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EcoVillage Life
Safe, Friendly Neighborhood
We are real neighbors to one another, as we build community. Our aim is to create a community of diverse individuals that encourages collaboration yet ensures privacy. We are committed to community systems that provide opportunity for resident participation in the design and ongoing management of the village.
In the summer, 2006, a playground was constructed by the community, a place where all ages are welcome to come and play. Our community encourages walking, through the use of peripheral parking and pedestrian trails, so that it is safer for children and adults to walk and are play in front of homes. It’s also not unusual for neighbors to meet one another while out walking in the area – a few minutes enjoying the outdoors and exercising is a plus as well! We share some chores, carpool, and sometimes share errands. We look after one another’s homes when a neighbor is away, sometimes providing pet care and mail pickup.
A sampling of community activities is listed below:
Potlucks
EcoVillagers take turns hosting potluck twice each month on Friday evenings. Sometimes an EcoVillage committee arranges for a speaker to attend a potluck and share information on a topic of group interest. A host can engage a speaker to enhance the evening as well. The crowd is expanded by friends and extended family of residents, and creative cooking often livens the evening.
Visitors
EcoVillage draws tours by college, high school, middle and elementary school classes,film crews and building-related practitioners from the US and abroad. EcoVillagers can opt to participate or not.
Work Parties
We plant, undertake building projects, pull strangling vines from trees, clear invasives from the land, and maintain the pond at work parties. Typically, we hold potlucks afterwards, which can turn into wonderful celebrations with spontaneous sing-alongs and story-telling.
Spontaneous Winter Happenings
EcoVillagers seem to love the snow, and throw spontaneous sledding parties, particularly when school is called off. Anyone can kick-off such an event just by phoning neighbors. We usually gather at the hill behind the old barn and top off the party with hot cider!
Nature Walks
Summers usually feature a nature walk led by a local ecologist during which residents and Taylorstown neighbors learn about our ecosystem.
Seasonal Celebrations
Various residents host seasonal celebrations at EcoVillage. These include cookie baking and crafts in winter and blueberry picking in summer.
Reptile Rescue Releases
EcoVillage has partnered with Northern Virginia Reptile Rescue to serve as a release site for reptiles saved and rehabilitated by that organization. So far, 42 Eastern Box Turtles and one very fat toad have been released at EcoVillage. These events are always educational and fun.
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