When I woke up, the Common House was bustling with activity. In the kitchen, people were preparing a breakfast for the visitors. Most people who live here do not have kitchens in their houses (though some do), so most people belong to a food co-op. There are at least 3 food co-ops that I have heard of so far. The co-ops purchase food together and share the responsibility of cooking meals for one another. The system, both in terms of its operation and in terms of the kind of food that is served, is stunningly similar to the co-op system in which I participated during college. Lots of whole grains, rice, beans, and vegetables. No meat, very little dairy.
That morning we took a tour around the property, looking at all that has been built here in the 11 years DR has been in existence. Members here have an agreement that they will only build with reclaimed or sustainably harvested materials, so homes are built out of discarded lumber and tin roofing from old barns, straw bales, bagged earth, cob (a mixture of sand, clay, and straw), and other natural materials. A couple of people live in a converted grain bin, and one person lives in a school bus. The school bus is my favorite dwelling I have seen so far.
There are solar panels everywhere. Most homes have them because DR is completely off the grid. As in, no electricity from outside. They use propane or wood-burning stoves to cook; the latter is more common in the winter when heating is also an issue.
My own home for the next three weeks is not nearly as cool as the school bus, but it will do. The nights are cool, and the crickets and cicadas are loud but soothing.
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