The Shape of Community

This weekend I responded to an ad on Craig's List for free Quince fruit. Fruit from my computer?!

I never thought I'd be so dependent upon my computer. I NEVER thought I'd have a laptop stationed on the dining room table 24 hours a day. My husband pointed out that I was surfing Craig's list during dinner recently, I didn't even realize that I was doing it. It's just that the power of the internet is amazing. I am instantly connected to everyone, mostly. I have lived in hippieville for nearly 18 years and have never been so connected to this town and it's people as I am through my slim white Apple.
I have chicken friends through the Chicken Chat Coop.
I have Hippieville friends through Wacco.
I have greater County friends through Craig's List and Freecycle
Jonathan has beekeeping friends through the Bee Forum.
I am learning to make cheese, bake bread, make cocktails all from my dining table.
I have taught others how to make beautiful chocolates and where to drink wine through eGullet.
A friend from the chicken chat was going to come show me how to vaccinate the soon to hatch Bantam Belgians but I looked it up on the internet and now she can save the gas.
I can learn about survival and water use, vegetable growing and jam making. It's an amazing thing to be so very connected to so very much without ever leaving my house.

The downside is that I'm a talker. I think while I speak so if I'm not talking, I'm not working anything out. It's not a great system but it's mine. So, I kinda miss people. Lucky for me, I work in restaurants so I get lot's of people time. I learn tons then too. Sadly, all of my political info lately comes from the bar at the Seafood House. I've been not really home to watch the news or debates. I do hear quite a range of opinions at the bar though.

Anyway, my point is that I wouldn't be half the homesteader I am becoming without my internet community. I would have an eighth of the things in my pantry and I'd have chicken eggs coming out my ears. In these times, when backyard farms are still few and far between, it's nice to find someone 5 miles up the road with Quince to trade on the internet.

Now, what to do with these incredible smelling quince?