Rocky Corner Cohousing

A neighborhood with a farm

February 2022 – NY Times Article and Latest Updates

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Rocky Corner Newsletter

February 2022

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Rocky Corner’s vision is to be
a caring cohousing community
focused on sustainability and conservation.

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About the February 11, 2021 New York Times article
 

Lisa Prevost describes herself as “a freelance journalist specializing in housing, real estate development and the transition to clean energy.” She wrote an award winning book in 2013 titled Snob Zones: Fear, Prejudice and Real Estate. “Snob Zones is an exploration of the outrageous lengths to which towns will go to keep out housing for the less affluent.”Snob Zones: Fear, Prejudice, and Real Estate: Prevost, Lisa: 9780807001578: Amazon.com: Books

Prevost has been following our cohousing project for over 10 years. She wrote an article about us for the NY Times in 2001 and again this past weekend. She also wrote an article about Rocky Corner for the Energy News online journal.

We recommend reading all of these articles.

A few of us, who remain committed to Rocky Corner project remaining cohousing, want to share our thoughts about the latest NY Times article. 

Anne – “I think it is important our followers know we weren’t as stupid about things as the comments make it sound. We did consult professionals along the way.”

Elvy – “In retrospect, I wish we had made a stronger argument about the hardships involved in breaking the mold of how things are done around housing development; how the systems in place don’t work in favor of projects like ours; instead of facilitating a more sustainable way of living, they seem to conjure to make it harder to create living environments that have beneficial outcomes for society and for the the people who live in it.This tack would have given more force to the intrinsic idealism of our project and it would have given a higher meaning to our perceived failures.The quote by Dick at the end of the article: “We are still optimistic that we can make a change in the world” encapsulates that idea.”

Marie -“I am mentioned in the article but not quoted. What I had said to reporter Prevost is that I was really disappointed with the lack of support from some of our professionals to help us keep the costs down. What is missing from the article is the other major delays – the CT Department of Housing which took almost a year to release the funds that subsidized the construction of the affordable units, to the construction company PAC Group which never got us to closings on any of the homes. We broke ground May 2018 and were told that some residents would move in Summer of 2019. Many construction days there were no workers at the property. Poor contractor planning? Covid? Closings and occupancy would have generated the funds to pay back the construction loan and would have helped us sell the units. That is how all developments are planned – build homes and get them occupied as quickly as possible. My house was completed in the Spring of 2020 except for water connection. I had hoped that the Rocky Corner project could be a model for how construction should be done -a third of the units affordable and all built for passive and active solar use. It still could be.

Eli – “I think it’s important for the future developer to know that in spite of everything (including various articles). We are still a community. We are still want to make a group offer and buy the homes we have put work into.”
 
Latest updates

The foreclosure that Ion Bank chose to do in December of 2020 is now completed. The bank has taken possession of the land and the buildings.

The 13 households that remain committed to buying homes in the Rocky Corner cohousing neighborhood continue to meet as a group to discuss our next steps. 

We recently communicated with the CT Department of Housing (DOH) about the Assistance Agreement that we had with them. This agreement concerns the $2.6m funds the DOH department provided to us to subsidize the affordable homes at Rocky Corner. That money was loaned to us and has all been spent on construction. If the affordability conditions in the Assistance Agreement are maintained the loan is forgiven.

According to our housing consultant David Berto,

That agreement included a procurement process which we followed: lottery and ongoing process for affordable applicants to follow. The agreement also was based on the fact that GH Inc was building cohousing. 

DOH can ask for their $2.6m back. They are in the co-first position. The requirements in the original  assistance agreement between DOH and GH Inc have to be followed by Ion Bank and by any developer. Otherwise they would be in default. If they did not follow the terms of the assistance agreement, Bethany P&Z would have to agree because it would be a significant change to the original zoning approval which has a mix of affordable and market rate homes.

A woman interested in purchasing a home at Rocky Corner reached out to Ion Bank last week by phone and emailed us about her conversation:

“Stephanie Bruno (of Ion Bank) said they only got the keys back a few weeks ago because they wanted to be nice to the group that owned it and give them time to remove personal items.

They are currently evaluating the property and will then decide if they will complete construction and give it to a realtor to sell the units, or if they will sell the whole thing as is. It depends on the outcome of the evaluation. She added that everything is taking a bit long due to the weather but the goal is to get it wrapped up soon.

They have not asked realtors to look at it yet.

I told her that my goal is to sell my place in NYC and join a cohousing community, and since this development is the only one in this area, I am very interested in buying a unit and am looking to make a decision in the near term. I added that I find that realtors are not familiar with cohousing and may not know how to  market it as such.

She said they will definitely reach out to me as soon as it’s been evaluated and will let me know how they will proceed.”
 

For those of you new to our newsletter, here is some background that should help your understanding:

There are 13 households who have been working together for years to build the first cohousing in Connecticut. We hope we will be able to move in and create the neighborhood we want with the same goals of sustainability, conservation and community that we envision.

The Rocky Corner infrastructure is complete, including a community well water system, underground electric, and septic systems for the 30 planned homes. The common house is over 90% finished and 22 homes have been constructed, many close to completion. Rocky Corner’s.

Once we know that Ion Bank, or a new developer, is willing to work with us to complete Rocky Corner as planned, we will resume information sessions. Our info sessions are intended to help people understand cohousing and life at Rocky Corner before considering purchasing a house. 

A brief history:

Like most cohousing neighborhoods, the creation of Rocky Corner has taken years. We started meeting in 2006. We found the land we wanted and hired the professionals needed to create the neighborhood we envisioned. We got zoning approval from the town of Bethany in a process that took 2 years. We purchased the land in 2014. We broke ground in 2018 and looked forward to some of the homes being ready for occupancy in 2019. Delays from many fronts slowed our progress. Without the closings we expected, which would have continued to generate funds to continue active construction, we used up our construction loans from Ion Bank in the summer of 2020.

In November 2020, Ion Bank decided to foreclose on the project rather than accept our offer to give the project to them via a deed in lieu of foreclosure. In November 2021 of this year, Ion Bank “won” the bid to acquire the land and buildings by bidding substantially more than the appraised value. They have taken full ownership of the project including the land and buildings.

Whichever developer ends up finishing the project, they must comply with the plan approved by the Bethany Planning and Zoning Commission years ago. That plan includes the affordable homes, easements for agriculture and open space, a maximum of 30 homes to allow for land conservation and organic land care practices. 

We will continue to keep you all informed as often as needed with updates.
Please communicate with us outreach@rockycorner.org if you have ideas or words of encouragement!
 

January 2022 Update – Foreclosure

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Rocky Corner Newsletter

January 2022
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Rocky Corner’s vision is to be
a caring cohousing community
focused on sustainability and conservation.

The foreclosure that Ion Bank chose to do in December of 2020 is coming to completion in the next few days. At that time the bank will take possession of the land and the buildings.

The neighborhood infrastructure is complete, including a community well water system, underground electric, and septic systems for the 30 planned homes. The common house is over 90% finished and 22 homes have been constructed, many close to completion.

There are 13 households who have been working together for years to build the first cohousing in Connecticut. We hope we will be able to move in and create the neighborhood we want with the same goals of sustainability, conservation and community that we envision.

Once we know that Ion Bank, or a new developer, is willing to work with us to complete Rocky Corner as planned, we will resume information sessions. Our info sessions are intended to help people understand cohousing and life at Rocky Corner before considering purchasing a house.

A brief history:

Like most cohousing neighborhoods, the creation of Rocky Corner has taken years. We started meeting in 2006. We found the land we wanted and hired the professionals needed to create the neighborhood we envisioned. We got zoning approval from the town of Bethany in a process that took 2 years. We purchased the land in 2014. We broke ground in 2018 and looked forward to some of the homes being ready for occupancy in 2019. Delays from many fronts slowed our progress. Without the closings we expected, which would have continued to generate funds to keep building, we used up our construction loans from Ion Bank in the summer of 2020.

One year ago, Ion Bank decided to foreclose on the project rather than accept our offer to give the project to them via a deed in lieu of foreclosure. On November 20 of this year, Ion Bank “won” the bid to acquire the land and buildings by bidding substantially more than the appraised value. They will take full ownership within a few days.

Whichever developer ends up finishing the project, they must comply with the plan approved by the Bethany Planning and Zoning Commission years ago. That plan includes the affordable homes, easements for agriculture and open space, a maximum of 30 homes to allow for land conservation and organic land care practices.

We hope that this is not a final goodbye to the land we have come to love and the beautiful buildings we so looked forward to living in.

 

It will never be a final goodbye to the friends we have made, the lessons learned, our growth as a community with a common vision that we still hold in our hearts.

 

2021 Third Quarter

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Rocky Corner Cohousing Newsletter                 September 2021    

While we wait for construction to restart at Rocky Corner, we found some very exciting things around the property during the summer! For starters, Brenda and Marie found this four leaf clover and we immediately adopted it as our community’s good luck charm. 

