The Green Vine Co-op Blog

A Modern Answer to the Commune

2009-10-03T11:24:00.002-04:00

A New York Times article titled A Modern Answer to the Commune begins “Johanna Bronk wants to make communal vegetarian meals and keep chickens.” That kind of introduction just begs me to read the article as it seems to be about me and a certain demographic trend of which I’m a part. I anticipated an exploration of the historical development and modern dynamics of a certain kind of urban cooperative living situation that has gradually grown in popularity over the past generation. I expected to read about people who would remind me of myself and my current housemates. I was wrong.

The first paragraph continues “Mariel Berger hopes for social, artistic and political collaborations. Harmony Hazard is into hula hooping, book groups and anarchism.” Mariel sounds like she could be a little pretentious but it’s hard to tell since this is the reporter’s voice. Harmony sounds like a nutcase if those are the interests she uses to define herself. And since when would an anarchist want to become part of an organized community, let alone be seen as an attractive candidate by her potential housemates?

I’m a bit more skeptical now but still on board. The reporter, Penelope Green, goes on to describe the process of finding housemates on craigslist and the level of detail some people include in their postings: “impassioned tone poems, vivid personal biographies and ideological wish lists.” Fair enough. Some people go a little overboard but the more people reveal the easier it is to weed out the ones you don’t like. Penelope Green seems to have done precisely the opposite of what most people do when they peruse craigslist housing ads—she sought out freaks, or at least people she could easily portray as freaks.

Green raises my hopes for some serious reporting when she interviews someone from the Fellowship for Intentional Community and asks why this kind of communal living—really cooperative living—is on the rise. The representative cites “an ever-increasing level of dissatisfaction with traditional lifestyle choices, because there’s too much alienation and lack of connectedness. Humans are inherently social animals, yet we don’t particularly know how to get along with one another.” I don’t disagree but there are deeper generational and demographic reasons for the change. But that’s as deep as Green dives.

Let me dive deeper. Compared to a generation ago—a comparison I expected to read about as the article is titled “A Modern Answer to the Commune”—people (1) get married later (if at all), (2) are more likely to live far from their families for a number of reasons, (3) are more likely to have postsecondary and graduate degrees, (4) are more likely to have significant debt associated with those degrees. The result? Lots of relatively poor single twenty- and thirty-somethings spending an extended period too poor to buy or rent a nice place to live in their adopted urban home far from their families. What is the best option in this situation? To live in a tiny studio by yourself in the ghetto or far from the city center? To bankrupt yourself paying for a nicer place in a nicer location by yourself?

I'm one of those people and I decided cooperative living was a cost-efficient way to live in a nicer place in a nicer location. And if you're going to share kitchen and bathroom and living room with other people, you want to make sure they are the kind of people you like so I answered an ad that sounded like one that Green quotes:: “Some of the things we like are: permaculture, living sustainably, gardening, dancing, hula hooping, yoga, herbalism, making music, active listening, non-violent communication.” Adult interest in hula hooping raises a flag for me, but the rest sounds like the kind of people I wanted to—and now do—live with. We are all kinda nerdy, vegetarian, social, easygoing people who are committed to making the most of our living situation. We pool money for all of our food expenses and someone is responsible for doing the grocery shopping. Someone is responsible each night to cook a big meal for the house (with leftovers for our lunches!). Others do planting, watering, and harvesting the garden and other chores around the house. Penelope Green seems eager to mock this lifestyle but I honestly can't imagine a better way to live given my options and resources. We have a lot of fun, eat very well and live in a great space.

Instead of seeing anything smart or responsible in the trend, the Green cherrypicks the most self-unaware quotes from these poor people and pretends that they represent the median urban twenty-something sharing a house collectively. Green diminishes one of her interviews by mocking her search for work in “social justice” by adding scare quotes, which makes me suddenly able to imagine this reporter (or shall I say “reporter”) in real life—a middle-aged sarcastic judgmental mother whose primary gestures are rolling her eyes and making air quotes.

The next ad Green investigates makes fun of a list of hyper-PC buzzwords that “puzzled” the reporter:

“You will probably not feel at home here unless anti-ableism, anti-ageism, anti-classism, anti-racism, consent, trans-positivity and queer-positivity, etc., are very important to you,” the ad read. Anti-ableism? Ms. Feigelson, who works as a political organizer and volunteer, explained: “It means against the oppression of those who are physically or mentally disabled, and extends to language. Like you wouldn’t use the word ‘lame.’ ”O.K., then. Ms. Feigelson was at home with some of her housemates, including Robin Markle, 23, who works at a community college teaching seniors computer skills, and Gauge, 30, who is transitioning from he to she and works in an S&M store, and also declined to give a last name.

