Communities Directory: Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

Formed: 1993 Established: 1995

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 the framework of modern US culture. We strongly believe that we can work to build a healthy alternative-- a social structure that is both nonexploitative and vibrant. As our village grows, we see this ideal take shape more clearly every day. A diverse range of people can live together in an ecologically sound way. A community truly can serve as an example of positive human action within the natural world.

In 1997 the Dancing Rabbit Land Trust purchased 280 acres in the rolling hills of northeastern Missouri. We are now deep in our pioneering phase, constructing buildings while planning and developing community structure. People's social and economic needs are met primarily on-site and locally. There is an ever-increasing emphasis on internal economy, including nonmonetary forms of exchange such as barter. Eventually, we hope to have up to 1,000 people living in our community, with businesses and homes surrounding the village green.

As you might expect, ecological sustainability is the primary focus of our longterm vision and throughout our daily lives. We build our homes using alternative techniques such as straw bale and cob, powering them with renewable energy from both sun and wind. Vehicles at DR are owned by a cooperative and are powered by biodiesel, a fuel made from used vegetable oil. We are dedicated to eating local, organic, and in-season foods. Our vegetables are grown primarily in our own gardens.

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. Additionally, we have planted thousands of trees to restore our land to its presettlement 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, family units, and an income-sharing community (see Skyhouse listing). 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 have kept lease rates and membership dues low. We have no buy-in fee at DR.

In addition to being a wonderful home for us, Dancing Rabbit acts as a model for social change. Outreach and education are integral to our mission. Rather than isolating ourselves completely from the mainstream United States, 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, write us to arrange a visit or to receive our quarterly newsletter. We also have internships available for those who would like a longer hands-on experience. We are excited about our future and 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
Send an Email

Links:

Dancing Rabbit TV: Videos of our ecovillage

Former/Other Names: The Dancing Rabbit Project

Last Updated:5/14/2008

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 2 months in advance, as spots fill up quickly. We have 1-3 week visitor periods at set times between March and November.

Affiliations: Sandhill Farm

:: Red Earth Farms

:: Skyhouse Community

Network Affiliations:

Ecovillage Network of the Americas

:: Fellowship for Intentional Community

Population Adult Members: 32 Child Members: 11 Non-member Residents: 5 Open to new adults: Yes Open to new children: Yes Gender Balance: 47% M 53% F Open to which gender(s): All genders welcome Ethnic Diversity: 6% identify as 'people of color' Age Focus: No Focus Age Restrictions: No	Government Decision Making: By consensus Identified Leader: No Leadership Core Group: No	Labor and Money Financial Style: Members have independent finances (We do have an income sharing sub group called Skyhouse.) Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes Labor Contribution: Expected (Currently 24 hours per year to help with community projects) Join Fee: No Regular Fees: Yes (Annual dues are 2% of yearly income plus fes for various co-ops)
Land and Buildings Rural Area: 280 acres (113.3 hectares) Land Owned By: Community-controlled land trust Number of Residences: 15 Cohousing: No	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 6-20% Share Community Meals: 2-5 times/week 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 Open to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender members: Yes Restrictions on Romantic Relationships (between consenting adults): No Shared Spiritual Path: No Educational Style(s): Home schooling :: Other (Parents are free to choose an educational style)

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

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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.

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.

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