To our relations...

Grandmother Red Leaf, a Cherokee Elder, and Uncle Bob Randall, an Aborigine Elder, combined forces last Saturday, October 23, and presented a day of wisdom at Laughing Waters.

Though their cultures have existed for centuries on opposite sides of
the planet, it was inspiring to see and hear how similar their worldviews are. As
evidenced by their names, both cultures place great emphasis on family relationships. In
fact, families are considered to consist of everyone in the tribe or clan. Uncle Bob said
that he didn’ t know who his real mother was until he was grown because all of her sisters
were mothers to him.

Family connections even go beyond human relationships. All
living beings are considered to be cousins or siblings, parents or grandparents; and each
individual, whether human, plant, animal or mineral, is revered as a teacher. When asked
about invasive species such as kudzu and bittersweet, Grandmother Red Leaf answered
that they are expressing their anger about the way Mother Earth is suffering.

If all humans on the planet had this world view, I can’ t help but think that we would not be
polluting oceans, burning massive amounts of fossil fuel, thinning the ozone layer, and
destroying the delicate balance that is needed for all life to thrive for generations to come.

Take a moment in your day to honor your extended family, whether it be to your mother, your aunt, the tree, the birds, or the earth in some way.  Even if it is something simple, like turning the thermostate down a degree or two, do something to show you care.

Peace to all of our relations.

To see upcoming workshops at Laughing Waters go to www.LaughingWatersNC.com
For more information about becoming part of a sustainable community near Asheville North Carolina go to www.HickoryNutForestEcoCommunity.com

Life in Gerton by Deborah Pustorino

The 3^rd Annual Apple Festival held on September 25^th was a day of delight for many that found their way to this once abandoned orchard nestled in the mountains.  It has been lovingly brought back to life and the event and apples were free thanks to the owners of Laughing Waters at Hickory Nut Forest.   Basket in hand children were strolling about with eyes in awe as some found out for the first time that “apples really do grow on trees. “

Parents lovingly held them on their shoulders so they could pick one of their own. Mountain music slowly drifted about the crowd as the sound of laughter mixed with the stringing of an old banjo. Ladders leaned against trees and hands cranked old apple presses to make fresh apple juice for all to share.  As you sipped the sweet juice you could not help but feel the love that was squeezed right into it from the hands that picked the apples to the ones that turned the crank on the press.

When young and old alike gather to share the bounties of the earth of this beautiful place we call home it is the true sense of community as Gerton, NC and the Hickory Nut Gap area has known for many years. Whether it is the monthly potlucks held on the 3^rd Tuesday of every month at 6:30 at the Community Center for over 50 years or events such as this you will want to join in on the experience. Neighbors though spread apart by either geographical landscape or generations do not let this deter their coming together and sharing. The true sense and experience of community is here nestled away on top of a mountain and makes for a fine sweet day of life in Gerton.

Check out Laughing Waters at www.LaughingWatersNC.com

and Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community at www.HickoryNutForestEcocommunity.com

Photos and Story by Deborah Pustorino

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THE LORE AND LURE OF CHOCOLATE

Becoming a Chocolate Magician

(Asheville, NC) Chocolate.  For most of us, it simply tastes good.  It’s sweet and rich, and filled with all sorts of compounds that create positive feelings.  Some use this magical substance to create their art.  Paula is offering to share her alchemical skills in the kitchen to teach participants The Art of Chocolate, on November 20^th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at Laughing Waters Retreat Center in Hickory Nut Forest EcoCommunity.

Chocolate is most one of the top favorite foods in America today  It may be due to the neurotransmitters or specific combinations of chemicals some studies report it contains.  These are responsible for creating that “feel” good response, and are part of what make chocolate good for us.  Around the world it has been revered centuries - used as medicine and aphrodisiac, in spiritual ceremonies and even as the currency in some Central American countries up until the last century.

Most people today eat chocolate in the form of a delicious, decadent sweet in cakes, cookies and other desserts.  And for chefs and chocolateirs, chocolate is their craft and medium.

