Dairy Co-op
A handful of new residents have really stepped up to help out with the Dairy Co-op. For the first time in years, we have a team of consistent, passionate, and skilled cheesemakers turning our nutritious and abundant cow and goat milk into delicious cheese, yogurt and cream-based products.
Moonlodge Rehabilitation and QMAC Formation
One of the most exciting and impactful developments from this year has been the formation of the Queer Mutual Aid Collective (QMAC) and their efforts
to rehabilitate Moonlodge; a beautiful strawbale home that’s been in need of some renovations. QMAC hosted many wexers of their own this year and made meaningful progress on breathing new life into Moonlodge.
Car Co-op replaced two vehicles
We said goodbye to the passat (a sedan) and welcomed an eight-seater hybrid minivan. The minivan has become an instant hit, allowing Rabbits to maximize our ridesharing capacity and enhance our outreach and mutual aid efforts. It’s also the perfect vehicle for a
road trip!
We also replaced our aging truck, with a slightly newer (but in a lot better condition) heavy duty truck with a snow plow! While our community agreements technically prohibit non-eclectic, non-hybrid vehicles, we have
come to the conclusion that, for the rural lifestyle we live (that involves building a village and farming) we need something with the power of a heavy duty truck, and the hybrid/electric technology is just not there yet. The new truck has already come in handy during the two snow storms we had this year; quickly clearing the (largely unserviced) dirt roads leading to Dancing Rabbit.
Mutual Aid and Regional Solidarity
There’s been a growing enthusiasm for expanding and deepening our regional
connections and working with organizations who are doing their part in fostering sustainability, interdependence, and resilience. Some villagers have taken the initiative in cultivating relationships with indigenous organizations, organizing mutual aid trips, attending regional gatherings, and welcoming indigenous leaders to our village. This year, villagers have been cultivating relations with The Great Plains Action Society in Iowa City and The Niskite Prayer Camp in Lincoln,
Nebraska.
Agroforestry Co-op
Working
with our local USDA office and a bulldozer operator, we dug a new pond where our chestnut orchard meets DR’s prairie land. In addition to providing water to the orchard, the pond will serve as habitat for many life forms while preventing erosion and recharging ground water. The co-op also planted a mixed block of selected hickory and persimmon varieties to add diversity to the orchard. Next year, we plan to stock the pond with fish, install the irrigation system, and begin strategically planting
trees throughout our pastures.