1Sphere 1People Annex
Note: due to personal injury requiring public transportation we have moved to Tucson, AZ. We still have the property described below, but are no longer there to develop it into a shared community. In Tucson we are developing a model urban micro farm (Grammy's Farm). We also have nearby rental property and rather than rent a house to whoever can pay the rent, we would rather rent rooms to those with similar interests and thereby form a cooperative community. Although some money coming in is a necessity, we can offer partial work exchange for housing in lieu of rent.
The big city offers more opportunities and is home to groups who share our inteesests, such as in solar, sustainability, meditation, and transitional living. There are also many worthwhile volunteer opportunities such as with the Food Bank who opperates several community gardens and even a farm where people can get a plot for personal use or even a large plot to grow and sell at farmer's markets (and keep the profit), so small scale agriculture is doable. Grammy's Farm is a C2 zoned property and small stock is permitted. We have chickens, ducks, and four Nigerian Dwarf milking goats already.
The 1Sphere 1People Annex is on a half-acre lot in the small town of St. David, Arizona located five miles from 1Sphere 1People Homestead, seven miles from Benson, and less than an hour from Tucson. The Annex will, of necessity, be developed prior to our proposed development at 1Sphere 1People Homestead, more info below. We are married, ages 58 and 60, both semi-retired RNs, and occupy one room in the four-bedroom, two-bath home pictured above. Also on the property are a two-bedroom two-bath mobile home and an 8x30 travel trailer, pictured at the bottom of this page..We are offering housing, either long or short-term, in exchange for assistance maintaining the gardens, small stock, cleaning, and assisting with improvements to the property and residences.
Ameneties include fencing and cross fencing, koi pond, water garden, grape arbor, strawberry patch, bottle gourds, summer and winter garden areas, fruit trees, shade trees, compost area, secure covered poultry yard, swimming pool, and spa (needs pump repair.) There are six different outdoor seating and lounging areas as well as a firepit for group events. The home has a large library, eight-foot projection screen home theater, laundry facilities, and wifi internet, Development plans include a greenhouse, meditation hall, screened in patio, 50x50 foot labyrinth garden, aquaculture, vermiculture, rainwater encatchment irrigation system, Zen garden, outdoor kitchen, artistic designs, and more.
Applicants should be considerate, economy and environmentally minded, productive, appreciators of nature, trustworthy, posess a self-directed work ethic, no drama, and be free from substance abuse. Our numbers will include, but are not limited to those with interests in activities such as hiking, birding, horseback riding, amateur astronomy, light construction, pets, gardening, reading, creative endeavors, and eclectic movie viewing, whether they prefer solitary or group activities. Prospective residents need to be self-motivated and self-directed as there are no plantation overseers here. Below is a link to a list of the type of assistance we are needing and activities we offer . We are currently in a development/construction phase and so pioneer-types interested in planning, remodeling, designing, and building as well as gardening and raising small stock, are especially encouraged to apply.
We have more potential units available at 1Sphere 1People Homestead, but initially the main focus of development will be at the Annex. We invite people to join the effort at either location depending upon personal needs and interests. The ranch is not child-proof, so potential residents should not have young children, but appropriate children are welcomed at the Annex. We are seeking semi-retired types like ourselves, but teachable young adults looking to gain experience—those having fewer needs, stronger backs, and more time than money are also welcome. Since we need help with work as well as money to pay taxes/utilities internet, supplies, and so forth, some combination of 'rent' and work exchange is possible. Current thinking favors a 14-hour work week minimum for doing chores in lieu of rent and utilities, something we understand people would want to do anyway as most people desire to be productive. Most elderly could handle the time commitment, but if not, most units are offered at $300 per month plus the appropriate share of the utility expenses would be acceptable in lieu of labor. Partial rent exchange is another possibility, as is additional work exchange hours or monetary payment for the inclusion of meals.
What we have in mind is not some kind of commune—there is no shared income nor sharing of essentials. The idea is we each have and own what we need, but economize by sharing the extras. We think for the most part everyone (individual or couple) needs their own bedroom. But not everyone needs a private kitchen, bathroom, washer/dryer, and such. We have a shared laundry room, as well as a fully stocked kitchen, so if you want to bake cookies or make pizza, that will be entirely doable. Sharing is an option, however, not a requirement. Nothing is compulsory. Residents can choose to participate in group activities or not when/if desired.
