Back to the Farm?

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Last night I watched King Vidor's "Our Daily Bread" (1934)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYH084T1dz0

Unemployment was extremely high, and the movie advocated unemployed people moving to abandoned farms to live communally.

It reminded me that our ancestors who moved here from Europe to take up farming had a tough time of it--building their own homes, clearing the fields, from scratch. But, they did it.

Farming today has become a factory enterprise.

With modern jobs disappearing, what do you think of the prospect of leaving the city to take up communal farming once again, as suggested during the last great depression?

Israel had the kibbutz--I don't know if they still do it.

I have always wanted to start a church of Christ commune in the country since I was a kid when I read Acts 2 and Acts 4 for the first time. I think religious communes tend to be more successful than hippie communes. Also a commune can be a major player in agriculture through being a 501d Apostolic Association. I plan on starting one with at least 100 to 1000 acres one day here in Texas. Communes have a horrible reputation because of cults. Living on a commune has always been part of the plan for me.

I just think communes and cults will become more common as time goes on in America...The Hutterites are dominating in agriculture in the Dakotas. Communal farms and ranches like you are talking about tend to run regular farms and ranches out of business where they compete with each other. Also the Amish are kind of like that. The Amish can even compete with mechanized agriculture because they dont have the expenses and debt of major equipment like tractors.

It didn't end up successful for them.

I know but at the same time I want to follow that example because the Jerusalem church and the early church are the role model of the church of Christ. Sadly Christianity became co-opted by the millionaires and billioanaire. Sadly the communal living only lasted for the first two centuries in Christianity roughly.

There were a lot of utopian communities started in the 1800s. Even Plymouth colony in the 1600s failed living in common. They failed because humans are naturally selfish. Property taxes today would crush any attempt at self-sufficient living.

Some states exempt them from property taxes.