Cobb Hill
Encyclopedia
Cobb Hill is an intentional community
in Hartland, VT in the United States
. Its design borrows from other community, agricultural, and environmental action models: cohousing
, ecovillage
s, sustainable communities, community-supported agriculture
(CSA), agricultural collectives, sustainability
research and action organizations.
principles - buildings oriented to maximize solar hot water
and passive solar heating, very good insulation and windows, composting toilets, a single Garn brand wood gasifying furnace
to heat all units, certified and local building materials, and energy star
appliances.
they have chosen not to seek organic certification. Sustainable agriculture
and production for local and regional markets are emphasized. Some of the residents bring in a significant part of their household income from the agricultural enterprises.
. Beyond green houses and producing food locally there is shared intention to explore other forms of local and global education and action. This plays out in many ways and at varied levels of commitment and time for different members. Members participate in the many activities that keep the community functioning socially and physically - shared meals twice a week, monthly work days and community meetings, standing and ad hoc committees, social events. Over time deep friendships have developed. Conflicts also happen. The community has shown resilience and tenacity in exploring in regular meetings and facilitated retreats how to move collectively from wide-ranging personal interest to common ground.
, a founding member of Cobb Hill also founded the Institute before her death in 2001.
Intentional community
An intentional community is a planned residential community designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork than other communities. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and often follow an alternative lifestyle. They...
in Hartland, VT in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its design borrows from other community, agricultural, and environmental action models: cohousing
Cohousing
A cohousing community is a type of intentional community composed of private homes supplemented by shared facilities. The community is planned, owned and managed by the residents – who also share activities which may include cooking, dining, child care, gardening, and governance of the...
, ecovillage
Ecovillage
Ecovillages are intentional communities with the goal of becoming more socially, economically and ecologically sustainable. Some aim for a population of 50–150 individuals. Larger ecovillages of up to 2,000 individuals exist as networks of smaller subcommunities to create an ecovillage model that...
s, sustainable communities, community-supported agriculture
Community-supported agriculture
Community-supported agriculture, a form of an alternative food network, is a socio-economic model of agriculture and food distribution. A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farming operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food...
(CSA), agricultural collectives, sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
research and action organizations.
Green Construction
Twenty three households live in tightly clustered houses on 260 acres (1.1 km²) that include a working organic, partly horse-powered farm and forest. Another member lives in an 1800s farmhouse on the property. The new homes and common house were built using green buildingGreen building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
principles - buildings oriented to maximize solar hot water
Solar hot water
Solar water heating or solar hot water systems comprise several innovations and many mature renewable energy technologies that have been well established for many years...
and passive solar heating, very good insulation and windows, composting toilets, a single Garn brand wood gasifying furnace
Jetstream furnace
Jetstream furnaces , were an advanced design of wood-fired water heaters conceived by Dr. Richard Hill of the University of Maine in Orono, Maine, USA...
to heat all units, certified and local building materials, and energy star
Energy Star
Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products originated in the United States of America. It was first created as a United States government program during the early 1990s, but Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted...
appliances.
Agriculture at Cobb Hill
Agricultural enterprises include a CSA called Cedar Mountain, a dairy, Cobb Hill Cheese, Cobb Hill Frozen Yogurt, Cobb Hill Maple Syrup, Cobb Hill Icelandic Sheep, beekeeping/honey, poultry, egg production, hay, and forestry. Each enterprise is structured as a partnership of an interested and invested subset of community members. While the enterprises all use organic methodsOrganic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
they have chosen not to seek organic certification. Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment...
and production for local and regional markets are emphasized. Some of the residents bring in a significant part of their household income from the agricultural enterprises.
Community
Cobb Hill members seek a sustainable lifestyleSustainable living
Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual's or society's use of the Earth's natural resources and his/her own resources. Practitioners of sustainable living often attempt to reduce their carbon footprint by altering methods of transportation, energy consumption and diet...
. Beyond green houses and producing food locally there is shared intention to explore other forms of local and global education and action. This plays out in many ways and at varied levels of commitment and time for different members. Members participate in the many activities that keep the community functioning socially and physically - shared meals twice a week, monthly work days and community meetings, standing and ad hoc committees, social events. Over time deep friendships have developed. Conflicts also happen. The community has shown resilience and tenacity in exploring in regular meetings and facilitated retreats how to move collectively from wide-ranging personal interest to common ground.
Sustainability Institute
Some Cobb Hill members worked in the initial years at the Sustainability Institute, which was adjacent to the cohousing village and farm. Dana MeadowsDonella Meadows
Donella H. "Dana" Meadows was a pioneering American environmental scientist, teacher and writer. She is best known as lead author of the influential book The Limits to Growth, which made headlines around the world.- Life :Born in Elgin, Illinois, Meadows was educated in science, receiving a B.A...
, a founding member of Cobb Hill also founded the Institute before her death in 2001.