“Chocolate is simply sexy,” says Jane Lawson co-founder of Hickory Nut Forest Eco-community and Laughing Waters retreat center. “People want to immerse themselves is the lure and lore of chocolate and so we’re providing a workshop that is a serious opportunity to become a chocolate magician for life.”

Chocolate lovers will make and sample to their hearts content dark chocolate truffles, original hot chocolate (made with water, not milk!), raw chocolate treats, chocolate bourbon ice cream, flourless chocolate cake, ganache and more! They are encouraged to bring containers to bring their creations home with them.  The workshop is $50 and participants need to register by November 5^th so all the ingredients can be ordered.  To register call 828.712.4926 or email info@laughingwatersnc.com

The Art of Chocolate is just one of the workshops offered by Laughing Waters at Hickory Nut Forest. Laughing Waters is a retreat site and community center offering a deeply rejuvenating experience in a beautiful mountain setting. Our wide diversity of programs and community events help people realize their fullest potential – within themselves, as part of their community, and for the health of the world around them.  The space is also available to rent for conferences, retreats, weddings, family weekends and other events. For more information go to www.LaughingWatersNC.com

Rekindle your spirit with great wisdom keepers

TWO ESTEEMED ELDERS from different sides of the planet will come together on October 23 to bless us with a day of shared wisdom. Please join Grandmother Red Leaf and Uncle Bob Randall for this rare, intimate and magnificent opportunity to spend time with two people of great wisdom and heart. Albert Schweitzer said that "In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being.  We should all be thankful for those who rekindle the inner spirit." Come join Grandmother Red Leaf and Uncle Bob Randall and rekindle your spirit.

GRANDMOTHER RED LEAF is a Cherokee / Choctaw tribal elder, spiritual teacher and Mythkeeper. She was appointed as Greatly Beloved Woman of the Tsalagiyi Nvdagi (lifetime appointment) and also served as Wisdom Keeper for 15 years. She serves as Clan Mother for the Eastern Circle of the 7th Fire and has been designated as a 'Keeper of the Fire' (She Who Remembers). Grandmother Red Leaf has served as North Carolina's Cultural Consultant and is a member of many other cultural and educational associations. She has received 34 awards for her contributions to education, including one from the United Cultural Convention of the United States of America. Enrolled with Eastern Cherokee Immigrants and with the Metis' Nation in Canada, Grandmother Red Leaf is deeply committed to sharing the beauty of her heritage with others. She has taught Native American history, culture and art forms for almost forty years, from university to kindergarten. She has spoken around the country, is a published author, and is listed in the Who's Who in the World in the 21st Century. 

In her culture, Grandmother Red Leaf says people learn that all things have a connection: "The earth is like a spider web. If you touch one corner, the entire thing trembles."  She joins Uncle Bob Randall as an elder whose example reminds us of how to live with deep respect and reverence within the web of connection with all life.  Grandmother Red leaf lives in the mountains of Yancey County, NC.

UNCLE BOB RANDALL is an elder, a "Tjilpi" of the Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal Nation, and listed traditional owner of Uluru, the great monolith in the Central Australian Desert. He is the subject of the award-winning film, Kanyini, and the author of several books, including his autobiography, Songman. Bob Randall is a visionary educator, story-song writer, and bridge between the spirit and science of ancient indigenous and modern, non-indigenous cultures.  A living legend, Bob Randall articulates the wisdom, lore, and traditions of the Aborigines' way of living sustainably, in environmental, social, and political harmony with All Things.

In the early 1970s, his song "Brown Skin Baby" became an anthem for Aboriginal Australians, bringing international attention to the truth of the "Stolen Generation." Like thousands of other Aboriginal children, Bob Randall was forcibly taken away from his family by white authorities at about the age of seven and placed in a mission institution. Early in life he began the long process of searching for his family and Aboriginal identity. His experiences and a diverse education gave him a unique perspective of two divergent cultures. This has led to a life of service and leadership, working tirelessly for equality, reconciliation, and peace through collaborative, cross-cultural education and sharing. Bob Randall lives and teaches the practical application of "Kanyini," the Aboriginal principles of unconditional love, responsibility, and Oneness with the creative consciousness of the world.