Native American Rock Formations 

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious..” Albert Einstein

Our future resident, Brenda Caldwell, spent many recent hours cutting back brush that surrounded a mysterious rock structure on Rocky Corner property.

Made of stacked rocks and boulders, the structure measures 16 feet wide by 16 feet long by 7 feet high. Built on a slope, it has a rectangular exterior and a rounded interior with interesting niches. There are 3 sides to the structure with one side beginning at a large outcropping with quartz lines. The higher elevation west side has no wall and is sloped downward so that one could walk down into the chamber.

It was typical in the past, before towns offered trash pick-up, for people to get rid of their garbage in 3 ways; composting, burning and dumping. The last person to live on the Rocky Corner property, Elsie Halter, used the stone structure as a farm dump. We can see broken bottles and pottery inside, items that would not decompose or burn.

We are interested to find out if this stone structure is either native American or colonial European in origin. Our goal is to protect the rock structure from the environmental engineer’s recommendation to fill it in. We have submitted information about it to the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office.

Serendipitously, the Bethany Land Trust sponsored a free talk on October 7 by Markham Starr, an expert in native American ceremonial stonework. More info here: https://bethanylandtrust.org

Construction  at Rocky Corner is currently on hold due to a foreclosure proceeding. About two thirds of the homes are close to completion and the community that has worked on Rocky Corner for many years is engaged in discussion with the bank that holds the construction loan to ensure that the structure of the community remains one of cohousing.

We are working hard to achieve our goal of creating the first cohousing in CT – a friendly farm-centered neighborhood.

We are a tenacious group who believe in our project and hold true to our vision.

2021 Second Quarter Newsletter

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Rocky Corner Cohousing Newsletter

June 2021    
June is Gay pride month and the Rocky Corner Cohousing community takes pride in being an inclusive community.  All are welcome here!

Please join us in celebrating our individual and collective ‘pursuit of happiness.’ 

“Gay pride or LGBTQ+ pride is the promotion of self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and the increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBTQ+ rights movements” (Wikipedia)

 
Summer is nature’s growing season
It seems that spring seasons are becoming shorter with each year and we’re heading right into summer temperatures after just a few days that are ‘spring-like.’ Everything turns green and nature explodes with beautiful colors all around us.

The official end of spring is the Day of the Summer Solstice on June 20 and our Social Circle is planning a fun event for the immediate and extended Rocky Corner community. Stay tuned for details!
Community Building – It all begins with a vision!
All cohousing communities start with a vision and, of course, a vision requires visionaries. Cohousing visionaries are people hungry for connection with others. Some learn about cohousing at their place of worship, or a group or club they already belong to (such as a food coop, for example). The need for community has been written and talked about more since the start of the pandemic..

Individuals and families are attracted to the strong sense of ‘community’ found in each cohousing group.

According to www.cohousing.org, successful communities engage in the following three interrelated processes:

  • Gathering resources: people, and money
  • Building the physical structures of the community: land, houses, and a common house
  • Building the relational structures of community: connection and group process

Group processes include many, and often time-consuming, steps:

1 Learn: get informed. Read. Visit communities. Attend conferences.

A willingness to learn, try new things and grow in the process are key to the success of a community.

Members must get to know each other, since they will not just be neighbors but active community members that work together to make their common vision come alive and find solutions to problems that arise along the way.

It is recommended that people in search for the ‘right’ community or tribe visit already functioning communities. This will give the visitor ideas what she/he/they are looking for. Organizations, such as Cohousing US (cohousing.org), the Foundation for Intentional Communities (fic.org), or Mid-Atlantic Cohousing (midatlanticcohousing.org) currently offer some virtual tours of communities and may soon be able to offer in-person group visits and conferences again.

2 Dream:  Draft vision and values statements

Although communities often share similar values, the vision makes each cohousing community unique. Very often, individuals start attending meetings of an established group and then grow into a new community that better suits their needs and interests. The Rocky Corner Vision Statement can be found here: http://rockycorner.org/our-vision/

3 Organize: how will you communicate, share documents and resources

4 Form a Core group of three to five members. Begin marketing, host events, set up a website, etc.

5 Decide: Learn about different decision making processes and decide on one that works best for your community and ensures that decisions are made collaboratively.

Communities will often start with one type and find out along the way that it does not address the needs of everyone.

The initial Rocky Corner group, for example, invited CT Butler, the author of On Conflict and Consensus to learn about formal consensus. This really helped organize meetings and provided a way to reach consensus.

But, change is inevitable, and the group saw the need for a system that also provided a way to share the work. Together with other cohousing communities, they invited John Buck (the American who brought sociocracy to the US), Jerry Koch-Gonzalez, and Diana Leafe Christian to explain the functionality and benefits of Sociocracy. With Sociocracy, a General Circle and Sub-Circles were established to divide and organize the workload and decision-making went from Consent to Consensus.

6 Legal: hire attorney(s) to form an LLC, draft purchase agreement and other legal documents

7 Land: secure land with option to purchase or purchase it outright

Before Rocky Corner had its official name, the group created an evaluation tool that took into consideration individual needs, proximity to New Haven, land for agriculture, water features, etc. Although we knew about the Bethany property, we were only able to consider purchasing it after the 2008 recession, when the price dropped substantially.

8 Grow to 8-10 or more households. Increase marketing, events and investment

9 Relate: build relationship, process, and communication skills

10 Design Hire architect and design team

11 Expand to 80-90% of full community

12 Hire developer and construction team. Choose members to interact with builders


13 Bolster process and relationship skills. Continue training. Connect as a larger group.

14 Finance: secure the money you need to build your project

15 Break Ground and build buildings

Creating a cohousing community requires hard work and a lot of dedication. Thinking back, there are things that could have been done differently, but we did a great job staying focused on our vision. And, when we finally all ive at Rocky Corner, our vision will come alive.

16 Sell remaining units and begin wait list

17 Play enjoy each other and continue to build relationship and process skills

18 Plan common meals, reserves, cleaning, common house use, etc


19 Move in

20 Celebrate and begin the next phase of community building

As the last step already states, Community Building is an ongoing process and does not end with the well-deserved celebration that follows the move-in!

Maintaining a successful cohousing community requires effort, similar to any relationship between individuals, families, neighbors.

Construction  at Rocky Corner is currently on hold due to a foreclosure proceeding. About two thirds of the homes are close to completion and the community that has worked on Rocky Corner for many years is engaged in discussion with the bank that holds the construction loan to ensure that the structure of the community remains one of cohousing.

We are working hard to achieve our goal of creating the first cohousing in CT – a friendly farm-centered neighborhood.

We are putting in the effort to maintain our relationships which is helping us maintain a sense of community even though we are not living at Rocky Corner yet.
We are a tenacious group of people who continue to follow our vision.

Please take the time to read what we have on our website, especially our vision statement that is at the heart of Rocky Corner.  http://rockycorner.org/our-vision

If this statement speaks to you and you want to look into living at Rocky Corner, we recommend that you start by attending an info session so that you learn more about our new cohousing neighborhood and where we are financially. Please email outreach@rockycorner.org if you are interested in attending our next info session on Zoom.

If our vision speaks to you and you would like to support us in our fight to complete Rocky Corner -the first cohousing community in CT-, please reach out to us at outreach@rockycorn.org and we will tell you how you can help.

2021 First Quarter Newsletter

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Spring is in the air

Even with beautiful white snow still on the ground at Rocky Corner and the weather forecast calling for a few more days of snow, the days are getting longer, the sun is getting warmer, and it feels like spring is just around the corner.

The pandemic made the winter months feel even longer and darker than usual because we were not able to engage in the usual holiday gatherings with family and friends. We all felt the dark days of winter drag on and on, but now the sun is higher in the sky and nature is pushing its way to reemerge in the spring.

Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 14, giving us an additional hour of daylight and SPRING arrives at 5.37 am EDT on Saturday, March 20 when we mark the vernal equinox! 

Something to think about

Although the sun is not assigned a gender in the English language, it is interesting that the sun is masculine in all of the romance languages but feminine in many Germanic languages, as is the Earth. Especially in spring, when the sun’s warmth causes nature to be reborn and burst forth with new life, the feminine qualities of the sun seem prevalent.

From Darkness to Light

As many cultures around the world watch the introspective influence of winter wane and feel the renewed energy of spring, they engage in some spring rituals. Many embark on spring cleaning of house and home (decluttering our lives also does wonders for the soul), and smudging ceremonies with a bundle of sage. Spring symbolizes growth and fertility. With the reemergence of light, warmth, plants, animals, come new ideas and fresh perspectives.

Spring Holidays

There are a number of holidays around this time of year to mark this new beginning: From the ancient Egyptians and Romans to Hindus in the East and Pagans in the West, civilizations have honored the arrival of spring through ceremony, ritual and festivals celebrating the abundance of sunlight and crops as well as the themes of revival, redemption and rebirth. These holidays include Holi, the Hindu festival of colors; Purim, a Jewish holiday observed in late winter/early spring commemorating the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia; the Pagan tradition of Ostara marking the arrival of spring; and Easter, a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We were all in shock last year around this time as we learned about Covid-19 and watched the virus spread through neighborhoods, cities, and eventually the entire world. It stopped us in our tracks and all we could do was emerge at 7 pm each evening to bang on pots as a well-deserved expression of thanks to hospital staff and other essential workers.

