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A long-term goal of mine regarding Turtle Farm is to preserve the land base so that it may continue to be farmed in the future, regardless of development around it or how long I actively farm it. Ideally new farmers could come along and use it for the CSA and/or other enterprises that would support those farmers. Its current real estate value, however, precludes most people from being able to purchase it for use as farm ground, especially beginning farmers. Over the years I have shared with a few of you my vision for the farm which would include a housing development that would own but preserve the majority of the farm for cultivation. After researching several options (such as conservation easements and deed restrictions - if you know of others, please let me know), one type of development that I believe could have the intended effect is cohousing.

Cohousing is a type of development that clusters the homes, whether they are single family dwellings, duplexes, or a mix, to leave more open space in the jointly-owned remaining land. Cohousing tends to have small privately-owned individual homes, but share a common house for activities requiring more space--usually kitchen, dining, guest rooms, laundry, playrooms, workshops, etc. By design it creates intentional community in a world where we often don't know our next door neighbors. There are numerous developments like this in the US, following a pattern that started in Europe. More information can be found at www.cohousing.org and in various books on the topic. Most cohousing uses environmentally friendly or sustainable goals in their mission statements, activities, building materials and plans. Cohousing developments are planned by the people who will live in them rather than having it planned and built for them. This process can take several years, including searching for an appropriate site, which in this case would not need to be done. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about this idea, please contact me for more information.

Angela Tedesco

Vision

To preserve Turtle Farm by creating a model of a diverse, sustainable, cohousing community.


Links

Cohousing.org

RDG Planning & Design

Turtle Farm CSA


Articles

Cohousing: what's so UU about it?


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Angela Tedesco

Nancy Rambo