How Young Women Can Contribute To Women's Lands

"Felling axe" by タクナワン is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Young women who want to get involved with a local women's land in their area will find there are many ways to give back. 

Events On Women's Land

Many women's lands hold regular or semi-regular events. Many of these events center around nature, and are scheduled to coincide with the full moon, equinoxes and solstices. Other events may be getting together to watch a lesbian movie or build a bonfire and talk. 

A good way to make contact with your local women's land is to email them and ask if they are holding any upcoming events you could attend. Keep in mind that you will have to go through whatever their vetting process is before you can participate. 

Work Days On Women's Land

Most women's lands have some kind of regularly scheduled Work Days. Sometimes these are called by other names, but the essence of the Work Days are women getting together to do chores. 

Common things women get together to do in community include: weeding the garden, planting crops, taking care of the animals, chopping wood and turning over the compost. 

Airbnbs On Women's Land

Some women's lands rent out cottages or caravans on the land on airbnb! 

These airbnbs usually have lots of books, poetry and art that center women and lesbians. 

They are also often (but not always) suggested donation for a short stay. Sometimes they are cash only. 

You can support your local women's land by staying at their airbnb or recommending it to your female friends. 

Rentals On Women's Land

Once you've been vetted, and have established a relationship with the women who live on the women's land near you, you can inquire about the possibility of renting on the land. 

It's helpful to ask around while you're there for a visit about vacant cottages, cabins or RVs you may be able to rent in. 

Renting on a women's land is typically less expensive than the going rental rate in your area. You may also not need to provide a large deposit for your rental. 

If you do rent on a women's land, you can expect to receive a rental contract to sign and date. There may be special clauses included in your rental contract about respecting the intention of the women's land. 

Contribute Youthful Energy 

Just being a young person on women's land is one way to contribute! Bring your youthful energy, new ideas, unique experiences and stories. 

Asking for advice from older women on the land is also a way to contribute because many older women love to share their wisdom! And have a lot to say that is worth hearing.

If you are able-bodied, you can also help lift things that may be too heavy for older women to safely lift. 

Continuity Of Oral Tradition

Women land culture is mainly an oral tradition, i.e., it is information transmitted out loud between generations of women who live on women's land and participate in women's land culture to one extent or another. 

As a younger woman, you can contribute to your local women's land by talking to older women who have lived on the land for many years and learning about their world. Take what serves you, leave the rest.

Some women's lands also have excellent collections of books and magazines about women's history and lesbian history. Young women can read some of these materials to get an idea of what women's culture and lesbian culture are all about.   

Succession 

Younger women who have a long-standing relationship with the owner(s) of the local women's land near them should consider discussing a succession plan. 

When they die, who will run the women's land?

Have they considered who they are going to pass the women's land onto?

What kinds of provisions might they want to include in a succession agreement for the land?

Many women who run women's land are lesbians who care about their land staying in lesbian hands if at all possible, and hope that after their death, the women's land will continue to operate according to, or close to, their original intention. 

To find women's land near you, visit the women's land map. Reach out directly to the women's land in your area, or in an area you'll be travelling to, for more info about how you can visit. Expect to undergo a vetting process that can be as quick as a phone call or as extensive as an in-person meetup.  

If you are a lesbian in the United States, or a woman of any sexual orientation who wants to learn more about women's lands near you, email findwomensland at gmail dot com to get information about women's lands in your local area.