill because some politician tells them to -- especially with vermin like Senator Murtha in power. But complete pacifism? I just couldn't do that. If some goober is assaulting a loved-one, neighbor, or whoever, said goober can expect a 2x4 smacked across his backside. And that's only if I don't have some form of firearm handy.