Earthaven Ecovillage :: Communities Directory

Formed: 1994 Established: 1996

Earthaven Ecovillage

Black Mountain, North Carolina,

United States

(Blue Ridge Mountains)

Earthaven is an aspiring ecovillage founded in 1994 on 320 acres in the mountain forests of western North Carolina, about 50 minutes from Asheville. We are spiritually diverse, and value sustainable ecological systems, permaculture design, elegant simplicity, right livelihood, and healthy social relations. We have both vegetarians and omnivores, and some of us raise livestock for food. We hope to become empowered, responsible, ecologically literate citizens who model bioregionally appropriate culture for our time and place.

We intend to become a village of at least 150. We use consensus decision making, and have paid for and own title to our land. We lease home sites from the community and pay annual dues. As of 2009 we have 53 members. While much of Earthaven is still under construction, we have built roads and bridges, community buildings, members' homes, multi-household residences, gardens, constructed wetlands, and off-grid power and water systems.

We are developing a small village-scale economy, and most of us work in small, onsite businesses or nonprofits, including Red Moon Herbs, Imani Farm, Yellow Root Farm, Useful Plants Nursery, or by offering services such as visitor campground lodging, carpentry and home construction, child care, and healing arts.

As a learning community dedicated to sharing our resources with the public, we offer workshops in permaculture design, natural building, consensus, creating new ecovillages, herbal medicine, health and healing, and women’s mysteries. We also host large events such as the Continental Bioregional Congress in 2005, the annual Southeast Regional Permaculture Gathering 2002-04, and the Village Harvest Festival 2008. We welcome students and other learning groups, and support a homeschool enrichment program called the Forest Children's Program. We are seeking hardworking, entrepreneurial people, including but not limited to organic growers and farmers; people with solar system, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical skills; healers, artists, and families with children.

Website: http://www.earthaven.org/

Contact:

Kimchi Rylander
5 Consensus Circle
Black Mountain, North Carolina 28711 United States
Phone: 828-669-3937

Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses)

Former/Other Names: none

Last Updated:3/2/2010

Visitors Accepted

Visitor Process: Contact us at Earthaven. We have regularly scheduled tours. Visits are by appointment only.

Network Affiliations:

Fellowship for Intentional Community

:: Ecovillage Network of the Americas

Statement of Housing Non-discrimination:

Our community does not discriminate in regards to housing based on race/color, national origin, religion, sex/gender, family status (i.e. having children, not having children, or being pregnant), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, source of income, age, creed, personal appearance, political affiliation, HIV infection, military/veteran status, unfavorable military discharge, gender identity or expression, receiving public assistance, or being the victim of domestic abuse.

Population Members(adults and children): 50 Non-member Residents: 12 Open to new members: Yes	Government Decision Making: By consensus Identified Leader: No Leadership Core Group: No	Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances Labor Contribution: Expected (2-4 hours/month; 1500 hours in 1st 10 years) Join Fee: Yes (The joining fee amount for 2010 is $4,100 per adult; the fee is adjusted up or down each year to reflect the consumer price index. There is a one-time Site Lease fee (renewable, transferrable site lease). In 2009, a full site (which can be shared by up to 4 members & children) is $21,000; a compact site (which can be shared by up to 2 members & children) is $12,600; and a Single Common-wall Site (which can be shared by up to 2 members & children) is$10,500. These joining and site lease fees have been raised periodically over the years.) Regular Fees: Yes (Annual dues & fees range between approximately $600 to $900 per year.)
Land and Buildings Rural Area: 320 acres (129.5 hectares) Land Owned By: The community Number of Residences: 43 Cohousing: No (Two of our neighborhoods are based on the cohousing model.)	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 6-20% Share Community Meals: Nearly all dinners (Most members eat dinner with others in their neighborhood; in 2007 we have about five different neighborhoods with shared meals.) Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Diet is up to each individual Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (Most members are omnivores; some are vegetarians.) Alcohol Use: Used occasionally Tobacco Use: Used Occasionally	Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: No Which Spiritual Traditions(s): Other (Spiritually eclectic. Most members share ecospiritual values.) Educational Style(s): Other :: Home schooling (Some children attend a local alternative school; others attend the Forest Chilcren Program (which is not a school) at Earthaven.)

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Become an Editor Current editor(s): earthaven, kimchi, dlienhart

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Comment from Dav on 3/2/2010 (Reader Rating: 0)

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I visited Earthaven with my wife, two small kids, and a close friend a few months ago. We camped for the night, took a guided tour with River Otter, met some residents and talked about the community, and wandered around a bit, exploring on our own.

It is a delightful, magical place, full of possibility. I was especially impressed with the sustainable energy projects, including hydro-electric and lots of photovoltaic cells. Many of the buildings also demonstrate green construction technologies, and many of them are clearly labors of love, with lots of clever artistic details worked in.

I recommend a visit, especially if you want to take a big step towards a sustainable lifestyle!

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