Coweeta is a forming community. Find out here HOW TO JOIN. Download questions for joining. Skip to community profile.
Coweeta is a place of healing. It’s pure spring waters, the sounds of water flowing, birds singing, clouds sailing by are music to your soul. Coweeta is a place to get lost and found; tucked away in an intimate valley with little human activity. It is the perfect place to rediscover who you are and your place in the natural world. It is a place where cell phones don’t work and your watch may lose time. It is a place to park your car and walk.
Coweeta’s beyond organic gardens teach you to nurture yourself and the earth. Each year tons of leaves are incorporated into the soil to feed the hordes of micro and macro organisms that feed the plants that are grown. Nourish your body and spirit with food you help grow and harvest.
Coweeta’s gardens also help feed the local community and this is the perfect place to connect with folks and share the bounty of the earth and invite them to come to Coweeta to visit. Coweeta is a place of sharing.
Coweeta is a place to gather your energies to do the work that nurtures your spirit and contributes to the good in the world whatever this may mean for you.
Coweeta is also a place to engage in meaningful work. With your hands you can help create a place of shelter, paths to walk on, beds to grow healthy food in, contributing to a welcoming community. Yes, this takes work and some sweat and tears at times.
Coweeta is a place that will grow in you and you will grow in it. Caring for something means that you become part of it. This can be as simple as picking up branches that have fallen on roads or paths, building a rock wall that will last a century or more, gathering leaves for the garden each year to enrich the soil, or just sitting quietly in a spot you have chosen.
Coweeta is a place of spirit, in the trees, rocks, animals, water and air. Drink in the beauty and spirit here to nourish your soul. Quiet your mind and be open to the spirit and energies of life around you.
Coweeta is a place to learn new things and apply what you learn to doing the “good work” of living simply so that others can simply live. It is a place to learn to feed yourself from the earth.
Coweeta is also a place of cleansing. Of giving away habits that may keep you from living as free and healthy a life as you can. Let the peace and quiet and companionship of the world fill your heart. Give yourself entirely to the earth and it will fill your needs.
Community Profile:
Acres: 32. Possibly more acreage available now or in the future.
Name: Coweeta Heritage Center/Talking Rock Farm
Location: Approximately 10 miles south of Franklin, NC. 80 miles southeast of Asheville, NC. 120 miles north of Atlanta, Ga. Approximately 4 miles west of State Highway 441 (NS) in the Nantahalla mountains.
Phone service: Limited phone service/I’m working on getting DSL to the guest trailers. Satellite service available from Hughes Net.
Housing/land: Community owned. Small footprint. Community built with local resources as much as possible. Shared housing optional or individual housing.
Current Membership: 2 (Paul and the cat, Gypsy). One potential member arriving soon.
Membership: Application and acceptance by community members. One year provisional membership required. 3 week introductory stay required.
Projected Community size: 12-16 folks (families and/or individuals).
Membership: Open to all regardless of age, sex, orientation, race, religion etc.
Income: Individual (retirement, outside job, other), cottage industry (spoon making, organic produce, other). Eventually the community may serve as a retreat center with income opportunities available for members (beyond required contributions).
Financial contribution: Your contribution to help Coweeta grow is an important part of your commitment to being part of the community. There is no required “buy-in” to join Coweeta or age restrictions, however, your on-going contribution to the community is essential to meet its financial needs. Currently this is based on Federal poverty levels with adjustments made for families with children. Your contribution to Coweeta is based on financial and/or work that you provide to the community. Currently, the only financial income available to the community is through our market garden and spoon-making cottage industry. Members may also make loans to the community that they can draw from in the future as needed. Also in the future, Coweeta may serve as a retreat center offering programming and or space for folks just to enjoy the incredible beauty and peacefulness here. This could provided needed income for both the community and its members. Much of the growth of Coweeta will be homegrown through work of its members. Our sawmill can provide building materials for cabins and other structures. Rocks are available for building walls and foundations. The most important resource for Coweeta will need to be its dedicated members who share a common vision. Everything is possible!
Transportation: Shared transportation may be an option in the future. Local county transportation available at low cost.
Animals: Welcome if they are friendly and well taken care of.
Mission/vision: Establish a healing community that protects the environment and provides opportunities for others to participate in (retreat, medical, etc). Teach others about sustainable living options (voluntary simplicity). “Live Simply So Others May Simply Live”.
Description: Mostly wooded, sloping, springs and creek. Valley runs east and west. Mouth of valley is in the east. Sheltered from wind most of the time. Mixed hardwoods and some pines. Diversity of plants and animals. Single track dirt/gravel road from main paved road, approx. ¾ mile. Private road, owner maintained.
Electric power company: No power available.
Power generation: Hydro-electric from 30’ fall of creek from top to bottom of property. Solar sites available in some locations. Solar backup during dry periods would be needed to meet expanded community needs.
Energy use: Limited, based on available resources: hydro, solar, wood. Efficient appliances, gas for cooking primarily. Natural cooling or fans.
Water: from Spring source. Community water system needs to be installed. Temporary water available.
Weather: Elevation: 2500 ft. Winters mild generally with some snow accumulation. 60-70 inches of rain typical yearly with periods of drought. Long growing season with greens surviving under row cover typically.
Temporary housing: travel trailers, other.
Permanent housing: To be built by community using primarily local resources.
Required initial investment: None, loans accepted. Refunded if you leave.
What the community provides: Housing (temp or permanent), basic food resources, power needs (except perhaps gas), communication (phone, internet via satellite), water.
What you provide yourself: Insurance, transportation, any outside resources needed.
Commitments: Egalitarian, cooperative, effective communication, ecologic, etc.
How to join: Schedule a short visit to tour the property and talk with someone (Paul right now). Second, schedule and complete a minimum 3 week stay. Complete an assessment (application) and contract for a one year provisional stay. Permanent membership after one year with community approval.
Permanent membership: Renewable yearly based on meeting contribution requirements or community approval. Important to plan for retirement!
Restrictions: Drug, alcohol and tobacco free environment. Community can make future decisions.
Volunteering: Each person is asked to volunteer 3 hrs week in the community garden and 2 hours maintenance, cleanup. This is in addition to required contribution of work/financial.