Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.4.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site.

# Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

Communal Living | Sustainable Living | Community Living

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [All Things Natural Building, All the Time: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/all-things-natural-building-all-the-time-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My life has been moving along pretty smoothly lately, and the “what’s next” steps have been falling into place pretty smoothly too. Liz here, with an update on village life at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Things are hopping over at our SubHub natural building project this spring and it promises to be a busy and productive summer. There’s
- [An Invitation Into Extraordinary Friendship & Community at the Women’s Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/an-invitation-into-extraordinary-friendship-community-at-the-womens-retreat/) - Dear beautiful women,I want to tell you a story about why the upcoming retreat at Dancing Rabbit matters so deeply to me.In 2012, during my very first summer living at Dancing Rabbit, Danielle and I went on a road trip together to a women’s retreat. That weekend changed my life. The camaraderie, the vulnerability, the
- [Feeling the Burn: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/feeling-the-burn-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - At this moment in time, I find myself longing for a world filled with truth, loyalty and love. Sometimes it’s the brown landscape and capricious weather of late winter that prompts this longing; sometimes it’s the actions of others. Many people at DR remark on the weather at this point in the winter. In Northeast
- [Rest, stress and blessings: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/rest-stress-and-blessings-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Like my fellow 8.6 billion neighbors, I am a multifaceted human being, capable of being many things at once. Howdy reader, Kenny here. Follow me through a multifaceted review of my restful, stressful, and blessed past few weeks in the ecovillage.In this moment, I am at rest. I am sitting at my kitchen table, staring
- [The Retreat That Changed Everything — and Why We’re Gathering Again](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-retreat-that-changed-everything-and-why-were-gathering-again/) - Fourteen years ago, just a few months after I moved to Dancing Rabbit and met a new friend named Kassandra Brown, she invited me to attend a women’s retreat with her. I said yes, not really knowing what to expect. I had no idea then how much that experience–and that friendship–would shape my life. During that
- [Direct Action through Meetings: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/direct-action-through-meetings-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - On Tuesday I hit a new record for me–three committee meetings in one day. When people complain about Dancing Rabbit, one of the things they say is “All you do is sit around in meetings!” (Okay those people are actually me talking to myself.) Christina here, writing about the frustrating, inspiring, and good work of
- [Adapting to Community Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/adapting-to-community-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “So you just show up and everyone starts helping you build your house?” That was the question that was paramount in my mind for the past 20 years when I would visit the website for intentional community (ic.org) to fancifully admire pictures of clay-covered neo-hippies smiling, posed in front of some fresh construction, or, grimaced
- [Last chance to double your impact!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/last-chance-to-double-your-impact/) - I hope the holiday season has been good to you! Thanks to everyone who donated or reached out in response to an email that we’ve sent out. It’s deeply encouraging to hear from folks who are inspired by what we’re doing in our little corner of Missouri. This is a big reason why we do
- [How sustainable are we really? 🤔🌎](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-sustainable-are-we-really/) - One of the ways we work to achieve our mission is to invite researchers from a variety of fields to examine, from scientific and sociological perspectives, how our unique lifestyle and systems impact our lives and the land we live on. Back in 2017, we conducted our first eco-audit, which measured the resource use of
- [A Village Built for Rabbits](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-village-built-for-rabbits/) - One of the most exciting aspects of living at Dancing Rabbit is that we participate in the ongoing collaborative process of building a village. Even though we have existed for 28 years, there is still so much room for growth. With each person that arrives, new ideas and visions emerge as to what our village
- [How Many Names for Snow Do You Know? A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-many-names-for-snow-do-you-know-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Before I moved to rural Missouri, I didn’t realize there were so many different forms that snow could take: large flakes that float silently to the ground like the finest goose down, what look like tiny styrofoam balls that hit my coat with a hard pat-pat-pat sound, and a combo of rain and ice called
- [What happened in 2025?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-happened-in-2025/) - As 2025 comes to a close, it’s a good time to look back over the last 12 months of happenings at Dancing Rabbit. As with any year, we’ve had our ups and downs. When we look at the big picture, it’s quite promising; we’re making meaningful progress on a number of projects, our population is