But, word on the news now is that Covid cases are dropping and we are all hopeful that we can enjoy everything that spring 2021 has to offer!

Spring is a Season for Planning and Planting

Long before Spring begins, farmers and gardeners think about what they will plant in the coming weeks and months to ensure a bountiful summer and fall season. A shortage of seeds available from the usual sellers present an added challenge this year.

Farmers and gardeners face challenges every growing season. They are problem-solvers, innovators, and we trust them to find a way to get us through this. We can help farmers by uplifting them, especially in poor and struggling communities.

Now, more than ever, we must support our communities by supporting local farmers and small businesses where we live.

Dreaming about your Connecticut home garden?

Future resident Brenda and her daughter Alani are offering organic seedlings in curated collections for various themed gardens. CT Seedlings is going live in a few days with seedling collections for sale. Plants for spring beds will be ready for pick up in April and summer beds in May. Here’s a sneak peek ctseedlings.com. Check back to the website in a week to see the on-line store.

November 2020 Newsletter

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Capturing Fall at Rocky Corner

Rocky Corner is a very busy place this fall with exciting events offered every weekend as we try to capture every minute of daylight and sunshine.

Part of our Vision http://rockycorner.org/our-vision/ is to encourage continual learning, skill sharing and teaching. In keeping with this goal, our members are sharing their vast knowledge and experience with neighbors and the broader community. Adults and children of varying ages are enjoying our outdoor workshops.

Rocky Corner is a family-centered and multi-generational community. We support people of all ages to enter, stay and participate in the community throughout their lives. We value children as members of the community and encourage their participation and leadership. http://rockycorner.org/family-centered/

Most recently, our GATHER & LEARN series offered workshops on permaculture and planting garlic. For details on Rocky Corner’s vision of sustainability, please click here http://rockycorner.org/sustainability/

HALLOWEEN was extra special this year at Rocky Corner!

Our celebration included a guided tour of Bethany’s oldest cemetery (est. 1755) – just a short walk up the road from Rocky Corner. Bethany’s Historical Society offered tours throughout the afternoon that included short stories about individuals and families buried here. It is fascinating to learn the history of Bethany and its people – how they lived and how they died.

For the first time in 20 years we had a full moon on Halloween. It was the second full moon in October and was therefore called a ‘Blue Moon.’

Bobcat Carruthers, dressed up as a wizard, set up his homemade telescope in our outdoor living room and taught us about the night sky. We viewed the full moon, Mars, Jupiter and its moons, and Saturn and its rings on a cold Halloween evening.

Bobcat is a long-time friend to Rocky Corner and has helped us in many ways over the years. He recently set up solar panels to power lights in our barn and also taught an archery class as part of our GATHER & TEACH series.

Rocky Corner’s GATHER & HIKE series offers weekend hikes to Lake Chamberlain. Our current schedule is available on our website http://rockycorner.org/events/

Rocky Corner has donated a trail easement to the Bethany Land Trust. Our trail connects to the Spykman Preserve and then to Old Mill Road and Lake Chamberlain. Miles of trails and hours of hiking are just down the wooded hill. The beginning of the hike takes moderate ability but then the trail becomes wide, flat and fairly level.

Beth Bradley

has been an integral part of the Rocky Corner community for many years and is actively involved in building our community. She submitted this biography for our newsletter:

I am a musician/artisan: A singer/songwriter who plays finger-style guitar but I have a passion for other string instruments and enjoy a number of musical styles: Sacred music with Anima Schola of the Benedictine Grange in West Redding, Traditional Celtic, Rock, Alternative and Folk. I grew up with extraordinarily talented parents who created beautiful custom cabinetry, fine arts and just about every conceivable craft. My parents, especially my Dad was a bit of a homesteader. He built the house I’m currently living in, we had chickens and ducks for eggs and got the neighborhood involved in composting, we had beautiful gardens and Dad was an early adopter of solar power.

My brilliant brother Jack studied blacksmithing and has created beautiful and intricate designs. He has worked on cool projects like repairing the statue of Liberty, Giant sundials, swords and armor. Between them it seemed that there was nothing that they could not make for themselves.

My steady income currently involves Recreational Therapy at a nursing home and software technical support. (either way I get to work with people and every day is different) I also am a graphic artist and website designer, I teach computer skills and various software.” Prior to this I worked with folks who have had physical and mental challenges.

I continue my parents mission to advocate for the environment and build community. I am Associate of the Congregation of Notre Dame and a Minister with Universal Life church. Being a minister allows me the opportunity to support people at the most important times of their lives marking the passage of birth into a community, unions and passage to the next world. Choosing to be a UL Minister allows me to ask people about their spirituality and assist them in realizing their own beliefs and paths rather than preaching a particular dogma.

I’ve been involved in the local community Grange, board member of: Harmony For Kidz, Earth Day Committee, Organic Teaching Farm which created a seed bank at the local library. I love “playing in the dirt” as a member of the community garden. I am an amateur herbalist who loves wild crafting and foraging (so much to learn) and I love teaching others what I have learned – especially children as these traditions are essential to pass on to the next generation.

I am excited to be one of the neighbors at Rocky Corner. I’m looking forward to living in cohousing. It’s been one of my dreams for many years. We have a great bunch of members who I look forward to sharing wonderful times together cooking great meals in the common house with fresh produce from our garden, playing music around the campfire and walking in the woods next door.

Old Irish Blessings for Thanksgiving

May Love and Laughter light your days
and warm your heart and home
May Good and Faithful friends be yours
wherever you may roam.
May Peace and Plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
Bring the best to you and yours.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Gathering the Harvest at Rocky Corner by Janis Stahlhut, Rocky Corner Associate Member

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It is the first week of autumn here in Southern New England—a few dabs of color creeping into the brush and trees. There is promise in the air, promise of the brilliant foliage that blesses our land each year after the harvest. Our gardens are now nearly empty of their summer bounty, and the days are crisper with long shadows cast from a sun that has just passed over the Equator.

A small group gathers in a clearing behind the common house to celebrate the change of season and the autumn harvest—the fall equinox. A table set in the center is piled with autumn crops: garlic, small brown onions, squashes in every variety and shape, gourds. Future residents of our budding community have stacked dry goods for a local food pantry. A circle begins to take shape around the table, quiet at first, as each engages in painting small smooth rocks. Timidly, a buzz rises—catching up, introductions for those new to the neighborhood, hopeful talk of moving in. There is hope in the abundance of a harvest!

We gathered as a community of family and friends to honor the changing season from summer to autumn, to recognize and give thanks for this time of harvest from the land and from our lives, and to give offerings from our own abundance to assist in the care of others. There is singing and drumming, poetry and dancing. And sharing. Speaking aloud what each is harvesting from this summer’s scorched pandemic storm: energy, adventure, community, hope. Hail and welcome!

For the light that comes from Spirit.
We sing—send us your peace this day.

 

October 2020 Newsletter

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Fall is upon us and the autumn harvest makes us ponder…

How far have we come and how far we have to go? The Fall Equinox has made our days grow shorter. and we still have so much to do! Get that garlic in the ground. Get those rocks out of the ground. What are we going to do with all those rocks?!

Fortunately (for us) British artist and man-about-the-woods, Andy Goldsworthy, inspires us in every season but especially this one with the vibrant yellows and reds all around us. And, wow, does he know what to do with rocks!!

Often ephemeral & meditative, always inspirational. So we did a whole workshop on Andy’s handiwork with twigs, leaves, water…and rocks. We are ON it.

The next week we  used goldenrod to dye different fabrics for future projects.

We do yoga and music and hike and sit around the lake.

Keep an eye on the Events page of our website for when we’re doing more fascinating walks, talks, learning and stretching our minds, bodies and souls…sometimes all at once! All are welcome.

Upcoming: Archery for Beginners, Evening Telescopes to Mars, permaculture, garlic planting – early November is the ideal time. Come join us and RSVP so we know to expect you.

There is promise in the air, promise of the brilliant foliage that blesses our land each year after the harvest. Our gardens are now nearly empty of their summer bounty, and the days are crisper with long shadows cast from a sun that has just passed over the Equator.

A small group gathers in a clearing behind the Community House to celebrate the change of season and the autumn harvest – the Fall Equinox.  A table set in the center is piled with autumn crops: garlic, small brown onions, squashes in every variety and shape, gourds.  Future residents of our budding community have stacked dry goods for a local food pantry. A circle begins to take shape around the table, quiet at first, as each engages in painting small smooth rocks.  Timidly, a buzz rises – catching up, introductions for those new to the neighborhood, hopeful talk of moving in.  There is hope in the abundance of a harvest!

