It Takes an Ecovillage
Get inspired and empowered to create your own off-grid community with your friends. Build your own house from the materials around you. Gather power from the sun, the wind, and the water. Draw clean water from your own well, springs, or rain. Grow your own food. Step more lightly on the land.
Building the Animas, New Mexico Prototype
Past Projects
The Hobbit House in North Carolina
The Ark of Albion Riverboat & Diversity Farm in Belize
The Ark of Albion Riverboat & Diversity Farm in Belize
An 1,800 ft off-grid, solar-powered, rammed earth and cob home in a 10.8-acre neighborhood of a 329-acre eco-village in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Surrounded by terraced gardens, food forests, and wild forested slopes. Built by Rod with the help of community members, workshop participants, and work exchangers who came to learn natural building methods.
The Ark of Albion Riverboat & Diversity Farm in Belize
The Ark of Albion Riverboat & Diversity Farm in Belize
The Ark of Albion Riverboat & Diversity Farm in Belize
A research and educational site, Diversity Farm, demonstrating to build a shelter and grow enough food to support a family on a half-acre. Included gardens, livestock, wild foraging, trading, and interdependence. Plus a house boat, The Ark of Albion, where Rod lived and hosted educational events and internet to help students through school.
Cob House in Philippines
The Ark of Albion Riverboat & Diversity Farm in Belize
Cob House in Philippines
Rod has lived and worked in seven developing countries, helping people to help themselves in the areas of agriculture, low cost vernacular housing, community development, appropriate technology, and ecotourism. He built an adobe and bamboo home in the Philippines, an earthship in Belize, and a building in Costa Rica .
Celebrate Rod's 85th Birthday!
We're celebrating Rod's 85th birthday (March 19) all year with donations of $85 (or whatever you can offer) to complete the prototype and educate others on how to build affordable, eco-friendly homes and food secure communities. Any amount appreciated!