Here’s the best answer I’ve found so far as to what the standards are for prospective shareholders in the Utah OSR Land Co-op.
Answer from Philip Gleason:
This is a very important question because we are talking about one’s potential neighbors, people we could be working with on a daily basis or people who will be coming in contact with our children. These are people we may need to depend on in challenging times. Let’s review what it means to be “like-minded” in the OSR context.
• Having a desire to be self-reliant.
• Having a belief that there are universal truths and principles that govern our lives. These are truths that were true in the past, as well as today and will remain so in the future.
• Having Integrity, that is when one makes a commitment, it matters. Ones’ word is their bond. Their contracts, covenants, and promises bear weight in how they live their lives.
• Having a genuine love and concern about people. Simply put, they care.
• Having an understanding that we are all interconnected, not only to each other but also to our environment, the earth. Our actions matter and have consequences.
These attributes have been a strong foundation for successful communities, whether large or small since time began. Each individual has to determine for themselves whether or not they want to live in such a community. Parents have to determine whether or not they will teach their children the value of these attributes, always remembering that actions speak louder than words.
So the bottom line is if these are qualities that are important to you and your family, we invite you to come and join with us in Operation Self-Reliance (OSR), and meet other like-minded people who care and are very proactive in preparing every needful thing. Becoming debt-free with a house, a barn, a greenhouse, and a garden/orchard, not connected to any public utilities with like-minded neighbors is obtainable. You only need to start down the path and continue until you arrive.