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Cultivate Simple 48: Building Community

October 7th, 2013

On this weeks episode we celebrate one year of podcasting by talking about building community.

Retail Me Not – great place to find coupons for things, particularly large companies.

My favorite accounting software is AccountEdge (formerly Mind Your Own Business). I’ve been using it for years for our personal and business needs.

Jeannette asked about which loaf pans I used, you can guess that they’re cast iron. They’re made by Lodge so they’re made in the USA. I love them for yeast or quick breads. I even bake chocolate cakes in them.
Lodge Cast Iron Loaf Pan
cinnamon_raisin_bread

Building Community

  • Get involved
  • Support a farmers market
  • Get to know your neighbors, organize things like community events, neighborhood yard sales, etc
  • Whenever you see a garage/yard sale stop and talk to your neighbors
  • Get outside, sometimes all it takes is getting outside for people to see you and get to know, walk around your neighborhood
  • Attend community events, volunteer to help is possible
  • Develop patterns. Always patronize the same post office, businesses, etc. Take a few extra minutes to get to know those people at those locations, use your local library
  • If you like sports attend local sporting events
  • Read a lot and educate yourself on a variety of different topics so you have conversation starters and fodder for when you meet people
  • Volunteer locally if you can
  • Find a local church if you’re religious, if you’re involved in the local church try to encourage them to have events that benefit the local community
  • Join local clubs, visit your local library
  • Start clubs or events if there aren’t any, book club, coffee klatch, etc.

Books of the Week

9 Comments to “Cultivate Simple 48: Building Community”
  1. BJ on October 7, 2013 at 8:08 am

    I haven’t listened to the podcast yet, but I see in the notes that you talk about Retail Me Not…I love that website! It has saved me lots of money on online shopping! Jess Snyder told me about it and I share it with everyone I know :)

    Reply to BJ's comment

  2. Nebraska Dave on October 7, 2013 at 8:24 am

    Susy, yea, Monday with Brian and Susy’s podcast makes cleaning up the house from busy weekend living such a joy. One year has flown by and I for one am glad that your podcasts are continuing on. Allot has happened in the last year.

    I haven’t started listening to the podcast for this week yet but my involvement with the community was just to begin a garden in a visible place. Contact with the neighborhood began with just a wave while working to clear the land. That progressed to talking with neighbors that were walking their dogs. That progressed to neighbors stopping while driving by to chat. Now, it’s practically an even split between talking and working which is just as it should be. In my humble opinion, gardens are not just about survival in today’s culture but they are indeed about community.

    Have a great community day.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

    • Susy on October 7, 2013 at 10:18 am

      So very true, gardening in the front yard really helped me get to know my neighbors!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  3. Misti on October 7, 2013 at 1:41 pm

    If you guys ever stop podcasting, my Monday’s will be very sad. :( I’ve become accustomed to long podcasts and when I listen to one that is only 30 minutes I’m always wishing for more.

    Speaking of community, thanks to your 5×5 forum, Lemongrass and I are doing a little seed exchange. ;) So, there’s a great outcome from that.

    Reply to Misti's comment

  4. Lisa Sewell on October 8, 2013 at 6:14 pm

    Thanks for another great show! An important community group in my area is our town’s historical society. Getting together with a group of people interested and invested in local history is wonderful.

    Reply to Lisa Sewell's comment

  5. Jocele Skinner on October 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm

    Just sent you guys a little anniversary present for the podcast. I discovered you just a couple of months ago, and have enjoyed catching up on all the previous episodes. You make my commute to and from work far more enlightening and entertaining. Your lifestyle is an inspiration to me. Keep up the good work!

    Reply to Jocele Skinner's comment

    • Susy on October 8, 2013 at 9:09 pm

      Thanks so much, we really appreciate your support.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  6. Cheryl Jowers on October 9, 2013 at 2:57 pm

    Ism’s, how I love a good quote from a child or a grandparent. My 7 year old Avery has her own email adress, and when she recites her address she says “at you haw dot com”. As apose to yahoo. It cracks me up every time!

    Reply to Cheryl Jowers's comment

  7. Reid on October 9, 2013 at 10:54 pm

    We have lived in our house for about 5.5 years, and we have a 6 year old daughter. A year ago a family six houses down had a garage sale. When we went to check it out we found our they have a six year old daughter too! Garage sales work!! I inspired her mom to start gardening, and join the 5×5 club. She learned a ton this summer, and tripled her garden space for next year. My wife invited her to be part if a monthly meal swap.

    All this from having a garage sale.

    This podcast was very timely, being that the message at church last Sunday was about the importance of having community connections.

    Thanks Mr. & Mrs. Chiots!

    Reply to Reid's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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