Common Ground Ecovillage

We had another fine and productive workday on Monday 28 March as the morning’s cool, wet, cloudy weather gave way to glorious breezy sunshine and a dozen or so Hartsmillers met for lunch at the Cedar Pavilion and then tours and an afternoon of work, mostly around the storage unit, clearing space for temporary tractor storage and beginning the structure — setting posts — for an eventual covered tractor bay and work area on the side of the storage unit. The hoop house pieces were also rescued from tarpish oblivion and sorted — a 4-foot black rat snake made an appearance too — and Margret single-handedly finished off sporing some more of our invasive ailanthus. Many thanks to Paul, Carol, Joe, Don, Mir, Anna Ruth, Barbara, Jeffry, Margret, Steve, Linda, and Anthony!

A great workday was had by all on Saturday afternoon, February 20! One workteam led by Margret made a strong start stripping and inoculating the oldest Tree of Heaven trees with mushroom spore, which will both control the trees and hopefully yield us some mushrooms. The other team led by Anthony cleared the last remaining section of the McGowan Creek trail, linking up with the farthest-out sections of the trail near the beaver dam area, so that the entire trail system is now readily passable, though improvement and maintenance are needed when we can. We began with lunch; Paul did an afternoon tour for several interested potential members; and we concluded with conversation and hot chocolate at the Pavilion. Many thanks to Steve, Rita, Jeffry, Paul, Maple, Linda, Amy, Randy, Margret, and Anthony for a fine day on the land!

Two major events made Hart’s Mill history today – the first workday on the land after HM gained County approval for our RezoningPlan. One was the burning of the old Vincent home on the property we acquired to gain state road access to Frazier Road. The Efland Fire Department was out in force for training! In the coming weeks we will see to the clearing of the foundations, but it is already possible to visualize the path of the new road that will someday be our main entrance. The other major event was the beginning of blazing the main road and walking paths of the village in the fields and woods edges, with mowers and clearers following behind the markers. These will become our main paths on the land next year: we’ll actually be able to visualize how the village will lay out. Today two marking crews got about three-quarters of the way around the two main routes. Clearing went slower — it would help if more of the mowers and weedwhackers worked 🙂 —  but we got a good running start. The day was rounded out with lunch, tours, and other tasks such as continuing Tree of Heaven removal. Thanks to all who showed up in a day that started out very cold and ended pleasantly balmy! Community at work!

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The work/play day in some sense began Friday night as Anthony, Paul, and Randy engaged in the age old fire circle ritual, with Anthony and Randy staying through the night. Much had been done to prepare for the day by mowing with the help of Daniel and gathering materials and people from far and wide, including a big load of compost from Brockwell’s in Carrboro (thanks to Paul). As folks started to gather, Randy inoculated his brand new spiffy solar oven with muffin batter. A crew dove in with work on the garden that involved pulling out the summer cover crops along with weeds, volunteer tomatoes, and a few straggling potatoes. Soil was amended with compost, turned, winter cover crops sown, and cardboard laid down as an aspirational step towards an expanded garden in the spring. After tackling a Tree of Heaven stand, (an impressive feat even for a NFL linebacker!), Anthony herded a subcrew over to the Frazier Road entrance to spiffy things up. Randy, Carol, and Sally peeked in on the bees and passed on some sucrose to help them prepare for the cold days ahead. Paul led his umpteenth tour of the land. A lunch including an impromptu kombucha tasting rounded out the day.

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August’s workday began bright and early with campers Rita, Matt, Rachel, Leah, and Anthony welcoming the first sun with walks, coffee, and opening the Frazier gate for our neighbor Daniel on his riding mower, who proceeded to quickly mow the existing meadow paths and then finish the clearing job begun by the expanded crew of all of the above plus Amy and Donna and Vanessa on the old woods road that hugs the west edge of the Far Field. The same crew then moved on to make great strides extending the McGowan Creek Loop Trail, where we have now reached the beaver-pond area at the farthest eastward extent of the trail (it now begins to curve back). Daniel went on to clear more periphery paths; Paul and Steve (newbie) dug potatoes and mulched the garden and welcomed first time visitors Mark and Marina. All gathered back at the Pavilion for noon luncheon and discussion, after which Vanessa, Paul and Anthony cleared and mowed up at the Frazier entrance. Once again a convivial and accomplishment-filled day! The book group the evening before was also excellent and well-attended, with the setting sun, then flickering and glowing candles, and finally a fire accompanying thoughtful and provocative discussion. Thanks to all!

–Anthony