Permaculture: Cobb Subdivisions

A Little Cob(b) Garden House

Eco Villages; Cobb House and Land Collectives:

These planned communities can be strictly zoned, by each group. Zoned with only 1 type of eco-building style; Cob, Strawbale, Earth bags, Tree-houses, or Hobbit homes; or zoned to be of a mixed eco-variety, as long as they are of sustainable building methods.

Starting with College and University Students

"Commitment-to-Purchase" Lists: from participating students; of at least, 10-20 cob-construction, student-purchasers.

Questionnaire Rules

In the beginning, a small assignment of simple rules has to go with each community.
So then, the participating students sign up for the right type of eco-village.
Let them fill out a voting questionnaire.
An example is: circle the : "welcome or not welcome" / "yes or no" fields.

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More rural? 10 or more miles from a city; yes or no
Land with trees? yes or no
Drinkers? Light to no drinkers are welcome or not welcome.
Couples? welcome or not welcome.
Children? welcome or not welcome.
Walk-ins only: No vehicles Parked at the properties? yes or no.
Temporary housing trailers allowed during the build? yes or no.
Houses maximum? in size to 800 sq ft.; yes or no
Animals? welcome or not welcome.
Only 3 large barn animals, per land plot? yes or no
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Daily Commuters? are welcome or not welcome.
Mandatory monthly community meetings? are welcome or not welcome.
Composting toilets, leaf or industrial? are welcome or not welcome.
Electric golf carts allowed? yes or no
Quad machines allowed? yes or no
Do you want a cooperative business to go with the ecovillage? in ex. growing basil and flowers; yes or no
Do you want to participate in a cooperative business? yes or no
Vegetarian Only Residents? yes or no
Are hunters welcome? Never.

Include brief Selling Rules; buyers have to be verified and voted on as compatible with the neighbors? yes or no

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Then, after collecting the votes, it helps to find the appropriate land for the group.

Selectivity

In the Future; a quicker online, group-matching database can eventually make it easier to vote and find your preferred group, anywhere in the world.
Where selectivity, narrows down your eco-village choices considerably.
ie; Include mostly Retired women who were professional ballet dancers or opera singers only.

Debt-Free Purchases

Start with smaller investments, per person. Then the initial land is debt free, aside from property taxes. prices anywhere from 1,000-25,000 each person (per land plot).

Building loans are a problem though, as one of the major points of eco-villages is to avoid defaults and foreclosures. If a building loan is later acquired, independently by a group member, he or she could default.
I suggest that each community disallows building loans. Unless the loan is backed by another form of collateral, aside from their present eco-house. This avoids any chance of liens or bank seizures occurrence.
If a seizure ever did occur, the group would always have the first option, to buy the property.

These Eco-Communities are not supposed to cost a fortune, just be simply constructed.
Roofs:
Including the use of naturally fallen wood from a forest; over lumber purchases or tree harvesting. Meaning thatch collection & application, with or without a green roof on-top.
Plastering:
While also avoiding lime and concrete products as much as possible on the walls, by implementing gley/manure mixes. Oxblood for flooring is not necessary, but keep it in mind, as a use, if an animal dies of natural causes.
Pond Sealing:
Again the gley mixture, however, coated with a 20% clay to mud coating, that is further burnished with a tool to seal the pores.
Where later on, the inclusion of swimming ducks & leaf matter, continue to seal the bottom and sides with their droppings.

Finding the Land

Selecting about 5 land properties to vote on, (Most groups will want land closer to their college; 0 - 100 miles... However, some may even want adventurous international builds.).
typical land sizes from, .... .3 to 5 acres each plot.
Including park and community areas, to at least 10% of the land area.

Example of the min. 10% park rule:
Where 20 acres = 2 acres for parks, community and recreational.
Leaving 18 acres, divided between 28 purchasers = .64 acres each

Voting on which Land to Purchase

Having an easy voting process for the small group,
and allocating subdivision designers* from either members of each group, or design students from other groups.
(designers include park & community areas in their drafting plans.)
*hopefully designers can get school credits for their work. while also obtaining enough professional experience to be formally hired by more pricey eco-community groups.

Land Purchasing with Safe Methods

Buying the land through a Title & Escrow Company. Whether for sale by a real estate company or by owner.

Starting the Structures

Into the dirt; Beginning building, trench digging and soil tests.

Starting with simple interiors

Bulk Buying of building & garden supplies

an option for each member, within each cob community.
1) Sand & bales for walls, and foundation; gravel & stones.
2) Garden plants and seed swaps.
3) Other various construction items;
wheel barrows, shovels, trowels, tarps, etc.
4) Farm animal supplies; oats, corn, wheat, etc.
5) Solar & other energy equipment.
6) Water supplies & delivery systems. 7) Food; 5 lb min; nuts, seeds, olives, flours, grains, olive & avocado oil, dried fruits.
Bulk buying food, can reduce costs considerably;
from 3000$ per year, normal in-store purchases... to 1000$ per year, approx. 1-2 deliveries.
Storage conditions being the main factor, for bulk dried foods, avoiding moisture, etc.
Where 20,000$ per 20 persons per year, reduces the 1000$ for each person even further, as a 5 lb min, becomes a 25 lb min.

Figuring out;

how to mimic the above ecological sub-division mechanism, for older people. Persons that have left University.
Perhaps, the University Alumni, is a good place to start,
by creating mailing lists of those interested persons.
Persons with Botanical degrees, Geological, Arts, Architecture, etc.