PLEASE BRING YOUR LUNCH. (There are no places to eat nearby.) Modest admission price does not include lunch.  Tea, coffee and water will be provided.  We are keeping this event simple to maximize our support of the elders.
We encourage carpooling.
No recording devices permitted.

Here is the link to register for the event for elders Uncle Bob Randall and Grandmother Red Leaf on Saturday, October 23:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/132513

There are only 50 tickets available for this event and we expect to sell out. Sorry, no refunds will be issued. Please register early. Adults only. Please spread the word to anyone you think might also be interested. For more information contact:
Debra Roberts
828.712.0880
debra@fifthworldwomen.com

Sharing our Gifts in the World...

How do you discover the gifts you bring into the world?  These often reveal the purpose for why we are here and what we are supposed to try and achieve in this lifetime, but sometimes finding out what that purpose or gift is can be a challenge.

Once you identify your gifts, what can you do to sustain them and not experience burn-out?  In other words, how do you use your gifts without over-expending yourself? How do you determine the right way to use your gifts that achieve the highest and best good?
How do you keep yourself on the right path in using your gifts and not becoming pulled off center by the distractions and temptations of the world?

When most westerners think about gifts the exchange of material goods is the image that is most familiar. Little time and attention is given to finding, sustaining and sharing the gifts that lay within each person in western culture. However, exploring the spiritual aspects of life and sharing personal gifts are crucial ways to deepen connections to the world and to the best parts of ourselves. Speaker and spiritual leader Sobonfu Somé shares,

"It is always challenging to bring the spiritual into the material world, but it is one of the only ways we can put people back in touch with the earth and their inner values."

Sobonfu will offer rituals and healing from the Dagara tribe of West Africa with participants in the Asheville, NC area on November 12-14, 2010. Her work involves healing and preparing the mind, body, spirit and soul to receive the spirituality that is found inside and all around each person. This deeper spiritual connection can be used personally and to support others in recovery. Sobonfu’s work has moved African spiritual practices from the realm of anthropology into lives of Westerners, to a place alongside the world’s great spiritual traditions, with a message of profound significance and practical application. This experiential weekend will illuminate ways participants can expand personal and communal connection while nurturing ways to share their gifts for a lifetime.

On November 12th Sobonfu will present at MAHEC, 501 Biltmore Ave in Asheville. This evening two-hour event is open to a wide audience and light refreshments will be served. Sobonfu will continue her work with up to 40 participants through the weekend at the Laughing Waters Retreat site located in Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community in Gerton, NC.

The heartbeat of the earth

The drum is the heartbeat of the earth.  This is the belief of many native Americans with a link to the indigenous people of North America.  While there are different customs related to the drum and different kinds of drums, in general, many are used for prayer and spiritual ceremonies...to connect to spirit...to creator.

The music is said to originate form dieties or spirits, or from particularly respected individuals.  Stories are orally transmitted through song, with the drum keeping the rhythm.  Dance, costume and song inform the ritual.  As the drum takes the consciousness into other states of awareness, there is a conflation of music and power.  The music and the essence of the story can not be separated as they are not different but a unified power being transmitted.

Drums are powerful.  They are the heartbeat of the earth.  And Joe Roberts will tell you much more about the custom at the Drum Building Workshop on October 2nd at Laughing Waters Retreat Center.
To learn more go to www.LaughingWatersNC.com or call


 

Apple Butter - more fall fun

It takes a half bushel basket of apples to make 8 pints of apple butter!  Making the stuff is definitely an act of love (and persistence).  Gathering the apples was fun, during our workday in the orchard last weekend.  It’s true what they say about one bad apple.  I didn’t get to the peeling/coring for a few days, so when I did, I ended up having to toss out a bunch of the apples we had gathered.  Preparing the fruit was fun, with the three-pronged gizmo that does all the work for you.  Then the apple slices (plus a ton of sugar, some cinnamon, cloves and lemon) simmered in water for a loooong time, until all was soft and sweet and smooth.  Next came sterilizing the jars and the canning process.  All in all, a task that took several days.  But the product is YUMMY, especially on toast with your morning coffee.

