Analysis by resident philosopher Ahgamen

There are two sides to the story here at the (funny) farm. One is a positive appealing account of the success and ongoing activities of: the company, the workers, the farmers, the cooperative-in-formation, and the visitors from the larger community (who are becoming member-worker farmers).  That side of the story is a happy version and will be a welcome read by anybody with an open mind for the fascinating human-interest article.

The other side is not-so-positive and reveals all the problems, personal conflict, injustice, controversy and challenges.  It pains me to even spend the time and effort to document it and broadcast its facts.  Yet telling that story is necessary, because it has many lessons to give for those who are mature enough to learn.  And it is moreso the search for truth than the rose-colored glasses story.  The somewhat negative version of the situation is just as much for the public record as the first version. But the story has been divided into two sides for obvious reasons.

The first one is the ideal and everybody wishes that it was that way ONLY.  The situation is indeed that way, but not ONLY, because there's a lot more going-on beneath the surface, which is not for everybody to deal with directly.  That second one is full of conflict and ongoing drama, it is the challenge to solve all its problems and maintain the first side of the story.

You decide which version you want to read!  It's as if the first one is a proverbial "blue pill" and the second one is a proverbial "red pill". The first one is a nice starter, it paints a wonderful scenario. It is a success story and describes the best experiences that have happened. 

I suggest the best method to gain the full reality is to digest both pills, you can read both sides and then compare them.  But that is something you may not want to indulge in immediately.  Take some time and read the first one and check it out, firsthand for yourself.  Visit and observe, you can participate.  Beware of becoming part of the problems in the second side of the story, yet that is your own karmic fate.

Ahgamen
Admin of Preservation Protocol

Links will be provided below for first and second side of the story.  Choose well!

On WHY to communicate

Communication is the key to bring a group together in harmony.  So far, nobody from the other side of the group has decided it worth their while to communicate herein.  That's a shame, I think. This resistance to communicate is part of the problem with communities..  and surely it would be easier to build trust and familiarity through this gift of communicating.

If indeed all the other adults want to just be LURKERS and be silent, then that's their choice.  If the readers want to lurk and read without reciprocation, then so be it. 

I will continue to communicate my ideas and my experiences here, along with others who are willing and who find it useful and friendly to do so.

Maybrook Lodge meeting facilitator Dagen Julty

 
There was a meeting facilitated by Dagen on Sunday June 17, 2018.  Michelle had requested at the start of the meeting for permission to video-document the meeting.  Ahgamen approved of this, as did Dagan.  However, Kevin, Tanyth, Richard, Purmilla, and others rejected the proposal and opted for their secrecy.  They kept the meeting a secret, although they said note-taking was allowed. Therefore the meeting has no documentation other than written notes, even though it was offered and made possible to be filmed/video.

There may be reasons as to why the people who have self-appointed themselves as the rulers of the place, do not want to be filmed.  What could those reasons be?  Hiding something?  Hiding their actions?  Their words?  Their inconsistencies?  There is no transparency at this place which claims to be a community of democracy.  Without transparency and documentation any social experiment will fail.

As a remedy for this apparent discrepancy, this blog had been established and continues with a mission to document what is really going-on with transparency and honesty.  That's the only thing that can be relied-upon and trusted.

For everyone who was a witness and participant at the meeting can attest to what was said and done, especially the sharp-minded facilitator, Dagan.  At the outset of the meeting, he stated that "everybody is wanting to see what will happen with this community" referring to all the interested people in the surrounding region.  Dagan was describing the many people who he is connected with, whom have an interest and a "hunger for community".  Kevin quickly remarked that it wasn't true and couldn't be of any interest.  Kevin apparently thinks that it's a secret and nobody knows about the community and project.  But after awhile of convincing, Kevin seemed to agree that maybe there was far-flung interest in what was going-on and whether it would succeed.

(to be con't.)

At the meeting, Little Bear (Alex) threatens Ahgamen and his family.  He loudly declares that he thinks Ahgamen is evil and is "Twelve Tribes"!  What does it all mean?

Meeting announced

A tentative meeting has been planned for next Tuesday, June 19, 2018, which will be facilitated by Dagan of the regional community (not yet of our local, land-based resident community - it should be specified).  Dagan first visited on Wednesday June 13. He has been living in the region for many years and has a lot of experience with intentional community.  He is also skilled at being a mediator.  In that sense, there is an aspect to the meeting with Dagan that will be a mediation between Kevin and additional leadership/management.

The topics of the meeting will be:  community living, developing the cooperative, initiating new members, conflict resolution, privacy, integrity, family, relationships, and improving communication within the local community (among other topics).  Anybody with an interest in this community and developing the future cooperative is invited to attend.

Ahgamen hopes that all attendees will be patient and polite and respectful during the meeting.  The time and exact schedule is TBA.

The category and position of Haum, guest of Michelle and Ahgamen

As a continuation of the diagram exploration, example #7 is given of Haum, a guest from June 10 to June 11.