We gathered as a community of family and friends to honor the changing season from summer to autumn, to recognize and give thanks for this time of harvest from the land and from our lives, and to give offerings from our own abundance to assist in the care of others. There is singing and drumming, poetry and dancing. And sharing. Speaking aloud what each is harvesting from this summer’s scorched pandemic storm: energy, adventure, community, hope. Hail and welcome! – Janis S.

“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat
match the beat of the universe,
to match your nature with Nature.”

~ John Joseph Campbell

Let’s create the world we want… together.

 

Find out about our last homes for sale and when the next open house (socially distanced, of course) and online info sessions (no mask necessary) are scheduled on our website at http://rockycorner.org.

homes, land, people

Unit 10 (above) and unit 20 (below) are offering Special Sale prices, both with custom upgrades and almost ready for move in. See our website for more details. The last few are not built yet and await the finishing touches of their new owners.

A few homes (all sizes, market rate and affordable) are available for sale. If you are interested in finding out more, send an email to
welcome@rockycorner.com or call us at 203-903-COHO (-2646). We will have you attend a Zoom info session.

We are also happy to set up private tours of the land and homes, using masks and keeping 6 ft distance, of course.

*Due to Covid-19 all state and local guidelines are being implemented.

Come see if we are the right community for you!

http://rockycorner.org

@RockyCorner

We are hosting frequent Open House Tours, Nature Walks, Hikes, Herbal Skill Sharing and Foraging events, plus an occasional outdoor Mat Yoga Class.

Let us know if you have questions
or would like to chat individually.

Please RSVP to welcome@rockycorner.org
for full details or call
203-903-COHO (-2646).

You can get more information on our website at
http://rockycorner.org

September 2020 Newsletter

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Gardening for Health

According to Bluezones.com, research shows that gardening boosts mood as much as exercise. “As civic leaders and urban planners work to make cities more sustainable and livable by investing in outdoor spaces and recreational activities such as biking and walking, Princeton researchers have identified the benefit of an activity largely overlooked by policymakers—home gardening.

The researchers found that, across the study’s population, the level of emotional well-being, or happiness, reported while gardening was similar to what people reported while biking, walking, or dining out, according to a study published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning.”

Beautiful Rocky Corner cohousing is situated on 33 pristine acres of farm land.  Though we are still preparing for our move-in, we have already been tilling and farming the land in our community garden. For those home-owners that are interested, each home will be provided a 20′ x 40′ plot. Many of our future residents are experienced gardeners, so we’lll actively learn from each other. There will also be future opportunities to participate in a CSA.

Rocky Corner will have ponds, rain gardens and other permaculture features that we’ll develop over time. We will apply sound principles to preserve the sites unique natural resources and protect the watershed (Lake Chamberlain) directly to our east. We worked with Apple Seed Permaculture who helped us develop a comprehensive land-use plan for the site based on our goals.

Our intention is to have our landscape provide a bounty of herbs, vegetables, flowers, tree fruits, berries and nuts. Please feel free to reach out to us at welcome@rockycorner.org. We welcome your visit!

Our Bio corner: Rich Wilbur

I was born in the city of New Haven, Connecticut. At the age of five we moved to Shelton, where I spent most of my childhood years. I met Nancy while still living in Shelton, and after we were married (I was 20, Nancy was a few weeks shy of 19) we moved to Darien, then Ansonia, where we had our son Seanen in 1979. When Seanen was less than a year old we moved to a communal farm in Oxford. We lived there for a year and eventually left for practical and personal reasons. We then rented a converted cheese house in Southbury and lived there about 11 years. While there we helped form and participated in a Parent Cooperative daycare, and were active in various political groups for different causes; anti-nuclear, against the contras in El Salvador, anti-apartheid, for women’s rights and many others. We also were part of a food buying club, the Tofu Connection. We learned about group process and consensus decision making at the time. I had my own business fixing appliances and was able to schedule my work around meetings and demonstrations. I became disillusioned after it seemed that we were just preaching to the choir and weren’t reaching out to new people. I was also tired of always being against something, and no one could agree and what we should be for. While all of this was going on, I closed down my own business and went back to working for another appliance company. I went back to college part-time while working full-time. After seventeen years I graduated with a BA in fine art. I did have a studio for a short time at Erector Square in New Haven and had paintings in a few art shows. We eventually moved to Orange, where I took a six month course in computer programming and got a job at Traveler’s Insurance as a programmer. We finally bought our first (and current) home in Oxford in 1999.

I had inherited some woodworking tools from my stepfather and found that I enjoyed working with wood. I bought more tools over the years until I had a pretty good woodworking shop. One day my company offered an early retirement package that seemed attractive, and after crunching the numbers Nancy and I decided I should take it and I retired. I’m hoping to do some woodworking to supplement my retirement income. One of my goals when I retired was to start living more sustainably. I started looking into solar, and at the same time Nancy was feeling the need for more community. We were aware of Green Haven, and everything seemed to fall into place. Sustainability, community, permaculture, farming… Green Haven cohousing had what we were looking for. We liked the vision, and we both think it is important for the health of our planet. In the past year I enrolled in a class and received a Permaculture Design Certificate, so that I can help design an edible landscape at Rocky Corner. I’m hoping that we set an example in living the change we want to see, and that others will be inspired to do something similar.

Rich, Beth and Kirina enjoy a musical interlude. Every Saturday we gather together after our Open House with all who are interested in Rocky Corner Including our future residents, associate members and all visitors who want to find out more about Rocky Corner! If you want to share an afternoon with us, we welcome you!

 

We offer ongoing hikes, information sessions, or educational opportunities every Saturday at Rocky Corner. On September 5, Anastasia and Alexis led a walking tour of the land in search of herbs that could be used for incense bundles.  It was a great success!

Check out the events page on our website: http://rockycorner.org

 

Featured Home for Sale

Welcome to our specially priced highly upgraded Unit #20. With over 1300 sf of living space, this expanded home offers a full south dormer, half north dormer, highly upgraded kitchen with maple cabinets and additional island, large living room with window bay,  upgraded electrical, first floor family room or office/den, two full baths All homes offer electric heat/central air system. Offered for sale at $464,500. A wonderful home for the growing family.

Original artwork by our very own Amika Gair McMichael in honor of the peaceful protestors and the values, ideals & dreams that we all cherish.

A few homes (all sizes, market rate and affordable) are available for sale. If you are interested in finding out more, send an email to
welcome@rockycorner.com or call us at 203-903-COHO (-2646). We will have you attend a Zoom info session.

We are also happy to set up private tours of the land and homes, using masks and keeping 6 ft distance, of course.

*Due to Covid-19 all state and local guidelines are being implemented.

Come see if we are the right community for you!

http://rockycorner.org

@RockyCorner

We are hosting frequent Open House Tours, Nature Walks, Hikes, Herbal Skill Sharing and Foraging events, plus an occasional outdoor Mat Yoga Class.

 

Let us know if you have questions
or would like to chat individually.

Please RSVP to welcome@rockycorner.org
for full details or call
203-903-COHO (-2646).

You can get more information on our website at
http://rockycorner.org

August 2020 Newsletter

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Cohousing is gaining in popularity

The ongoing pandemic is causing many to reevaluate what is truly important to live a fulfilled life. Often, family, friends, and being part of a community are at the top of the list.

Cohousing is an arrangement in which many people live together in a community, with small homes for each person or family and larger areas that are shared by all.

People who live in cohousing arrangements can save money, share chores, enjoy group activities, and form lasting friendships. One of the main benefits of cohousing is the economical advantage of sharing resources with other community members.

Sharing tasks and chores like cooking, providing childcare, and driving, can offer savings in both time and money.

Cohousing offers a chance to know your neighbors as friends, enjoying each other’s company in good times and helping each other with challenges like a job loss or a new baby. Having this kind of strong support network makes it easier to get through troubled times and live a happier, healthier life.

People are leaving big cities in large numbers

We asked some of our future residents why they are choosing to leave New York City. This is what they told us:

Dee lived in Manhattan prior to joining Rocky Corner and says she was convinced she would never leave NYC, but the decision to move out of the city was not as difficult as she expected. Once the decision was made, she felt a huge sense of relief. “It just felt so right! The timing was perfect and finding my “tribe” is what really sealed the deal.” The braveness she saw in the pioneers that started Rocky Corner was contagious, and she thought “here is a group of people that found a way to do what seemed so far out, when I had only been thinking about it. And they even recycle rocks – my kind of folks.”

Earlier in life, Dee spent many years living overseas and says “that’s kind of how the move to Rocky Corner Cohousing feels – a big, exotic adventure, moving from the city that never sleeps to sleepy Rocky Corner!” She adds, “It is also an amazingly apt name for this rural town of horses, farm stands, our own organic farm and rocks everywhere. Big rocks, little rocks, smooth rocks, sharp rocks, painted rocks (thanks to one of our teenage members, Alexis!). Our own crushed rocks that are excavated from underneath the homes & gardens cover our pathways!  No waste here –  we don’t just compost & recycle, we even repurpose our rocks.”

