Located in rural Maryland, just outside Baltimore, Heathcote Community is a vibrant, inclusive intentional community seeking like-minded individuals and families to join our thriving ecosystem.
Our Story:
Once an all-white community, we’ve transformed into a diverse community that aspires to be a beacon of love, acceptance, and social justice. Heathcote is a place where we build community. We support each other’s personal and spiritual growth, foster creative and playful expression, and nurture our relationships through intimate sharing and open communication. We are creating and modeling a culture that is cooperative, equitable, and in harmony with nature, in which people from diverse backgrounds live together in peace. As we create this culture, we explore healthy and innovative social, economic, and legal structures. We are committed to making the place where we live reflect our values and demonstrate a lifestyle that is respectful of the land. We share our community and our selves with others through education and service.
Our Lifestyle:
Rural setting (car necessary)
4 adults, 1 child (and growing!)
Care Farm and education center for wellness, permaculture, and more
Opportunities for farming, foraging, crafting, and education
Fee-based membership (no work exchange currently available)
Our Vision:
Heathcote Community Farm and Education Center, in partnership with the Spiritual Center for Indigenous Living, envisions a world where all individuals, particularly those from historically marginalized communities, have access to transformative relationships with nature. Our care farm serves as a vibrant hub for growth, connection, and empowerment, fostering a deeper sense of belonging, resilience, and environmental stewardship.
Guided by the principles of indigenous living and the wisdom of the natural world, we honor the ancestral bonds between humans and the earth. By healing our relationship with nature, we remember and respect the traditional knowledge and practices of our ancestors, revitalizing a sense of pride, identity, and belonging. Using methodologies that are based on following nature’s patterns, such as permaculture, agroecology, and analog forestry, we share practical skills for growing food and medicinal herbs sustainably. Together, we can co-create a more just, equitable, and regenerative future for all.
Heathcote is an intentional community, farm and education center that works towards social transformation through
holistic self care, cooperative economics, earth care, spirituality, and experiential learning.
(Approved 7/7/2024)
Interested persons first visit to see the community and meet members. The interested person would then fill out a membership application and meet with a membership committee. The next step is a 21 day visit, which can happen in 2 visits, or all in one go. Following the 21-day visit, the person would meet with the whole community and, if all support moving forward, become an associate member. The associate period lasts for one year with regular check-ins. At the third quarterly check in, the member will inform the community if they wish to continue as a Resident Associate, become a Full Member, or end their residency. There will be a clearness meeting and then the members will decide if they may continue residing at Heathcote as an Associate or Full member. If it is not approved they must leave by the end of their original 1-year Associate membership period.
A good time to come is during our monthly Community Day. See the visiting page on our website. Or email us to schedule a time.
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
Everyone must agree before moving forward.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
The Full members are the core group but everyone can participate in community meetings.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Regular fees: $900
Labor: Yes (9 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
We ask members to contribute 9 hours per week of labor and a monthly financial payment for housing and administrative costs. We also ask members to contribute to our Community Development Fund.
Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
kitchens, dining, and social areas.
Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
{{ item.label }}
{{ item.value ? item.value : currencyFormat( item.amount ) }}
Subtotal
{{ currencyFormat( pricing_summary.total_amount ) }}
