Cobb Hill: Difference between revisions
| Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
===Green Construction=== |
===Green Construction=== |
||
22 households live in tightly clustered houses on 260 acres that include a working organic farm and forest. Another member lives in a farmhouse on the property. The new homes and common house were built using [[green building]] principles - buildings oriented to maximize solar hot water and passive solar heating, very good insulation and windows, composting toilets, a single wood gasifying furnace to heat all units, certified and local building materials. |
22 households live in tightly clustered houses on 260 acres that include a working organic farm and forest. Another member lives in a farmhouse on the property. The new homes and common house were built using [[green building]] principles - buildings oriented to maximize [[solar hot water]] and [[passive solar]] heating, very good insulation and windows, [composting toilets], a single wood gasifying furnace to heat all units, certified and local building materials. |
||
===Agriculture at Cobb Hill=== |
===Agriculture at Cobb Hill=== |
||
Revision as of 19:29, 7 February 2007
Cobb Hill is an intentional community in Hartland, Vermont.
Cobb Hill
Cobb Hill is an intentional community in Hartland, VT. Its design borrows from other community, agricultural, and environmental action models: cohousing, ecovillages, sustainable communities, agricultural collectives, sustainability research and action organizations.
Green Construction
22 households live in tightly clustered houses on 260 acres that include a working organic farm and forest. Another member lives in a farmhouse on the property. The new homes and common house were built using green building principles - buildings oriented to maximize solar hot water and passive solar heating, very good insulation and windows, [composting toilets], a single wood gasifying furnace to heat all units, certified and local building materials.
Agriculture at Cobb Hill
Agricultural enterprises include a CSA called Cedar Mountain, a dairy, Cobb Hill Cheese, maple syrup, sheep, beekeeping/honey, poultry, and forestry. Each enterprise is structured as a partnership of an interested and invested subset of community members. While the enterprises all use organic methods they have chosen not to seek organic certification. Sustainable agriculture and production for local and regional markets are emphasized. A small number of the residents bring in a significant part of their household income from the agricultural enterprises.
Community
Cobb Hill members are seeking a sustainable lifestyle. Beyond green houses and producing food locally there is a shared commitment to explore other forms of local and global education and action. This plays out in many ways and at varied levels of commitment and time for different members. Members participate in the many activities that keep the community functioning socially and physically - shared meals twice a week, monthly work days and community meetings, standing and ad hoc committees, social events. Over time deep friendships have developed. Conflicts also happen. The community has shown resiliance and tenacity in exploring in regular meetings and facilitated retreats how to move collectively from wide-ranging personal interest to common ground.
Sustainability Institute
Some Cobb Hill members work at the Sustainability Institute, adjacent to the cohousing village and farm. Dana Meadows, a founding member of Cobb Hill and Director of the Institute until her death in 2001, dubbed the Sustainability Institute a 'think-do tank".