Stone's Throw Ecovillage Article

Have you ever wanted to design your own neighborhood? The last time you put some serious thought to that question may have been when you were eight years old, playing with a Lego or Lincoln Log set, or perhaps when creating a computerized subdivision in The Sims. While many people do eventually have an opportunity to construct their own homes, not many have the chance to design an entire neighborhood, which is exactly what the folks who are a part of Stone’s Throw Ecovillage, located just a “stone’s throw” away from Viroqua, are doing—creating their own neighborhood based on interacting with neighbors and respecting the environment by living sustainably.

For the residents of Stone’s Throw, a sense of community is absolutely essential for the village to function. And because residents have a shared commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and impact on the environment, living in Stone’s Throw enables neighbors to be neighbors again. “Ecovillages are places where people work and play together, share resources and celebrate together. It is a human scale community where it is possible for people to get to know each other,” explains Kathy Doerfer, a member of Stone’s Throw.

Designing community at Stone's Throw Ecovillage

March 2015 | Klutch Chronicle

In the initial stages of development after purchasing 12 acres of land in March 2014, the village will feature clusters of individually-owned houses surrounding a common house. The common house is equipped with guest rooms, laundry facilities, and space for gatherings and storage, which enables individuals to build smaller homes. Currently, Stone’s Throw is made up of five household members, two of which are on the land, and the Ecovillage is actively recruiting new members. Each member will build a private home (of course, Stone’s Throw encourages home builders to use local materials and to construct energy efficient homes) on their own individually-owned lot, and the rest of the land will be communally owned. The plan for this land include ponds, shared wells, water management swales, and a grey water system.

Another place where sustainability and community intersect is in organic food production. Food forests, which the village is planning to construct, produce fruit, nuts, greens, and the like. In addition, gardens producing organic vegetables and space for chickens to harvest eggs are in the works, with the final site design planned for completion next spring.

There are several benefits to living in this kind of community, Doerfer emphasizes. Apart from the obvious environmental benefits living in an ecovillage provides, residents can expect benefits from other individuals in the community. Because residents are connected to each other, they are able to share resources—whether that’s sharing yard tools or offering babysitting or help with manual labor. Also, Stone’s Throw offers some community meals as well as social and learning activities, creating community through personal connection.

Because they are currently designing the community, now is an especially exciting time to join Stone’s Throw. As articulated by the village’s website, joining is an opportunity to “build the home of your dreams in the community of your dreams,” dreams that you can actually see become reality as you influence the design process. Louise Luedtke, another member of Stone’s Throw, describes how the village makes decisions by consensus: “Unlike decisions made by majority vote, decisions made by consensus have the input and support of all participants. A proposal is made, discussed and modified until everyone is satisfied. All members are expected to participate.”

If that all doesn’t convince you to pack your bags, consider the location of Stone’s Throw—honestly, the Viroqua area is just a cool place to live. “Living in Viroqua exposes one to so many great opportunities to experience cutting edge culture in a small rural town,” says Doerfer. “The organic scene is what draws a lot of people here. A rich agricultural base has attracted a plethora of educational options from pre-k to adult continued learning. The arts abound here. We have a vibrant theatre community, visual arts, local writers, music. It is a rich, rich environment to live in, to raise kids in, to retire in.”