Hello again, World!
It's been a welcome breather here in VEDA country, getting over the hump into 2013. We left off the records at an interesting turning point last fall, on the heels of an intensive training program for community supported enterprise startups in upstate New York. At that time, our ongoing whereabouts were obscured...the year's work on Neshobe farm site looked to be winding down as a result of personnel and funding shortfalls, without clear next steps for this bold program of open social enterprise. But nay! All was never lost, nor left to languish.
Now the work and play continue, next-level style: a wonderful opportunity is shaping up to enjoy the use of great workspace and beautiful landscape for accelerated R&D on a new line of products and services, within a growing community of peer participants and widespread boosters. This is looking to be a big season ahead, and VEDA is psyched! The long-term vision is unchanged:
We aim to seed resilient community culture, infrastructure, and economic engines, within an expanding network of shareable wealth and demonstrated wisdom.
What's all that again? Last year, we got a footing on rich farm ground and did some work cultivating a sustainable food system, while improving facilities to host guests and groups for hands-on learning experiences. This season, we have secured access to another great piece of land at no monetary cost. We have an excellent inventory of tools, workspace, expertise, ideas, and energy to combine for productive activity. We have been building up a network for broadcast, outreach, and promo, that will help to circulate currency (including things like knowledge and merit) for systemic benefit.
Next: we'll be mapping out common objectives, and the network of people and resources that will work together to help us reach them. If you glance a few posts back in this Stream here, there's a handy map of the iterative design process that we'll employ to maintain a nucleus of key docs and strategies:
- a Values Canvas that outlines our operating principles, practices, and aspirations
- an Asset Base that lists resources and various "working capital"
- a Value Network tracking how people and groups are participating in co-production
- a Roadmap showing shared intentions for the way forward, and milestones to measure by
Things are likely to move quickly. With a group of five core members, we've got three early focal projects: compact eco-homes on wheels, off-grid appliances like solar food dehydrators rocket stoves and rainwater catchment, and edible / functional landscape art. Some of the smaller hardware items should come together in a matter of weeks, at least to prototype form, giving us a good practice run as an agile team in this new environment. Larger undertakings will require some planning, development, and finance, bearing fruit on towards the Summer season.
We'll be reporting thoroughly along the way. Quirky video episodes are to be expected! This site will continue to be our online hub (although the vitalisys.com link which currently points here is the more reliable bookmark as we may shift to new host and platform in due course), with more frequent updates coming through the Twitter. We will start to have some public product offerings by springtime, for donation-based exchange.
There are several ways to support the effort, and to get involved variously yourself. We aim to inspire and inform many similarly open ventures to take root out there too, as we believe this approach is an efficient and fulfilling way for ethically inclined and ecologically conscientious groups to grow and find resilient advantage in challenging, changing times.
Be bold! Bring value! Request aid! And share your stories, too...
It's been a welcome breather here in VEDA country, getting over the hump into 2013. We left off the records at an interesting turning point last fall, on the heels of an intensive training program for community supported enterprise startups in upstate New York. At that time, our ongoing whereabouts were obscured...the year's work on Neshobe farm site looked to be winding down as a result of personnel and funding shortfalls, without clear next steps for this bold program of open social enterprise. But nay! All was never lost, nor left to languish.
Now the work and play continue, next-level style: a wonderful opportunity is shaping up to enjoy the use of great workspace and beautiful landscape for accelerated R&D on a new line of products and services, within a growing community of peer participants and widespread boosters. This is looking to be a big season ahead, and VEDA is psyched! The long-term vision is unchanged:
We aim to seed resilient community culture, infrastructure, and economic engines, within an expanding network of shareable wealth and demonstrated wisdom.
What's all that again? Last year, we got a footing on rich farm ground and did some work cultivating a sustainable food system, while improving facilities to host guests and groups for hands-on learning experiences. This season, we have secured access to another great piece of land at no monetary cost. We have an excellent inventory of tools, workspace, expertise, ideas, and energy to combine for productive activity. We have been building up a network for broadcast, outreach, and promo, that will help to circulate currency (including things like knowledge and merit) for systemic benefit.
Next: we'll be mapping out common objectives, and the network of people and resources that will work together to help us reach them. If you glance a few posts back in this Stream here, there's a handy map of the iterative design process that we'll employ to maintain a nucleus of key docs and strategies:
- a Values Canvas that outlines our operating principles, practices, and aspirations
- an Asset Base that lists resources and various "working capital"
- a Value Network tracking how people and groups are participating in co-production
- a Roadmap showing shared intentions for the way forward, and milestones to measure by
Things are likely to move quickly. With a group of five core members, we've got three early focal projects: compact eco-homes on wheels, off-grid appliances like solar food dehydrators rocket stoves and rainwater catchment, and edible / functional landscape art. Some of the smaller hardware items should come together in a matter of weeks, at least to prototype form, giving us a good practice run as an agile team in this new environment. Larger undertakings will require some planning, development, and finance, bearing fruit on towards the Summer season.
We'll be reporting thoroughly along the way. Quirky video episodes are to be expected! This site will continue to be our online hub (although the vitalisys.com link which currently points here is the more reliable bookmark as we may shift to new host and platform in due course), with more frequent updates coming through the Twitter. We will start to have some public product offerings by springtime, for donation-based exchange.
There are several ways to support the effort, and to get involved variously yourself. We aim to inspire and inform many similarly open ventures to take root out there too, as we believe this approach is an efficient and fulfilling way for ethically inclined and ecologically conscientious groups to grow and find resilient advantage in challenging, changing times.
Be bold! Bring value! Request aid! And share your stories, too...