Among the many new and exciting things life in an ecovillage exposes us to—new ideas, new diets, new techniques and technologies, new celebrations—one of the most vital are the new people we meet! Our gate is open to visitors who may come for a tour, a workshop, to visit friends or family, or with the clear intention of finding their niche at Earthaven. Some stay or return to do work trades or internships, or to get the ball rolling toward membership.

We call the newest residents at Earthaven our “New Roots.” They come from far and wide, often are under 30, and participate in a variety of ways: as work exchangers, interns or apprentices, as long-term guests of family members, or as employees of on-site businesses. Generally, they’re all here to discover if Earthaven is the place to settle.

Thirteen New Roots, including New Roots Committee member (also an Exploring Member) NikiAnne Feinberg (left, bottom row) along with Community Service Coordinator Lyndon Felps (center, black tee shirt), got to know Earthaven and each other better at a recent check-in.

The New Roots are mentored both by the individual members who host New Roots and by the New Roots Committee. At periodic check-ins, New Roots get a chance to meet and discover how each other are handling living in the woods, coping with so much that is new and different, such as staying in tiny houses or communal set-ups, using and conserving off-grid power, reusing and recycling like crazy (including their own pee and poop), and shopping at the Free Store. Their adventures are life-changing!

Almost a quarter of those present at a recent check-in said they were interested in getting on the “membership track,” which begins with an Exploring Member interview with the Membership Committee. The interview also includes suggestions about what the potential Exploring Member might need to learn about Earthaven before joining. Exploring Memberships last up to a year, and Exploring Members are encouraged to attend (and sometimes join) committee meetings to learn about work going on behind the scenes. Financial commitment also expands at this time.

Within that year, the deeper commitment of Provisional Membership (the last step before the “jump” into Full Membership) is under consideration. Although not everyone takes the journey to Full Membership, just about everyone becomes part of Earthaven’s extended family, returning for long or short visits again and again.

Arjuna da Silva, a co-founder of Earthaven, has been a writer, editor, counselor and communitarian since before she can remember. She’s been focusing on a newer passion—natural building—for the last ten years or so, coordinating courses and a natural building internship program at Earthaven, now in its fifth year.

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Having taken this step in the community’s membership process, I find myself with a few (mostly new) notions about my place in the community and in the world.

Primarily I am now better poised to more fully participate in the exciting exchange of ideas and opinions that are the backbone of our sub-subculture, as well as being afforded more opportunity to contribute directly to the governance process. This in itself was one of my major motivations in applying for membership. As a result of all this, it seems I am taken more seriously in my attempts to socially and energetically establish myself here.

Further, I am becoming a bit clearer on what it will mean for me to simultaneously lead an autonomous lifestyle while still being inextricably connected to, and largely dependent upon, my neighbors and community.

Most importantly, I feel that I have come one small step closer to realizing my ultimate (mostly-attainable) fantasy of complete energetic detachment from that world which exists outside the safe, sensible, cozy bubble that is our home. And yes, you’re damn right, I am (to some extent) willfully hiding my head in the sand.

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In our Council Hall, the new and gorgeous, luminescent granite and marble mosaic floor is finally finished! The design for the floor was created by Jessica Evans and provided an opportunity for Earthaven to support sweat equity by approval of Jessica’s proposal to barter half her membership fee for the completion of the second half of the floor. (She designed and facilitated the first half for Earthaven currency aka “leaps.”)

About ten volunteers helped Jess translate her vision into the physical reality of laying “rock” in such a huge space. With such a beautiful floor, it’s been hard to move functional furniture back in over it, but until we build the next community building adjacent to it, Council Hall will continue to play its multi-functional role in our lives, including reception for many classes and events, expanded classroom space for the Forest Children Program, a small sustainability library, and a living room area around the wood stove for small group socializing. If you have elegant, comfortable furniture that you think would fit in that space, please reach out to us.

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