- 4 pounds apples -mix several varieties, if possible - 2 cups sugar - 1 cup apple cider or water - pinch salt - 1 teaspoon cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon cloves - 1/2 teaspoon allspice - 1 lemon (optional)

Container: large pans, half-pint jars with lids suitable for canning

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

• If you will be canning the apple butter, get suitable jars, lids and rings ready. In a large pot or water bath canner, cover jars with water and boil 10 minutes. Turn off heat and drop lids in.
• Peel, core and cut up the apples. Combine with the cider or water and cook until the apples are soft.
• Add sugar, salt, spices and, if using, the juice and zest from a lemon.  Continue to cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the mixture is very thick. (Test by scooping up a heaping spoonful. The mixture should keep its rounded shape and not flatten out.)
• To process: with tongs, remove a jar from the hot water, fill it to 1/2 inch from the top with apple butter, wipe the rim clean and retrieve a lid from the hot water. Put the lid on, snug down a ring and return the filled jar to the pan of hot water. Continue until all jars are filled and/or the butter is gone.
• Return the pan of filled jars to the stove. Add more hot water if necessary to completely cover jars, then cover the  pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Allow to cool somewhat (or completely); carefully remove jars to a dry surface. Cool completely before removing sealing rings.  Check for seals following lid manufacturer's instructions. Freeze any that don't seal or refrigerate and use soon.

More apples than we can deal with!

With over 115 apple trees, this time of year is always exciting.  We've been out cleaning up the orchard for the 3rd annual Apple Fest.  And picking apples.  With all of these delicious fruits we're making lots of good dishes.  This week - apple cake. (My brother-in-law's favorite food!)

APPLE CAKE

Ingredients:
1 cup of sugar.
2 cups of diced apples.
1 beaten egg.
1/2 cup of vegetable oil.
1 1/2 cups of flour.
1 teaspoon of baking soda.
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Directions:

Mix in order. Pour into a greased 8*8 inch pan. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Bake at 350F for half an hour.

Raining apples

It’s time to turn some of these apples into pies, cakes, and apple butter for the Apple Fest. Yesterday there were 10 of us sprucing up the orchard a bit. Gardner climbed up into a red delicious tree, then a golden delicious tree and shook the branches until it
was raining apples. We scrambled to collect the fruit as it pelted the ground. Later we stuck our feet in the creek and splashed around with the kids. Now the real work begins!






Apple Cobbler Recipe

Ingredients:

3 large  apples, peeled and sliced.
1 cup flour.
1 cup sugar.
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
1 large egg.
1/2 cup butter, melted.

Directions:

Put apples in the bottom of a lightly greased 8x8 inch baking dish.

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and egg until it looks like coarse cornmeal.

Sprinkle topping over the apples.

Pour melted butter over the entire dish.

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

Taking home some beautiful crafts.

My sister Lynne has been creating homemade goodies for the Apple Fest at Hickory Nut
Forest Eco-Community for the last three years. Lynne has always been a go-getter and she has a hard time sitting still, so when we first came up with the idea to have a celebration around the apple harvest in our orchard, she asked if she could make a few things to use as prizes or giveaways for our event.

We had no idea what was in store.

Lynne loves crafts, just like our mother did. She’s always knitting or doing cross stitch when she watches TV. At the first Apple Fest, our guests were delighted to be able to choose take home gifts from the pile of things she had created. The second year was even more successful, and we used her knit bears as prizes for the apple toss and apple pie walk.