- [Village Life and the Nonprofit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/village-life-and-the-nonprofit/) - Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is a complex creature. The number of subcommunities, co-ops, committees, organizations, and acronyms that one must be acquainted with to fully grasp the ins and outs of life at DR is enough to make any Rabbit’s head spin. This is not entirely by accident; from the beginning DR was intended to be
- [“And Me by the Fire…”: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/and-me-by-the-fire-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As I sit and type on my computer, there is snow on the ground, my Charlie Brown Christmas tree is lit up and decorated with a mixture of homemade decorations and some cheap silver balls, and the house is cold because we haven’t lit a fire yet. Christina here, writing about my life at Dancing
- [Giving Tuesday is here. Act Now!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/can-you-read-this-before-tomorrow/) - We’re half-way there! So far, we’ve raised $2,425 on our way to our goal of $5,000. One hundred percent of donations will be used to fund regional outreach excursions through our Mutual Aid, Network Building, and Activism (MANA) fund. We created this fund in response to a growing enthusiasm from Dancing Rabbit members to finding meaningful
- [Support eco-solidarity today! ✊🌳](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/support-eco-solidarity-today/) - Dear friends of Dancing Rabbit, Today is Giving Tuesday. Now is the time to act and help us achieve our mission of growing a regional network of people working together to build a future rooted in joyful cooperation, regenerative land use and intentional engagement with the systems that shape our lives. To do this we’re
- [What is Mutual Aid?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-is-mutual-aid/) - If you’ve been reading our newsletters over the last couple weeks, you’ve probably seen the term “mutual aid” pop up a few times. But what is it? In simple terms, it’s neighbors helping neighbors; self-organized cooperation that addresses the immediate and future needs of our communities. It may sound simple, and in some ways it
- [Reckoning with Thanksgiving](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/reckoning-with-thanksgiving/) - We all have a sense that the truth about Thanksgiving is much darker than what we learned in school: the myth of harmonious co-existence between settlers and indigenous people is a sanitized and whitewashed story which obscures a tragic history of colonization. Yet, despite this awareness, many of us (myself included) come together on the fourth
- [Mural, Mural, on the Wall: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/mural-mural-on-the-wall-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I got to know Paula Clayton towards the end of her visitor program at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, about three years ago. Paula is talkative enough that it brings out my more introverted side, and in those early conversations, I mostly nodded. Come to find out, Paula is a professional muralist. And as we got to
- [Getting off the Island](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/getting-off-the-island/) - At times, Dancing Rabbit can feel like an island; a blip of ecological community living in a sea of unsustainable systems which are failing to meet many of our core human needs.In truth, we are not an island in a sea, but a node in a network; one of many hubs of intentional resistance and
- [Riding on the Backs of Seeds and Birdsong: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/riding-on-the-backs-of-seeds-and-birdsong-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Crystallized grass bows deeply in a dense morning fog. All is silent except for the tip tap of leaves falling to frozen ground. It is the sunrise of the first frost. The earth is exhaling. The time for growing and expansion is over. Whatever projects we had, whatever food we grew, whatever shelter we constructed,
- [Firewood, Squash, and Colder Nights: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/firewood-squash-and-colder-nights-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Two days ago, I heard about a magazine writer coming to DR to write about all the different natural building methods we use in different buildings here. I was asked to do a tour of the Hub, just when I thought I was done with Hub tours until next spring. So one more time I
- [Wrapping up the Season: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/wrapping-up-the-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Fall is definitely here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and we’re experiencing a perfect version of it. Warm, but not hot, days; cool, but not cold, nights.Liz here, bringing you the latest from our village in Northeast Missouri.We have waved goodbye to attendees of our third and last visitor session, and next weekend will be the
- [Fear as Growth: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fear-as-growth-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I have never considered myself a very fearful person and I attribute that mostly to my faith. My closest circle that I’ve grown up with could tell you that the very few times they have shared a truly fearful moment with me have seen that I have the whackiest, battiest physical reaction to it: I
