Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where exactly is Coslor Cove located?​

It’s located in Navajo County, Arizona, nine miles East, as the crow flies, of Snowflake’s sister city Taylor.  

You can see where it’s at by googling “3311 Yellow Rose, Snowflake, AZ“, clicking the map, and zooming out. But wait for an official tour to visit; Google’s directions will take you across private land and on impassible roads.

2. Can we take a tour?

Yes. You can get directions and register for the tours here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/riverbed-ranch-27972265747

3. Isn’t Arizona in a drought? How will you get enough water?

Easy! We’re at the South end of Arizona’s largest aquifer (underground body of water) which flows from the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest just south of us. Phoenix is short on water, not us. We’ve been told by the state water authorities that we can drill all the wells we need. Here’s a map:


4. Why do you call it a co-op? Is this some kind of cult thing?

Cooperatives are actually the complete opposite of cults. Here’s how ChatGPT describes the differences:
“Cults and cooperatives are very different groups. Cults have a leader who is really powerful and tells everyone what to do. They try to control people’s thoughts and actions and keep them away from others. It’s not good because they use people for their own benefit. On the other hand, cooperatives are groups where people come together because they have something in common, like a business or a project. Everyone is treated equally and gets to share in the benefits. It’s a fair and inclusive way of working together.”

One aspect our friendly AI left out was that co-ops are owned and usually operated by those who they serve, so the profits (if there are any) are distributed locally — not to distant shareholders who care little about the project, just their profits. Co-ops are a more human-friendly method of organizing in a free market. Here’s a little video on cooperative communities.

5. How do you keep the land and construction costs low?

Once this community is set up sufficiently, OSR Green will turn over ownership of the land to Arizona’s first and only non-profit land developer – the Arizona OSR™ Land Co-op. (We did it differently in Utah). As a land cooperative, we’ll be saving everyone on construction costs through more inexpensive building methods, as well as group purchases.  Traditional land developers are focused on maximizing their profits, our focus is on saving our shareholders money (in both the short and long-term).

Also, our Utah residents have shown how self-reliant people come together and save each other loads of money! One shareholder found a source of FREE insulation panels and several homes already have them installed. The co-op found a source of free 4’x12′ sheetrock! They do charge $12 a sheet (compared to $25 at Home Depot) to cover the costs incurred in bringing them to the community. We expect this same type of cooperation to blossom at Coslor Cove.

6. Is this an HOA community?

Not just “No”; as they say in Texas, “Hail no!”. HOAs were created under a whole different paradigm. They exist to preserve the property values of every home so that if anyone wants to move, the value of their home is not lessened by the appearance of their neighbors’ homes. Our paradigm is completely different. Our focus is not on preserving property values, but on preserving lives and lifestyles — long-term. Operation Self-Reliance™ (OSR) is all about creating a pathway for people to transition from a lifestyle of dependencies in cities (for their life-sustaining food, water and power), to a country culture of self-reliance, surrounded by others doing the same.

In short, we’re all about raising food and kids — inter-generational self-reliance. If you’re interested in living off the grid in Arizona, and have the gumption and resources to build a self-reliance homestead, this is the place!

7. Okay, but are there building restrictions?

Of course! This is America, land of the… not-so-free. 😉

The vast majority of restrictions are imposed by government agencies.  The homes will need to be permanent (no mobile homes or tiny homes) and pass Navajo County’s building inspections. Don’t know for sure yet, but we assume they use the International Residential Code. (More info to come on this)

Since this is an agricultural co-op (that will eventually be able to sell the surplus food produced by it’s residents), when you join you agree to build out the following:

  • A passive solar home (so you won’t freeze in the Winter if your power source goes out),
  • A barn or shop that meets the county’s wind and snow load requirements,
  • A greenhouse that is at least 600 square feet (we recommend 1,200).

And, since this is an off-grid community, most of our co-owner residents will want to plan on some combination of:

  • Solar panels for electricity,
  • A well for water,
  • Passive solar home designs (lots of windows on the South side and maybe a trombe wall).
  • Geothermal heating and cooling elements
  • Highly-insulated walls and ceilings (40 to 50R in the walls, and, 80 to 100R in the ceiling)
  • Some type of backup heat source (wood, propane, stored solar heat) for those really long, cold, overcast Winter weeks that rarely happen.

8. Is there Internet access there now, or planned in the future?

Yes, Elon Musk’s Starlink Internet network is 8-times faster than Hughesnet. That’;’s what our residents will likely be using.  We’re very pleased with it in Utah.

9. What are the next steps to getting my own lot for my off-grid homestead?

  • Next step would be to figure out how you will fund building out your farm-stead and create a one-page “Transition Plan” showing timelines, funding sources, and budgets. We guestimate that you will need access to at least $235k to build out your entire homestead. And, no, we can’t offer financing (this is a non-profit project). Now, if you don’t have the funds, you could find a private real estate investor and work out some kind of deal.
  • You will also be asked to present a “Self-Reliance Journey”, a one-page history of what you’ve done during your life to achieve greater self-reliance (gardens, animals, homesteading, books, courses, etc.)
  • You’ll also want to come on a tour!
  • The next step would be to schedule an “Entrance Interview” to review your plan and answer any of your remaining questions. Contact Jesse for that at jesse7@CoslorCove7.com7 (without the 7s).
  • You will then need to pay $25,000 for your 2-acre share in the community, and sign (online) the Membership Agreement. We’ll also likely also offer a few 3 and 4-acre shares for more money.
  • Then comes the fun part! Picking your lot! As soon as we get the first neighborhood surveyed, we’ll post a link here for a map of the lots.
  • You will have 3 years from the time of purchase to build your passive solar home, set up your water well, your septic system, and build your barn & greenhouse. 

10. Can I ask something else?

Sure! Do it here on our Questions page.