Elvy and Ed raised two children in Park Slope, Brooklyn and now enjoy spending time with their grandchildren. Brooklyn, and especially the Park Slope neighborhood, have been great for them when they were a young family. But Elvy and Ed are yearning for a place that is a bit more quiet and has the option of engaging in outdoor activities without having to drive a hundred or more miles to get there. Both like hiking, working with farm animals, and gardening. Ed is also an avid Yoga practitioner and looks forward to doing sun and moon salutations in our large outdoor area.

Although New York City offers a lot of passive entertainment, Elvy says she is more of a doer than a spectator, and after retiring from her job she has less of a reason to be in the city. She is constantly looking for new hands-on-projects and is certain there will be no shortage of those at Rocky Corner and the communal effort will make it more fun – especially in the artist studio and workshop in our Common House.

They are convinced that living close to the land and learning a new way of life will absorb their mental and physical energies and say this is exactly what they need!

 

Leslie moved back to NYC after living in Southern CA for 26 years. Though she visited at least 2 to 3 times each year during that time, she remembered NY differently than what she came back to. She says “It is much noisier and more crowded than I remembered. Though initially I was excited to experience all the fun things NYC offers, after a while it became prohibitively expensive to live in the city. Of course, I am also retired and much older now, and my tolerance level for city life has diminished but I needed to live in NYC some time before I could truly verbalize my frustrations.”

She yearned for a more quiet and peaceful environment and since her brother has been living in southern CT for twenty years, she is already familiar with the CT experience. When she discovered Rocky Corner Cohousing, she was immediately drawn to everything about it and, after multiple inquiries and visits, she decided to move forward and purchase one of the homes in the community.

Leslie adds: “I haven’t looked back since and I am so excited about my soon to happen move to Rocky Corner and highly, highly recommend it to anyone ready to experience all that the Rocky Corner Cohousing community has to offer.”

 

Lori moved to NYC in her mid-20s and fell in love with the Big Apple immediately. She says, “I felt at home here and always loved the diversity of the city. I am also a long-time member of the Park Slope Food Coop and could not imagine living without the Coop.”

But as she observes the recent changes in NYC, with neighborhoods being gentrified and the city becoming a place that only the super-wealthy can afford, she is becoming less enthusiastic. “This is not the kind of place I want to live in, and it breaks my heart to see the ever increasing numbers of homeless individuals and families.”

The fast-changing climate caused Lori to think seriously about joining a cohousing community where she can have her own garden and also benefit from the communal garden. She looks forward to living in a divers, multi-generational community that offers a balance between independence and interdependence. In Rocky Corner, she found like-minded individuals and families that are devoted to preserving, protecting, nurturing and regenerating the natural environment. In the not too distant future, we may even set up our own food coop at Rocky Corner, but until we do, there is always the Park Slope Food Coop only a short distance away.

“Of course, the current pandemic makes it even clearer that we all need a supportive and safe community. I work in Manhattan and am so excited that Rocky Corner is so close to NYC. Another very important fact to me is that Rocky Corner is 570 feet above sea level – a substantial difference to the NYC’ boroughs’ elevations of between 30 and 55 feet. It will take me some time to get used to the serene and quiet environment. but being able to look up at the night sky and actually see the stars will be awesome!”

We meet regularly to work on the land and in our individual gardens

To relax and recharge, we often plan special events and celebrations, or just get together to make music, hang out (or hang on the aerial yoga swing), or just have fun.

 

 

Original artwork by our very own Amika Gair McMichael in honor of the peaceful protestors and the values, ideals & dreams that we all cherish.

few homes (all sizes, market rate and affordable) are available for sale. If you are interested in finding out more, send an email to
welcome@rockycorner.com or call us at 203-903-COHO (-2646). We will have you attend a Zoom info session.
We are also happy to set up private tours of the land and homes, using masks and keeping 6 ft distance, of course.

*Due to Covid-19 all state and local guidelines are being implemented.

July 2020 Newsletter

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COHOUSING: Creating Balance Between Independence and Interdependence

We’re almost there…really!

Construction Update

Electricity is on, water is about to be turned on (Thank you, Regional Water Authority!) and we are ready to go.

Our gorgeous 4,500 square-foot Common House is looking good – awaiting bathroom tiles and commercial kitchen installation, but all the needed elements are there, including our pizza-making masonry stove that can’t get installed until the Canadian vendor is allowed back in! (Good thing we don’t need heat in August…but we might need pizza…)

And thank you to the Acoustical Engineering students for all your hard work – we just beat the pandemic by a week or two to complete a formal acoustical survey of the multi-purpose dining room and whether it will need adjustments for dining, dancing, music, game night or whatever else we dream up…we’ll have the “baffles”! (Or at least we’ll have the measurements for the sound-proofing baffles).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Solstice 2020

We had to take time out to celebrate – because that’s what we do best. The longest day of the year prompts the longest celebration we can manage.

 

 

And speaking of celebrations – we are delighted to introduce you to our newest members: Kyla & Kevin

Kyla and Kevin found out about Rocky Corner through Kyla’s parents, who thought it would be a great fit for them. So they came for the ride and decided that THIS is what they’ve been looking for.

An adventurous duo, they love to travel (when they’re not locked down), so for now Rocky Corner is going to be the adventure of a lifetime. Kyla & Kevin met when both were doing interdisciplinary undergraduate work (so millennial): he in library science, computers and theater and she in English literature and educational leadership.

When Kevin isn’t studying or working, he is most likely reading, playing video games, hiking, making kombucha and hot sauce, or planning the next adventure for his Dungeons and Dragons group.

Kyla is a life-long Nutmegger & creative writing aficionado. She likes hiking, experimental baking (yay – experimental pizza in our masonry stove!), working on her fantasy novel, and browsing Petfinder.com (so SO millennial) with Kevin in hopes of one day getting a dog who will be oh-so-happy on the farm.

Dreamers & Doers – they fit right in!!

Original artwork by our very own Amika Gair McMichael in honor of the peaceful protestors and the values, ideals & dreams that we all cherish.

Poem by Richard Wright, 1945
Black Boy

I was leaving the South
to fling myself into the unknown…
I was taking a part of the South
to transplant in alien soil,
to see if it could grow differently,
if it could drink of new and cool rains,
bend in strange winds,
respond to the warmth of other suns
and, perhaps, to bloom.

It’s that time again…to be thinking about our favorite friends, the two-legged, the four-legged and the thousand-legged

Pollinator Pathways started on the East coast in Connecticut to deal with the dramatic decline in insects & bees that has happened worldwide. The goal is to re-plant many native species in swaths throughout the town. Rocky Corner folks will survey our land and decide where to plant more natives.

It so happens that Rocky Corner was a chestnut forest before it was a dairy farm. (Who knew?!) The old farmhouse was largely made of native chestnut. We couldn’t save the c. 1740 house, but Urban Miners (run by Kyla’s dad, Joe) deconstructed the building and saved beautiful chestnut boards boards that we can use again.

As Rocky Corner reinvigorates native species, we’ll welcome the return of diverse plants and pollinators to live amongst us farm-happy folks. Hello milkweed, monarch butterflies, native bees and all their friends.

And speaking of all our friends – furry and otherwise – we want to invite everyone to come see our staged home. Please share our Virtual Open House Presentations every Monday evening on your social media. And don’t forget to mention that – in the spirit of diversity, creativity and community – we are proud to be participating with the State of Connecticut’s Neighborhood Housing Service (NHS) to make some homes at Rocky Corner part of the affordable housing network of CT. A few of these homes are still available (see photos here and the pink box below for details), as well as several of our other 1, 2 & 3 bedroom homes.

All of the homes at Rocky Corner are ADA-accessible with at least one bedroom & bath on the main floor, solid wood cabinetry, maple stairs leading to an upstairs loft, and large south-facing double-glazed windows to maximize solar gain in winter. All have energy-efficient air-sourced heat pumps that provide ductless heating and cooling throughout. You can add optional upstairs dormers, bay windows and porches to maximize your potential in community, overlooking our edible landscapes, orchard, community gardens and pond.
Share us on your social media and call us to arrange an in-person (socially-distanced, of course) or virtual (online) tour of the site and the homes.

Rocky Corner amenities:

  • 4,500 sq. ft. common house with large commercial kitchen and dining room for community meals; a massive lounge highlighted by a hand-built masonry stove with bread oven. We have wonderful maker spaces including a woodworking shop, arts and crafts room and future greenhouse.
  • Convenient location near New Haven, accessible to Hartford, Waterbury, and other Connecticut locations
  • Top-rated school district – Bethany Community School and Amity Regional High School
  • Community garden with individual parcels for those looking to grow their own vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers.
  • Ponds, rain gardens, and other permaculture features that we’ll develop over time on this organic 33-acre former dairy farm
  • Opportunity to participate in the community organic farm, or create your own farm enterprise.
  • Pet friendly (chickens are a must in the farm core)
  • Fiber optic Internet service (500 Mbps download and upload speed) to each home, upgradable to 1 gig per second.
  • Direct access to Land Trust trails

A few homes (all sizes, market rate and affordable) are available for sale. If you are interested in finding out more, send an email to
welcome@rockycorner.com or call us at 203-903-COHO (-2646). We will have you attend a Zoom info session.