This year promises to be even better. Lynne says, “I used to look at anything with an apple on it and ask myself, ‘Could I use this somehow for the Apple Fest?’” This year she has broadened her approach to include anything with an autumn theme. If you come to our Apple Fest at Hickory Nut Forest on Sept. 25 and you are lucky enough to win at apple bobbing, or breaking the piñata (kids only), or win a raffle prize, you could end up taking home a fine handcrafted item. Fall-colored Onsies with a cross stitched pumpkin decoration, aprons with apple regalia, and knit bears with striped sweaters (it takes her two days to make one of these) are just a sampling of what’s possible. Come check it out!

Apple Fest coming just around the corner

Apples. They’re not just for pies anymore! In addition to applesauce and butter, there is caramel apple bars, apple buttermilk bread, apple kugel, apple-cabbage ravioli with thyme, apple mulligatawny and so much more.  To find fall apples for these creations, visitors and the community are invited to the Third Annual Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community AppleFest on September 25, from 1-5 at on Rt. 74-A in Gerton/Bat Cave, NC.  It is free and family-friendly event.

According to local apple authorities, the height of the apple season usually runs from late August to late September, and with North Carolina being the 7^th largest apple-producing state in the nation, Apple Fest is a time-honored tradition.  According to celebrated author Creighton Lee Calhoun, “in every region of the South apples have been grown and esteemed for centuries.”

Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community near Asheville “found” their 10-acre orchard under “jungle of overgrowth” several years ago.  With the help of friends and volunteers they cleared the land and discovered 115 trees of 10 different varieties including: Golden and Red Delicious, Stamen and Turley Winesap, Lodi, and White Russian.

“We started AppleFest as a way of giving the apples something to do,” says John Myers co-founder of Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community.  “First, we invite members of the larger community to harvest. Then the Gleaners come and gather apples to the food banks. Finally, people come and pick up the ground apples for their animals.  It’s a win-win for everyone.”

This year’s AppleFest includes music, cider making, kid’s events and sampling of various apple goodies by Jack’s Catering of Asheville.  People are encouraged to bring their own containers to take the apples home.

When harvesting and preparing, the top authorities on apples suggest the following:

·      When picking, an apple’s skin should be shiny, not dull.  A dull apple won’t be crisp and tasty. Also, make sure the apple is firm and free of bruises and punctures.

·      When storing, keep apples at about 32 degrees Fahrenheit.  They won’t stay crisp on the counter top for long.

·      When preparing, Protect cut apples from oxidation by dipping them into a solution of one part citrus juice and three parts water.

Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community is currently expanding the orchard into a permaculture food forest with over 40 varieties of perennial fruits and nuts. The community, located on 270 acres, features green-built homes with renewable energy, organic gardens and orchards, and a community center called Laughing Waters for retreats, community gatherings, and education events. 

For more information and directions to AppleFest visit  www.HickoryNutForest.com or www.LaughingWatersNC.com or call John Myers at (828) 712-4926.

Oyster Mushrooms - Yum!

After a patient year of periodically checking on a pile of logs, some fruits of our labor have appeared.  At Laughing Water last year we hosted a mushroom innoculation class with about 30 participants.  We used various species of trees from the Hickory Nut Forest eco-community land and innoculated them with edible mushroom "plugs."  These plugs contain the microrizae or "roots" of certain prized mushrooms including:  shiitake, lion's mane, oyster and chicken of the wood. 

After the heavy rains last week, oyster mushrooms have sprouted from the logs.  Tonight I prepared a delicious meal of them sauteed lightly with a pinch of salt.  So good!!!
I'm looking forward to these tasty treats for years to come.

The Zodiac Garden

The zodiac herb garden in the community garden has gotten a bit beyond us this summer. Jeremy Scheme, the visionary who helped us plan and plant the garden last year, was kind and came out to help us identify what is still in there amidst the HUGE weeds that had almost overtaken circle. We discovered spearmint, yarrow, boneset, valerian, wormwood, echinacea,
fennel, and more after clearing out the much too large area that lamb’s quarters had
claimed. The nettles, a planned member of the garden, also replicated itself way beyond
what is needed or desired. John is still picking out the barbs today.

