In this special episode of the Homefullness Show, host Zola Rose sits down for an engaging interview with her daughter Oriah, a law student at Otago University in New Zealand.

They explore Oriah's unique upbringing in an off-grid homestead in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Topics include their unconventional home setup with indoor and outdoor 'loos,' the transition from a suburban lifestyle to a self-sufficient homestead, their meaningful rituals and traditions, the "free learning" style of education, and living surrounded by wild animals.

The discussion also touches on the broader community involvement through the Woofing program, their intercultural interactions with the local Zulu community, and the various sustainable practices they adopted and shared with schools and visitors.

The episode offers rich insights into intentional off-grid living, the importance of community, and holistic education.

00:26 Visiting My Daughter in Dunedin

01:22 Introduction to the Homefullness Show

02:13 Special Guest: My Daughter Oriah

02:24 Our Unique Upbringing in KwaZulu Natal

04:54 Holistic Home Environment

06:41 Family Traditions and Rituals

10:13 Learning and Growing on the Farm

13:25 Eco-Friendly Practices and Innovations

25:35 Coexisting with Snakes

26:26 Wildlife Visitors at the Homestead

29:13 Common Ground Consulting Agency--our services

30:11 Sustainable Living Systems

32:13 Fire Management on the Homestead

36:28 The Woofing Program Experience

40:25 Building and Living in Yurts

42:54 Interacting with the Zulu Community

45:22 Reflections on a Unique Upbringing

48:33 Upcoming Events and Announcements (for those living in Aotearoa NZ)

Sophie, a public works advisor at Land Information New Zealand, discusses her PhD in law, focusing on achieving housing affordability through collective housing, and cooperative housing in particular.

The conversation covers various aspects, including the lack of research and public awareness on collective housing in New Zealand, her personal experiences with different housing systems in Europe, and the role of local and central governments in addressing the housing crisis.

Sophie emphasizes the need for legal reforms to support cooperative housing structures and discusses her findings on the limitations of the unit title structure for collective housing and how finance and funding is blocked without the legislation for cooperative housing.

The discussion also touches on potential influences from European and Australian models, and the importance of incorporating the “right to housing” into domestic law. The interview ends with Sophie’s aspirations for housing in New Zealand and recommendations for further reading and resources on cooperative housing.

Links

Sophie’s research: https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/items/e546de2f-eddb-400c-8bc5-5bffb1c04651

Common Ground: https://commonground.net.nz

CoHoHui: https://www.cohohui.com/

The Housing Innovation Society: https://thehousinginnovationsociety.com/

Time stamps

In the latest episode of the Homefullness Show, I interview Trypp West, the founder of an urban community called Springfed in Boulder, Colorado (USA). He describes the founding of Springfed, a community that started as his thesis project and has continued for the past three years. The community operates on a non-residential model with the meeting place being his rented farmhouse where they hold fortnightly potlucks and Sunday gardening days to foster social bonds and teach self-sufficiency.

The five take-aways from this interview are:

Community Impact:

The intentional community has profoundly impacted individuals, helping those suffering from depression and disconnection. Members express deeply personal benefits and emotional support from the community, which enhances their sense of belonging and life purpose.

Concept of Homefullness:

"Homefullness" is described as the feeling of being able to rely on and connect with people around you. It emphasizes the importance of interrelatedness and creating a supportive environment that fosters a sense of home.

Development and Leadership:

The community, initiated as a thesis project, has continued to thrive for years. The leadership promotes shared roles and responsibilities, empowering members to take on leadership roles and contributing to the evolution of the community. Leadership includes facilitating conflict resolution and ensuring equitable participation.

Ecological and Social Activities:

Key activities include bi-weekly potlucks that strengthen social bonds, garden days that teach and involve members in sustainable practices, and various thematic events that encourage community engagement and personal growth.

Measuring Success and Future Vision:

Success is measured qualitatively through heartfelt feedback from members rather than formal metrics. The community prioritizes emotional and social well-being through personal testimonies and shared experiences. Future visions include potentially expanding to a more residential model while continuing to foster inclusive and cooperative community practices.

Resources mentioned in episode:

Common Ground: https://commonground.net.nz

CrowsFlyInPairs.com (poetry book)

Upstream, podcast on socialist economics

Iron John, book by Robert Bly on masculinity

Returning to the Teachings by Rupert Ross

Less is More by Jason Hickel

Trypp's email: onatrypp@gmail.com

Zola's: zola@commonground.net.nz