- [The Things We Do for Community: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-things-we-do-for-community-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I do a few–okay a lot–of things that are inefficient, frustrating, and absolutely not cost effective. Christina here, with the things we do for community. Things that if I were to put a price on my time, say minimum wage or the going pay for a tutor, teacher, or curriculum designer (all jobs I’m qualified
- [Singing Praises: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/singing-praises-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy, readers! Kenny here, with meandering thoughts on the beauty of this collective dream, from the land to its houses, its projects, and its processes.People really like Dancing Rabbit. This is understandable, especially in this beautiful season. Just over one year ago, I stepped out of the van that my family and I had been
- [Late Summer News: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/late-summer-news-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of my fears showed up this week, which is that I injured myself, and, as I thought to myself repeatedly over the next four days, “in the middle of nowhere, to boot.”Liz here, to tell a tale of rural life and catch you up on the latest from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.My situation is slightly
- [Falling in Love with DR Again: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/falling-in-love-with-dr-again-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My two and a half weeks at Twin Oaks income sharing community made me fall in love with my own community of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage again. Nathan here, to share what happened.On July 4, I arrived at Twin Oaks for an extended stay as a guest. It was a strange feeling to see the community
- [Singing through Sorrow, Change, and Joy: A Singing Rabbit Invitation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/singing-through-sorrow-change-and-joy-a-singing-rabbit-invitation/) - Once a year, Dancing Rabbit opens our doors to share harvest, harmony, and healing under the stars in a 4-day community singing festival called Singing Rabbit. We gather to connect, create, and celebrate the turning of the season with song leaders from around the Midwest. We learn songs of grief, hope, blessing, and power in
- [Regenerating in Community: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/regenerating-in-community-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Many days I feel helpless in the face of the wounds of the world, so much bigger than myself, so much deeper in time, so much broader than the horizons of my small life. It seems we are surrounded by things falling apart, some going out with spectacular bangs, others slowly eroding away. However, after
- [Showing Up in Community Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/showing-up-in-community-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy, reader! Kenny here with a meditation on individual responsibility within the collective whole (or at least, what thoughts I can stick together as the world melts my thoughts like so much Dairy Co-op ice cream at the pond).It has been a hot, sticky summer in Northeast Missouri. I have formed a close personal attachment
- [A Cook’s Diary: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-cooks-diary-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Moving to an ecovillage can change your life in ways you can’t imagine. I’ve been reminded of that this month, as I cooked breakfast for 27 people taking a permaculture design course (or PDC) at DR for eight days.Liz here, chronicling my cooking adventure.When I first moved to DR, I was a newly graduated acupuncturist,
- [Pondering the Big Questions: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/pondering-the-big-questions-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’m a fan of the big questions. Working through the different sides of a community issue while walking on the land, or weeding in the garden, or hanging out with a glass of wine is one of my favorite things to do. I often change my mind, I enjoy making my case, and I rarely
- [High Spring in High Gear: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/high-spring-in-high-gear-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The cherries and mulberries are blushing. Every day fills seamlessly to the brim and then overflows into long, golden evenings where I flop on my bed, worn out and ready to listen to my partner read aloud from the latest fantasy novel we’ve scrounged from the DR library. Like one of the children’s watercolors I
- [Community Neighbors: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-neighbors-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This evening, there was a community dinner at the front of the village. This is a ritual like our weekly potlucks, which go year-round, but less frequently, and without the stress of preparing and transporting large dishes; just eat the dinner you were going to have, but together. It is a lovely opportunity to catch
- [Now is the time to act! Give STL progress report](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/now-is-the-time-to-act-give-stl-progress-report/) - Thank you for doing your part to make your corner of the world a kinder place. We all have a unique role to play. I believe that my home, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, is particularly well-positioned to move us towards a more hopeful future, one rooted in compassionate relationship to people and planet. Today, I invite
