Land and Community

Sustainable Relationship Between Land and Community

Living in a sustainable relationship with the land has become an essential part of our work; we recognize the importance of land on ecological, cultural, political, economical and spiritual levels. We are determined to make sure this place truly benefits the local community, the regional ecosystem, and growing national conversations about resources and food justice. Current work includes:

Stewarding the Land for All.

We offer people from all walks of life opportunities to experience both wild and cultivated spaces in the natural world. The landscape of The Stone House is humble and tended with great care. Guests can take a stroll in the open pasture, nap in a shaded hammock, or watch the wildlife pass through the orchard. People often experience a sense of well-being and connection with the land that is at once simple and profound.

Engaging Our Local Food Economy.

We rely on our organic garden, fruit orchard and chickens to produce much of the food we eat and serve to guests. What we don’t grow ourselves we purchase as locally and as sustainably as possible. Our cooks plan meals with careful consideration of what is in season as well as which foods support specific programmatic work. We have begun selling produce to a few local restaurants and markets as a way to actively participate in the conversations and economies of food in our area.

We are also deeply committed to the work of food justice and food security in our local area. As a part of this priority, this summerwe piloted Ground Up!, our youth program designed to foster consciousness, health and food justice leadership in young people concerned with these issues in their communities. Learn more about Ground Up! and our expanding youth program here.

Education and Training.

We have a wide array of community-oriented workshops where local experts in orchard care, permaculture, mushroom cultivation, chicken raising, and other rural land skills are shared with our local community in exchange for hands-on practical experience at The Stone House.  We have had a number of trainings and workshops on the land and continue to seek ways of making The Stone House land a valuable resource for our local community.

Learn about our work in: