development of an intentional community

What are the first things you think of when you hear the words; intentional community?  Likely you think of the early seventeens and communes where the people all live in teepees and sing songs all day.

Well certainly we have those images and the lessons of our parents as guidance.  In some instances those communities worked and in many they did not.

I want to take a look at the reasons why those communities did, or did not work.  This may be a running theme as I have new reason to be interested in this subject.

Living communally in and intentional community is an idea that I've had burning softly in me for a long time.  The coal is occasionally blown on by visits to friends houses in similar surroundings or catching wind of successful communities.  A friend of mine recently alluded to me that there may be some land available to us for such developments.  >>more on that later.

What does communal living mean?  Does it mean teepees and drum-circles?   It's important to look much more practically than that.  
The major benefits are the shared resources.
1. The most important ones might be the power-supply.  Fortunately, the area we may choose to develop is a mecca of people who have the expertise in alternative energy solutions.  In this area, I can offer anything except a vast technical knowledge of such technologies.
2.  The second one is a food supply that is generated by our own hands on our own land.  For the amount of time and energy my wife and I afford to our garden, we still come frighteningly far from being able to sustain ourselves.     If though, that same garden had double the people working it, say four adults.  The garden knowledge, and the time given would be exponentiated.   If I felt our garden was not only for my family, but for two other families that I am close with, I would bust ass at it.
So it could be proposed that food supply would be increased.
3.  We then have child-care.  More kids, family, and friends,  is better for the kids.  I don't need to go into details here.  Perhaps another time.
so those are the benefits that we are primarily interested in at this time.  It is far early in the developing stages. Thus far the three families that would opt to live communally; are all young family focused individuals.  
My friend really put into words what many of us feel in our hearts, but may not have realized it.  It is one thing to build a log cabin in the middle of nowhere.  Then, the possibility of isolation and disconnection from any sort of community environment is all the more likely.
The proposition is then that a select group of close friends who share many of the same ideals, become neighbors.     And I need to clear that up as well.  We would all have our own houses.  Privacy and family identity is important to all of us as well as being good stuart of the earth.  What is also important is having friends who live closer that a 15,20, or 30 minute drive away.
So we will see.  I kind of spilled the beans as to potential plans.  But if it is all possible,  then it needs to be well thought out.  Peace love and unity are great, but well functioning, comfortable survival, and healthy mental and physical stimulation for our children and ourselves is the main goal.