Live and Work at Earthaven positions are by arrangement with various hosts—Earthaven members who are working on their site development, buildings, businesses, or gardens. Positions are arranged privately between you and the host (at this time, Earthaven does not have positions sponsored by the community). Workers are part of Earthaven's New Roots program, which includes orientations, regular check-ins, and other activities for support and accountability.
Earthaven members expect a lot of themselves and they expect a lot of you too. Earthaven is a working, building, living environment, and most of the work is hard, physical labor outdoors—digging, hauling, building. Learning by doing, in a service role, is very different from today’s formal education. Like many hands-on experiences, you may not realize what you have learned and the value of your experience until months or years later!
A standard position at Earthaven is 24 hours a week: 20 hours a week in exchange for hosting, food, and camping, plus 4 hours a week for Earthaven. There are, however, a wide variety of arrangements, depending on what the host expects and offers. See below for positions that may be currently available. If you are interested in one of these opportunities, please contact the host directly.
ECOLOGICAL BUILDING AND INTEGRATED FARM SYSTEMS Dates: Available immediately. 1-year minimum commitment.
Skill-building work with broad exposure to sustainable human settlement. Construction (passive solar design with local, natural, and recycled materials); farming (pastured livestock, vegetable cultivation, and fertility management); renewable utility systems (photovoltaics, water, and waste treatment); land clearing and lumber processing. Visit required. To apply, send resume and/or letter describing your interest, experience, and intention; and a photograph of yourself.
30 hrs/wk for host (+wages for more) 4 hrs/wk for Earthaven
34 Total hours per week
Shelter
Private housing, heat, electricity
Classes
Not included
Money
None
Experience
Live and work at Earthaven
FOREST GARDEN AND HAWK HOLLER FARM Dates: March 1 – September 30, 2010. 2-month minimum commitment
At the Forest Garden Learning Center, you will help build and maintain paths and facilities, and plant, harvest, and maintain perennial gardens and ponds. At Hawk Holler homestead farm, you will plant, maintain, and harvest annual vegetables and shitake mushrooms, and work with chickens and dogs.
30 hrs/wk for host 4 hrs/wk for Earthaven
34 Total hours per week
Shelter
Housing in travel trailer
Classes
Not included
Money
$90-190+ food costs $15 vehicle fee (if you bring vehicle)
$105 - 205+ Total per month
plus $25 one-time Earthaven fee
Experience
Live and work at Earthaven
MEDICINE WHEEL WORK EXCHANGE Dates: Ongoing; 2-month minimum stay
Medicine Wheel Collective is a permaculture-based collective household. Amenities include bedroom, social areas, indoor and outdoor showers, phone (long distance and Internet), and community kitchen. Experiential learning during ongoing projects: annual and perennial gardens, orchard, plant propagation, plumbing, carpentry, greenhouse construction, and rainwater catchment.
Contact: Lyndon, (828) 669-0027.
You Receive
You Give
Food
Not included (optional low-cost food plan available)
Work
15 hrs/wk for host 4 hrs/wk for Earthaven
19 Total hours per week
Shelter
Housing
Classes
Not included
Money
$200-300+ food costs $30-55 Earthaven fees
$230-355+ Total per month
plus $25 one-time Earthaven fee
