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HamdenCoopForestFarm

Millennial

Non-binary

Hamden, Connecticut

Speed of commitment:

Slow: Open to a situation where trust can build over time, Fast: Open to a situation that takes everyone being all-in from the start (with contracts & clarity), In between: Open to a commitment after a defined time for a trial run

IC types I would live in or am forming:

LGBTQ+ commune, Farm or ranch, Artist collective & live work space, Trial run: Join a household, Resource-sharing commune, Activist commune supporting shared work

Food production:

Working toward producing all or nearly all of our own food, Working toward a mix of producing our own food and buying groceries

IC seeker or founder/resident:

Householder: I am looking for one or more members to join a household that is NOT located in a larger IC. This may or may not include a business partnership or work share.

ICmatch group or IC I'm part of:

https://www.ic.org/directory/hamden-coop-forest-farm/

Residential proximity:

House mates (separate bedrooms, shared kitchen)

Ownership types:

Rented with shared housing or shared land, Rent-to-own with shared housing or shared land, Join an established IC to learn and possibly stay, Whatever the group can agree on, Rent a room as a trial run

Reasons for shared housing:

Ecological sustainability to reduce carbon footprint, Lower cost of living, Sharing resources (spaces, equipment, tools, vehicles, gardens), Sharing meals and chores, Helping each other with childcare, Having a “chosen family” to share good times and support each other thru hard times, Friendship and sharing activities, Traveling frequently and wanting a home base that’s maintained

Décor of shared areas:

Not important, Prefer furniture & decor that's kid-or-pet friendly (used or easily replaceable), Decisions based on practical utility and durability

Clutter level of shared living areas or work space:

Tidy in shared spaces, with a designated place for things, Average level of "lived in" look, Creativity in progress (translate: not tidy in designated work space), Clutter doesn't bother me

Cleanliness level (germs & crumbs):

All food counters & tables wiped down daily to not attract pests, Dusting is not so important, Dishes washed (or loaded into dishwasher) daily to not attract pests

Yard or landscaping:

Paved walkways and driveways, Covered space for storage, Space for kids and/or dogs to run, Gardens and edible landscaping

Neighborhood or scenery:

Nature scenery is a priority worth paying extra for

Current city/town and state/province:

Hamden, Connecticut

Nation(s) of current residence:

United States

Preferred regions:

Northeast U.S.

Population density:

Suburban or exurban, Small town, Rural

Duration of my current location:

Committed to location because of owning a unique property

Relocation capacity:

Committed to my current residence for the foreseeable future

Resource sharing:

Time bank, Car share, Child care swap, Pet care swap, Garden (share work and produce), Farm or food forest (share work and produce), Joint business (share work and profits), Tool share (maintenance and use of expensive equipment), Emergency preparedness efforts, Meal preparation

My socioeconomic status:

Close to median income

Leisure and lifestyle:

Leisure time is a high priority, but not necessarily expensive

Leadership availability:

I'm currently in IC leadership

Roles and responsibilities:

Transactional relationships are more fair; to a reasonable extent there should be accountability through written agreements, In a reciprocal relationship you give about as much as you get, but it happens without keeping track, In a small family-like group, the saying applies, “to each according to their need, from each according to their abilities", Clear responsibilities are important to minimize conflict, Flexible responsibilities are often best, which aren't assigned or micromanaged

Practical skills:

Cooking for groups, Childcare, Cleaning, Gardening or crop cultivation, Permaculture, Carpentry & repair, Farm animal care

Experience or schooling:

Food preservation (e.g., cheesemaking, home canning, drying, smoking), Ecological science, Medicine - western, Biological sciences, Horticulture or permaculture, Animal training or care, Outdoor survival skills (e.g., hunting, foraging, fire starting)

Occupation(s) and expertise:

main expertise: registered nurse; very proficient in plant ID and edibility and preparation (Eastern US only). Misc experience with farm animals, etc, and as listed above

Years lived in an IC:

Lived with roommate(s) or housemate(s), 1-5 years in IC

Experience in community:

Many different experiences with smaller family-like house groups, some visitor periods and internships in FEC income-sharing communities and a few others

Professional certifications or degrees:

RN (Connecticut_

Generation:

Millennial

Generations intended in IC:

Children (born 2013 or later), Gen Z (born 1997 – 2012), Millennial (born 1981 – 1996), Gen X (born 1965 – 1980), Younger boomer (born 1955 – 1964), Older boomer (born 1946 – 1954), Pre-boomer (born before 1946)

Number of working adults:

Alcohol (tolerable rules):

Should be regulated by group decision only if it becomes problematic

Tobacco smoking (tolerable rules):

Should only be allowed outdoors

Cannabis (tolerable rules):

Should be allowed after work hours, Should be allowed in designated areas only, Should be regulated by group decision only if it becomes problematic

Psychedelics (tolerable rules):

Legal psychedellics are okay if not disrupting to others

Illegal recreational drugs (tolerable rules):

Should not be policed by the community, as long as no minors are involved and others are not negatively impacted

Overnight guests (tolerable rules):

Should be permitted in limited circumstances as decided by the governance process, Should be allowed in designated guest areas, Should be subject to group decision only if it becomes problematic

Daytime visitor access (tolerable rules):

Should not be restricted

Nudity (tolerable rules):

Should be limited to private rooms or private residences (as is the norm outside the IC), Should be permitted within designated areas of the IC (e.g., a gated hot tub), Should be welcome and discussed through the governance process, to consider each individual’s preferences

Required disclosures:

Past felony conviction, On sex offender registry, Current addictions even if under treatment, Background check for landlord/tenant disputes

Prohibitions:

We prohibit homophobia, racism, transphobia

Religious or spiritual practice-based IC:

No mandate of strict adherence to shared religious beliefs and practices

My religious beliefs or practices:

Atheist, Spiritual but not religious, Jewish, Pagan

Practices welcome in IC:

Atheist, Agnostic, Spiritual but not religious, Christian, Muslim/Islam, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Bahai, Spiritualist, Pagan, Wiccan, Taoist, Jainist, Astrology, Pantheist, Native American / First Nations, Shamanic or indigenous animist, Zoroastrian, Kabbalah, Tarot, Mediumship, Near-death experience or out-of-body, Theosophical Society, New Thought (law of attraction), New Age (mix), 12 steps (from AA, NA, etc.)

Ecological preservation ethics:

Local food commitment for low carbon footprint, Eating vegan, vegetarian, or certified humane meat, Use of alternative power such as solar or wind, Commitment to reduce, re-use, recycle, Composting toilet

Belief-related practices:

We currently have no shared practice. I would love to mark the seasons together, however.

Wisdom sharing:

Successful living together requires communication, shared goals, and good intentions towards each other, at a minimum.

Size of community:

Under 6, 6 to 10

Sense of togetherness:

An IC should have regular opportunities to encourage all to share their feelings, An IC should have regular mandated “group work” to resolve conflicts as they arise, An IC should foster close interpersonal relationships

My gender + number:

Non-binary

Genders welcome in IC:

Non-binary, Male, Female

My current couple situation:

I'm in committed partnership

Couple situations welcome in IC:

Committed closed partnership(s) (e.g., married monogamous couples), Single (not in a committed closed partnership), Available somewhat (e.g., in open relationship), Not available (e.g., you're okay if you're not going to be a threat to my primary relationship), Not applicable

My sexual orientation:

Gay, Pansexual, Polyamorous

Sexual identities welcome in IC:

Heterosexual (straight), Cisgender (gender aligns with natal sex), Monogamous (committed to a single sexual partner), Non-monogamous, LGBTQ+ (non-normative gender identity and/or same-sex attraction), Polyamorous (in more than one physically intimate relationship with consent of all involved), Polygamous (married to more than one spouse)

Sex & intimacy norms in IC:

Primarily left to the individual to determine, with the understanding that personal choices can impact community culture

Physical affection:

I enjoy hugs and lean toward the easily affectionate side

My availability for physical intimacy:

Prefer not to share at this time

Mobility accommodations:

Path from driveway to house has 9 low steps

Socioeconomic status:

Everyone needs to pay into land mortgage; more details on IC page

Gender and sexuality:

Several of us are queer and trans, must be OK with this

Queer or LGBTQ:

Me: he/they; partner: nonbinary, uses all pronouns; other household members are cis

Diversity beliefs or intentions:

We value diversity and currently have members of several races, ethnicities, genders, income statuses

