FALL MICROPLOT TOWNHALL RECAP

Thank you to everyone who came out, shared openly, and helped shape where this community goes next.

 

1. WHY IS EVERYONE HERE HERE?

We started by introducing ourselves and sharing either why we joined the Microplot community or what impact the farm has had on us.

One clear theme came out of that conversation:

A lot of people are coming here to heal.

For some, that means reconnecting with the land.

For others, it means growing and eating better food.

For many, it is about community, connection, and having a place where they feel grounded.

That was a good reminder that these plots are about much more than growing vegetables.

 

2. AN UPDATE ABOUT SAMANTHA

I also shared that Samantha is no longer part of the Microplot community.

She has poured a huge amount of herself into this farm and helped shape what this community has become.

I care about her deeply, and nothing happening now takes away from everything she contributed here.

Out of respect for Samantha, I will not be sharing private conversations or personal details about what happened.

Instead, we focused on the bigger question many people have been asking:

 

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE REMOVED FROM THIS COMMUNITY?

Removal does not happen overnight.

Nobody gets removed because of one disagreement, one bad day, or because they are frustrated with me.

These decisions usually come after repeated conversations, opportunities to repair things, and sometimes months of trying to work through an issue.

What matters most is not that conflict happened.

It is how we handle what happens afterwards.

 

A. HOW DO WE HANDLE DISAGREEMENTS AS A COMMUNITY?

We are allowed to disagree.

We are allowed to get frustrated.

We are allowed to get emotional.

What matters is whether we can come back, talk directly, ask questions, and try to understand the other person’s side.

If your shovel goes missing, you are allowed to be annoyed.

But do you immediately accuse somebody?

Or do you first consider that it may have been moved, borrowed, or misplaced?

I do not expect perfection.

I do expect people to come back to the table in good faith.

 

B. NO RUMOURS, GOSSIP OR NAME-CALLING

If you have an issue with somebody:

Talk to them.

Come to management.

Come to me.

Ask for help.

What is not acceptable is taking one side of a situation and spreading it throughout the community before understanding what actually happened.

That is how rumours start.

That is how gossip starts.

That is how people begin choosing sides and communities become divided.

There is a big difference between asking somebody for support and spreading a story.

If I see repeated patterns of rumours, name-calling, accusations, or people pulling the community into private conflicts, that becomes a serious concern.

 

C. RESPECT CLEAR BOUNDARIES

I give people here a lot of freedom.

That only works because there is trust.

If I set a clear boundary, I expect it to be respected.

For example:

If somebody has a fire, leaves it unattended, and I tell them they cannot have fires anymore, that boundary needs to be followed.

If they acknowledge it and then knowingly have another fire anyway, the issue is no longer just the fire.

It becomes a trust issue.

I need to know that people will respect clear boundaries even when I am not standing beside them.

Once you lose my trust, it cannot be regained.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

Removals come after months conversations, chances to repair things, and repeated attempts to work through problems.

We are allowed to make mistakes.

We are allowed to have bad days.

We are allowed to get things wrong.

But if the same issues keep repeating and the conversations are not leading to change, eventually I have to look at the bigger picture.

My responsibility is to the overall health, safety, and trust of this community.

Sometimes that means making a difficult decision.

 

3. DRUG CULTURE

What heals people here is the land, food, and community.

Many people choose to consume cannabis or alcohol, and that is a personal choice.

What matters is being mindful of where, how, and around whom we consume.

We want the farm to feel welcoming to everyone, including families, children, new members, and people who do not use substances.

IN COMMUNAL SPACES

  • Keep alcoholic drinks in red cups or covered with a beer cozy
  • Step away from the main group when smoking
  • Avoid passing joints around large circles
  • Be mindful of children, families, and new members
  • Never create social pressure for anyone to drink, smoke, or participate

The goal is not to police people’s personal choices.

It is to make sure our choices do not change the environment for everyone else.

Everyone should feel welcome, safe, and never pressured.

 

4. GROWTH IS PAUSED FOR WINTER

There is currently a large waitlist of people who want to join the Microplots.

For now, I have stopped bringing new people in.

Before we grow again, we are going to use the winter to improve the farm, strengthen our systems, and make the property safer and easier to use.

We asked everyone:

IF THIS WAS YOUR FARM, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?

That led to a number of winter projects.

 

WINTER PROJECTS

 

WINTERIZE THE PIPES

Overseeing: Ryan

Prepare the farm’s water systems for colder weather so we have access to water year round.

 

TREES / WIND BARRIER

Overseeing: Gagan

Look at where trees, hedging, or other natural barriers could improve the property and provide better wind protection.

 

FARM SAFETY, SECURITY AND SIGNAGE

Overseeing: Gagan

Improve signage, guidance, orientation, and clarity around the property.

I will need help from the community identifying where signage is missing or confusing.

CHECK-IN POINT

Create a clearer check-in process for visitors.

People should check in at the warehouse before entering the farm to sign a waiver and read instrucitons, with proper signage directing them where to go.

 

IMPROVE DRAINAGE

Overseeing: Ben and Byron

Identify problem areas and improve drainage heading into the wet season.

 

COMMUNITY PROJECTS

 

GAZEBO / COVERED GATHERING AREA

Overseeing: Carl

Explore and develop a covered space where the community can gather regardless of weather.

 

REDESIGN THE COMMUNITY HUB

Overseeing: Gagan and Dad

Rework how the Community Hub functions, how people gather there, and how it connects with the rest of the farm.

REWORK THE GREENHOUSE / SURROUNDING AREA

Overseeing: Gagan 

Revisit the greenhouse and surrounding layout with more time and intention.

 

 


5. DID YOU READ THIS?

 

If you have read all the way to this point, please reply to me with:

India

Do not message me Thailand.