What is Hardrock Ranch?

For a couple years now, I have been talking about starting a commune. By "commune" I do not mean: 1) shared finances, 2) free love, and 3) no toilet paper. What I do mean is: 1) living more cheaply by sharing the lawnmower and rototiller, 2) building a community of similarly-minded friends, 3) having enough land to grow food and enough people to share goat-milking duty, 4) sharing the work, with everyone chipping in their expertise, 5) eating some meals together, 6) living more simply and leaving a lighter footprint on the planet.

Lots of people, certainly not everyone, but lots of people, agree with this in theory and several have told me, "count me in." However, it is difficult to actually make it happen. Twenty good acres for 5 couples seems like it could work. A big vegetable garden, a few fruit trees, some chickens and ducks, a nice communal kitchen/dining room, and five reasonably-sized cottages. So what's the problem? Lots of them; namely, zoning, money, timing, and ALL the details including the fact that we probably don't know four other couples we want to be partners with.

So, here we are, with twenty not-so-good acres which however do have some things going for them. Primarily, we own them. But also, they are not in Death Valley or on Alaska's north slope. Where they ARE, is 1700 feet above sea level on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula (80 miles and a ferry ride northwest of Seattle). Can a mini-commune work here? Let's try it. For now, it will just be me, Husband and Dog. If you want to join us, let me know.