- [A Call to Hope: Act today for Give STL!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-call-to-hope-act-today-for-give-stl/) - Dear reader,When uncertainty reigns, it’s not easy to know which basket to place your proverbial eggs into. While there are many great organizations tackling important issues, I want to call your attention to the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture (CSCC) at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (DR). Here are a few reasons why:Our holistic approach to
- [Why I Stay: Finding Opportunity in Crisis](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/why-i-stay-finding-opportunity-in-crisis/) - When faced with a crisis, we all have a choice to make. While we have been in a slow moving (on the level of individual perception) climate crisis for decades, myself, and many people I know, feel that we are verging on, or perhaps in the midst of, a political crisis in our country. During the
- [Our Answer to Uncertainty](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/our-answer-to-uncertainty/) - Dear friends of Dancing Rabbit,I was incredibly heartened to hear from many of you that last week’s email really struck a chord. It’s clear that something fundamental is out of alignment, and we are starting to see some very real consequences because of this. Dancing Rabbit has a unique role to play in how we
- [Spring has Sprung: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/spring-has-sprung-a-dancing-rabbit-update-2/) - A native redbud tree volunteered to grow in my front yard several years ago, and is one of the first trees to burst into pink blossoms every spring. The irises, however, respond more to variations in the weather each year for when they begin to send up green spikes with flower buds on the end,
- [An Update on Resilience](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/an-update-on-resilience/) - Dear friends of Dancing Rabbit,Our resilience is being tested. Since January we have experienced shocks to many of the systems, institutions, norms, and regulations that we have taken for granted. This is an incredibly complex and fraught topic, one which I will not attempt to comment on in any comprehensive way. I will, however, examine
- [Come Join the Queer Collective Work Exchange at Dancing Rabbit This Summer](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/come-join-the-queer-collective-work-exchange-at-dancing-rabbit-this-summer/) - Want to work exchange with Dancing Rabbit this summer? Come build with the Queer Collective! We are a coalition of queer people with an intersectional focus and an inspiring restoration project. We aim to have fun together, learn, grow, and share resources where we can! We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re:Restoring a timber and cob building in
- [Shining a Light on Annoyance: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/shining-a-light-on-annoyance-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Following are some of the inconvenient things I did this past week: I swept the Common House and cleaned up messes other people had made; I put away dry dishes in the Mercantile that someone else had washed; I waited around for one member of the rideshare to do some errands while other members of
- [Ding Dong, March is Gone: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ding-dong-march-is-gone-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I can’t say how relieved I am that March, 2025 has only a few days left in it. Of all the months in the year, March is my least favorite. Liz here, bringing news from our small village.Every winter for eight years now I miss the window where there are no birds nesting in the
- [Cinnamon Rolls and DR Retreat: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cinnamon-rolls-and-dr-retreat-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - There are cinnamon rolls at the Mercantile this morning. I am sitting in a back corner, sandwiched between the village market cabinets and a mural inlaid on the earthen wall. Hello reader, Kenny here, coming to you live from inside the cozy, cacophonous cocoon of wintertime morning coffee during Retreat. Normally a quieter affair, this
- [When Life Feels Uncertain: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/when-life-feels-uncertain-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’m sending up a flare from Dancing Rabbit ecovillage in rural Missouri. Although the world has changed drastically in the last three weeks, my daily routine still only changes in response to the weather, and even then, not very much. The landscape inside my head, however, is reeling. Liz here, sharing the latest.I don’t think
- [Loving Community Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/loving-community-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Winter is generally slow and quiet around here, but with recent bouts of sickness rolling through the village and some extremely cold weather, we’ve been canceling even some of my regular events like song circle and women’s circle. It’s been even more quiet and uneventful than usual. In other words, it’s the time of year
- [Hiring Garden Manager at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/hiring-garden-manager-at-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - Last year, our large work exchange program was successful, thanks in large part to our thriving community garden. The garden provided tons of delicious, organic seasonal produce to many kitchens in our village, including Belly World and the work exchanger (aka wexer) kitchen co-op. It was also a consistent source of rewarding and productive work
