Newsletter—Mar. 28, 2026: Around the Table: Shared Meals in Cohousing
Many cohousing communities include shared meals as part of everyday life. Several Burns Village & Farm members have previously lived in cohousing communities, and we asked Barb and John what common meals were like where they lived.
This is Part 1 of a 3-part series exploring community meals in cohousing.
Part 1: You Don’t Have to Cook Every Night
Our member Barb hard at work!
One of the most practical benefits of cohousing is something simple: you don’t have to cook every night.
In many cohousing communities, shared meals are part of the weekly rhythm. At Blueberry Hill Cohousing, John remembers that common meals happened several times a week. “We averaged two or three meals weekly,” he says, “usually two dinners during the week and a potluck breakfast on Saturday morning.”
The system was surprisingly straightforward. One person—or sometimes a small team—would propose a menu and recruit a few helpers. The meal would be posted in advance so neighbors could RSVP, giving the cook an idea of how much food to buy. A couple of hours before dinner, the cooking team would gather in the common house kitchen to prepare the meal together.
Households would complete a line on the bulletin board form saying how many people from each household attended so the cost of ingredients could be divided fairly. Every month or so, neighbors would settle up their meal tabs.
The real advantage of the system was how it spread the work around. With many cooks sharing responsibility, individuals only found themselves serving up the meal every so often. Most nights you simply showed up, enjoyed a good meal, and spent time with neighbors.
Of course, every cohousing community develops its own approach to shared meals. Some are highly organized, while others are more casual. Burns Village & Farm will decide together what works best for our community—and future members will help shape that rhythm.
If the idea of shared meals and neighborly connection resonates with you, consider joining us for an upcoming information session to learn more about Burns Village & Farm.
Building a Resilient Community
What helps a community weather challenges, adapt to change, and stay connected over time? At Burns Village & Farm we believe that resilience doesn’t just happen—it’s something communities intentionally build.
Rebecca speaking at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tullahoma
BVF member, Rebecca Selove, recently gave a talk at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tullahoma titled “Governing to Build Resilient Community.” In it, she explored how the way a group organizes itself—its governance—can strengthen the resilience of a community.
Resilient communities are able to navigate disagreements, respond to unexpected challenges, and adapt as circumstances change. Rebecca emphasized that governance plays an important role in this. Clear agreements about how decisions are made, how responsibilities are shared, and how people communicate can help communities stay grounded even when things become difficult.
As she explains in the talk, “Governance is how we organize ourselves to accomplish what we care about together.”
For a forming cohousing community like Burns Village & Farm, these ideas are especially relevant. We are not only imagining homes and shared spaces—we are also building the social structures that will support the community over time. The ways we learn to make decisions together, communicate openly, and build trust today will help determine how resilient our neighborhood can be in the future.
Rebecca’s talk offers a thoughtful reminder that strong governance isn’t just about process—it’s about creating the conditions for a community to thrive, adapt, and endure.
Interested in diving deeper into these ideas? Rebecca’s full talk is available here.
February’s Meet the Members Lunch
The BVF gang at the Taproom lunch in February
In February, our members came together for a lively Saturday lunch at the 51st Street Tap Room! It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up, share stories, and connect over good food.
Joining us at these lunches is a great way to meet fellow members, learn more about Burns Village & Farm, and experience the community in a relaxed, social setting. Everyone—current and prospective members—is welcome!
