Tag Archive for ‘community’ at Our Farm Adventure

Yesterday, my Permaculture class went on a field trip to the Arcadia Cohousing Community in Chapel Hill, NC. It is basically a planned neighborhood of 33 individually owned homes that are clustered together in a way that promotes interaction and cooperation. Instead of clearly defined lots and divisions, there are peripheral parking spaces and many houses are connected by either common doors or breezeways. Sidewalks link the homes to the central green space, common house (including a commercial-style kitchen, and rooms for guests), and the creek. The development is 6 acres, with another 10 acres set aside for wildlife, recreation, and a community garden.

The main difference between this and a commune is that Arcadia is simply an intentional neighborhood. People there have regular jobs, aren’t very “granola” (there were few solar panels), and aren’t required to perform any type of community work.

Overall, it was interesting to see and honestly it would be wonderful if more neighborhoods had this type of arrangement. Every family in Arcadia knows everyone else, and several even serve together on community committees. How many of you can say that you know 32 of your neighbors?

Check out the photos, especially the ones of the green rickshaw-type bike. It carries two people side-by-side and has a small electric motor to assist on hills. Pretty neat, although the pricetag (including upgrades) was over $3,000.

Arcadia Cohousing Information

Arcadia Photos

After Arcadia, we did a quick drive-by of the newer Pacifica community right down the road in Carrboro, NC. It seems to be denser, comprised mostly of townhomes and condos, with very few individual homes. I liked the funky colors. See photos.

Pacifica Cohousing Information

Pacifica Official Site

Pacifica Photos

Last, but not least, we visited the Pickard’s Mountain Eco-Institute which is run by Tim Toben and his wife Megan. Nobody was around to give us an official tour, but it looked like they were doing great things. We got to go inside part of the Toben’s house which was unbelievable. It wasn’t anything I’d ever want to live in, but it was interesting to see what some people view as “eco friendly” when the budget is in the millions of dollars (Tim is the former CEO of a dot com company).

Tim Toben Interview on Treehugger

Pickard’s Mountain Eco Institute

Pickard Mountain / Toben House Photos

Last night Ben and I heard a talk by Judy Wicks, owner/founder of The White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia. She spoke last night in Raleigh about what she calls “local living economies” which encompasses local food and farming, community energy and organizing, finding more sustainable ways to enhance commerce among people and businesses within a specified region, and integrate these alternative methods into global trade.

It was moving, to say the least.

None of the issues she spoke about were new to me: our overpopulation situation, effects of long distance food distribution, trade issues, loss of local farms and the connections between, etc. But the ways in which this woman has created change in her community (and by starting small) was *very* new to me. I tend to have a pessimistic view of our nation and mostly generalize people into one large group of “idiots” who succumb to the way things seem and don’t strive to make change. This, I realize, is wrong, but it’s difficult for me to snap out of it until I see someone who *has* made change come forward and talk about their experiences. Judy noted that a lot of her success comes simply from talking to people. For the past 25 years she has formed honest relationships through communication of mutual beneficial alternatives to unsustainable living, and fueled her community with information on how changes can be made, starting with the individual. It’s grassroots all around and gave me a lot of ideas.

Hearing Judy speak and feeling her energy last evening left me excited about creating a life in Toccoa. Living and playing mostly in cities my whole life I struggle with the vision of living in a small town on a farm. And I probably have no idea how much actual *work* it’s going to be, at least to get us started, but now, more than I ever imagined, I am looking forward to it. And I say that because I am hoping that Ben and I can make a difference in Toccoa and sort of grab the town by the balls, if you will. There is certainly a huge opportunity there for us to impact locals by setting an example of a more sustainable way of life and I can’t wait to get started!

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