- [Being Known in Community: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/being-known-in-community-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - There is a deep vulnerability in living closely with others. It entails being known and seen. Being seen not just when you’ve pulled yourself together and put on your out-in-the-world face, but seen when your buttons are pushed, your emotions activated, your energy low–that moment when your worst self has jostled their way into the
- [The Depth of Community Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-depth-of-community-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Kenny here, with another autobiographical snapshot of life at DR.On New Year’s Day, I woke up anxious. As someone with an anxiety disorder, this isn’t totally abnormal. Nothing needs to be “wrong” to trigger this disease for me, but I had a number of convenient explanations for myself, in order to dodge personal accountability. I
- [Thank you! + Fundraiser Results](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/thank-you-eoy2024-fundraiser-results/) - Thank you so much for your contribution to our 2024 End of Year campaign. This turned out to be our most successful fundraiser ever, raising $37,593! Out of this we’ll allocate $13,875 to making some crucial improvements to the Mercantile Inn: radiators in the upstairs rooms, and an insulated water tank to store the heat
- [Last chance! Make Regenerative Living Accessible](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/one-last-reminder/) - In case you haven’t heard, long time Rabbit Nathan Brown has challenged us to raise $3,000 before midnight. Today only, he’ll match all donations until we hit $3,000, and everything will go into our visitor program scholarship fund. This was in response to us hitting our previous fundraising goal for the Mercantile (hurray!). Our scholarship
- [Break Down Barriers to Sustainable Living](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/break-down-barriers-to-sustainable-living/) - Fundraiser update! Long time Rabbit Nathan Brown has challenged us to raise $3,000 this New Year’s Eve, in response to hearing that we reached our goal for the Mercantile. Today only, he’ll match all donations until we hit $3,000, and everything will go into our visitor program scholarship fund. This fund allows us to offer
- [One day left to TRIPLE your impact!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/one-day-left-to-triple-your-impact/) - Dear friends,As the end of the year approaches, it’s a common practice to look to the year ahead and think about what we hope to do differently, what’s working, and perhaps make some resolutions. In regards to my chosen home, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, I can see that we are at an inflection point. A number
- [Planning for More Fun: An Update from Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/planning-for-more-fun-an-update-from-dancing-rabbit/) - Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow! Kelly here, with the latest from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. What is your life? You are a mist that appears
- [Good Food and Gratitude: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/good-food-and-gratitude-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Life is busy when I look at all the things that happen in a two-week timeframe at my home, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. When the lives of 50 or so people are woven together, there are plenty of activities and happenings to share with you, dearest reader.Liz here, with the latest from a rural ecovillage in
- [Expanded Work Exchange Program a Success: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/expanded-work-exchange-program-a-success-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Late in the evenings at Dancing Rabbit, the beautiful, pervasive cries of coyotes often color the air. These haunting sounds of the prairie have become part of the comforting background noise of this place I now call home. But when I first came here, I was confused one afternoon to hear their howls so loud
- [A Day In the Life at DR: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-day-in-the-life-at-dr-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I often get asked what my average day is like living at Dancing Rabbit. I find this question hard to answer. My life is seasonal and cyclic and ever changing, like most things around here. Unlike when I lived in the mainstream, my days have a great deal of variability depending on the time of
- [Raising Teens at DR: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/raising-teens-at-dr-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When people ask me what it’s like to raise a family here, my stock response is that it’s a great place for kids but not so great for teens. Christina here, with my latest thoughts on raising teens at DR. We moved here when my kids were five and nine, and they jumped right into
- [DR’s Hub Collective Takes Flight: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/drs-hub-collective-takes-flight-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The seasonal wheel is turning; there’s a sense that time is running out. And that’s because winter is right around the corner. At Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, community members are stockpiling firewood, canning jars of tomatoes, and cleaning wood stove chimneys.Liz here, with the latest from DR and the Hub natural building project.For the last several
- [Doing Our Part, Together: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/doing-our-part-together-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I grew up in a time and place where ecological consciousness was seemingly really important. Truth had become inconvenient, recycling numbers became important to notice, and my school had an earth-shaped mascot visit us to tell us how important turning off the light when leaving a room was to the future of the planet.Hello reader,
