|
"Let every village be small with few people. They would choose to live simply and in balance with nature. They would avoid means to speed things up or to move around quickly. Weaponry would just collect dust. They would not waste their lives in idle pursuits. They would choose their work to be traditional, their food to be wholesome, their clothing to be well cared for. Let them be content in their homes and joyful in their way of life."
|
Ka Māla Village is proposed to be a 501(d) non-profit worker-owned cooperative farm that provides the needs of resident members such as housing, food, clothing, health care, childcare and education, senior care, transportation and utilities. As a 501(d) residential farmworker cooperative, Ka Māla Village will permanently reduce the need for government welfare or charity assistance for its members. The strong business model of a 501(d) and efficiencies of scale make it possible for the farm community to be financially self-sufficient. For example, the workers of the 501(d) business are the resident members of Ka Māla Village. There are no employees, no payroll, no payroll taxes and no income taxes. Instead, workers are compensated with in-kind goods and services. These goods and services are purchased in bulk, at discounted, wholesale or distributor prices. The members also produce much of their own food as subsistence, market and export crops, reducing their cost to manufacturers level, about one-sixth of retail prices.
The membership of Ka Māla Village will be multi-generational, diverse, fully supported and fully employed. We will be efficiently housed by implementing a proven model of cooperative living grounded in the values of equality, cooperation and harmony with the earth. We will employ traditional and sustainable agricultural practices and we will protect and enhance natural resources. We will emphasize renewable energy, green construction, minimized infrastructure impact and waste production and efficiencies of scale. Self-sufficiency in all areas will be sought and through training and technical assistance we will produce over time an increasing percentage of our own basic needs, lessening our reliance on imported goods and increasing food security. Agricultural products will be used as possible to supply our' own food, medicine, construction materials, household items, implements, etc. We will also produce a steadily increasing agricultural surplus for domestic and export sale. The manufacturing of value-added products and agritourism are also planned.
The membership of Ka Māla Village will be multi-generational, diverse, fully supported and fully employed. We will be efficiently housed by implementing a proven model of cooperative living grounded in the values of equality, cooperation and harmony with the earth. We will employ traditional and sustainable agricultural practices and we will protect and enhance natural resources. We will emphasize renewable energy, green construction, minimized infrastructure impact and waste production and efficiencies of scale. Self-sufficiency in all areas will be sought and through training and technical assistance we will produce over time an increasing percentage of our own basic needs, lessening our reliance on imported goods and increasing food security. Agricultural products will be used as possible to supply our' own food, medicine, construction materials, household items, implements, etc. We will also produce a steadily increasing agricultural surplus for domestic and export sale. The manufacturing of value-added products and agritourism are also planned.