Seems like it's part of the phony, yuppified "getting back to traditional values" but without the mess and inconvenience that seems to be popular with some people. Hearkens back, I guess, to when neighbors would get together for communal vegetable canning or hog butchering, only now nobody has to bother with the prep work or cleanup. Much like the new "planned communities" which are designed to be like old style towns, with sidewalks and carefully selected businesses, or shopping malls (now the trend is outdoors)that are built to mimic an idealized old fashioned town center. In one interview with a resident in one of these communities he said it was great, because he was able to experience old fashioned small town community living without worrying about the "rif raf" that might be found in a real town.