So much to work with. This PC nonsense is just too easy to make fun of. But rather than discuss how common this kind of thing is in housing ads (its not common), Green gives the impression that this is typical ad for this kind of house. I can barely cleanse my vocabulary of the word retarded, let alone lame, yet I could probably be a poster child for urban collective living. It becomes clear that Green has an agenda, or at least a preconceived notion that this cultural trend should be defined as a bunch of fringe freaks. And when you want to convey “freak” to a mainstream article, there’s no classier way to do so than by using a gratuitous reference to a transgender person.

Oh, but there’s more! Green then goes on to quote a “biological anthropologist” who expresses concern that these communities don’t “seem to be searching for individuals with different skill sets,” and that they are mainly “estrogen-expressives” who need to reach out and find housemates who “know how to fix the toaster or program the VCR.” You, silly, delicate ladies, you need some testosterone in the house to do the man’s work!

Green rounds out her freak show by introducing some more housemates—an Oberlin graduate and lactation consultant (c’mon, now).

This is a well-written, entertaining read for an audience of snarky old people who like to mock young people experimenting with new/old idealistic goals, but an honest report on the status of urban collective living it is not.

Pepper Patch

2009-08-24T18:51:00.001-04:00

pepper patch, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

We don't have a peck of peppers to pick yet but we have a few.

Be not afraid

2009-08-24T18:50:00.001-04:00

be not afraid, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Be not afraid in the U Street Corridor

coffee repurpose

2009-08-24T18:49:00.001-04:00

coffee repurpose, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Leftover coffee containers from the office repurposed as mouseproof bulk containers!

When it Used to Rain in Washington DC

2009-08-18T16:18:00.003-04:00

IMG_0051
Originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop

One day, back during the times of rain in Washington DC, our house decided to have an adventure to Red Rocks, the local pizzeria. Our former housemate Ben was moving out, and we thought a proper farewell was in store. Red Rocks has fantastic outdoor seating that we were all extremely excited to enjoy together on such a cool and breezy summer afternoon.

Little did we know the evening would turn into a memory of torrent and deluge. Of soaking clothing and moist pizza. Of belly-aching laughter and sticking it out just because. Of broken traffick lights and impromtu citizenship.

When it used to rain in Washington DC, us green-viners made quite the memory...

What unexpected memories have you made in the rain? I'd love to hear stories and see pictures in the comments below.

peace & rain dances,
rachael

Vegan Potluck Picnic and Open Mic on 9/13 - 1pm

2009-08-18T09:42:00.008-04:00

The Green Vine Co-op will be hosting it's second vegan potluck/open mic!! This time we are changing it up a little bit. It will be on Sunday, September 13th at 1pm (the weekend after labor day)!!

Bring your favorite vegan dish or drink to share!

Share some food with good people and good music. Check out developments in our garden. Sing, dance, talk and eat some more.

If you are smart and eco-friendly, bring your own reusable plate/fork!

We hope to see you there!!

Check out our facebook event.

Any questions email, thegreenvinecoop@gmail.com.

-The Green Vine Co-op

NEW Bike Co-op in Petworth!!

2009-08-09T18:43:00.007-04:00

I have great news!! There is now a bike co-op in Petworth. It is called The Bike House (http://www.thebikehouse.org/). I am currently a member of The Bike House.

We have been around since May and are coming into full swing. If you have a bike that needs some fixing or you just want to learn how to fix bikes please stop on by. We host a clinic every Saturday from 12:00pm to 3:00pm behind the coffee house, Qualia at 3917 Georgia Ave., NW (you can come through the coffee house or come through the back ally). Just bring in your parts and we can help you put it together. We do ask for a suggested donation of $5 to $10 so we can build a base to get a permanent space to consistently do our work.

Please feel free to stop on by on Saturdays or if you want to get more involved email, thebikehouse@gmail.com.

-Brian

Vegan Potluck/Open Mic Success

2009-07-31T11:18:00.007-04:00

As I'm sure many of you know, we had a vegan potluck/open mic at our house on Saturday, July 25th. We had been planning this for a long time and we really didn't know what to expect.

It turned out to be a huge success with 40+ people showing up. There was array of people from our respective work places to friends to couch surfers.

Unlike some potlucks, mostly everyone brought something and we had an abundant amount of food and everything was sooo tasty. We had everything from vegan mac and cheese to gluten free cookies to chick pea patties.

The open mic was fun with performances that made you laugh and maybe feel slightly weirded out.

It was so much fun that we may start having these once a month. We have a house meeting on Sunday to discuss it! We will keep everyone updated with upcoming events.

