Common Ground Ecovillage

03/03/2025 UPDATE: Things are moving fast at Common Ground Ecovillage! With changes in zoning that allow for more flexibility, a surge of inspired and skilled members joining us, a deepening of our community relationships and culture, and a greater clarity of our next steps, we are now moving forward at a quickening pace. Ultimately, we aim to develop a diverse, multigenerational community that will thrive for 7 generations to come, with a non-profit educational center and outreach programs that will support all beings, past and present, both human and non-human with dignity, honor, and awareness.
LOCATION: Our agrarian village will be located on 112 acres of fields, streams and woodlands, 10 miles west of Hillsborough in Orange County, NC. We are rural, yet not isolated, within convenient commuting distance to Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh, all with renowned medical and university systems, and economic and cultural opportunities. We anticipate breaking ground for our common house in 2025 and possibly some housing by late 2025. Our 2 acres of dedicated farmland currently includes a solar powered barn with an office and farm intern apartment and supports a CSA called Full Table CSA. We are currently working on funding our infrastructure costs and our land is well on its way to being paid off.
HOUSING, BUILDINGS, AMENITIES & PRICING: This is a rapidly changing situation as we progress. Please refer to our website for up-to-date information on pricing and housing options as they become available. We anticipate a mix of farm worker housing, cooperative shared housing, and small-scale family homes with ADUs on each compactly organized 1/3 acre parcel. There may be rental options available. In general, what we build depends on the needs of the individuals that are currently contributing to the work and are actively moving through our membership process. We are still accepting new members, both to live with us on our land and to buy homes and property near us as an extended community. Volunteers to assist in the building and fundraising are very welcome!
LAND USE: Our goal is to establish a high quality of life while maximally sharing resources, deeply caring for the gift of our land and water, and minimizing our use of fossil fuels. The majority of our land will be preserved for regenerative agriculture (growing up to 30% of our food), managed woodlands (80%), and open space, and includes a small pond near our village site, meadows, and a stream along one border. Elements of this goal include:
– Adoption of the best site and building design principles and practices for reducing use of energy (solar), water (well), and other resources
– Management of the land for diversified food and timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation, research, and education
– Onsite opportunities for farm and other home-based employment
GOVERNANCE & CULTURE: Our governance system is Sociocracy. We actively cultivate a cooperative culture that respects and embraces the many skills, talents, cultures, and unique qualities that each individual brings. Farmers, gardeners, musicians, artists, artisans, tradespeople, academics, caregivers, healers, builders, engineers, technicians, writers, and others who embrace our vision for the world are all welcome and valued! We are dedicated to racial justice as well as equity and mutual acceptance among all members, no matter race, culture, gender, size, age, sexual orientation, or ability. We have recently completed our Community Cultural Agreements which support a compassionate cooperative culture, and include the practice of Non-violent Communication (NVC).
As an agrarian community, we focus on regenerative farming, land stewardship and food sovereignty. All members (if able) are encouraged to participate in some aspect of the growing, processing, and preservation of food and the functioning of the community. The planned size of our village will allow us to meet many of our needs on-site.