Alpha Farm

  • Community
  • 0 followers

About the Community

  • Forming
  • Rural

What we do

Alpha Farm is an agriculturally-based intentional community, founded in 1972 in the deep forests of western Oregon. We actively pursue a harmonious, self-reliant lifestyle that remains independent yet cooperative with broader society. Rooted in shared values, we self-govern through a transparent structure that fosters equality, open communication, and consensus-based decision-making.

As stewards of the land, we prioritize sustainability through organic farming and mindful resource use, sustaining the community with enterprises such as a USPS mail contract. Embracing a family-style ethos, we cultivate social cohesion and spiritual exploration through shared celebrations, group meetings, and community traditions. Today, Alpha Farm remains committed to its core values, continuing to grow as a space for intentional living, learning, and connection.

Our Vision

We strive to cultivate a simple environment rooted in non-violence and respect—for ourselves, each other, and all of existence—within a safe, healthy, and non-dogmatic space that nurtures spiritual growth through love, intelligence, and integrity.

We are dedicated to discovering and embodying the inherent beauty within ourselves and the earth, while practicing personal responsibility and collective accountability. Our aim is to cultivate greater self-sovereignty and sustainability, ultimately creating a positive social impact.

Our Mission

We strive to cultivate a simple environment rooted in non-violence and respect—for ourselves, each other, and all of existence—within a safe, healthy, and non-dogmatic space that nurtures spiritual growth through love, intelligence, and integrity.

We are dedicated to discovering and embodying the inherent beauty within ourselves and the earth, while practicing personal responsibility and collective accountability. Our aim is to cultivate greater self-sovereignty and sustainability, ultimately creating a positive social impact.

  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Commune
  • Activities
  • Education
  • 14 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
14

How to join

After an initial visiting period, you are asked to leave the community for a minimum of 2 weeks. If you are interested in returning and receive the community’s approval, you will be invited back and begin a 6 week visitor period. If after that 6 week point, you are still interested in perusing membership and the community consents, you will become a provisional member. After being at the community for 1 year, you are able to apply for membership, in which you will have an interview with each current member and they must reach agreement about your membership. Check-ins take place for everyone beginning provisional membership and occur every 6 months until you become a member. Members receive annual check-ins. Check-ins are a formal way for an individual to receive feedback from the community and for the community to receive feedback from the individual.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

You may use the links to our visitor application(s) or reach out to us via email ([email protected]) to get the link to our application. We have different applications depending on your reason for visiting:

Guesting is for folks interested in a leisurely visit. Work exchange is not required, costs $25/a day, and typically does not exceed 2 weeks.

Skill/Special Labor exchange is for folks interested in sharing their skill or specialty labor in exchange for short term housing. This is for folks who have a skill they would like to focus on while visiting, like tattooing, painting, photographing, carpentry, etc. Each arrangement for this is unique and will be determined between the individual and the community.

Visiting (formally) is for folks interested in living here or exploring the idea of living here. This is more in depth application and interview process. Work exchange and meeting community agreements is expected and initial visit periods are 1-2 weeks long, depending on your availability.

Please refrain from dropping in to our community if you have not been invited and scheduled. You will be turned away.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Economic model

  • Complete Income-Sharing

All member income goes into common pool for community use.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a labor obligation

Additional economic information

Labor required: 40 hours/week
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes
All necessities such as food and hygiene products are provided. Everyone contributes through agreed-upon means, such as working 40 hours a week (or paying rent). Additionally, a stipend is given to all members and is determined by how much income the community makes each month (never dipping below $50). All members of the community partake in weekly scheduling. Some labor is done on-site, and some is done off-site. Income earned on scheduled farm days is shared with the community, while earnings from personal work days are kept by the individual.

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Recreational vehicles, Waterfront access, Gym or sports area, Internet, Office/Work Spaces

Frequency of communal meals

  • Approximately 1 meal per day

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Religions
  • Quaker

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    280 acres

Reviews

Location

  • Oregon, United States

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
11 months ago

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Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 year ago

Water Birch Co-op. Urban living in central Denver.

Large, lovely house built in 1900, two blocks from Cheeseman Park in downtown Denver.  5000 square feet. The house was a Buddhist Meditation Center for 20 years before we got it and has lovely, calm vibes. We currently have ten people and have room for one more. We are an intentional community sharing dinners, 3 living rooms, 2 new kitchens and a kitchenette, & 5 baths. Staple food (organic) is bought together. The group is self-regulating as a co-op; it decides together how the house runs. There are chores ;-) Average cost per room is about $1000 ranging from $650 to $1354. Currently available room is $875. We are just finishing renovation of three bedrooms on the third floor  they are $875 each and share our largest, newest bath (shower and separate claw foot tub) and a brand new kitchenette  they all have beautiful windows and lots of light. PLEASE CHECK OUT COMMUNITY LISTINGS FOR MORE INFO. Initial lease for 3-6 months while we and you decide if we are a good fit for each other.  Deposit in the amount of one months rent is required prior to move in.  We do background checks on all members. Utilities are currently $130 per person per month and are all-inclusive.  They will change if costs go up, that amount is insufficient to cover utilities, or more people mean the cost per person goes down.  WiFi is via mesh network from gig-speed fiberoptic service.  Heat is with radiators.  Cooling is evaporative.  We have a storage room in a nearby commercial facility.  And a new large workshop in the garage. Shared food is $125 per month per person; it is a pass-through cost divided evenly among residents; it does NOT include meat or alternative protein nor any alcohol.  We will not be surprised if that needs to go up some soon ($10 or 15). We have two dogs and three cats in the house  that seems like a sufficient quantity of furry friends for now. Our community intentions include: Communication with compassion. Shared space and life. Shared meals. Shared staple foods which are non-GMO and Organic. Group decision making. Safe, inclusive space: queer and trans friendly, anti-racist, non-violent, and feminist. The purchase of the house by the co-op in about five years. The expansion of the co-op, possibly to include other housing types (like separate apartments). Weekly meetings and house committees to manage our community. We are considering implementing Sociocracy as an organizing method. Quiet hours are from 10:00pm to 8:00am. We are looking for community members who: Want to live in a community not just have a place to sleep and eat. Want to live in a beautiful, clean, and organized house and are willing to help make and keep it that way. Residents should expect to spend 16 hours per month towards this goal. Are curious, compassionate, flexible, and open to living with others who will undoubtedly have different ideas about many things. Are interested in pioneering a new co-op. There will be work involved to get there. Are responsible and communicative. Embrace enthusiastically that living in community requires introspection and personal growth. Are not joining the community as a way of running away from something.

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