Jump to content

East Wind Community: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 36°33′21″N 92°18′29″W / 36.55590°N 92.30795°W / 36.55590; -92.30795
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
AnomieBOT (talk | contribs)
Bots
6,556,183 edits
m Dating maintenance tags: {{Citation needed}}
 
(122 intermediate revisions by 80 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Intentional community}}
The '''East Wind''', founded in 1973, is an [[intentional community]] located in the [[Missouri]] [[Ozarks]]. This [[commune]] is devoted to "equality, ecology, cooperation and [[nonviolence]]" and encourges people of all races or sexual orientations to join. It is a [[egalitarian]] [[democracy]] which votes on its laws and gives a small amount of its profit to each member. The East Wind includes over 1000 acres of land from which its members live off of.
{{Multiple issues|
{{refimprove|date=September 2021|talk=Notability}}
{{third-party|date=February 2018|talk=Some sources from Google Scholar}}
}}
'''East Wind Community''' is an [[intentional community]] located in the [[Missouri]] [[Ozarks]]. Founded in 1974, it is a secular and democratic community in which members hold all community assets in common. Each member is also given food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education, and a modest monthly stipend.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Life at Eastwind |url=https://www.eastwind.org/life-at-eastwind |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Eastwind Community |language=en-US}}</ref> All major decisions are made by direct democratic processes with managers for various positions being elected annually.


==Overview==
The East Wind makes money from both the [[nutbutter]] business and from making [[rope sandals]]. It gives $125 of its profits each month to each of its members to spend any way he or she may like. Visitors are also allowed to have outside jobs. All personal wealth belonging to members before joining is given to the organzation one year after joing. With a few acceptions (such as washing dishes or a few hours of work in businesses for certain members), the East Wind has not had assigned labor since 1983.
East Wind Community owns {{convert|1045|acre|km2}} of land and several businesses and its members pursue a mix of agricultural, industrial, domestic and social pursuits.{{sfn |Londberg |2017}} The community is located off [[U.S. Route 160|Route 160]] on the southern end of county road 547 in [[Ozark County, Missouri|Ozark County]] just outside [[Tecumseh, Missouri]].


The community has acres of gardens for vegetables and herbs, small orchards, as well as tens of acres of pasture. In the past decade, homegrown food production and processing has become a major focus. [[Tree planting]] and holistic forestry management are also a priority. Members learn and teach homesteading skills ranging from cheesemaking and woodworking to canning and auto repair.<ref>Wheeler, Boone. [https://www.eastwindblog.co/?p=1245]"The Economics of Cooperation." "East Wind Blog." 21 September 2018.</ref><ref>Nichols, Sumner. [https://www.eastwindblog.co/?p=1219]"Height of Summer Update." "East Wind Blog." 10 August 2018.</ref><ref>Nichols, Sumner. [https://www.eastwindblog.co/?p=1027]"Late Summer Garden Update." "East Wind Blog." 9 September 2017.</ref><ref>TRT News [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpvClTxHBe8&t=190s]"Route 66: Free living and liberty at a rural commune." 9 October 2017.</ref>
For recreation, East Wind members will enjoy the land or use one of the organization's seven computers when they are not being used for business. There is also a library and televisions with VCR's and a satellite cable for members to enjoy. Parties within the East Wind often include bonfires, sweat lodge gatherings, and drumming circles.


The East Wind Community has several income sources including a [[nut butter]] business named East Wind Nut Butters that generates $500,000 annually. The community manufactures [[peanut butter]], cashew butter, [[almond butter]] and [[tahini]] as well as a peanut butter and a tahini that are organic.<ref>Wheeler, Vivian. [https://www.417mag.com/issues/september-2016/inside-east-wind-tecumsehs-intentional-community/] "417 Magazine" September 2016.</ref><ref>Flynn, Dan. [http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2009/10/east-wind-says-its-nut-butter-products-are-safe-to-eat/ Nut Butter Safe To Eat, Says Commune.] ''Food Safety News.'' 31 October 2009.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=East Wind Crafts |url=https://eastwindcrafts.com/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=East Wind Crafts |language=en}}</ref><ref>[https://www.eastwindnutbutters.com/ East Wind Nut Butters]</ref> In addition they produce "Utopian Rope Sandals", also known as "Utopes". They used to produce handmade drums through Slackjaw Percussion. Members are required to work a certain number of hours and income from the businesses is used to support the community.<ref>Mairson, Alan. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080103073217/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0508/feature7/index.html 65760: Not Quite Utopia.] ''[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]].'' August 2005.</ref>
[http://www.eastwind.org East Wind Community]


Prospective members are selected by a membership team and are then invited for a three-week visitor period, at the end of which they may become provisional members, barring the existence of too many concerns within the community. Following a one-year provisional membership full members have the opportunity to call for a vote on any new member who may either be too disruptive or who is failing to do their fair share of the labor. There is also an associate status for people who do not wish to make a full commitment to the community. A provisional member has an option to take a leave. If during the first two weeks as a provisional member this leave may be up to a year long.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024|reason=needs source}}
⚫
==See Also==

