Sage Valley Ecovillage

  • Community
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About the Community

  • Forming
  • Rural

What we do

As a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Sage Valley represents many things to many people, but at its core, it is the foundation of a community of people who believe that better ways of living are right before us, and are dedicated to sharing these through action. Among the many things we share is a vision of a better world, in which we live in harmony with each other and nature. A world where we all have access to whole foods, clean water, and housing provided from the beautiful planet we share. We come together to live by example, to create the change we want to see, and to act collectively in influencing the culture of our society so that it will one day reflect the values we hold. The land operates as an event space, an education center, a farm, and an ecovillage.

Brought together through a collective of like-minded travelers, rainbow family, activists, medicine tribe, music lovers, artists, gardeners, and creators, we began this journey in 2016 when the land hosted it’s first off-grid gathering. Together we built composting outhouses, an outdoor kitchen, a stage, and sacred fire circle. We thought, why stop here? Since then, we have been building community together.

Our Values

The values of the Sage Valley Ecovillage are the ideals shared by residents which guide policy design, decision making, and create a foundation for group cohesion.

I. We acknowledge that our actions have consequences, which impact our own lives, the lives of the people around us, and the world we share.

II. We acknowledge that it is more constructive to focus on what we have in common, rather than what separates us.

III. We acknowledge that we share the planet earth which provides resources for all life that resides on it. Because earth is the home that we share, everything it provides should be shared between us. To be able to sustain our lives, we must also sustain the life support systems of Earth.

IV. We acknowledge that children are our future and that it is essential that every child has their needs met while they are developing, so they are able to express their highest potential.

V. We are dedicated to learning and growth, which require failure and success, and so in the pursuit of expressing our highest potential we will be resilient, forgive ourselves and those around us for our mistakes, and do our best to coexist.

VI. We accept that in order to be a powerful collective which is capable of effecting positive change we must each take responsibility for our personal needs, while recognizing our interdependence, and supporting the needs of those around us.

VII. We believe that all people have the right to be seen and heard, and that we have freedom to choose what is right for us. In this, we empower ourselves and others to live in full authenticity.

VIII. We will strive to make the world better for all life by taking loving, peaceful, constructive, action towards solutions, each for their own reasons and because this is what is optimal for all life

Our Vision

Fostering healthy connections with ourselves, each other, and the planet through education and example.

Our Mission

Fostering healthy connections with ourselves, each other, and the planet through education and example.

  • Community type
  • Cohousing
  • Ecovillage
  • Spiritual Retreat Centers
  • Activities
  • Education
  • Services Business
  • Others
  • 10 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
10

How to join

Event Attendee- Coming to one of our gatherings or other events is a great way to get introduced to the community. Anyone is welcome during public events. No application is needed.

Intentional Camper- During specific times of the year, as determined by the ecovillage residents based on resources/volunteers/availability, campers are invited to learn about our community through an immersive community experience. These are stays for a maximum of two weeks at a time. During the stay, campers will be expected to take a land tour, participate in gardening and/or building projects, join in land stewardship, and enjoy community meals.

Seasonal Volunteer- Seasonal volunteer positions for work-trade are available each year on an as-needed basis. They may be positions for assisting our youth Nature School, gardeners, groundskeepers, or builders.
Duration of the position will vary depending on needs. Seasonal volunteers qualify to stay in community owned dwellings, as availability allows.

Residents
Residents may change with the ebb and flow as we grow and evolve. These resident types are used as a general guide and may not accurately reflect every individual resident arrangement. Residents each have individual agreements based on their personal circumstances and what has been approved by the community.

It is preferred that residents (other than ambassadors) reside on the land at least 6 months out of the year.

Ambassador- An honorary resident who resides elsewhere and participates in our ambassador program. They may stay at the ecovillage for up to six months out of the year and are exempt from the standard visitor application process. They are committed to spreading the mission of Sage Valley Ecovillage, networking and representing us, and tapping back in to support the community as available. They may vote on day-to-day issues while staying at the ecovillage. Contact us to learn more about our ambassador program and how to join!

First Year- A resident who is in their first year of joining the community. During this period, the resident and community members get to know each other to ensure this is the right fit. At the conclusion of the year, each party will review and decide whether to continue the partnership. Vacation or travel should occur after the first year of residency, so there is ample time to get familiar with the community.
May vote on day-to-day ecovillage issues when living on the land.