We are also happy to set up private tours of the land and homes, using masks and keeping 6 ft distance, of course.

*Due to Covid-19 all state and local guidelines are being implemented.

“Clearing the Land, Creating the Vision” by Janis Stahlhut

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On a 33-acre 270-year-old former dairy farm in Bethany, Connecticut, much of that land is doing what Connecticut does: growing trees. It might be hard for some to envision a different future. Over the years, the woodlands have become choked with invasive and native “climbers,” like bittersweet and multiflora rose.

But at Rocky Corner we envision enjoying sunny summer days in a clover meadow under a towering ancient oak tree, trail hiking to a nearby pond, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing through a wintry landscape, or picking apples and pears from our orchards. But first we have to clear much of this invasive brush away!

Social Distancing is easy on 33 acres of land. There is ample space to relax outdoors or work together on the land while staying six feet apart.

Regular work parties have tackled patches of scrub with loppers, snippers, root-digger-outer thingies, and limb saws wielded by a small devoted, army of Rocky Corner community members. Brenda deftly maneuvers the loader on her tractor for the heavy lifting of dead tree trunks and piles of prickly vines. Others select from an array of tools gathered from the NEW barn for the day’s work.

In one area, a foot and horse path is being revived for an easement from our property along an old stonewall (aplenty in Connecticut – it’s the “rock” in Rocky Corner!). The path continues across a conservation and land management stretch known as the Spykman Preserve, along a creek bed, running fast from the spring melt and rains. Further on, the path reaches a small wetland where the creek feeds Lake Chamberlain, which is under the jurisdiction of the Regional Water Authority. Fishing anyone?

We’ve worked on a patch of ground that when cleared will provide a lovely meadow at the base of a towering white oak. Visions of Sunday picnics here! And yet another day’s work reveals a gargantuan rhododendron in full spring bloom, among a small grove of maples (sugar?!) and shagbark hickories. A weathered wall and crumbling stone foundation of the original owner’s house, with a small, mysterious ground covering patchwork of old bricks are windows into the history of this land.

Nature’s stunning beauty, speckled with hints of American history and lore, is all around us! There is always something new to observe and enjoy – any time of the year.

June 2020 Newsletter

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Cohousing is the Future of Community and Human Connection

Cohousing as antidote to the loneliness epidemic

Living arrangements and relationship patterns have changed in our lifetime; greater numbers of adults are single, childless, or live great distances from adult children. For many baby boomers, the most important question is “where do I want to live as I age?” Until now, many of us planned to stay in our homes and apartments as long as physically possible and then go to the best nursing home we can afford. We thought a nursing home was the only safe option, but the current pandemic shows that a nursing home can be the most dangerous place for an aging population.

A caring and supportive community with accessible and energy-efficient homes is a far better option for aging in place! And, there are always neighbors willing to lend a hand when needed.

It takes a village to raise a child – a cohousing community is a village

Not only the older population, but increasingly also young families realize that having an entire community that provides a safe environment for children where they can play outdoors, and where they have a common house for arts and crafts or for story telling on rainy days, is a tremendous help for a young family.

A pesticide free garden and a small farm are sure to prevent boredom in any child!

Cohousing communities share resources

In a supportive community, neighbors help neighbors, and neighbors share resources as much as they are able or want to share. Imagine the money we can save by sharing vehicles, lawnmowers, snowblowers, tools, and other things.The list of things we share can be as long or as short as we want it to be.

Imagine coming home from work and sitting down to a meal in the Common House, a meal prepared by your neighbors!

Full speed ahead!

The Blueberry cluster duplex is being built and is expected to be move-in ready in August 2020.

 

We are all pitching in to get ready for our first closings:
• the water system must be commissioned
• the offering documents are being reviewed and updated
• Certificates of occupancy have to be issued
• our two condo associations, Rocky Corner North and Rocky Corner South, will be declared with the first closing in each group

Rocky Corner is an ecovillage, with thirty energy-efficient homes clustered in the center of a thirty-three acre organic farm. Conserving most of our land, sharing the food we grow, sharing the common house, sharing vehicles and using sociocracy as our governance model defines who we are.

Bethany, Connecticut, is five miles from New Haven, a lively cultural hub. We have recreational hiking trails just outside our doors and cultural events just down the road. As the first cohousing neighborhood in Connecticut, Rocky Corner is attracting people from within the state as well as from New York, Massachusetts, and as far away as California.

 

Would you like to…

own a share of 33 acres of organic pesticide free farm land?

grow your own food?

work with your neighbors to create a sustainable community?

share resources with others?

raise your children in a supportive community?

 

 

This month, we are introducing future resident LESLIE ARDEN:

Born in Manhattan, first generation American on my mother’s side, the youngest of three, with two older brothers, we moved cross country at age three to Tucson AZ followed by Knoxville TN, then on to San Antonio TX and eventually to East Paterson NJ—where I lived until age 19. Moving to NYC, I completed my undergrad degree at St. John’s University with a major in Art Ed but as timing would have it, NYC schools closed most of their music and art programs citywide that year. I applied to McGraw-Hill and was hired as a commercial artist trainee for one of their magazines. Eventually I moved on to freelance work, staying in NYC for a few more years. A short stint in San Miguel, Mexico, to study fine arts, and then an offer to start selling real estate in central CT (don’t ask) led me to a 45-year career in the real estate field.

Married and divorced in CT, I have one son,-Ben, who is now married to Susan, I have one amazing granddaughter, Yana Lynne, turning three in July. Sometime in the late 80s I went back to school and received a MA degree in applied communications. In 1990 I sold my real estate company and decided to head for southern CA with my son and a friend of mine and her two sons, where I lived until 2016. I finally let my CA license lapse this year with the decision to stay put on the East Coast.

In 2009 when the CA real estate market took a giant nosedive into the abyss, I decided to take a year off and moved to CT living with my sister-in-law and brother, studying Adobe digital design at Pratt and SVA. (I still work in Adobe and have had multiple freelance gigs over the years. I love this type of design work and love learning more and more the how-to’s of digital design.) Moving back to my home in CA in 2010, I continued my real estate career working as a listing agent for Fannie Mae for the next 6+ years while the market roiled from the foreclosure debacle. After 6+ years of challenging and emotionally heart-wrenching work, the foreclosure market finally came to a halt. At that point I concluded it was time to move back to NYC in 2016 when my daughter in law, Susan, became pregnant.

Once I returned to NYC after not having lived there for 50ish years, I was shocked at the changes to the city and my perspective on the city. I had discovered the concept of cohousing while living in CA and decided to start a new inquiry. I found the cohousing.org website, purchased a book on cohousing, and started my research. Within a short time frame, I discovered Rocky Corner cohousing in Bethany, CT. I reached out to them and we started communicating. The more we spoke, the more excited I became. Eventually, my son Ben and I drove up to check out the new construction site. We were both equally impressed with it and its proximity to New Haven. I finally decided to make the commitment to purchase, and now here I am in Queens preparing to make my most exciting move to Rocky Corner, ready to experience cohousing and community!

The strand that ties all of my life experiences together is my 50 year search for inner peace that began by being raised in a non-religious Jewish family, migrating across religious beliefs until I eventually discovered “A Course in Miracles” in 1988 and Ken Wapnick (living and teaching in Temecula CA in 2002 and in my opinion, one of the greatest course teachers). I am, to this day, a dedicated student of the course, and what I finally discovered after my life-long outward search is a simple few lines from the book’s introduction “the only purpose of the course is to provide a way in which some people will be able to find their own internal Teacher.” Wow what a concept. Oh, by the way, I also am passionate about photography and great photographers (was hooked when I was given my first 35mm camera at 16 years old). I love art museums, music across all genres, quality movies, learning new subjects, reading—mostly bios and non-fiction—hiking in the woods, staring up at the night sky on a cloudless night, and trying to lift others when called on. I was married to Steve S. for 11 years and after that in a relationship with Margaret B for 16 years.

So that’s it, my 72 years on Planet Earth wrapped up in a few paragraphs. Who knew?

Social Distancing is easy on 33 acres of land. There is ample space to relax outdoors or work together on the land while staying six feet apart.

 

Nature’s stunning beauty is all around us! There is always something new to observe and enjoy – any time of the year.

May 2020 Newsletter

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The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Our common house is almost complete. Step into the open and bright dining room, commercial kitchen, plus three more wonderful rooms for woodworking, crafts and to be determined. All this plus a lounge where we can gather for our morning coffee, warm ourselves at the masonry stove while we catch up on the daily news and share our stories with friends.

Announcements:

We are excited to announce that our first closings at Rocky Corner are scheduled for June! Counting the days till we close is an understatement. Rocky Corner has been a labor of love for many years, and we are grateful to those who have been working ceaselessly to make our vision of cohousing finally come to fruition.

