North Mountain Community

, our dues cover land taxes and maintenance costs for shared resources ) including several fields and a large forested area, farm equipment, barns, driveways/culverts, etc. The land has been pesticide/herbicide free since 1972 (and most likely much longer before that) and we keep it that way (ie. work with VDOT and power company to maintain own clearing of right of way along roads/power lines, have a policy of not using these chemicals, etc). Each homestead generally maintains their own food production, although we trade and share our bounty of our various endeavors which include currently (at the different homesteads) bee keeping, several goats, 1 dairy cow (chickens , rabbits, veggie gardens (of course!), a perma-culture inspired forest berry garden. Community members meet about once a month for meetings, but meet for social events (potlucks, bonfires, movie nights, equinoxes and other sacred celebrations). We do not push any food/religious/cultural practice on anyone other than sustainability and that is one thing we love about it here, we have independence to explore our hobbies without judgment and get to learn from everyone's interests, such as car repair and welding! We just ask folks live as closely with the earth as their heart and mind needs, and as our oldest member says "live simply so that others can simply live."