User:Jeb
True Fan since August, 2009
- http://twitter.com/h2jeb
- http://www.linkedin.com/in/jebateman
- jebateman(at)gmail.com
I don't remember if it was Twitter or Facebook where I first found this project. I only started using those sites in 2009... and perhaps it was a link through Appropedia which I found a bit earlier. The OSE vision appears quite similar (and more evolved) to what I've been thinking since 1999 or so. Independent farms can support truly free people. The addition of open source hardware development including linux driven CNC and 3D printing is new and very exciting to me as I was trained in Mechanical Engineering, and yet I have so far never gone to work for a big company making junk or worse. Instead I have forgone paychecks mostly, spending some time on computer/internet work and various composting and gardening experiments, (with some interesting taxi driving experience thrown in on the side). Planning to scale up another business sooner now that I can work with some of the ideas here.
Brainstorming
I've been meaning to write up a proposal for "Community Owned Agriculture" (as opposed to Community Supported Agriculture) for some time, and recently found I'm not alone in thinking this either - http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2009/06/resilient-community-energyfood-ira401k.html
Before detailing the concept further, I'd like to come up with an optimal name:
- Community Owned Agriculture (COA) - similar to well known CSA term, with a twist.
- Community Owned Permaculture (COP) - important distinction toward integrated outcome.
- Community Owned Permaculture Enterprise (COPE) - One way to COPE with Power Down reality?
- Community Owned Permaculture Investment (COPI) - Important to copy (COPI) far and wide?
Any other candidates? Please edit this page to add them above, and let me know what you think the best term to use for involving community members toward investing and financing local permaculture farms. I see this possibility as a real accelerator toward building the productive local farms and seed banks we need asap.