Rocky Corner is an ecovillage, with thirty energy-efficient homes clustered in the center of a thirty-three acre organic farm. Conserving most of our land, sharing food, sharing the common house, sharing vehicles and using sociocracy as our governance model defines who we are. Bethany, Connecticut, is five miles from New Haven, a lively cultural hub. We have recreational hiking trails just outside our doors and cultural events just down the road. As the first cohousing neighborhood in Connecticut, Rocky Corner is attracting people from within the state as well as from New York and Massachusetts and as far away as California.

 

 

We spent Sunday, May 4, working on the garden-planting potatoes and garlic. The fields are ready for more work and we are anxious for our first crop.

Meet two of our soon-to-be Rocky Corner Residents!

Shanee: I was born in Boston, MA. My family moved to the suburb of Newton when I was a toddler. Worcester, MA, where I went to college, was an important influence in my life, as was a six-month internship at an ecumenical anti-apartheid center in South Africa in the mid-1980s. I became a clinical psychologist in my mid-30s and worked in several locations in the US (DC, Denver, Boston, and primarily NYC), both in the public sector (schools, clinics, etc.) and private practice. I also worked internationally in contexts of ethnic and political violence, including over 2.5 years as the psychologist for the UN-backed war crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone and two years as psychologist/trainer with Center for Victims of Torture (an NGO), first in the refugee camps of Guinea (serving mostly Liberians) and later in a clinic in Jordan (mainly with Iraqis). I am a registered poetry therapist and mentor/supervisor in poetry therapy, and hold a MFA in creative writing from The New School. I have taught at several universities but have not felt drawn toward a mainstream academic career path. In recent years I have reinvented myself as a late-blooming literary scholar: writing (hopefully) original interpretations of classic novels and submitting these for publication in scholarly journals (with some success). I was living and working in Sierra Leone when I met my daughter Yana, who was 7 at that time. I first became her guardian and then legally adopted her. I have been raising her in the US since she was 11, while at the same time doing our best to maintain a soulful connection to her homeland and birth family. After living in a cramped apartment in New York City’s East Village, we moved to a small town in rural western Maine in 2016. Yana entered her first year at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT and I combined teaching and practicing psychology with becoming a student again, immersing myself deeply in English and American literature, and earning a BA in English at the University of Maine (just completed). I love the Great American Songbook (listening, as well as singing), theater (mostly as an audience member, but I have also acted in several community theater productions with the Sandy River Players here in Maine), reading (primarily contemporary poetry and classic novels), and travel (worldwide). I’m excited to move to Rocky Corner because of the warm, friendly, and caring future-neighbors; the proximity to nature; the chance to spend time with new friends without having to drive anywhere; our beautiful newly-built house; and the chance to be less than 2 hours from NYC and only 15 min from New Haven while also having the simple pleasures, peacefulness, and human connections of a small rural town which we’ve learned to cherish in Maine.

Yana: I was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and came to the US with my mom, Shanee, when I was 11. My major hobbies are reading (a wide range), creative writing, dance, and art (drawing, painting). I also like track/field and tennis. I enjoy travel: my mom and I have taken some wonderful trips during summer vacations. I first learned to cook at age 6, and have been cooking ever since. I make a mean matzo ball soup, and have also experimented with the cuisines of Korea, Morocco, and other nations, in addition to West African dishes. I live a mostly secular life but am spiritually conscious and have cultural ties to all three Abrahamic religions, i.e., Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, a fact of which I am proud and which I hope can facilitate building bridges across differences, which is one of my core values. I am known as an “animal whisperer” (including but not limited to cats, dogs, and hens) because animals gravitate toward me and I love them in return. However, my mom has refused to let me get a pet. Therefore, I look forward to spending time with animals at Rocky Corner. In mid-May 2020 I will graduate from Wesleyan University, where I have majored in French Studies and got to spend my spring semester of my junior year in a study-abroad program in Paris. I am fluent in my native language (Temne) as well as in Krio (lingua franca of Sierra Leone) along with English and French, and am near-fluent in Spanish. Since March 9 when Wesleyan switched to distance learning, I’ve been at home with my mom in western Maine where we both do everything within our power to stay safe and well by going out only if there’s a compelling need, wearing masks, and physical distancing (we prefer the term “physical” distancing” to “social” distancing because we feel it’s more accurate). I’m excited to move to Rocky Corner co-housing because I know I will enjoy the natural beauty, the gardening, and connecting with new people. I also like the design of our new home. I am planning to find a job in CT starting in summer 2020. By the way, please don’t ask me what I plan to do with the rest of my life because right now I’ve yet to finish my final exams!

 

 

Gathering at the farm at Rocky Corner for a productive day of work!

April 2020 Newsletter

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Spring arrived at Rocky Corner, Connecticut’s 1st Cohousing Community.

Greetings for a Happy Easter, Chag Sameach Pesach, and
Ramadan Mubarak to all of our family, friends, and neighbors!

 

 

TOGETHER, we can create the world we want to live.

Community feels more necessary than ever these days. At Rocky Corner we are thankful for each other and all that we share – land, flowers, food, good times & bad:  a joy that is shared is doubled; a sorrow that is shared is halved.

We welcome another season of regeneration, renewal and self-reflection.

PROGRESS REPORT
We’re almost there, and so glad to be able to share our (virtual) togetherness with more zoom meetings than ever, plus zoom social gatherings, happy hours, and virtual tours.

STAY HEALTHY – STAY SAFE
The homeowners’ association is formalized and we’re preparing for the real hard work of becoming the community that we have all dreamed about.

A few homes are still for sale!

If you join us now you get to plan the rest of the community with us, from the ground up…literally.

April is National Poetry Month

“The solar circle poem can be read in any direction, or simultaneously with various voices at a ‘distance,’ or it can be cut out and spun like a wheel. You choose where to begin and end.”
—Juan Felipe Herrera
https://poets.org/poem/social-distancing

 

New Haven’s Wooster Square Park doesn’t disappoint with Spring’s big show of cherry blossoms….this year and every year, reminding us that soon we’ll be able to enjoy it immensely in person(s)!

 

Cohousing E-News February 2020 Article: SPOTLIGHT on Rocky Corner

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https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Cohousing-Now—133-February—The-Power-of-2.html?soid=1115496913910&aid=-VcyE9XIeNI

On a recent afternoon, Rich Wilber stood at the window of his nearly finished home looking over a muddy February landscape. He saw the fruit trees and berry bushes; naturalized pollinator plantings and tidy garden rows; and neighbors grazing on ripe fruit—all of which are in the plans for his community, but not yet reality. It takes vision and heart to see a lush green landscape in the middle of a construction site.

Fortunately the members of Rocky Corner cohousing have an abundance of both. As they look over their 33 acres in rural Connecticut, the vision is clear. “Creating an edible landscape, regenerating soil, and increasing biodiversity are goals that are part of our vision statement,” according to Rich. The edible landscape interspersed with their 30 homes and large common house will enable them to live sustainably. The permaculture plan includes a working organic farm that can provide produce for common house meals; and each household will have access to a large garden plot. This will be a place where all the residents of the land—people young and old, animals and plants—thrive together.

Part of thriving is commitment to a collaborative lifestyle that leaves space for plenty of individual preference. Many members are eager to get their hands in the dirt. They can’t wait to plant seeds that will grow with their community, and they know that they will have some neighbors who aren’t able to get into the dirt or just don’t want to. “That’s fine,” says Beth Bradley, Rich’s nextdoor neighbor. “We want everyone to gravitate toward what they love—and once in a while clean a toilet.” Their shared work agreement is a guideline for how many hours are needed from each person.
They point to their longstanding study and practice of sociocracy as a source of their overall success. They like that the work is distributed among small, efficient circles with defined authority, making it possible for everyone to speak and be heard in every round; and they believe they make better decisions than they would without it. “When we have a decision that we thought was pretty good, and someone objects, we work through it; and we always end up with a better decision,” says Beth. Sociocracy has already led to a culture of working hard to create the community together.

As in most cohousing neighborhoods, the common house is the center of activity. Maker spaces designed for arts, crafts, and woodworking are planned. Rich looks forward to swing dancing in the dining room. Beth can’t wait to be leading everyone in singing songs she has written. Residents will use a commercial kitchen for common meals and can rent it out to create food products to sell.
Rocky Corner folks have had a vision to create housing for different income levels. Thirteen of the 30 homes are income-qualified affordable units, subsidized by a $2.6 million dollar grant from the State of Connecticut. Those homes are reserved by people of all ages with limited incomes. Even the buyers who are paying market rate prices realize that cohousing is benefiting them financially. Energy-efficient houses, shared vehicles, food from the land, and more ways of sharing will keep money in many pockets.

With 18 homes nearing completion and 12 more planned, Rich and Beth are eager to meet the rest of their neighbors. As committed buyers arrive, funds become available from the bank to start the next building.
In the meantime, they are waiting for topsoil to be spread and plotting where to plant the trees and perennials they will bring with them from other properties. It’s an exciting time as they watch their community take shape, already enjoying strong bonds and shared vision for stewarding this land and nurturing one another. If you’d like to join them, you can find everything you need to know at www.rockycorner.org

 

March 2020 Newsletter

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It’s closing time!!!