Long Term Resident- A resident who has completed their first year in the community and has officially been welcomed for long term residency. May be rooted or migratory.
Have expanded voting privileges.

Long Term Invested Resident- Contributed 1000 work hours and/or $20000 to the land payments and/or infrastructure, calculated as an accumulation of work hours and/or donations. May be rooted or migratory. Invested residents have veto power on certain issues; say in the culture and activities of the ecovillage; multi-generational privileges; votes counted even if living off land seasonally.

*Rooted- A person residing on the land 10+ months out of the year

*Migratory- A person residing on the land 6-9 months out of the year

Basic expectations or agreements for members

A stay of two weeks or less to visit and/or get a feel for the community. This is always the first step toward other residency status types (excluding interns). Visitors are always welcome here and we are a resting spot for the traveling community. Please fill out our visitor registration prior to your visit: https://forms.gle/KANFuCUUMY261B4Q6

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Representative/Democratic

Members elect leaders who make decisions within defined roles.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Labor required: 20 hours/week
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes
We have a unique blend of options to accommodate folks from all walks of life. We strive for a diverse group of community members.

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Outdoor Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • Approximately all meals

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies

Property status

  • Privately owned

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Self-produced energy

  • 33 - 66%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%
  • Land area size
    17.5 acres

Reviews

Location

  • Indiana, United States

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
Need
  • Communities with Openings
5 months ago

Join us in the mountains of Western North Carolina

Coweeta Heritage Center/Talking Rock Farm is located in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Coweeta is located in a beautiful and diverse temperate rain forest. It feels very remote here yet we are just 12 miles from Franklin, NC. Winters can be mild. Coweeta is blessed with springs and a stream, pristine forests, and abundant wildlife. Power is provided by a hydro-electric system which is not connected to the grid. An organic garden and trout pond provide healthy food that is also shared with the local community. Hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities are just out the back door. Coweeta is looking for others who would like to join together to form an Intentional Community embracing the principles of Voluntary Simplicity. Simply put (no pun intended): We wish “to live simply so that others may simply live.” It is a recognition that nature provides us with valuable services and resources that we can use to enrich our lives. Utilizing local resources, appropriate technology, and working cooperatively, we can discover creative ways to meet our needs as “directly and simply as possible.”. An example of this, in the tradition of many Indigenous People”, is to gather, and use wildcrafted foods as part of our diet. There is great joy in going to nature’s grocery for our sustenance. Voluntary Simplicity is based on the recognition that “very little is needed to live well” and that “abundance is a state of mind.” Living lower on the economic ladder allows us more time and freedom to pursue other life goals: community and social engagement, family time, artistic or intellectual projects, more fulfilling employment, political participation, sustainable living, spiritual exploration, and more. According to the Voluntary Collective, “The grounding assumption of Voluntary Simplicity is that all human beings have the potential to live meaningful, free, happy and infinitely diverse lives while consuming no more than an equitable share of (the world’s) resources.” We affirm the need for a work/life balance, the right to a healthy environment and healthy food, and healthy community relationships supporting a diverse population. It is our responsibility as engineers of a new generation to make the changes that we want to see happen and pass this on to the next generations. We can’t wait for someone else to do this important work. Voluntary Simplicity is a quiet revolution that can change the world. As one person said, “we must be poets of our own lives and of a new generation.” We hope you will join us here at Coweeta or elsewhere on our journey to a healthier and more sustainable future! Temporary housing is available in a 27 foot trailer trailer with attached deck next to a creek while we build additional housing. Your basic living expenses (shelter, basic food items, power and water) are met through our market garden or other fundraising projects that you will participate in. You are expected to contribute a given amount of your time and energy to help grow our community and meet our financial obligations. Possible future plans include establishing a retreat center for healing our earth and each other. Work includes organic gardening, construction projects and other community building activities. Come join Coweeta and learn how to live lightly on the land and enjoy the Earth’s bounty! For more information, visit www.coweetaheritagecenter.com Contact [email protected] for a visit or more info.  Paul
Need
  • Communities with Openings
7 months ago