⚫
*[[Egalitarian communities]]
East Wind is a member of the [[Federation of Egalitarian Communities]], which also includes the communities [[Twin Oaks Community|Twin Oaks]], Sandhill Farm, and several others. There are many community conferences and labor exchanges between the communities, and there is a fund which all the communities pay into to help cover any major medical expenses.
*[[Alternative society]]

Members live in [[dorm]] style buildings and there is a central dining hall, laundry and shower house. There are also several personal shelters designated as doubles for couples and visitors. Common spaces for recreational activities including computers also exist.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Business |url=https://eastwindcrafts.com/pages/our-business |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=East Wind Crafts |language=en}}</ref>

⚫
==See also==
*[[Egalitarian community]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpvClTxHBe8: Route 66: Free living and liberty at a rural commune], ''[[TRT World]]'' via YouTube, October 2017
*{{cite web |first=Max |last=Londberg |title=East Wind Community in Missouri Continues to Grow - Missouri News |website=U.S. News & World Report |date=2017-09-01 |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri/articles/2017-09-01/east-wind-community-in-missouri-continues-to-grow |access-date=2020-01-17 }}
*{{cite web |first=Mike |last=Mariani |title=The New Generation of Self-Created Utopias |website=The New York Times |date=2020-01-16 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/t-magazine/intentional-communities.html |access-date=2020-01-17}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|36.55590|-92.30795|format=dms|display=title|type:city_region:US-MO}}

[[Category:Intentional communities in the United States]]
⚫
[[Category:Egalitarian communities]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1973]]
[[Category:Populated places in Ozark County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Federation of Egalitarian Communities]]

Latest revision as of 19:54, 20 June 2024

East Wind Community is an intentional community located in the Missouri Ozarks. Founded in 1974, it is a secular and democratic community in which members hold all community assets in common. Each member is also given food, shelter, clothing, medical care, education, and a modest monthly stipend.[1] All major decisions are made by direct democratic processes with managers for various positions being elected annually.

Overview

[edit]

East Wind Community owns 1,045 acres (4.23 km2) of land and several businesses and its members pursue a mix of agricultural, industrial, domestic and social pursuits.[2] The community is located off Route 160 on the southern end of county road 547 in Ozark County just outside Tecumseh, Missouri.

The community has acres of gardens for vegetables and herbs, small orchards, as well as tens of acres of pasture. In the past decade, homegrown food production and processing has become a major focus. Tree planting and holistic forestry management are also a priority. Members learn and teach homesteading skills ranging from cheesemaking and woodworking to canning and auto repair.[3][4][5][6]

The East Wind Community has several income sources including a nut butter business named East Wind Nut Butters that generates $500,000 annually. The community manufactures peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter and tahini as well as a peanut butter and a tahini that are organic.[7][8][9][10] In addition they produce "Utopian Rope Sandals", also known as "Utopes". They used to produce handmade drums through Slackjaw Percussion. Members are required to work a certain number of hours and income from the businesses is used to support the community.[11]

Prospective members are selected by a membership team and are then invited for a three-week visitor period, at the end of which they may become provisional members, barring the existence of too many concerns within the community. Following a one-year provisional membership full members have the opportunity to call for a vote on any new member who may either be too disruptive or who is failing to do their fair share of the labor. There is also an associate status for people who do not wish to make a full commitment to the community. A provisional member has an option to take a leave. If during the first two weeks as a provisional member this leave may be up to a year long.[citation needed]

East Wind is a member of the Federation of Egalitarian Communities, which also includes the communities Twin Oaks, Sandhill Farm, and several others. There are many community conferences and labor exchanges between the communities, and there is a fund which all the communities pay into to help cover any major medical expenses.

Members live in dorm style buildings and there is a central dining hall, laundry and shower house. There are also several personal shelters designated as doubles for couples and visitors. Common spaces for recreational activities including computers also exist.[12]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Life at Eastwind". Eastwind Community. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  2. ^ Londberg 2017.
  3. ^ Wheeler, Boone. [1]"The Economics of Cooperation." "East Wind Blog." 21 September 2018.
  4. ^ Nichols, Sumner. [2]"Height of Summer Update." "East Wind Blog." 10 August 2018.
  5. ^ Nichols, Sumner. [3]"Late Summer Garden Update." "East Wind Blog." 9 September 2017.
  6. ^ TRT News [4]"Route 66: Free living and liberty at a rural commune." 9 October 2017.
  7. ^ Wheeler, Vivian. [5] "417 Magazine" September 2016.
  8. ^ Flynn, Dan. Nut Butter Safe To Eat, Says Commune. Food Safety News. 31 October 2009.
  9. ^ "East Wind Crafts". East Wind Crafts. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  10. ^ East Wind Nut Butters
  11. ^ Mairson, Alan. 65760: Not Quite Utopia. National Geographic. August 2005.
  12. ^ "Our Business". East Wind Crafts. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
[edit]

36°33′21″N 92°18′29″W / 36.55590°N 92.30795°W / 36.55590; -92.30795

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=East_Wind_Community&oldid=1230124175"