population 60
purpose and mission: "To be an evolving village-scale community dedicated to caring for people and the Earth by learning, practicing and demonstrating the skills for creating holistic sustainable culture, in recognition and celebration of the Oneness of all life."

Life as an artful project... Tucked away near Black Mountain, North Carolina, this place is one of the places in the U.S. where people are "really doing it": working hard to build some kind of off-the-grid, sustainable community. About an hour from Asheville, if I remember right. I might add more to this page later, but please visit earthaven's website for whatever information you might need; they welcome visitors.

field notes: chickweed mead / 3 august 2004

honey wine, made out of weeds (because in earthaven ecovillage, in the carolina mountains, there is no such thing as a weed / every plant has a personality and a purpose...) 50 or 60 people live there, off the grid, solar and water power, composting toilets, enough electricity to watch DVDs and light the kitchen, where there's popcorn and conversation and people who are realistic yet optimistic; such a rare combination. i passed the weekend there, learning about edible wild plants, watching a traveler from Quebec bake unleavened bread from grain he sprouted himself, bathing in a mossy creek with rock cairns under the sun. The place proved that people can create alternatives: see earthaven, with the rain and full moon and sparkling creek and mold and smells and earth and children; smiles, sweat, rest, oatmeal, butterflies, and everything else that spells l-i-f-e.

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