It could work for small villages but they _are_ dependent upon a
  more robust surrounding economy that they don't have to
  participate in except when they need food.

  Still, the rebel in me finds this appealing just the same.
  Purely speculative. Scalability is always a valid area of
  concern when attempting to move from small to large, or from
  large to small.

  I'm impressed at the size honestly. 2700 residents. I would have
  expected this to work with 150 perhaps 200, but to see it
  working on a scale of 2700 residents gives me home that it's
  possible on an even larger scale.