Coweeta Heritage Center/Talking Rock Farm is located in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Coweeta is in a beautiful and diverse temperate rain forest. It feels very remote here yet we are just 12 miles from Franklin, NC. Winters can be mild. Coweeta is blessed with springs and a stream, pristine forests, and abundant wildlife. Power is provided by a hydro-electric system which is not connected to the grid. An organic garden and trout
pond provide healthy food that is also shared with the
local community. Hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities are just out the back door.
Coweeta is looking for others who would like to join together to form an
Intentional Community embracing the principles of Voluntary Simplicity. Simply put (no pun intended): We wish "to live simply so that others may simply live." It is a recognition that nature provides us with valuable services and resources that we can use to enrich our lives. Utilizing local resources,
appropriate technology, and working cooperatively, we can discover creative ways to meet our needs as "directly and simply as possible.". An example of this, in the tradition of many Indigenous People", is to gather, and use wildcrafted foods as part of our diet. There is great joy in going to nature's grocery for our sustenance.
Voluntary Simplicity is based on the recognition that "very little is needed to live well" and that "abundance is a state of mind." Living lower on the economic ladder allows us more time and
freedom to pursue other life goals: community and social engagement, family time, artistic or intellectual projects, more fulfilling employment, political participation,
sustainable living, spiritual exploration, and more. According to the Voluntary Collective, "The grounding assumption of Voluntary Simplicity is that all human beings have the potential to live meaningful, free, happy and infinitely diverse lives while consuming no more than an equitable share of (the world's) resources." We affirm the need for a work/life balance, the right to a healthy environment and healthy food, and healthy community relationships supporting a diverse population. It is our responsibility as engineers of a new generation to make the changes that we want to see happen and pass this on to the next generations. We can't wait for someone else to do this important work. Voluntary Simplicity is a quiet revolution that can change the world. As one person said, "we must be poets of our own lives and of a new generation."
We hope you will join us here at Coweeta or elsewhere on our journey to a healthier and more sustainable future!
Temporary housing is available in a 27 foot trailer trailer with attached deck next to a creek while we build additional housing. Your basic living expenses (
shelter, basic food items, power and
water) are met through our market garden or other fundraising projects that you will participate in. You are expected to contribute a given amount of your time and
energy to help grow our community and meet our financial obligations. Possible future plans include establishing a retreat center for healing our earth and each other. Work includes organic
gardening, construction projects and other community building activities.
Come join Coweeta and learn how to live lightly on the
land and enjoy the Earth's bounty! Contact Coweeta (coweeta@gmail.com) for more info or to schedule a visit!!
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