Oak Park Commons Cohousing – Plan to Move in Fall 2025

Illinois’ first cohousing community fosters intergenerational connection, diversity, and inclusiveness. We welcome all those who share our vision of creating a sustainable residential community in a vibrant urban suburb. Oak Park Commons Cohousing seeks new members. Join the dozen households that have already helped plan and design a five story, 24-unit building near the commercial heart of Oak Park, Illinois. The building includes a mix of one, two, and three, bedroom ADA accessible units. A package friendly first floor mailroom adjoins the lobby, elevator, and parking entrances. Noise mitigation and energy efficient air conditioning assure year-round comfort. The Carpenter & Madison streets corner location includes within a pedestrian friendly half mile radius: a middle school, bus stop, grocery co-op, drug store, bank, CTA train station, Unity Temple, Rush Hospital, Fox Park, Mills Park, and many restaurants. Madison has traffic calming and bike lanes. The Village commercial center, barely a mile away offers the Lake Theatre Cinema, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Formula Fitness Center, Public Library, Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, and specialty retail and service shops. Oak Park includes excellent K-12 schools. Lincoln public elementary school offers an optional Spanish bilingual program, Gwendolyn Brooks middle school’s wonderful performing arts opportunities and OPRF high school’s great college and career prep. Eight two and three bedroom units are still available for purchase starting at $406,640. Buyers pay a five percent earnest fee when signing a purchase agreement that goes toward down payment at closing. Units available for occupancy starting the last week of October 2025. Visit our website and talk with some of our members to learn more about who we are and how we envision building our community together.   Website: https://oakparkcommons.com/ Contacts: Charles Hoch 708-721-8817; Susan Stall 708-772-8817
Need
  • Communities with Openings
12 months ago

Water Birch Co-op. Urban living in central Denver.

Large, lovely house built in 1900, two blocks from Cheeseman Park in downtown Denver.  5000 square feet. The house was a Buddhist Meditation Center for 20 years before we got it and has lovely, calm vibes. We currently have ten people and have room for one more. We are an intentional community sharing dinners, 3 living rooms, 2 new kitchens and a kitchenette, & 5 baths. Staple food (organic) is bought together. The group is self-regulating as a co-op; it decides together how the house runs. There are chores ;-) Average cost per room is about $1000 ranging from $650 to $1354. Currently available room is $875. We are just finishing renovation of three bedrooms on the third floor  they are $875 each and share our largest, newest bath (shower and separate claw foot tub) and a brand new kitchenette  they all have beautiful windows and lots of light. PLEASE CHECK OUT COMMUNITY LISTINGS FOR MORE INFO. Initial lease for 3-6 months while we and you decide if we are a good fit for each other.  Deposit in the amount of one months rent is required prior to move in.  We do background checks on all members. Utilities are currently $130 per person per month and are all-inclusive.  They will change if costs go up, that amount is insufficient to cover utilities, or more people mean the cost per person goes down.  WiFi is via mesh network from gig-speed fiberoptic service.  Heat is with radiators.  Cooling is evaporative.  We have a storage room in a nearby commercial facility.  And a new large workshop in the garage. Shared food is $125 per month per person; it is a pass-through cost divided evenly among residents; it does NOT include meat or alternative protein nor any alcohol.  We will not be surprised if that needs to go up some soon ($10 or 15). We have two dogs and three cats in the house  that seems like a sufficient quantity of furry friends for now. Our community intentions include: Communication with compassion. Shared space and life. Shared meals. Shared staple foods which are non-GMO and Organic. Group decision making. Safe, inclusive space: queer and trans friendly, anti-racist, non-violent, and feminist. The purchase of the house by the co-op in about five years. The expansion of the co-op, possibly to include other housing types (like separate apartments). Weekly meetings and house committees to manage our community. We are considering implementing Sociocracy as an organizing method. Quiet hours are from 10:00pm to 8:00am. We are looking for community members who: Want to live in a community not just have a place to sleep and eat. Want to live in a beautiful, clean, and organized house and are willing to help make and keep it that way. Residents should expect to spend 16 hours per month towards this goal. Are curious, compassionate, flexible, and open to living with others who will undoubtedly have different ideas about many things. Are interested in pioneering a new co-op. There will be work involved to get there. Are responsible and communicative. Embrace enthusiastically that living in community requires introspection and personal growth. Are not joining the community as a way of running away from something.

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