Ecovillage at Ithaca

Ecovillage at Ithaca - May 2nd

 Gabrielle Higgins '18 & Isabela Gonzalez '18
As part of our on-campus investigation of sustainable agriculture, we traveled to Ithaca to tour an ecovillage that has been operating outside of the city since 1991. While we were there, we learned about their system of sharing the financial burden of the three farms that provide food for the village. Each person who wishes to receive fresh produce from any one of the three farms has to pay a yearly fee, which guarantees them a cut of the farmer's crop. This system appears to work very well because the consumers get plentiful fresh food, and the farmer is insured in the case of a poor harvest. This spirit of community is carried throughout the village, especially in the form of the community-wide dinners that are served several times a week. Not only are these meals unifying, but there are also eco-friendly; much of the food comes from the sustainable farms and the innovative greenhouse, which uses a hot water pipe system and an adjustable sunroof to keep the plants warm all year round.

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