The only bad thing about the night was that none of us in the house took any pictures, if anyone reading this has some pictures of the night send them on our way.

Brian

Blueberry lemon pie

2009-07-30T21:48:00.001-04:00

Blueberry lemon pie, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

mmm pie

so, we are famous.

2009-07-21T21:59:00.003-04:00

While just so happening to click through Craigslist's Missed Connections, I happened to find this gem of a post. I was so excited to see this identifiable person-- Brian!! --that I didn't even make it through the rest of the post before excitedly running downstairs to tell him. Turns out, Brian is not only the hot ginger cyclist, but he is also apparently reckless. Not the usual Missed Connections posting, I must say.

ginger cyclist with the bicycle tattoo - w4m - 22 (New Hampshire & U St. NW)

Date: 2009-07-21, 5:55PM EDT

You know, you were kind of hot -- bonus points for wearing a helmet, and whoever inked that bike on your right calf did a nice job. So it's a particular shame that you rode like such a douchebag, nearly mowing me down in your haste, although I clearly had the right of way.

So please, look where you're going, Attractive Douchebag Cyclist. You don't ever want to *need* that helmet, and anyway, it's just bad form to crash into innocent girls. Makes all the other cyclists look bad.

Location: New Hampshire & U St. NW
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Yes!

2009-07-21T14:56:00.001-04:00

Yes!, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Even though my experience of Yes! Organic Markets has been overpriced and understocked, I'm kinda psyched that they're opening a store a few blocks from our house at Georgia and Taylor. Its nice to have an option other than Safeway. I'm also not convinced the location is a brilliant strategy for Yes! but I'll take it while it lasts.

Joe in 2D

2009-07-20T21:37:00.001-04:00

Joe in 2D, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Bastille Day harvest

2009-07-14T19:21:00.001-04:00

bastille harvest, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

tomatoes, radishes, greens and beans.

Patti pan squash... early yet.

2009-07-14T19:20:00.001-04:00

squash, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Verticillium wilt?

2009-07-14T19:19:00.001-04:00

verticillium wilt?, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

The leaves on a few of our tomato plants are turning yellow and drying up. How should we save them (organically)? Luckily we have lots of tomato plants all over our front and back yard.

Radishes!

2009-07-06T19:19:00.001-04:00

radishes, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Green beans!

2009-07-05T21:11:00.001-04:00

green beans, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Morningglories on our front porch

2009-07-05T20:34:00.001-04:00

Morningglories, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Our first tomato harvest

2009-07-05T20:33:00.001-04:00

tomato, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Protest for Human Rights

2009-07-01T21:41:00.007-04:00

So...we have our first couch surfer at the green vine co-op this week! Her name is Sauatina Sanchez and she reins from the great city of Seattle. She has come to D.C. to kick off her grassroots campaign to help mobilize the LGBT community. Her goal is for the LGBT community to stand up, be heard, be seen and demand equality.

This initiative is merely two weeks old and she has already started this impressive website and blog! Check it out and be sure to comment on it to help boast it's readership.

If you are interested in getting more involved contact her at protestforhumanrights@gmail.com.

http://www.protestforhumanrights.com/

Photo from http://www.protestforhumanrights.com/

Potatoes

2009-06-28T14:52:00.002-04:00

potato, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Potatoes have been one of my favorite gardening experiences despite how much the bugs love them. There's something magical about planting one little seed potato and a few months later digging through the soil finding countless more. This year, we put our potato plants in a plastic container, which has an added advantage--once the plants start to get bigger, we add more soil so they grow more roots and produce more potatoes.

Tomatoes

2009-06-28T14:46:00.002-04:00

tomato, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

Our tomatoes are coming along but I always get frustrated with the long period between the appearance of the fruit and the its full ripeness. I don't want to wait another month to eat you!

Pistachio rosewater cookies

2009-06-28T14:39:00.002-04:00

pistachio rosewater cookies, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

My go-to vegan cookbook has become Isa & Terry's Veganomicon. You may also know them from the Post-Punk Kitchen. This is the second time I've made their pistachio rosewater cookies. I like it because its got a Middle Eastern flavor that's a little unsual for a homemade drop cookie--rosewater, cardamom and lime, rolled in crushed pistachios. The flavor is almost a little too strong to eat on their own. The first time I served them with green tea vegan ice cream which was perfect.

There's something about dryer sheets...

2009-06-28T12:50:00.006-04:00

mutton tallow, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

that led me to assume they would be vegetarian. My friend Brooke pointed out that they are usually (but not always) made with tallow. My other friend Google--with whom I sadly visit much more often--proved her right. I've used them in the past but, having never been very fashionable or wrinkle-conscious, its never been a priority. I've been trying to mostly line dry my clothes of late anyway...

