Maa Land Co-op

Happy 22th birthday Maa! congratulations to us :-)
Maa is a rural land co-op, established in 1994, providing off-grid living on 88 acres of forested mountainside in the Bird Creek watershed on traditional Sinixt Territory. This unceded First Nations territory is also known as the West Kootenay region, near Nelson, BC, Canada.
We are a diverse, healthy, vibrant community where we balance living independently with working and playing co-operatively. We value life on the land and strive to live mindfully and with ecological, social and spiritual integrity, recognizing that we each define these things for ourselves and that how we embody them is fluid and changes over time.
At Maa, we collectively embody a working alternative to individual property through shared land ownership / stewardship and caring, co-operative community.
Currently (summer 2016) there are 5 houses, with a sixth under construction, and 15 residents on the land (5 are children). The two youngest were born at Maa in January 2016 and August 2013, and the three others will turn three in February (twins) and May. There are two yurts on the land and we also have a tipi which we set up in the summer. We have a small amount of electricity available per house (8000 watts shared 6 ways = 1333 watts/house), which is generated by a micro-hydro system that we built and maintain ourselves. Bird Creek runs through the land and provides us with lovely drinking water, electricity, irrigation for the newly expanded co-op garden, and wonderful walking and meditation opportunities.
Since 2012 we've been in a period of growth, with new people joining each year, bringing our total membership to 9 with an additional two people currently in their trial period. We still have associate memberships available, which means you would share an existing homesite. The process to become a member involves a 12-month trial period of living on the land and participating fully in the life of the co-op. There is walk-in access only during snow months. We have a great sledding run! We have no specific criteria for membership, but life at Maa works best for people who love the land itself, love living rurally / semi-isolated (especially in winter) and really want to be living in and contributing to community. It is great to have young families on the land; we are enjoying having a cohort of almost 3-year-olds and a new baby in the community.
The land was originally purchased by a group of women; membership is now a mixture of genders and orientations. Being queer-friendly is essential.
And for those who are wondering, Maa means land in Estonian.