- [Harvest Season, Full Tilt: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/harvest-season-full-tilt-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Anticipating winter, we feast on, and preserve, the harvestEating communally has a long history at DR, and it remains a strongly held belief that kitchen co-ops are an important aspect of integrating new people into village life and fulfilling an ongoing social need for connection between village members.I like to hear Bob at coffee group
- [Lentils and Potluck: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/lentils-and-potluck-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Summer is the high season for potluck. In summer, the circle-up circle extends around the entire courtyard, the shared dishes include plenty of locally grown and raised food, the conversation lasts well past dusk and into the dark, and if we’re really lucky, there’s some live music serenading us as the sun sets. Christina, here,
- [Changing Direct-ion: A Dancing Rabbit Ode to Time & Transition](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/changing-direct-ion-a-dancing-rabbit-ode-to-time-transition/) - On July 31, my last evening as Executive Director for CSCC, I went on a walk around the land with a friend. Perhaps due to the special occasion, it became a walk of reminiscence. Danielle here to let you in on part of what makes service so special at a place like Dancing Rabbit. We set
- [Moments of a Move to DR: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/moments-of-a-move-to-dr-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - A lot can change in a single moment, and life has seemed to be just chock-full of moments lately. Kenny here, with a newcomer’s ruminations and anxious contemplation on moments. I arrived at Dancing Rabbit during the June visitor’s program, just over a month ago. That process was full of moments. There was the moment I met
- [The Down-low on the DL: An Update from Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-down-low-on-the-dl-an-update-from-dancing-rabbit/) - I’ve always prided myself for being a tough cookie; I was a softball player as a kid who graduated to cowboy action shooting and then collegiate shooting. My last job was strapping 1K lbs of equipment to a 2K lb draft horse and navigating him and a carriage through the streets of downtown St. Louis
- [Cat (Hopefully Not) on a Hot Tin Roof: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cat-hopefully-not-on-a-hot-tin-roof-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The many metal roofs in the village are getting a work out these last 10 days as our weather shifts from pleasantly warm with plenty of rain, to hot, hot, hot. Just two weeks ago I listened to birds chasing each other and rolling around on my metal roof in seasonal mating behaviors, which was
- [Healthy Anger in Community: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/healthy-anger-in-community-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger, yes. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it.” – Maya Angelou I’ll admit that sometimes
- [Where There are Humans, There is That: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/where-there-are-humans-there-is-that-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - If you ask anyone around here what’s the worst and best part of living in community, I’m pretty sure you’ll get the same answer from just about everyone for both questions: it’s the people. Christina here, writing about the messiness and difficulties and joys of living so close to all these lovely, complicated people. I mean wow,
- [Taking Steps Toward Freedom: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/taking-steps-toward-freedom-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “Freedom’s just another word…” (from the song, Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson). What would you do if you were given the freedom to do whatever you wanted? I don’t mean, ‘What would you do if you won the lottery?’ because I feel that is not the same. When people imagine unimaginable riches the mind goes to Tahitian
- [Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage Open House: May 11th, 2024](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-ecovillage-open-house-may-11th-2024/) - We are so excited to be hosting our first annual Open House since 2019 this coming Saturday, May 11th, 2024 from 10:00am to 3:00pm. This is your chance to learn about eco-friendly living firsthand, or catch up on all the changes and new buildings since the last time you visited! What to Expect: Guided eco-tours: Explore the village and
- [Falling in Love with Wood: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/falling-in-love-with-wood-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As often happens, I get ideas for writing themes after conversations at coffee group. A recent conversation reminded me of how I fell in love with wood. Liz here, recounting the recent happenings at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Humans love wood; it seems to be a deep-seated aspect of our beings. People who know nothing about
- [The Land Loves Us Back: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-land-loves-us-back-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “The land loves us back.” Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants It’s easy to look around at the world today through the lens of a million telescopic eyes pointed in a million directions and see our capacity to do harm. It is clear we humans
