My name is Jennifer Martin. I'm one of several Jennifers who have lived at Dancing Rabbit over the years. I've lived at DR since 2005, when I moved here with my three chidren and my (now) ex-husband, Tim.

We were lucky enough to move directly into the Timberframe, one of the first buildings built at Dancing Rabbit, and we thought, at nearly 350 sq ft, that we were moving into a mansion, as we'd spent the previous two years dividing our time between a 13' trailer and a 24' sailboat!

Five of us, plus a blue and gold macaw were definately a sight to behold as we piled out of the 21 window VW bus which we called home while traveling the continent for a spit of land to would inspire us to turn off the engine and settle down. Dancing Rabbit was the only place where each family member could agree that it was the right place to retire from full time travel.

Cynder, Toren, Duncan, and Rowan work together to make a Snow Co in the courtyard at Dancing Rabbit!

Community is an amazing place to raise kids. Opportunities abound for children, and they have a range of experiences and opportunities that are unavailable in mainstream America.

I love that my kids live sustainably; they aren't just getting lip service to save the planet, they're actually doing it, from recycling all our waste to ridesharing with 50 DRVC members. Often, the kids have information to teach others, and have even been interviewed by print and television media, including Nick News with Linda Ellerbee. In the episode about Living Off the Grid, in which Dancing Rabbit was featured, Cynder and Rowan discussed ridesharing, solar electric power, passive solar gain, and natural building, as well as resource conservation and the ease of living simply.

What a joy it is to know that community kids are ahead of the curve in sustainability; they know how to grow their own food, build a house, harvest wild edibles, chop wood, work in groups of peers and adults, communicate clearly, and operate within a consensus model.

I wouldn't want to raise my kids anywhere else, and it shows; I've purchased the timberframe and am adding to it another three bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, dining and living room.

The Timberframe Cabin,shown above, has housed our family for four years. We've chosen to keep the name Timberframe for the building, as the style is unique to this building at Dancing Rabbit. Photo taken Summer 2005.

Home is where the heart is!

The original cabin will serve the office for my sustainable natural building business, D2R Sustainable Design and Building, and the addition will serve as housing for the family.

This is the Timberframe cabin with the new addition added to the East. Bella Caio sits to the rigth in the foreground. Photo taken Fall 2009.

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