Sandhill Farm

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Sandhill Farm

Located in Rutledge, Missouri, United States

Mission Statement
agrarian lifestyle, simplicity, self-sufficiency and interdependency, and care for those most impacted by capitalist exploitation.

Community Description
We are seven adults and a seven-year-old living together on 150 acres in rural northeast Missouri. We grow our own organic food and share income, meals, vehicles, and other resources. The land includes gardens, orchards, woods, cropland, bee yards, and pasture.
Our income is derived from foods we produce (sorghum, honey, garlic, mustard, eggs, garden produce and value added condiments), timber sales, and from organic farm inspection, a harness-sewing business, and occasional work for neighbors.

We like to keep our lifestyle simple and healthy. We currently have a primarily vegetarian diet, supplemented by meat from small-scale animal husbandry and our local deer.

We tend to work hard and get satisfaction from providing for ourselves as much as we can while maintaining close ties with neighbors, friends, and other communities.

We enjoy regular celebrations and social occasions, including weekly dinners with Dancing Rabbit, a 15-year-old ecovillage, and Red Earth Farms, a five-year-old land trust community, both just three miles away. We also friends with the folks at Possibility Alliance and their local community of sustainable farmers in the LaPlata area, about 35 miles away.

Sandhill is active in the communities, organics and political resistance movements. Core values include cooperation, tolerance, nonviolence, understanding and combatting systems of oppression – personally and systemically, honesty, good communication and sustainable land stewardship.

We hold meetings weekly during the growing season and as-needed during the off season. We make major decisions by consensus and keep in touch informally around meals and daily activities. We strive to balance pulling together with supporting individual choices and idiosyncrasies.

We are somewhat open to new members. Because we are a small group, any addition has a big impact. Our process is slow, as we want to make sure of a good fit before we make any commitment.

A visit for one week can be arranged during the growing season (we like to take a break from visitors during the winter). Please write a detailed introduction of yourself and see our website for more information.

Housing
Status: We have land we have developed on
Area: 150 acres
Current Residence Types: Room(s) in a house or building
Current Number of Residences: 4
Housing Provided: Work-exchange, Included in Membership
Land owned by: The Community

Membership
Adult Members: 7
Child Members: 1
Percent Women: 41-49%
Percent Men: 51-60%
Percent Transgender: 0%
Visitors accepted: Yes
Visitor Process:
Please see our website (sandhillfarm.org) and read about our visiting process. We do most of our visitor correspondence through email.
Open to new Members: Yes
Membership Process:
already described above. no set process but rather a courtship that may take up to a year.
Additional Comments:
all peaceful spiritual paths honored
jewish, christian, mennonite, buddhist, pagan, eclectic
homeschooling and public schooling are practiced here

Government
Decision Making: Consensus (everyone agrees)
Identified Leader: No
Leadership Core Group: No
Additional Comments:
we all take leadership roles

Economics
Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: No
Shared Income: All or close to all
Required Labor Contribution per Week: 0
Open to members with existing debt: No
Additional Comments:
no labor quota
annual interest on assets goes to community

Sustainability Practices
Energy Infrastructure: We are connected to the grid.
Current renewable energy generation: 0%, or close to 0%
Planned renewable energy generation: 50-75%
Current food produced: Almost All, around 90%
Planned food produced: Almost All, around 90%
Food produced locally: Almost All, around 90%

Lifestyle
Common Facilities: Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Outdoor Kitchen, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet
Internet Available: Yes, community provides it
Internet Fast?: Yes, it’s fine.
Cell Phone Service: Not good for most people.
Shared meals: Approximately all meals
Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (plants and animals), Paleo (no grains, dairy, processed foods, or legumes), Local (food sourced within 150 miles), Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), GMO Free (only non-genetically modified organisms), Mostly Vegetarian, Opportunivore (dumpster diving, nature harvesting, etc.)
Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Somewhat – there are some dietary restrictions or customs.
Special Diets OK: Yes
Alcohol Use: Yes, used occasionally.
Tobacco Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
Additional Diet Comments:
we grow approx. 80% of our food
we try to accomodate all dietary needs
occasional home grown meat and venison
moderate use
discouraged and prohibited indoors
Common Spiritual Practice(s): Ecumenical (accepts all religions or spiritual practices), Eclectic (integrates multiple religious or spiritual beliefs), Not a particularly spiritual or religious community
Spiritual Practice Expected?: No
Education Style(s): Home Schooling, Public Schooling
Healthcare Options: Community Plan

Source: https://www.ic.org/directory/sandhill-farm/