Desert Island Community

[sandbender]

Why an island?

If you wanted to help create a community that is 'detached' from the society that you currently live in then there are lots of places in mainland Europe to do so.

That way you won't have to worry about immigration issues, having to cross a bit of ocean every time one of your community needs medical assistance (child birth, broken limbs etc.).

Or if you plan to trade a crop surplus with the locals or provide labour and skills for theirs it'll be easier to move your goods and yourselves back and forth on the back of a cart rather than relying on the availability of a boat, someone competent to sail that boat and clement weather.

There are as you've mentioned several 'eco' villages around the world already, you may want to consider working in one of those for a year in one of those before you attempt to set up your own.

Just don't try to set up your alternative community in France...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/03/france-terrorism-tarnac-anarchists

 

[jacksoap]

Very good point sandbender. The image of a 'tropical island' is very lucid to be honest. Like i said these communities can be set up any where, and it will be down to the group where they want to settle.

 

[jacksoap]

i have changed my outlook, so walking around the world has developed into a broader idea which has grown into the desert island community. hope that answers your question. I'm really thankful for everybodies input.

 

[Pict]

jacksoap,

It's all in the presentation. You have to drop something like, "So far I have only women signing up."

Mac

 

[sandbender]

...i have changed my outlook, so walking around the world has...

Jacksoap if you can find an existing community based in Europe that'll give you a place for a time, why not walk there? it'll be cheaper than catching the bus and it'll toughen you up for the hard work ahead.

In the meantime while you have a internet capable computer in front of you you should start cramming up on all the knowledge that you will need for your future, do you know everything about the crops you're likely to live of? how to cultivate them and recognize blights and pests? what about preserving and storing foods? animal husbandry? all of this sort of thing is out there on the internet and you can be certain that you won't have access to it once you get out into the world, so make the most of it now.

Good luck

 

[widu13]

Wasn't this a popular theme in the 60s?

I work so that I can retire early whilst still young (I'll be 49-50) and can do what I want to do and not have to scrape by on a subsistence basis.

Good luck to those that venture into this.

 

[jacksoap]

yes sandbender i've been cramming for ten years slowly learning everything i can on every subject. The process of establishing our own community will take years so i am going to visit many ecovillages to see how they run.

and i've been toughened up all ready haha

 

[locum76]

jacksoap,

It's all in the presentation. You have to drop something like, "So far I have only women signing up."

Mac

I believe Soutra and Gruinard are still deserted if you'd prefer an island closer to home.

Serioulsy though, If anyone wants an idea of how long it takes to get an eco-village established within the parameters of the UK take a look at this site http://bodhi-eco-project.org.uk/

cheers.

Rob

 

[British Red]

Interesting,

How do you plan for your community to earn an income? Or will you be wholly self sufficient - living without such things as medicine, electricity and metal?

I'm guessing the purpose is not to sponge off whatever country has authority over the island? So unless you own an income to pay for these things you will choose to do without them. I'd be fascinated to know.

Since you plan to work "from the ground up" I assume that you will mine the metal and smelt it for your tools? So do you plan to find an island with a variety of metal ores (that can be mined by hand)?

I guess you could start up with "imported tools" but without an income clearly you won't be able to replace them as they wear out...so I can't see how that works long term..so the question resolves back to how the community buys what it needs?

Obviously food production and export will probably be a non starter due to transport costs as a money earner so....

Love to hear more about how this community will pay its way and import all the things it needs ...or the level of technology (stone age?) you plan to adopt to avoid the need for external input, goods and services.

Fascinating....but I guess I need to understand the detailed community model...have you published it yet - I can't find it on the blog?

Red

 

[Oblio13]

There's virtually nothing on your "Island" blog, and literally nothing on the "Walking around the World" blog.

You might have better luck attracting followers if you establish some credibility first. That's how I start all my desert island cults.

...The group will pool thier money to buy an island...

First credibility test: How much have you saved up so far?

 

[lostagain]

Interesting thread.

Just out of interest how much does a small south pacific island go for these days? Couldn't find any in our local estate agents

If the group were to collectively buy the island, and you had 100 people (need a fairly big island) I seem to recall the likes of Richard Branson buy theirs for several million and charge (Necker Island) $47,000 per day to rent it !!!!!!! You'd need a100 very rich people!

However, if you do buy somewhere like Necker Island and need someone to sweep the beach etc, me please

 

[TheMagicalBadger]

This sounds very much like a project that got some telly coverage last year called 'tribe wanted' http://www.tribewanted.com/

They seem to keep a video diary on youtube (linked to from their front page)

 

[NatG]

when i saw this i thought" ooh, what a nice idea,i hope it works out"

then i started thinking about what it takes to "set up a community" it's like that bit where you read in an instruction book somewhere:" now you harden and temper the blade" sounds easy, but the thought and proccesses that go into it are huge.

firstly- in history small communities would have been inextricably linked since birth, your grandfather and your best mates grandfather would have been best mates, when you get 20 people whop just fancy an adventure you don't have the same cohesion, moreover, after exposure to the modern world and modern civilisation smaller communities like this will become very hard to support without becoming too isolationist to be a nice place to be.

secondly, the sheer amount of knowledge that has been lost is staggering. Even if you put m,earsy, Kochanski, Nessmuk, whoever you want into one place and tried to get them to buiold a community it is my honest belief that they would fail miserably. They would probbably survive, but do they know about building houses? crop rotations? the correct manufacture and use of tools neccessary to carry out these functions? then there's medicine, politics, etc. Don't even get me started on money.

The thing is that in previosu communities there was the distillate of generations of knowledge on how to survive in that particular area- lok at the spirit trails in Australia which preserve specific knowledge of where LOCAL resources are. Without this knowledge it would be impossible to live. MAybe your desert island is deserted for a reason.

Ifi were looking to get a similar sort of thing going, i'dmove to a city or village and try to improve and develop that community- encourage sustainable living, community activities, responsible trade etc. By making it work in the modern world you not only have a chance of making people listen, you have a chnace of actually getting the idea to fruition.

 

[traderran]

For those of you who don't believe this can be dun you need to read.
20 Years in the Alaskan wilderness

 

[Steve M]

This has been tried and failed so many time. I wish you all the best luck.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Good luck, but its not for me

 

[jacksoap]

I have taken many of your points on board and i have clarified what my aims are for the community on my blog www.desertislandcommunity.blogspot.com