Who
We Are
All
these folks and even more if you want to be included.
BFA,
OHUG, OFF & ON
Alphabet
Soup of the Barter Faire History Explained
The
Barter Faire, from its inception, has been a great boon to this
community! It is the source from which has sprung, the Cultural Project
community center, the Community Consciousness Fund, much Co-op funding
and many other things. This writing is an attempt by Buffalo Mazzetti to
clarify the history of the Faire and its attendant legal structure,
Okanogan Highlands United Gathering (OHUG): what it was, what it did and
what happened to it.
History
of Our Faire
Buffalo
takes us
back in time
The Faire
was started by Skeeter (Michael Pilarski, Friends of the Trees Society) in
1973 to help folks be able to trade their surplus produce and goods for
things they needed to help them through the winter. The first faire was
near Lake Chelan because a large communal community (Antakarana Circle or
Circle A.) had grown near Manson. After that first event, the Faire moved
farther North into the Okanogan Highlands. Overtime, the organizers of the
faire formed an unincorporated group that called itself The Barter Faire
Association. As the Faire moved around, it became obvious to organizers
that hauling the infrastructure was a tremendous challenge of logistics.
Moving outhouses, water barrels, signs, gate houses etc, seemed like too
much work for a three day festival. Also there was the issue of finding a
site that was large enough and landowners who were willing to allow this
event to occur on their property.
A core
group of folks decided to purchase land, thereby eliminating the need to
find a willing landowner, negotiate terms of land use and move all that
stuff around! The Barter Faire Association entered into a lease with an
option to buy the site on the Cayuse Mountain Road in 1993. That year the
first Okanogan Barter Faire was held on the current property and it was
decided that this site could work for future events.
According to Washington State Law, the "Barter Faire
Association" could not purchase the land. We had to create an
incorporated entity recognized by the state. Thus, in 1994, the OHUG,
Ltd., a Washington State corporation, was born. We chose at that time to
become a 'for-profit' corporation both because it was expedient (hippies
and paperwork rarely mix well) and because we didn't know what we were
doing. Now we could legally enter into a contract to buy and own the
Barter Faire land. However, the first hurdle facing us was, "who are
the stockholders" of this Corporation? Our interpretation of
"stockholders" was revolutionary. Probably for the first time in
Washington History, stockholders in a "for profit" corporation
existed without the exchange of cash. Our definition of
"stockholders" meant those folks who volunteered 40 hours of
time each year to events held on the land. Each stockholder held one
share for one year. An effort was made to inform members, who volunteered
all those hours; they were qualified to be stockholders. However, we
garnered very little response from volunteers. Essentially, that part of
the plan fell apart because no one really saw any value in exercising a
stockholder's vote. People didn't have the time or energy, besides
everything was working fine... The Board of Directors meet regularly, the
land got paid for, noxious weed control is maintained, improvements are
made and most importantly, an annual faire is held!
OFF
& ON
Through
the years it became obvious that as an organization, OHUG was in fact a
NOT-for-profit-organization which was formed and existed for the
betterment of our community. It also became evident that the
responsibilities of both maintaining the land and putting on an annual
faire were too great a burden on too few people. Every year we not only
maintained and improved the property, we also donated too many non-profit
organizations, needy families and scholarship funds. So, in council, those
folks who had continued to envision, design and create the space for the
Okanogan Family Barter Faire, decided to create a 501 c4 non profit
corporation, called the "Okanogan Neighbors." As the Barter
Faire became the Okanogan Family Faire [OFF], those who took care of the
property became Okanogan Neighbors [ON]. Together we figuratively,
metaphorically and realistically became OFF and ON!
On July
26, 2005, The Okanogan Highlands United Gatherings Ltd. was dissolved and
all assets were transferred to the new ON. ON would take care of the land.
OFF would manage the Faire. Voting Members (Stockholders) of O.N. have
essentially the same requirements: they volunteer at least 20 hours per
year on the land or at the Barter Faire or for the land improvement.
There are considerations for honorary memberships. A Board of Directors
is selected by the membership, and is elected at an annual membership
meeting.
Make
Your Membership Count!
To make
sure you are recognized as a member, Fill in a membership form
application available at the Okanogan River Natural Food Coop, or come to
the "Volunteer Bus" during Faire time. Sign up as a 20 hour
volunteer or take on a coordinating position.
Please sign in at the
Bus
or fill out an application. This will insure that you receive notice of
meetings, votes and important decisions that govern our land and the
event. Keep an eye out in the Co-op for the next Okanogan Neighbors
meeting. Come participate. This is true democracy. The Barter Faire and
most of the world, is run by those who show up. Be there now.
Peter
James - General Manager,
2009
Okanogan Family Faire