Luckily for us, nettles has some great uses. According to herbal sources, nettles is known for providing increased energy and stamina when it is consumed daily over a period of time.   It is also purported to have affects on thickening hair and smoothing skin. Looks like we're going to be in good shape here at Laughing Waters and Hickory Nut Forest!  We may need to do an herbal tea class or some such thing with all this excess.

Herbalists also say that nettles has also attributed to aiding in the following conditions:

• Arthritis
• Diarrhea
• Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
• Shrinking Enlarged Prostates
• Exzema
• Detoxification

So if you want to Detox or have arthritis, give us a call.  Tomorrow I'll send on information about some of the other helpful "extras".

To see what is happening at Hickory Nut Eco-Community visit us at www.HickoryNutForest.com
To see our calendar of upcoming events at Laughing Waters go to www.LaughingWatersNC.com

Micro-Hydro: Energy Conscious Retreat Center near Asheville

We are moving ever closer to finalizing our plans for a micro-hydro system that will power our new Laughing Waters Community Center and Retreat Site. Since we are fortunate to have year round stream running through the property, we are able to take a portion of this water to run a micro hydro turbine. (The remaining water is need in the stream to keep the trout happy!)

We have been studying and learning for the past two years and hope to be able to start construction next month. In future blogs i can explain all the components that go into a system like this including calculating the water flow, pressure, size of pipes, type of turbine, type of inverter, batteries, and grid tie. Since we plan to both sell power to the grid and draw on the grid and be able to run the building off-grid, all that adds more complexity to the design. There is lots of expertise available on solar systems, but much harder to find for micro-hydro. But we are determined and slowly it is all coming together. More later.

Finding and Sustainaing One's Gifts

In conjunction with MAHEC, Sobonfu Some will be coming to Laughing Waters at Hickory Nut Forest EcoCommunity on Friday evening, November 12 followed by a weekend program.

There is a deep longing among people in the West to connect with something bigger -- with community and spirit. People know there is something missing in their lives, and believe that the rituals and ancient ways of the village offer some answers." These are the simple yet deeply poignant words of author and teacher Sobonfu Somé, one of the foremost voices in African spirituality to come to west. Destined from birth to teach the ancient wisdom, ritual and practices of her ancestors to those in the West, Sobonfu, whose name means "keeper of the rituals" travels the world on a healing mission sharing the rich spiritual life and culture of her native land Burkina Faso, which ranks as one of the world's poorest countries yet one of the richest in spiritual life and custom.

Recognized by the village elders as possessing special gifts from birth, Sobonfu's destiny was foretold before her birth, as is the custom of the Dagara Tribe of Burkina Faso and was fostered by early education in ritual and initiation in preparation for her life's work. "My work is really a journey in self discovery and in building community through rituals," says Sobonfu. Dagara rituals involve healing and preparing the mind, body, spirit and soul to receive the spirituality that is all around us. "It is always challenging to bring the spiritual into the material world, but it is one of the only ways we can put people back in touch with the earth and their inner values."

For more information go to www.LaughingWatersNC.com or visit http://www.sobonfu.com/pages/index.shtml

What's happening in the garden.

Asian Pears are now ripe at in the nearby orchard of Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community. If you've ever bitten into one of these crisp, sweet treats you can understand our excitement.

Pear is the common name for about 20 species of trees and their fruit in the rose family, and the Asian pear is decidedly different than our varieties due to their storage abilities.  When mature, the fruit are can be remain unchanged for several months after picking if held in cold storage.

Hickory Nut Forest planted 5 trees to help diversify our orchard.  Those at Laughing Waters Retreat Center get to indulge in these wonderful treats when they come to visit.

The trees are  disease resistant and low maintenance, available at many nurseries including Chuck Marsh's Useful Plant Nursery.  For more info on Asian Pears and the Useful Plant Nursery check out:  http://www.usefulplants.org/trees/asianpear.php

To see more about what is happening at Laughing Waters go to www.LaughingWatersNC.com

From Mary & Keith's Excellent Adventure

Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Village

 Today, after a brief visit to downtown Asheville for a delicious vegetarian Reuben and pumpkin spice decaf lattes (we eat out at restaurants or cafes only about once a week on average), we drove up winding mountain roads to the town of Gerton, North Carolina in order to visit the Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Village. We even crossed the Continental Divide on the way up the mountain!