The fairly mild winter allowed us to continue construction at a steady pace and we now have actual CLOSING DATES that suddenly feel very close.  Too close perhaps for those who now have to think about putting homes on the market, begin planning a move with all that this entails.  And, if you’ve lived in the same house for the last few decades, it can be daunting, to say the least.  Many of us want to downsize and have lots of things to donate or re-purpose; so Rocky Corner set up a spreadsheet where community members can list items that they want to donate or share with others and the community.  Our Common House can use dining room and living room furniture, kitchen items, washers and dryers, art supplies, tools for the workshop, yoga supplies, toys for kids, and on and on.  The community garden will need tools and garden supplies.

In addition to organizing the move, families with children have to think about new school enrollments, venues for after school programs, sports, and many other things.  Bethany, CT, is a town of close to 6,000 residents that has very good schools and student activity programs.  For teens and young adults, the city of New Haven offers high schools, community colleges, and universities (the Yale campus is located in New Haven).

Click here for more information on Bethany and the area http://rockycorner.org/bethany-the-place/

Are you a good fit for our community? 

A few spectacular homes are still for sale at Rocky Corner!  We are looking for individuals and families to complete our growing cohousing community and invite you to join one of our upcoming info sessions and site tours, including a model home.

Rocky Corner is an ecovillage, with thirty energy-efficient homes clustered in the center of a thirty-three acre organic farm. Conserving the land, sharing food, sharing the common house, sharing vehicles and using sociocracy as our governance model defines who we are.

Bethany, Connecticut is five miles from New Haven, a lively cultural hub. We have recreational hiking trails just outside our doors and cultural events just down the road.

As the first cohousing neighborhood in Connecticut, Rocky Corner is attracting local people from within the state as well as from New York and Massachusetts. We are finishing up the construction of our thirty homes. Move-ins for many of us will be this spring. We are proud that thirteen of the thirty homes are income-qualified affordable homes.

See ‘Announcements & Upcoming Events’ for dates of upcoming info sessions and how you can register to attend.

Cohousing is….

Shared Space
Shared Time
Shared Values

It is COMMUNITY AT ITS BEST !

If you are interested in joining a community of like-minded people, we invite you to visit us – we may just be the community you have been searching for.

This month, we’d like to introduce you to one of our founding members:
Marie Pulito

Marie views herself as a lifelong learner – always questioning and adapting. That is why she is a Unitarian and a future cohouser. She first was attracted to cohousing about 25 years ago knowing it would be a safe neighborhood for her gay family that included her partner, Brenda and their daughter, Alani. Today, she is still looking for an accepting community, but more importantly, she wants a way of life that is ecologically sustainable.

Rocky Corner fits her past and present vision – knowing her neighbors, being open, building eco-homes, growing food, using and learning sociocracy to help get the work done. She loves the values of sociocracy – transparency, equivalence, effectiveness. Her profession for the last 30+ years is maternal-child nursing – work that fits her personality and that she loves. She views Rocky Corner in the same way, it fits and she already loves her neighbors. “Let’s learn and grow together!”

 

 

 

February 2020 Newsletter

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A few homes are still available.  Join us!
Call or go online today to schedule an info session and land tour or check us out on Zoom.

Drone view of Rocky Corner construction

Construction at Rocky Corner continues throughout the winter months thanks to mild temperatures this year.  This allows us to move forward, and first closings are scheduled for this Spring! We still have homes available in all four models, so there is still time to purchase here. We know that once we are sold out, it will be a long time before homes become available again for resale, so if you have been thinking about and dreaming about cohousing and Rocky Corner in particular, we encourage you to act now before the doors close to buying here. Hear what future resident Pat has to say: https://youtu.be/MtTQ6u9CeYg

There has been great interest from our neighboring Brooklynites, and we periodically sponsor events at the Park Slope Food Coop. Just a few weeks ago, we collaborated with a cohousing community from Northhampton, Massachusetts, on a standing-room-only event.  Interest in cohousing is steadily increasing, as people realize the importance of community more and more, at any age and at any stage in life!

At the event, we showed the new cohousing documentary entitled The Best of Both Worlds. Check out the trailer to this video:

Say hi to Lori S. from Queens, NY. Lori has been a resident of NYC for over 30 years. Originally from Germany, she came to this country in her mid 20s and first lived in Philadelphia. When she visited New York City for the first time, she immediately fell in love with the Big Apple and its diverse population and moved there soon afterwards. Lori works for a German-owned family office in Manhattan. She commutes to work daily by bicycle, weather permitting. On evenings and weekends, Lori can be found at the local YMCA, where she attends yoga and Pilates classes. She has diverse interests and loves learning new things. “If someone took the time to write a book, a song, or create a work of art, it is usually worth checking out.”

Lori has been intrigued by cohousing for many years, and when she discovered Rocky Corner and all that it has to offer, including its proximity to NYC, she immediately attended an info session and site tour, where she met some of her future neighbors and other visitors, and was convinced that this is the right community for her. Lori was thrilled to find out that the 33 acres of pesticide-free farm land will have community and private garden areas. The 4,500-square-foot common house, with its commercial kitchen and dining area was the icing on the cake. She looks forward to sharing many of her vegan recipes with her new neighbors. Lori, like all of us, is concerned about climate change and was excited to discover that Rocky Corner is more than 500 feet above sea level.

All of us are eager to move into our brand-new homes at Rocky Corner and start building our community on site instead of long-distance via Zoom sessions!  We are excited to be a part of Rocky Corner cohousing, the first of its kind in Connecticut—close to New Haven and NYC, yet rural, quiet, and peaceful! We have hiking trails, an organic farm, and a wonderful community of like-minded folk. We hope you will come for a visit and join our community! 

“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is in you.” —L.R. Knost

 

January 2020 Newsletter

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Welcome to the New Year at Rocky Corner—
a neighborhood with a farm
and Connecticut’s first cohousing community

So much happened in 2019 and now we’re planning for 2020 to be even better!  We’ll all be moved in by spring and starting our real lives together as a community.  There are a few homes still available if you’re thinking of joining us!

Come see if we are the right community for you! 
www.rockycorner.org

Our winter solstice celebration was fun—and early—with the sun rising and the firepit going, the singing and the celebrating of another year of regeneration, renewal and self-reflection.  Then brunch warmed us up with vegan sushi along with latkes, apple pie, cookies, and other yummy homemade treats.

PROGRESS REPORT

More than half of our homes are up, getting final touches, getting ready for move-in.  The walkways and utilitiy trenches are using up our rock – but we have so much rock!  Naming us “Rocky Corner” was no idle chit-chat!!  The walking and hiking paths have all been zoned in and we’re ready to go.

The homeowners’ association is formalized and we’re preparing for the real hard work of becoming the community that we have all dreamed about.

Our last few homes are still for sale.  Anyone who joins us by the Spring still gets to plan the rest of the community with us, from the ground up…literally.

On January 7th a crew from a Pennsylvania barn company showed up early and got right to work putting up our new metal sided pole barn. In the beginning it will have enclosures for both chickens and for Dave and Alfie (the alpacas), space for storing farm equipment and supplies, and a small second floor space that could be used for a variety of purposes. We are  excited to get our equipment under cover. The barn is planned to be off-grid, powered by solar, and will be insulated so it stays comfortable. Our good friend Bobcat will be helping us install the solar. We’ll need some help in the coming weeks and months to insulate the walls, install stair railings, tool racks, and stalls, and run the wiring for lights and outlets.

Sociocracy

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The 12 years I have been associated with the Rocky Corner project have been years of tremendous growth for myself. It’s amazing to me that I could grow so much during my 6th decade of life. I am more comfortable with myself, with my ability to be a leader, an active doer. I have learned to respect and listen to others as we have forged ahead with this tremendous new neighborhood that I am so proud of.

I think the processes of decision-making and of working in groups have taught me the most. In an attempt to make these processes better Rocky Corner adopted a governance model called sociocracy. Our first training in sociocracy occurred in January, 2012 with American sociocracy pioneer, John Buck. Also present at that training, acting as helpers and learners too, were Jerry Koch-Gonzalez and Diana Leafe Christian. We have worked with both Jerry and Diana since 2012 because their focus for sociocracy was its use in community, cohousing specifically.

Jerry Koch-Gonzalez and his colleague Ted Rau recently started a very practical and public organization called Sociocracy for All (SoFA). In their own words “ Sociocracy For All is a non-profit social enterprise that provides easy access to resources, training and implementation of sociocracy.” They want to bring sociocracy “to the world”. I think they are doing just that in a way that is honest and affordable.

If you are interested in reading about sociocracy from a person living and teaching it daily, check out Ted Rau’s blog at Medium.com

And explore SoFA’s website

Submitted by Marie Pulito

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CONTACT INFO Green Haven, Inc., P.O. Box 3172, New Haven CT 06515, 203-903-COHO (2646)

welcome@rockycorner.org