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Re-Forming Formed: 2003
Betterway Farm and Ecovillage (Northeast Ohio)
Northeast Ohio - Wooster, Ohio,
United States
 Betterway Farm and Ecovillage formed in late 2003 as NEOCOHO and reformed in early 2005 as IC-NEO following membership attrition. We adopted our new name in 2006 to better reflect our goals and values.
We are currently (early 2009) in a period of renewed interest in community formation and have a core group of seven households actively meeting and planning. Although we have looked for land in the past three years, we are currently focusing on refining and adopting policies on membership, decision-making, and organizational/ownership issues. We will begin an active land search once these policies are determined.
We welcome inquiries from both local and non-local people who might be interested in joining the formation process.
We hope to find suitable land near Wooster, Ohio, to develop “clustered” village-style housing, as well as recreational and natural areas and a significant agricultural component. Land use decisions would be based on sound ecologically integrated design principles (e.g. permaculture). We are researching a number of models for cooperative land ownership, but have not yet decided on one in particular. Sustainability is a major core value of the all the core group members involved in the community.
Our current draft vision statement is:
"We are striving to create an intentional community, designed by the residents to encourage social interaction between neighbors in daily life. We intend to promote and embody the restoration of healthy and balanced relationships among people, land and resources."
We hold planning meetings once or twice a month, depending on need, and welcome all interested people to contact us for information on how to become involved.
 
Contact:
Betterway Farm and Ecovillage
c/o Kip and Beth Gardner
426 Schneider St. SE
North Canton, Ohio 44720 United States
Phone: 330-494-1775
Email This Community!
Former/Other Names: NEO Cohousing, IC-NEO
Last Updated:2/1/2009
 
No Answer Regarding Visitors
 (Currently no community to visit. We welcome visitors to our meetings.)
Visitor Process: Contact us via posted information.
Network Affiliations:
Network Affiliations:
Fellowship for Intentional Community
:: School of Living
Statement of Housing Non-discrimination:
No Answer Provided
Population
Open to new members:
Yes
Government
Decision Making:
By consensus
(We are still defining how we will function by consensus. Blocking is only allowed if a member feels that a decision violates group or individual core values.)
Identified Leader:
No
Leadership Core Group:
Yes
(The core group is functioning primarily to guide the formation process of the ecovillage community)
Labor and Money
Financial Style:
Members have independent finances
(We hope that some members will participate in a cooperative farm enterprise based on the community land)
Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt:
No Answer
(Potential members should be financially stable. Each member is responsible for their own finances.)
Labor Contribution:
(Not yet decided, but some labor requirement likely)
Join Fee:
No Answer
(Not yet decided, but there will likely be an initial joining fee and a buy-in to build.)
Regular Fees:
No Answer
(Not yet decided.)
Land and Buildings
Small Town
(Wooster is an approximately 12,000 population city. We are seeking rural land nearby.)
Land Owned By:
Other
Cohousing:
No
Food, etc.
Percentage of Food Grown:
over 50%
(This is our goal once we are fully land-based)
Share Community Meals:
2-5 times/week
(Again, this is our goal once we are fully land-based)
Dietary Choice or Restrictions:
Diet is up to each individual
Dietary Practice:
Omnivorous
(We have omnivores, vegetarians and vegans in our group. Tolerance of ALL dietry choices is expected. The farm will likely be raising some kind of livestock for meat, milk, eggs, fiber, etc.)
Alcohol Use:
(alcohol use is a personal choice issue.)
Tobacco Use:
(tobacco use is a personal choice issue.)
Social Factors
Common Spiritual Practices:
No
Which Spiritual Traditions(s):
Ecumenical (includes "all religions")
(Current members mix Christianity, Pagan and Native spiritual paths, but we are open to all belief systems)
Educational Style(s):
Public schooled
(Sufficient numbers of children and motivated adults could make a community-based school an option)
 
 


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