From it's website, Hickory Nut Forest is a project described as "a unique eco-friendly community close to Asheville with plans to combine land conservation, green-built homes, organic gardening and renewable energy from wind, water, sun, and geothermal sources. Here, you can be part of designing a 'net zero energy homes community' that creates more renewable energy than it uses."

Another exciting aspect of Hickory Nut is the creation of a retreat/conference center which sits along a rushing mountain stream on the site of an old grist mill, with a basement yoga room located just alongside the stream. While we were visiting, we were also able to witness how the team is beginning the process of reconstructing several centuries-old log cabins on the site. It is obviously a labor of love, and the timber recovered from the ancient cabins is beautiful and enormous.

 As far as the sites for the homes is concerned, they are magnificent sites along a ridge overlooking the valley below, and the homes themselves will be certified green, using the best low-impact and healthy materials which will be conscientiously sourced. Water conservation, super-insulation, passive and active solar, geothermal and other technologies will also be employed in the building process, and waste water will be recycled using various cutting edge permaculture methods.

 The land surrounding the conference center is lush with tall trees, rhododendron and mountain laurel---a varied forested landscape. Adjacent to the conference center site is an organic orchard and garden which uses permaculture principles and may evolve into a form of community supported agriculture or similar project.

The Hickory Nut model is very captivating because part of our life's vision is to live close to the land in community, and potentially being part of a retreat center is very attractive to us based on a life-long dream of working and living in a retreat atmosphere.

While we are not currently in a position to buy a plot of land and begin the process of building a home in an emerging eco-village, we can see that the community that will emerge at Hickory Nut is one we will be sure to watch as it finds its feet and comes to certain fruition. We wish everyone at Hickory Nut the very best, and we hope to visit again to witness what will certainly be a transformative ripening of the vision behind this community.

Synchronicity?

It is fascinating to me how people find their way to Hickory Nut Forest. My husband
John and I have created this eco-community with the intention of drawing like-minded
souls with a passion for protecting the land and living sustainably. Yet we have done
very little (until recently) to “market” the place.

Last weekend John and I were relaxing the eco-community's retreat center, Laughing Waters, doing some laundry and finishing up business from the weekend, when a knock came at our door. We opened it and met Kathy and Jean Pierre, who were visiting the area from Reno. They had been looking for an eco-community within a 30 minute drive from Asheville and had already checked out a couple of other places.

On their last morning in the area, JP wanted to continue to go about their quest systematically. That morning though, Kathy wanted to do things differently. She wanted to get in their car and meander, allowing their intuition to be their guide.

As it turned out, their GPS was not working when they got into the car, and so they did things Kathy’s way and decided to follow exit 53 B off I-40 that said “Blue Ridge Parkway/Bat Cave.”

Cruising along for 15 minutes or so after leaving the interstate, things began to open up. They loved the looming mountains and charming pastures and barns they were passing. They commented on the sign that informed them they were crossing the Continental Divide. Shortly afterwards, they saw the entrance to Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community and pulled in.

They drove all the way up to Marcia’s lot at the top of the development and spoke to her about Hickory Nut Forest. She directed them to Laughing Waters retreat site and community center where she
thought we might still be. Even though the gate was locked, they parked their car at the
top of the drive and walked down to the community center. We were amazed to learn
from each other that we all had the same vision for how we intend to live, and that in
our different ways we were calling on the universe for guidance.

John and I have been asking for the right people to show up to add their energies to this growing community. Kathy and JP have been asking to find the community of their dreams. Whether or not
they end up living in Hickory Nut Forest, we all feel that our paths will continue to cross.
And it affirmed our belief that if you put out a clear and strong intention, it will come to
pass.


To see more of Hickory Nut Forest visit www.HickoryNutForest.ecofriendlycommunities.com/

To see the retreat center visit
www.LaughingWatersNC.com