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.
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.
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!
@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