Growing our own food supply now is nice, however in the future it may become a necessity so it will be beneficial to posessl know-how in advance. The time to solve sustainability issues is now. This is a good-sized residental lot and so it is perfect for experimental susstainable development such as solar, food, rain catchment, and waste management. The property may not offer 100% sustainability for 10 people, but add some stored seeds, wheat, rice, beans, and oats and it could come close—we could get by should hard times arise.
Local attractions include Tombstone, Kartchner Caverns, Dragoon Mountains, Cochise Stronghold, San Pedro River and Riparian Area, St. David Cienega, Whetstone Mountains, twice yearly Holy Trinity Monestary arts and crafts show, and more.
Some considerations to ponder:
**WWOOFers, Work Campers, and others are invited to choose their length and time of stay providing the arrangement continues to be mutually beneficial.
**Transportation: /Ride sharing is encuouraged, Bus service is available between the Annex and Benson . Arrangements can be made for pick up service at either the Benson Greyhound or Amtrak depots, or from the Tucson airport or Greyhound depot.
**Children and pets appropriate to the situation will be welcomed. Sorry, no cats.
**Meals can be shared along with the cost, preparation, shopping, and clean up, or provide your own food as desired. An excellent local food bank is available every Friday afternoon.
**Smoking only downwind in designated areas or in your personal RV or vehicle, if you really need to smoke. This is a sober, drug free environment.
**Please respect other's right to peace and quiet by avoiding drama and the broadcasting of music other than at musical get-togethers.
Links:
We have a general website: 1Sphere 1People.com.
Annex Interiors: Facebook pictures
Partial list of work we need assistance with as well as activities offered at the Annex: Annex to do list.
Facebook link for eight more pictures: 1Sphere 1People Annex.
Links to our Wildlife Habitation Restoration Project: Wildlife.html and 1Sphere1-People-Homestead-Wildlife-Preserve
Application and instructions: Click here to read .pdf or right click to save as or download .doc version
Some pictures:
(mouseover for info, click on to see enlarged, back arrow to come back)
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Contact Us
1Sphere1People Homestead is an 18-acre parcel having the potential for being developed into an intentional adult community, or cooperative living arrangement, (perpetually under growth, renovation, and improvement) for up to 12 active, like-minded, creative adults. There is 3/4 acre of terraced farmland at (1Sphere 1People Homestead) that is located on the old stagecoach route to Tombstone and historically planted to provide produce to those traveling to and from Tombstone. We would like to put this land into no-till production. There is also a 14-acre wildlife habitat restoration project. We also have horse facilities (stalls, arena, round pen) at the ranch.
Eric, the garden designer, has BS degrees in Crop and Soil Science. We both are certified Master Gardeners. The garden will be experimental, and like all experiments worth conducting, failure is an option. The furrows are being laid out in the form of an Anceint Greek design of a labyrinth allowing to to serve double duty as a meditation labyrinth. We live in an area of about 12 inches of annual rainfall. The path between the furrows is raised, rain runs off into the furrow which is how native American Indians gardened in this valley. Rain water catchment from surrounding sturctures would supply remaining needed water requiring little or no tap water to be used in the property. As has been done in other arid areas, planting is done in or on the side of the furrow, hence beds are sunken with clover planted throughout.
The ideal, consistant with sustainability, is to use no industrial inputs into the agro-eco system. This includes fossil fuel, so work will be by human power, which means minimizing human power inputs will also be a good thing. The garden will be a no till experiment. The surface has merely been leveled with a rake. The paths will be undisturbed, original soil (sandy loam). The sunken beds are one shovel-width wide reshaped to 12" width. The soil removed is used to fill in low places. The furrows are terraced, an inch or so drop as needed. Irrigation water from large rain water storage containers can be dumped into the bed and quickly reaches the end and can then be turned off. The small dams along the way hold an inch or so of water which soaks in. There is total control over how much water each foot of the terraced beds receive promoting maximum irrigation efficiency.
Large numbers of people, in a relatively short period of time, may have to learn how to garden using only what is available. Developing the knowledge of how to do so now, while the living is easy, could save many. If you want to be a part of learning how to do the best we can with what we have, well, there are worse things you could be doing.