Wilder Waters Community

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Wilder Waters Community

Located in Canton, Maine, United States

Mission Statement
Our mission statement is to establish and maintain an eco-centered community that allows sovereign humans to experience healthy social interactions, deep connections to the landscape, and sustainable living in a manner that reinforces our biological and ancestral norms and honors the need for humans to interact in a cooperative manner with other wild beings.

Community Description
We began Wilder Waters Community here on 150 acres of forest in central Maine—a real community, based on our ancestral birthright to a deep connection with each other and the land. A community where we share food, but also other types of nourishment: songs, stories, and rituals. Where the economy is based on reciprocity rather than extraction. Where the nuclear home is replaced by the community lodge, and life is lived according to the principles knit in your bones.

We were all physically, emotionally, and spiritually sick of living in opposition to our ancestors– living without community. That’s why we began Wilder Waters Community on 150+ acres of forest here in central Maine. We are a small tribe of people who wish to disengage, to the extent possible, with the stress, lack of empathy, and ego-centric living presented by the dominant society. We feel best when outdoors and sharing real living experiences with our community members. While there is much to be sorrowful for, we are happy, vibrant, and have a strong positive outlook for our living here in the mountains of western Maine.

Currently, there is the original solar-powered house where we do most of our social gathering, group meals, and food processing. The main house has two bedrooms; one, which will be occupied as of January 2018 by a couple and the other, which is currently vacant. Surrounding the main house is mostly forest and there are 2 occupied living structures (1 yurt and 1 cabin) and an additional 5 or 6 spaces where small living structures can be built. We will cluster our homes so they are close enough to not fragment the landscape but far enough to feel a sense of privacy as we adjust to communal living. We currently have a small cabin in the making for people to come live in before they decide to build a structure of their own.

Housing
Status: We have land we have developed on
Area: 150 acres
Current Residence Types: Room(s) in a house or building, Lots to build on
Current Number of Residences: 3
Planned number of residences: 6
Planned Residence Types: Tiny house, Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent, Natural built structues
Housing Provided: Included in Membership
Land owned by: A subgroup of community members
Additional Comments:
Three community members own the land with plans to place new land purchased through our non-profit into a community land trust. We have one big house to share with community members and one small cabin in which one of our members live. We are in the process of building a cabin for new members.

Membership
Adult Members: 6
Child Members: 2
Non-member Residents: 0
Percent Women: 61-70%
Percent Men: 31-40%
Percent Transgender: 0%
Visitors accepted: Yes
Visitor Process:
Send Sara an email describing when and why you would like to visit! We’d be happy to have you Open to new Members: Yes

Economics
Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: Yes
Regular Fee per Month: $300
Shared Income: None
Required Labor Contribution: Encouraged or suggested
Open to members with existing debt: Yes (some debt)
Additional Comments:
The $300 comprises of a weekly food share, which covers kitchen staples and our daily meal ($50 per person per week, $200/month) and an approximate $100/month of community housing expenses (propane, snow-plow, firewood, etc). This $100 varies depending on the season and other bills that may come up (ex. recently, we had to pay to fix a communal freezer).

Sustainability Practices
Energy Infrastructure: We are totally off grid.
Current renewable energy generation: 100%
Energy sources: Solar
Planned renewable energy generation: 100%
Current food produced: Between 26-49%
Planned food produced: 100%
Food produced locally: Almost All, around 90%

Lifestyle
Common Facilities: Common House, Garden(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet
Internet Available: Yes, both the community and individuals provide it
Internet Fast?: Yes, exceptionally.
Cell Phone Service: Good for some people.
Shared meals: 2-5 times per week
Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (plants and animals), Local (food sourced within 150 miles), Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), GMO Free (only non-genetically modified organisms), We eat lots of wild harvested food
Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Yes – we all share a common diet.
Special Diets OK: Yes
Alcohol Use: Yes, used occasionally.
Tobacco Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
Additional Diet Comments:
We share the wild food that we harvest together and we share a garden. We also share kitchen staples. We eat one meal together a day, occasionally less, occasionally more. We also buy organic, local food from nearby farms.
Common Spiritual Practice(s): Mostly Animism, Some Unspecified
Spiritual Practice Expected?: No
Education Style(s): Home Schooling
Healthcare Options: Up to each family or individual

Source: https://www.ic.org/directory/wilder-waters-community/