Heathcote is an intentional community located 30 miles north of Baltimore, MD and 20 miles south of York, PA. It is nestled in a narrow wooded stream valley on a 44 acre community land trust plus a 68 acre plot of woods that's owned by some of our members. We are a community of friends and family who choose to live cooperatively and consciously create a better way of life. We strive to care for one another and for the natural systems that nurture us.

Our diet is organic and vegetarian. We have several organic vegetable, herb, and flower gardens; hiking trails; and stream-side hammocks. Heathcote is a drug-free and smoke-free community.

Members live in a 150 year-old grain mill, a 100 year-old farmhouse, a 200 year-old log cabin, and several outbuildings. We plan to build alternative, energy-efficient group housing with individual and family units. We are in the process of renovating the mill to improve our shared living spaces.

Our current big project is building a new strawbale house. The new residence features many aspects of green design and natural building, including strawbale, cob, natural plasters, natural paint, an earthen floor, and a masonry stove.

We currently have 10 adult residents and 4 child residents (ages from 4 to 12). We have an associate membership category for those who would like to be associated with Heathcote, but don't live here. (continued...)

Web Site Features to Check Out
	We're looking for people to come live with us here at Heathcote. Maybe you'd like to live in the new eco-friendly home we're building. Is Heathcote the place for you?.
	If you'd like to visit Heathcote, please look at the visitor page. Our calendar has a schedule of upcoming visitor weekends.
	Also, please join our mailing list to receive emails about upcoming events and natural building workshops.
	We're really excited to have had an anthropology student, Angela Greco, make a film about Heathcote! You can watch the movie to find out a bit more about us.
	For information about permaculture workshops see the Permaculture page. For long-term learning experiences, please email us and we'll be happy to customize an internship experience just for you!

	Bob is starting a new boat building project. This will be the second boat he's built, but with this one he wants partners to do it with him. Sound interesting? Give him a call.
	Our next visitor weekend will be the weekend of February 13 - 15. Come for all or part of the weekend.
	Some of the Heathcoters from the "old days" are organizing a reunion for the summer of 2009. Can you help them find their old friends?
	A certain Heathcote member, sometimes known as Wren Tuatha, has a new blogging website called Hippie Chick Diaries. If you're interested in Wren's take on what's happening at Heathcote (and elsewhere) then check out the hippie chick!
	Visit Dana's Heathcote Earthings booth, coming soon to a festival near you.
	Watch the Heathcote Movie! Take a look at our Photo Album! Visit us at MySpace!

January 2009 - There are several new things happening at Heathcote to talk about. First, news of members coming and going. Thia, who was going through the membership process, decided to move on, so she left us around Thanksgiving. Then Andrea decided to become a member so she's currently a provisional member. And we've got Nick joining us for his 21-day visit (an early stage of the process). Also, we're glad to have Devin here as an intern for the 2009 gardening season. He's here now getting an early start on the gardens plus helping out with the open classroom homeschooler program and a little bit of maintenance here and there. It's exciting to have all the new faces around contributing their energy and enthusiasm!

The other big news is that Karen and the education committee are planning a really big year for permaculture education. Starting in the spring we'll be having permaculture design courses and a whole lot of weekend workshops. They're working on the calendar now, and it'll be on the website in a few days. We'll also be emailing our events list with updates, so please consider signing up so you'll be notified about the various classes. (continued...)