Children in IC:

Children are welcome but not a necessity (not a dealbreaker issue), Children are welcome if 8 or older and well-behaved (e.g., remote work group without childcare)

Children present in household:

No dependent children

Other people’s children:

I want to be in a setting in which all feel a responsibility for well-being of children in the community, I am open to sharing child-care responsibilities such as carpooling or swapping child-care, Children are the responsibility of their parents, so any shared care needs to be agreed on between individuals, I am open to a community of free-range children who are allowed to roam the majority of community spaces unsupervised

Behavior correction:

Parents shouldn't be offended if other adults respectfully question their child(ren)'s behavior

I prefer that children not be exposed to

violent images or lyrics, guns, sexual behavior or images, drug use

Screen time (acceptable rules):

Screen time and content limits are up to individual families

Dogs:

Indoor dog(s) okay, Indoor dog(s) okay if some rooms are off limits, Outdoor dog(s) okay, Outdoor dog(s) okay if not frequent barkers

Cats:

Indoor cat(s) okay, Indoor cat(s) not okay, Outdoor cat(s) not okay

Pets or farm animals I have or want:

We have: chickens, two Maremma LGDs who live in a pasture and have house privileges, two indoor cats. Hopefully getting goats soon.

Plant-based or not:

Everyone makes their own food choices even when eating together

Organic:

All food choices are accepted

Shared meals (acceptable norms):

Prefer shared meals daily, Shared meals should be optional, Shared meals are necessary community glue, Shared meals are necessary for efficiency and low cost

Medical risk bubbles:

I can commit to taking extra precautions for others in a high-risk category, I can live with or work physically close to people who do not take precautions against infection, allergy, or injury, I can't live with or work physically close to people who need strict precautions from people in their IC

Pandemic norms:

Vaccinated, Keep good health practices for good immune function

Severe allergies:

None

Health conditions:

None. We REQUIRE at least one round of Covid vaccination

Noise level:

A quiet serene living space should be the norm, One quiet space should be reserved for those who need to focus on work, One space should be available for those who like to have videos or games on frequently, Parents with children shouldn't have to constantly keep them quiet, As long as the vibe is positive, loud gatherings can be frequent, A lively social environment should be the norm, Different noise tolerance can be managed by having designated times for noise and quiet, Just keep it down enuf that neighbors don't complain

Sleep:

I’m an early riser, I keep an early bedtime

Sleep needs & noise:

Currently have a diversity of bedtimes, not a problem at this time; we have a norm of no loud music late at night

Comfort & convenience:

I like my cushy life, I enjoy a rugged life and hard physical work, I can participate in a rugged life and hard physical work, I can participate with others who do not tolerate rugged life or extreme temperatures

Tech savvy:

I'm about average with tech use

Wifi:

I must have wifi on 24/7, I need to be consistently connected to wifi during work hours

Off-grid:

Is the definite only plan, Is a workable favored option, Is workable for a part time location, Is okay but not so important, Is not the plan if it doesn't work for others I want to be in community with, Is not workable

Leisure time:

Walking on the property with the dogs, hiking, plant ID, knitting, reading, talking about politics or philosophy, eating together

Films, books, music, podcasts, shows:

Marxist books, farming podcasts

Political orientation:

Progressive left

Culture influencers:

Trotsky is one that comes to mind but only two of us are Marxists; we do have a diversity of leftist political perspectives

Extroversion (under 50% means more introverted than average):

54%

Emotional even keel (under 50% means more ups & downs than average):

36%

Agreeableness (under 50% means less compliant or more contrary than average):

89%

Conscientiousness (under 50% means more easygoing than average):

46%

Open to new experiences / imagination (under 50% means more traditional than average, sticks with "tried and true"):

80%

Tendency for dealing with others' expectations:

Questioner

Myers-Briggs (& Keirsey-Bates) temperament type:

ENFP

Enneagram type:

Weaknesses and superpowers:

I easily get worked up but am also quick to forgive and move on

A note about me/us:

The driving force behind this community is the ecology of this small piece of land

Dealbreakers:

Not vaccinated against Covid; transphobic; unwilling to share any meals with us

Dealmakers:

Meal sharing (compatible dietary needs are helpful but we can adapt), enthusiasm about ecology