Medicine Wheel Neighborhood

@ Earthaven Ecovillage

Earthaven Ecovillage is a Permaculture-based intentional community located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge “Katuah” (pronounced Gi-doo’-ah) province of the Southern Appalachians. Approximately one hour southeast of Asheville, NC, our forested settlement lies between 2000 and 2600 feet elevation. Three streams converge near the central village area which sits on terraced hill slopes amidst agricultural bottoms, surrounded by steep mountain ridges. On 320 forested acres, Earthaven now supports about 60 full members [we expect to grow to 160], and a steady stream of visitors and students.

About Medicine Wheel Neighborhood

Medicine Wheel is a permaculture-based collectively owned neighborhood, one of Earthaven’s twelve developing residential neighborhoods; the neighborhood currently consists of Medicine Wheel House, 2 large terraced forest gardens, a small cabin, and several acres of woods with spaces for camping. We will eventually build up to a dozen more cabins and another garden/orchard space to complete the neighborhood.

Medicine Wheel House is the “Mother Ship” of MW neighborhood; an off-grid, 3-storey, mostly-finished, 10-bedroom house with a large kitchen, office, shower, and several common rooms shared by all household members.  Owners, renters, visitors, students, and work exchangers all share the house, and the cooking and cleaning to maintain it. 

Like everything else at Earthaven, Medicine Wheel is a work in progress. Construction and improvements based in permaculture design are ongoing. We are currently building fences, a greenhouse, and rock walls outside; completing ceilings with recycled plywood inside; managing humanure and garden compost; landscaping – clearing brush for the orchard, building paths; maintaining and improving our rainwater catchment and greywater systems, building (and repairing!) ponds, and always gardening.

Amenities at Medicine Wheel House are basic. We use outhouses with composting toilets, spring water and rooftop rainwater catchment, wood stoves for heat and most cooking, and solar panels for electricity.

Rooms at Medicine Wheel House are available for rent, and a Work Exchange (WEX) program is available.

Contact Information

Lyndon or Patricia:  828 664 0067 or ehpa@bellsouth.net