There's something about seaweed...

2009-06-26T16:30:00.013-04:00

Last night's dinner inspiration came to me while watching Australian lifeguards wrangle a fourteen-year-old boy out from an aggressive tide and onto a sandy shore. Yes, it's true. And yes, he survived. Wicking away the sea debris, he rebounded, joining his friends just scenes later in a celebratory survival ice cream cone. Man, those lifeguards are good..

But for me, after a day spent cooped up in an edit suite shadowing the repackaging of an Australian surf show for U.S air, I couldn't help but have an intense craving for seaweed. Is that odd? So, with the hour or so I had before the troops came home, or awoke, for dinner, I whipped up:

Endamame-arame salad, seasoned with sesame seeds, sesame oil, brown rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, garlic, olive oil and ginger.
Spicy tofu and green bean stir-fry - which got its heat from a combination of the above ingredients and sriracha hot sauce.
Rice with sliced avocado
Green salad with Japanese ginger dressing and bean sprouts

*Helpful to note: Soaking the dried seaweed in boiling water for an extended period of time (more than 15 mins or so) will help to eliminate any 'fishy' flavor.

*Bonus: Used up greens, bean sprouts and string beans in fridge.
*Extra bonus?: It was delicious and satisfied my seaweed craving--at least for now.

Imagine D.C. without Cars...

2009-06-25T17:16:00.008-04:00

Before living here I lived right outside the city in College Park, MD. It was nice but it was an 8-9 mile bike ride to work from there. Now that I live in the city I feel that there is no reason to have a car (I do own a car, but use it to go outside the city). I bike to work and its only 3 miles each way! Biking isn't only the best way to transport myself from place to place in the city, it's also one of the most relaxing things I do during the day and it keeps me fit (or scrawny). When I ride my bike I feel free, I know that sounds cheesy but it's true, it's just me and the bike and all my worries wither away. I love my bike so much, I got a tattoo of it on my leg! I have dreams where all cars are banned from the city and only bikers and walkers are allowed (maybe buses too).

I understand that this isn't the reality right now (or it might never be), but if we all start to ride our bikes, cars can't ignore us! This has happened in D.C. and it is one of the most improved bike friendly cities in the country. Bike lanes are springing up everywhere!

I also understand that people are scared about cars, with good reason, they are big, fast and can eat you (like monsters do). So it's all about building confidence on the road. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) offers free classes to help build people's confidence on the road with those big scary cars. Feel free to visit their website at http://www.waba.org/. It's only $35 ($25 if you work for a non-profit) for a year membership and you get discounts at local bike shops.

I really believe that living sustainably doesn't only include eating a vegetarian diet but we must take steps to give up the privileges in life, like driving. Biking (and riding public transportation) is the only way to have a sustainable future and help give the boot to cars. So go out and get a bike and USE it!

new beginnings

2009-06-25T14:52:00.005-04:00

last month i graduated from college and began my move into unknown territories. i've entered a new city, a new home, a new routine, and unprecedented space to explore my dreams and potential. the possibilities are exhilarating but also sometimes overwhelming. which way do i turn at the crossroads of this is a critical new beginning? which steps should i take to honor my deep passions? can i juggle these things with "grown-up tasks" like paying my bills?

once i get past those questions, the uglier ones arise. are my passions legitimate? can i take myself seriously? do my dreams matter? or should i just give in and follow someone else's lead?

i know i'm not the only one who hears these doubtful questions. and i think, deep down, we're all looking for the same thing; a loving voice that whispers, "yes, you can. you can hold the empty space and wait patiently for it to fill. you can trust the unknown. you can take baby steps (or even leap!). you can be brave in the dark."

8 unique individuals sleep under the roof of the green vine co-op. we all share similar values in environmentalism, food and community. but the truth is, that's not the only reason we found each other. we're strung together through the deeper reality that for each of us, in some way, this is a time of new beginnings. and while so often the trek into newness is experienced in solitude, i think we're lucky to have each other.

Salad greens!

2009-06-21T19:17:00.009-04:00

IMG_0008, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

in a raised bed.

Tomatoes, marigolds, basil!

2009-06-21T19:17:00.008-04:00

IMG_0007, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

along the edge of our backyard.

Pole beans!

2009-06-21T19:16:00.004-04:00

IMG_0009, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

in the front yard.

Mac and Cheeze

2009-06-21T12:57:00.006-04:00

macandcheeze, originally uploaded by thegreenvinecoop.

So, this neohippie urban collective has been doing its gardening/composting/vegcooking thing for about three months now. Nothing ever seems quite significant enough to be the very first post, but I say this experiment with homemade baked vegan mac and cheese makes the cut. I heard about this version from some friends that proclaimed it the best they'd ever had. I asked the cook (Lea) for the recipe and she pointed me to this post at the great blog VeganYumYum. No vegan recipe in the world is ever really going to satisfy a cheese lover's hankering for mac and cheese but this definitely satisfies the more general desire for a creamy baked pasta comfort food. I like that this recipe throws in some broccoli to really make it its own unique dish, not just an attempt to replicate the classic. The base of the sauce is pureed cooked carrots and potatoes and Earth Balance plus a quintet of pungent flavors--miso, tahini, mustard, lemon juice and nutritional yeast--that give it a rich and hard-to-pinpoint tang. I followed the recipe pretty closely but I added some sauteed onions and garlic before I combined everything in the casserole. When I make it again, I'll probably add some more broccoli too. Good stuff.

Meet Your Greens!

2009-06-02T17:57:00.041-04:00

JOSEPH is a vegan, a lawyer, and an over-sleeper who sometimes likes to provoke you by saying inappropriate things and really appreciates the opportunity to cook and share food with others.

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hi. i'm RACHAEL. i love imagining possibilities (and impossibilities), and slowly making them come true. sometimes i feel like a 40-year old woman, and other times like a 7-year old ballerina. wise and silly. realistic and totally uninformed. i'll work on the last one. i believe us humans have endless capacity for love, trust and courage. i wonder how to tap into these capacities so that justice, equality and community may emerge. these are the things i think about when i'm in the shower. i go wild for red wine, sweet potatoes, free hugs, guerilla art, live music, painting bodies, alternative economic systems, the turning of fall, running in the sun, sitting in silence, falling in love with strangers, falling in love with brian, dancing in the morning, soul-sisters, intentional community, growing your own food, and the co-operative movement. i guess that's how i ended up here, at the green vine co-op. pretty cool, ey?

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CAROLYN

One of my favorite things to reflect on is the idea of how things happen as a result of strange and unique circumstances and experiences. I never thought I would end up in our nation's capital pursuing my passions of teaching, art, and of course, ultimate frisbee but here I am, amidst a wonderful group of individuals with different experiences, passions, and ambitions. Amazingly, we all came into this house as strangers yet we share so many things in common. From Peace Corps, art, frisbee, to compassion for others, human rights, and the environment, I feel so fortunate to be a part of a movement for positive change. I am now a member of the DC Teaching Fellows and will be serving as an "agent for change" in one of many high-need schools teaching art while pursuing my Masters in Education (and finding time to juggle friends, frisbee, and homework).

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Hello, my name is BRIAN J. Ward and I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, raised in Annapolis, Maryland and found myself in Baltimore. Now I am in Washington, DC with these other crazy greenies at The Green Vine Co-op. I am a national grassroots organizer for a non-profit called Friends of the World Food Program, who supports the United Nations World Food Program in their efforts in end global hunger; I know it’s a big task. I am a left wing political activist, I love learning new things and debating political issues. I play bass and guitar, I have played in bands in the past and I am currently starting a new one…stay tuned. I love conversations about taboo topics such as political and religion. My love for sports is the manliest thing I do. So far the house is great, as we are just getting started. We are learning a lot from each other and I am happy to be here.

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As in a dream, ALYSSA found the incomplete co-op after a long February in her suburban hometown of streets named all with the same letter, and often after plants. Post-college and waiting for the pieces to fall, she moved to D.C. in pursuit of a collective (city) life—one filled with adventurers, activists and people of the passionate scrappy sort. A strong believer in the connectedness of people, the earth and that which we don’t understand, Alyssa is finding her place among her interests in yoga, veganism, activism and mixed media. She talks with her hands, hums incessantly, and believes tea (or a good story) can solve any ailment. She gets nervous when people stand too close to the metro, or buildings’ edges and can’t sleep without one foot exposed from underneath the covers.

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Between cooking, gardening, school, her "real" job and slinging drinks at night, MAE is far too tired to write a witty or clever bio. Reading, getting her hands dirty, sparkly things and vegetables all make her favorites list. Guilty pleasures include country music, hulu.com (who needs cable?) and chocolate peanut butter cookies. She wishes the following things would die: harem pants/skinny jeans, bean-killing landscapers, unnecessary complications.

She also thinks writing in the third person is terribly awkward.

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DANIEL is a returned Peace Corps volunteer who served in Paraguay for four years. He is looking forward to the future.