Greetings from Clark Mountain. Here at JED, as each season flows into the next we grow ever more rooted on this land and in the work of social  transformation. For the past few years, we’ve been working to cultivate a politics of the possible. We’ve been busy building community, supporting local and  regional social change organizations, growing a small farm, strengthening our local food system and building an organizational infrastructure to support this work for the long haul.

We are excited to say that our long term goals for the JED Collective are now beginning to come to fruition! They include: the expansion of our organic farm and orchard, the preservation of 305 acres of watershed and wilderness surrounding us, the building of infrastructure for a cooperative JED community and, in the coming years, the creation of an education, retreat and resource center that would support work for social, ecological and economic justice in Maine and beyond.

In December of last year, we successfully purchased the 30 acres of land that we call home! We accomplished this entirely without banks by launching an innovative financing method known as Community Financing. This worked by acquiring loans and donations from friends and supporters in our larger community. Through this process we were able to place a $132,000 down payment on a $200,000 purchase price. The remaining balance of $68,000 still needs to be raised.  In light of this, we hope to receive another set of loans from people who believe in the future of this project, and who have money to invest. If you are interested in lending or contributing to this project please read on and follow the links below for more information. 

The opportunity for all of us at JED to grow toward our long term vision and dreams is finally tangible. In addition to raising loan money for the purchase, we are now looking for $50,000 in loans and donations to help us build the infrastructure necessary to achieve these goals. If you are interested in supporting us in these endeavors, your loan or contribution will bring us that much closer to succeeding. 

We invite you to participate in this financing project. We see this as an undertaking that comes with great responsibility on our part, that’s why we have developed a sound financial plan and strong organizational system for the tracking and repayment of community financed loans. Kate, our Community Financing Coordinator is available to talk with you any time, so do not hesitate to connect with us by email or phone: (207) 946-2246.

We also invite you to visit our farm and collective when you get a chance! Give us a call or email us and we'll set up a visit.

For more online information, you can download our Newsletter (.PDF format), read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Community Financing and take a look at our Sample Loan Agreement.

We’ve always believed that “Strong is what we make each other.” We know you  believe that too. Now we’re inviting you to invest in that belief. Think it over and  let us know. Thanks for your consideration, your support and for all that you do.
                                                                            
Yours in solidarity,

The JED Collective