Casa Común's second birthday

Casa Común celebrated its second anniversary in December, during which it has explored and experimented with regenerative economies. And it celebrated its existence with music, yoga with drums, a fair of clothes and used things, hundreds of products and sharing with the attendees a great sopón in firewood (soup in a huge pot). It was not only a celebration of the number of years, but also of the abundance present in the territory, the relationships established, the valuation of local resources, as well as the weaving and dialogue between the different processes and neighboring territories.

Entering Casa Común is like witnessing the flourishing of an ecosystem in constant transformation. Its commitment is to migrate from an extractivist economy to one that builds, supports, generates abundance and understands the ecosystem as a living organism that we must also take care of. 

To cite some figures of what is happening there: in these two years, 415 million pesos have been sold, which is money that remains circulating in the territory. There are more than 600 registered clients. They have worked with 115 producers, 15 of them are associations. They have codified 900 products, 95% of which are from the territory, and the remaining 5% provide a service in the territory.

Their exploration in regenerative economies has brought them innumerable and valuable learnings. What began as a store with a percentage contribution system, and then with a time bank, has evolved in two years into a much more complex and nuanced business and participation model.

Sustainability, as a fundamental pillar, no longer depends solely on the store and Café Ensamble, but is also nourished by the transformation of local products. The raw materials brought in by producers from the countryside are turned into flour, jams, granolas, condiments, beverages, natural cosmetics and many other products that enter the circuit.

The passage of time has also shown them that the true heart of this model beats in the flexibility it offers its producers. Casa Común now understands that each person has a different reality and therefore allows them to choose their level of participation, from simply delivering their products to being involved in processing, sales and distribution. This approach has woven a network of trust and collaboration, where each producer contributes from his or her place, without pressure or judgment.

In the store and the café there is a constant dialogue. They are spaces for listening to the customer and understanding their needs. Products that do not find their place are modified or let go, while those that resonate with the public are promoted and improved.

In this last period, the incorporation of Los Comunes took place, which more than a community currency, is a system created to encourage and facilitate exchanges and the movement of goods and services in the territory of Barichara, seeking to strengthen relationships and the local economy. A cell phone application, which works as a virtual wallet, allows storing Los Comunes, to make or receive payments.

On the other hand, wonderful things happen in the caney. A great number of people have passed through it, willing to share their knowledge and to learn. There have been workshops of different arts, cooking, agriculture, yoga sessions, photography and a lot of other things.

During these two years Casa Común has become a laboratory of experimentation, where not only products are developed, but also new forms of relationships. The community is strengthened through the constant exchange of knowledge, shared lunches and workshops offered there.

In the future, Casa Común seeks to materialize its dream in two focuses. One is the construction of a community production plant. And the other is to strengthen the entrepreneurial processes of actors in the territory towards a regenerative model, so that the model is consolidated and projected towards a more abundant and collaborative future. A dream that we hope will be fulfilled and that will undoubtedly bring wellbeing to all.