Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage :: Communities Directory

Formed: 1993 Established: 1995

This page last updated:3/16/2013

Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

Rutledge, Missouri,

United States

At Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (DR), we understand how difficult it can be to live sustainably and responsibly within modern US culture. We believe that we can work to build a healthy alternative-- a social structure that is both non-exploitative and vibrant. As our village grows, we see this ideal take shape more clearly every day: a diverse range of people living ecologically sound lives in a community that truly serves as an example of positive human action within the natural world.

In 1997 the DR Land Trust purchased 280 acres in the rolling hills of northeastern Missouri. We are now deep into pioneering, constructing buildings while planning and developing community structure. People's social and economic needs are met primarily on-site and locally, though a few support themselves doing web work or off-site consulting. There is an ever-increasing emphasis on internal economy, including a lot of barter and a well-used internal currency. Eventually, we see 500-1,000 people living in our village, with businesses and homes surrounding the village green.

As you might expect, ecological sustainability is the primary focus of our long-term vision and our daily lives. We build our homes using alternative techniques such as straw bale and cob, powering them with renewable energy from sun and wind. Vehicles at DR are owned cooperatively and powered by biodiesel. Overall, we eat an ever-increasing amount of local, organic, and in-season foods, including many home-grown vegetables.

We strive to be good stewards of our land, with much of our acreage reserved as wildlife habitat. In the grasslands we are reintroducing native prairie plants to help revitalize our region's biodiversity. We have planted over 10,000 trees to restore our land to its pre-settlement ecology, stabilize the riparian zone, and provide a sustainable source of wood for our community in years to come.

Diversity is an important element within our human population as well. Our village is composed of individuals, families, and subcommunities. We look forward to having other subcommunities join us, and encourage the development of cohousing and cooperatives. To allow for economic diversity and simple living, we keep lease rates and membership dues low and have no buy-in fee.

In addition to being a wonderful home for us, DR is a model for social change. Outreach and education are integral to our mission. Rather than isolating ourselves completely from the mainstream, we promote DR as a viable alternative. We enjoy sharing discoveries and ideas of sustainable living with people who have a wide variety of lifestyles.

If you are interested in Dancing Rabbit, you have lots of options: write us to arrange a visit or receive our newsletter, come do a work exchange stint, attend a workshop or enjoy the eco-luxury of our B&B. We are actively seeking new members to share our lives and goals. Together we can build our dreams!

Website: http://www.dancingrabbit.org

Contact:

1 Dancing Rabbit Lane
Rutledge, Missouri 63563-9757 United States
Phone: 660-883-5511

Links:

Dancing Rabbit Blog

Dancing Rabbit TV: Videos of our ecovillage

DR on Facebook

Green Building Jobs: Come help us build our ecovillage!

Ecovillage Design Course at Dancing Rabbit

Timber Framing Workshop at DR

Strawbale Workshop at DR

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

Introduction to Dancing Rabbit

See more Videos from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

Former/Other Names: The Dancing Rabbit Project

This page last updated:3/16/2013

Visitors Accepted

Visitor Process: To visit DR, write us a letter or email, and our visitor team will help you plan and schedule a visit. It generally helps to contact us at least two months in advance, as spots fill up quickly. We have one- to three-week visitor periods at set times between April and October.

Affiliations:

:: Sandhill Farm

:: Red Earth Farms

Network Affiliations:

Ecovillage Network of the Americas

:: Fellowship for Intentional Community

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): 65 Non-member Residents: (number does not include work exchangers and long term visitors, which can add as many as 40 people during some summer periods) 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 Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes Labor Contribution: Expected Join Fee: No Regular Fees: Yes (Annual dues are 2% of yearly income plus fees for various co-ops)
Land and Buildings Rural Area: 280 acres (113.3 hectares) Land Owned By: Community-controlled land trust Number of Residences: 36 Cohousing: No	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 21-50% Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week (We have several food options. Twice a week we have full community meals, but many eat all lunches and dinners with a coop.) Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Diet is up to each individual Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (Some food co-ops are vegan or vegetarian.) Alcohol Use: Used occasionally Tobacco Use: Used Occasionally	Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: No Educational Style(s): Other (Some home-schooled and some public. Parents are free to choose an educational style.)

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Become an Editor Current editor(s): tony, amy, maikwe

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Comment from pewabic on 5/24/2011 (Reader Rating: 0)

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Lets hear from one of the people living there at Dancing Rabbit what specficallly do they do of significant importance? why is there no income producing workshops like Twin Oaks has?

Comment from theradicalfarmer on 9/3/2007 (Reader Rating: 8)

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I've followed Dancing Rabbit since its inception and thought Dancing Rabbits vision one of the grandest and most interesting; and still do. And affordable and accessible to all, no matter what their financed situation.
After visiting personally a few years ago, I would also say they are amongst the most dedicated to the cause of environmental sustainability and correctness. Why? Because while I love remoteness, it clearly comes with challenges, both climatic and financial.
Okay, that's the adulation part, here is my critique. And it is a critique of concept, not really about Dancing Rabbit and reflects a shift in my own thinking, away from the "eco-village" concept, and back to a more communal approach. The cost both in terms of of labor, energy, materials and so on to have separate gardens, kitchens, houses and facilities seems costly in terms of individual freedom and liberation and might even be seen as unecological.

Comment from RudolphDelson on 6/28/2007 (Reader Rating: 7)

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One day, instead of the Bible Belt and the Rust Belt, people will talk about the Sanity Belt and Dancing Rabbit will be its capital. It's a sort of kibbutz for ecology and equality, a village growing into a town, running on renewable energy, local food, and the clean Missouri water.

You should visit; everyone should visit. In the summer, you can eat outdoors, next to the strawberry patch, and watch birds hunt insects over the pond. In the winter, you can hike out into the back acreage, and look for fox tracks. Year-round, there is the architecture to admire. Each house has been built in an environmentally sustainable way, usually by the person who is living in it. Knock on their door. They'll show you their water catchment device, their organic insulation, the herb garden where they grow their own tea.

The area of Dancing Rabbit is 280 acres; its elevation is 790 feet above sea-level; its wildlife includes meadowlarks, woodcocks and kestrels; its principle export is hope.

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