Haum was invited and vetted by Michelle and Ahgamen because of the obvious and stated need for more workers.  He did arrive into the area and was given transportation by Ahgamen, after using the train and bus.
Haum and Ahgamen and then Michelle were informed by Kevin that there is no paid work for any other laborers, there is no process yet there needs to be a process for visitors and guests and applicants/new members.  Prior to that date, June 10, there was no defined call for process or the urgency that there must be a process.  In fact, when others were asked in regards to Mervyn or Katie, for example, there was some discussion and only a rudimentary informal process.
Now there is a definite call for process to be in effect, as of June 10 and this website contains the efforts and work upon that necessary function of the community, such that it will be established and become a legal cooperative.
Because of the disagreement, Haum had been asked to pack up his tent and to leave by Kevin.  Haum was in the camping area, under development, on the eastside of the land.  Therefore Haum informed Michelle and Ahgamen that he would have to depart, needing a ride to transportation/trains, to leave the area.  Ahgamen did coordinate a plan of exit for Haum.  This is unfortunate because he (and two others on the way) were ready and willing to become full-time workers at the community, the place, and the cooperative-forming.  Ahgamen figured out how to help Haum to leave but not before several things happened, one of which was a meeting for communication and status of the community.

During the meeting on June 11 afternoon, with Tanyth and Kevin facilitating and about 10 community in attendance, Haum was asked about his intentions.  He was also asked about background, including his history with children and possible molestation.  Ahgamen stated that this was a ridiculous approach, because nobody else was confronted in that way for crimes or any other past personal information.  It seems that the status of Haum is that he was a guest with mixed reception, departing in good-standing with possible future membership. 
This points to the need for a fair and transparent and legally-based background check and vetting process and deciding who is in the department for responsible safe-keeping of this personal information.  There should be an office/admin department for this process/function of the community.  If there is not, it will probably lead to additional and ongoing confusion. 

(IMO) It's a problem with a solution.  I'm asking that all present community members, whether resident or not, shall be inquired of their background in a similar line of questioning for info, retroactively.  Ahgamen is suggesting that there be a formalized on-paper method of doing so.  Ahgamen is suggesting that there be a physical office for admin of this function to be created ASAP.  Ahgamen is volunteering to help with the work and effort and responsibility of this department for the community and the cooperative-forming.  Ahgamen is thinking that this is a priority before any additional work is conducted and any progress on the cooperative is made, this will be a major component in the evolution of the whole project.

All that second the motion, say "Aye".

If this is not agreed upon, then it would seem that Ahgamen's incentive to help with the additional labor requirements was wasted.  If this is not agreed upon and dealt-with by group consensus, then it remains that there is no process and that there is discrimination going-on.  No one else was treated in the manner that Haum was treated.  Ahgamen finds that the community could improve and function more effectively and successfully if this issue is resolved.

Haum is thankful to the community for his experience, although he stated he does not want to return in the near future.  He disagrees with the community's methods of interacting with guests and he has his previous organic farming community that he can resume with.  The three people, including himself, who would be new members are now on-hold and delayed as a result.

Overall, this can be used as a test-case.  There is a lot to be learned.

About Ahgamen and why I created this virtual place for discussion on the cooperative

I'm Ahgamen Keyboa, an individual who intends to be a member of the cooperative, intending to fit harmoniously into the group. I've shown interest in it, I'm participating and doing "sweat equity". Although, Ahgamen is not perfect and is a work in progress.  I am learning and trying new things.  it's an experiment and this is the real life. this is revolution. this is truth.  (facts: my legal name is Peter Tasciotti, I was born in New York state, in the weeks before the Summer of Love) I am a lover, not a fighter. About 3 years old.

Ahgamen is a name for why a man went on a spiritual quest, it's for living life more fully, to find the meaning of it all.  I happened to link up with the group and the land by a set of circumstances, as I guess each of us has their own story.  The specifics are not as important as the idealogical principles of continuing this association.  I find myself in an interesting flow of experiences.  Here is a place to live. With others, as neighbors, as co-workers in solidarity. Here is a challenging prospect, filled with many other people who are joing together for a reason.  and we are wanting to do something great together. Or is it good?  Is it fair?  Is it justice?  Is it urgent? Is it peaceful?  Is it sustainable?  Is it revolutionary?  Is it practical?  I believe it's ultimately about being more spiritually aware of the self and everything surrounding us in the world.  Slowly, gradually.

As part of all this, the challenging prospect is the fact that many indviduals are already meeting here at this geographical place.  The talking is happening, but also the doing. We are also joining within this virtual concept.  It's a concept of community, of cooperative, of Solidarity Farm.  There a wealth of information around this idea, an ongoing flow of communication.  But I was thinking that a stream of emails was not sufficient.  Email is good for peer to peer correspondence and it is private, secret, used on a need-to-know basis.  Yet where is the transparency?  Where is the public record?  Where can we have a more open, shared source of info?

I am offering this cooperativeadmin.blog as a tool for our discussions.  I know there is a pre-existing face b o o k.  This could then be an alternative, additional source.  This is a sort of forum. I'm just going to do this and invite others to participate, if it seems useful.  I will adminster the info herein.  I don't know how active this will become or how long it will be of any active use.  I can predict that it will decrease in its usefulness after awhile, but it can remain online for any newbies that come along later, wanting to study the historical background of the movement.

This has been kind of an intro to the blog website.  Thanks for reading and feel free to join the discussion.