regeneration

Preserve the land we jointly steward through thoughtful, sustainable uses and the addition of practices or materials that facilitate life-bearing soil.

Protect and cohabit with the natural flora and fauna that historically have lived in Western Iowa’s and Eastern Nebraska’s Loess Hills, and the Mid-Missouri River Valley (roughly, stretching from Yankton/SD to Nebraska City/NE).

Cultivate plants and raise animals as long-term, diversified sources of healthful, affordable food.

Reduce energy consumption by using the minimum needed, as efficiently as possible.
Develop local sources of renewable energy that don’t affect the environment in negative, irreparable ways.

Revive rural life on farms and in villages and towns so they are attractive, fulfilling places to live.

Maintain relationships with and appreciation of urban life so that neither realm of human life need compromise but rather complement the other.

Build economic activities and structures that provide markets for rural products and services that enrich the individuals or communities that give rise to them.

Strengthen rural economic conditions by adding value to the production or delivery of life’s basic needs: water, food, clothing, shelter, energy, transportation, community and culture.

Forge working models for new ways of thinking and living that might be replicated—even if in part—and of benefit elsewhere.

education

Provide training in practical arts such as food production, low-impact building construction, clean energy production, lower-carbon transportation modes, direct or indirect resource recycling, and building community, social bonds and vibrant cultural forms.
Create a not-for-profit consulting firm to advise or train clients to retrofit buildings, facilities or practices in private as well as public realms.

Facilitate personal and group development through coaching, conferences, workshops, classes/courses, retreats, consulting or design services, internships, volunteer opportunities, or core-community and support-team member participation.

Over time engage the wider community and society at large in ways that create shared reflection, innovation, intentional change and richer interpersonal interactions.
Model participatory democracy and consensus-guided group decisions by practicing both among core-community and support-team members.

Organize opportunities to explore music, dance, theatrical and visual arts, the humanities and other cultural endeavors.

Offer a quiet environment for individual reflection and creative expression, which may, in turn, enrich group reflection and expression.

community

Build and sustain a core community that includes a director, manager, program coordinator, gardener, herdkeeper, baker, groundskeeper, carpenter, etc., to comprise the nucleus of an innovative, diverse project.

Establish working and social relationships with support-team members who help core-community members realize shared goals, for the benefit of all.

Interact with the wider community in ways that attract members of the public to want to be exposed to or interact with core-community and support-team members.

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