Work Day, October 3rd
Margret chronicles the accomplishments at the work day on October 3rd: Jeffry mowed extensively (5 hours in 2 days), Ginny and Geri got a great start on garden clean-up, and Margret and Rita tackled the McGowan Creek trail, making excellent headway. Rita snapped some pictures of the many mushrooms spreading everywhere. Thank you, everyone, for your care of the land!
Global Ecovillage Network experience at Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute
by Joe Cole
On Saturday,
October 1, I attended a workshop on Ecovillages at Pickard’s Mountain Eco-Institute. The workshop was led by two energetic, young facilitators. Cynthia and Nick are active in GEN, the Global Ecovillage Network, and Cynthia is on GEN’s international board.
The facilitators gave us an overview of the global ecovillage movement, and shared some of their experiences visiting and living in ecovillages around the world. In small and large-group activities, we shared our feelings about the environmental challenges ahead, and also our visions about how to move forward. I left with a deeper sense of connection to the world-wide ecovillage movement that is building communities based in cooperation and sustainability.
After the workshop, I had an interesting conversation with Cynthia and Nick about how Hart’s Mill might attract more young people. Among their suggestions: h
aving short-term, affordable housing in the community; creating education and internship programs; providing entrepreneurship opportunities and infrastructure that welcomes young people, including community businesses with jobs designated to support a few young people financially; and hosting National/International ecovillage events and gatherings at Hart’s Mill. I look forward to working with Hart’s Millers in making many of these ideas manifest in our community.
The workshop also inspired me to enroll in an online course offered by GEN/Gaia Education. The Design for Sustainability course is a ten-month version of their month-long face-to-face design workshop, and it starts in mid-late October. Here is a link with more information:
http://www.gaiaeducation.org/index.php/en/online
Keep an eye out, because I will be sharing what I learn in this course with the HM community. (Thank you, Joe — we’ll be waiting!)