Careers for the Student Builders

New jobs can be created for the students;
Careers where they assist the older groups, in many ways;

Land Finders,
People Grouping, (collective formation experts... (dancer groups, artist groups, etc)
Purchase and Buying experts,
Accomplished Designers,
Building Permit Helpers.

Adding Mailing Lists to Youtube

A feature for the Youtube.com Vlog-Publishers,
helpful in creating lists of interested persons, who want to join eco-building communities.

Cobb-Construction Magazine

Creating a Magazine, just for cob building, smaller than Mother Earth News. Including ecological-building businesses & advertisers.

The California State Succession

Original California Flag

Becoming a Country

California has finally up-roared its own liberal self, to be included as a new country, within this global mixture of happen-stance governmental bodies here and there.

As a leader country hosted with future-minded individuals, we have often been the beginning of trends for the world. However, in recent years, we have lacked our political voice in american politics. Which has been out-of-the ordinary for California, almost as if the new Californians, who have moved and reside here, do not make the same conscious efforts of native Californians.

The conscious efforts of sustainability, to better the planet, people, plants and animals, have been too often pushed aside, when in the past it was our only priority. To keep our world, as a home that we would continue to live in, and bring our future generations into.

The start of California as a new peaceful country, starts with a monetary incentive, with offshore banking opportunities available to Americans from the United States, a new banking infrastructure, will financially compliment the US rather than hinder.

Inclusions

The possible inclusion of Oregon and Washington with the succession.

Cost Savings to the United States

A reduction in military spending for the Federal Government of the United States as an added bonus. The bases, located here in California are some of largest and most costly to run for the United States federal government. The condensing of military equipment, toward the east for the US, is a wise financial choice.
For the US to run an army mechanism that is refined rather than large and extensively eclectic grouping, is another reason as a wiser tactical choice.

Native Californians

Bringing in the standard of, "born in California" persons; as the original citizens of the new country, called California. Other resident persons, declared as naturalized, dependent upon longevity of time spent as a resident. Therefore, if you were born in California, you would automatically be classed as a citizen of the new California.

Taxations and Revenue

The current California government, is to be a new smaller federal version for California. State Taxations for California citizens would initially increase, to similar of the old US federal level, and the older federal US taxations would be cancelled for California citizens.

Current Governor of Califorina

The current elected government person, who is the Governor of California, becomes the new acting Prime Minister (similar to Presidential) elect, of California for the time being, until voters decide upon either their new federal California powers to be either; a Monarchy, President or Prime Minister. Emir's are cool, however, it may be too dis-associated as a political leader role, for most native Californians.

Currency of California

Continue with USD as the currency, with Euro optional accounts offered by the California banking system.

US Banks in California

Current US Banks, such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America are invited to open offshore branches, in similar fashion to Barclays and HSBC in Guernsey.

International Banks in California

Other International Banks such as Deutsches Bank, UBS, Goldman Sachs, and Credit Swiss are therein invited to open branches here in California.
Enabling further prospective business ventures in California, The United States and European Countries.
With a European banking diversification added to California. The new country will become a major stronghold, hosting old and new business relations between North American and Europe.

Offshore Banking Incentives

Not to undermine the new country standard with simply a boring banking routine, but keep with the old-style follow of Switzerland, 25$ will be granted as a savings account opener for each new infant born into California. (kept in their new locked savings account, locked until they are 18 years of age.)
Newly forged silver and gold coins, with the emblem of the California Bear, are to be minted, and given to any new or re-instated; "time-deposit account with nominal interest*" account holders of 5 or more years, if the bank account is in excess of $500,000. (1 gold coin per 500,000, upon the 5th year the coin is given to the account holder and it can be either kept or transferred into cash at that time.)
1 silver coin will be granted to any new or re-instated; "time-deposit account with nominal interest*" holders of 5 or more years, if the bank account is in excess of $250,000. (1 silver coin per 250,000, upon the 5th year the coin is given to the account holder and it can be either kept or transferred into cash at that time.)
*(interest rates under 3%)

My Video discussion, detailing this blog.

The Group "Purchase of Property" Chart

Basic Chart of Costs per person, without a mortgage.

This quick chart represents full purchase,
without any extra fees aside from the Shared year-to-year costs of:
Utilities, Property taxes, Gardening, Food*, home insurance, transportation costs, telephony.
With group health as an option.

*Bulk food purchases

are more available the larger the group.
In example, 5 pounds of almonds, for 70 dollars. lasting approx. 3 months.

Things to consider when creating a property-buying group:

Try an choose appropriately compatible persons with their diet and lifestyle:
vegetarian households, raw vegan households.
Similar careers or career expectations persons
ie, fine artists, ballet dancers, and philosophers, tend to conflict with manual labor workers.
(sorry, there is no "Conflict chart" available.)
Age-group approx. within 25 years, for the people considered.
Including purchase rules for the property group owners, such as :
No personal credit card loans used to purchase your share.
and/or No mandatory job or career requirements.
Additional Conditions of ownership, ie., 5 years of property taxes, paid into a property tax savings account.
If a with children household: Persons with children would pay the full price per child, also.
Persons with similar political views, brings a higher chance of compatibility.
Don't forget to include silent partners, ownerships. For persons who buy a share as a long term investment only, and do not ever live on the premises.

A "Share a Home" Website to find group buyers:

In order to help locate the property purchasers, a matching website, is still needed to group people accordingly:
by property price,
property area,
property type (with land, over an acre, etc.),
number of persons,
price per person,
lifestyles,
a with children household, or not
etc.