As part of the process of designing successful business and community ventures, we are compiling a map of assets tied to the current farm project site. This map, or "asset base" will help us to connect from the here/now to the what/when of our best intentions, via story lines of accomplishment and investigation. With a thorough accounting of applicable capital in our collective reach, we may be surprised at what jumps out as quite feasible, rewarding opportunity for immediate action and/or steady maintenance/cultivation toward later objectives.
In order to create some legible structure and relationship, we've started with a basic three-way categorization of our asset types. This evolves largely from a thoughtful derivation through the lense of Permaculture by Ethan Roland and Gregory Landau to describe 8 forms of capital. Expanding on this slightly, and then clumping the results, puts us in touch with the human, natural, and synthetic (as in man-made or invented/imagined, like finance or transportation) systems which enable our collective well-being.
This is all a bit arbitrary, but makes for cleaner mapping based on general agreement around the terminology employed. Within each domain, we settle on a few dominant sub-categories like Currency in the synthesis space and Capability (know-how) in the "human" arena. This structural overlay is mainly for visual and relational purposes, and not rigid. We can however begin to connect supply and demand across networks through this sort of clumpy tagging.
Currently, we have a great need for investment in human and monetary forms with the farm project. How would we present this need, along side offers of goods, services, partnership, access, etc. that may be of value to our peer community? A public-facing Asset Base map is an important step. We can continue to specify and inventory particular items in a more market-style exchange system, while also presenting a broader assessment of interests in the public good which may attract support or cooperation. Stay tuned for further exploration of effective tools and patterns for this exhibition.
In order to create some legible structure and relationship, we've started with a basic three-way categorization of our asset types. This evolves largely from a thoughtful derivation through the lense of Permaculture by Ethan Roland and Gregory Landau to describe 8 forms of capital. Expanding on this slightly, and then clumping the results, puts us in touch with the human, natural, and synthetic (as in man-made or invented/imagined, like finance or transportation) systems which enable our collective well-being.
This is all a bit arbitrary, but makes for cleaner mapping based on general agreement around the terminology employed. Within each domain, we settle on a few dominant sub-categories like Currency in the synthesis space and Capability (know-how) in the "human" arena. This structural overlay is mainly for visual and relational purposes, and not rigid. We can however begin to connect supply and demand across networks through this sort of clumpy tagging.
Currently, we have a great need for investment in human and monetary forms with the farm project. How would we present this need, along side offers of goods, services, partnership, access, etc. that may be of value to our peer community? A public-facing Asset Base map is an important step. We can continue to specify and inventory particular items in a more market-style exchange system, while also presenting a broader assessment of interests in the public good which may attract support or cooperation. Stay tuned for further exploration of effective tools and patterns for this exhibition.