- [A Dream of Togetherness: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-dream-of-togetherness-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It’s spring, and that means a season of new visitors, work exchangers, and residents is upon us. I’m both excited for all the new friends and conversations and questions that I’ll find over the next few months, but also feeling a bit wary of some of those same conversations and questions. Christina here, writing about
- [Any Reason to Celebrate: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/any-reason-to-celebrate-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My Pop always called me, “the hostess with the mostest.” Howdy! My name is Kelly and my son, baby Colt, and I dropped into this little section of heaven on earth last September and, boy oh boy, has it been an adventure! There are so many exciting things to tell you about since I’ve been here, I
- [Facing the Winds of Change: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/facing-the-winds-of-change-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One thing about living at Dancing Rabbit ecovillage is that change is constant here. Sometimes there is change from people moving here, sometimes change comes from people moving away from here. There are activities most days of the week, like dungeons and dragons game night, song circle, poker night, ultimate frisbee games, coffee group, happy
- [A Case for Mid-Winter: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-case-for-mid-winter-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi everyone! Emeshe here, and I’m going to make the controversial statement that I love this time of year. Hear me out. Notorious for being beige, bleak, and boring, when the novelty of winter has worn off but spring still seems hopelessly far away, early February definitely isn’t winning any popularity contests. But there’s something
- [It’s Good to Be Home: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-good-to-be-home-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We just got back from a month-long trip away from home, and while I loved our time away, I’m happy to be here. Arriving back in our corner of Northeast Missouri after being away is always a good time to realize what I love about living at Dancing Rabbit and what I’ve taken for granted
- [Big Snow, Big Cold: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/big-snow-big-cold-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of my favorite things about living at Dancing Rabbit is the snow we get in the winter. Liz here, to catch you up on the latest in our village. Four days ago, I opened my door in the morning and found that overnight the landscape had transformed with a blanket of about six inches
- [Passing gifts of love through the generations](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/passing-gifts-of-love-through-the-generations/) - Here we bask in the aftermath of the holidays…replete with good food, spending time with family and friends, and maybe procrastinating a little on the clean-up. Maybe the kids are still hanging around for another couple days, with remnants of shredded wrapping paper lingering in the corners reminding us that the gifts have all been
- [Jumping Around: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/jumping-around-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The telescopic handler (a hydraulic lifting machine) lowered the rafter into place, like a giant hand setting down a pen. The finer cuts and fittings, Eric explained, would be done later with a chainsaw. This was just to hold everything in place. Eric had seen me on the path, and asked me to help with
- [Honoring the Land: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/honoring-the-land-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As we bring the summer sun inside with us to be enjoyed in the form of firewood and fall harvest, I feel inspired to share a piece I first wrote for our annual Land Day celebration in 2022. Then, it was read aloud beneath the branches of an oak tree that Kurt, our oldest member,
- [Helping Me Help You: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/helping-me-help-you-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Ask not what your community can do for you but what you can do for your community, right? Christina here, writing about giving help and asking for help and why it’s not always that easy, even in community. This week I have had a few fun and novel opportunities to help out friends. Over the
- [Fallling Toward Winter: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fallling-toward-winter-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The time of year between September and December is filled with a sense of urgency as a natural builder. It’s the time when the last of plastering can be done, with enough time for it to dry before the cold weather sets in. It’s time to wrap up outdoor projects before we move into the
- [The World in a Grain of Sand: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-world-in-a-grain-of-sand-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour – William Blake Okay, but what about a grain of glass? Can you even say a “grain of glass”?Sand sounds organic, safe, something you could plant
- [Changes in Community: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/changes-in-community-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - On Prairie’s last night at Dancing Rabbit we swirled her up into a big, spiraling group hug and sang: All is change. All is motion. Though I once believed that there might be something firm beneath my feet, all moves on in steady change; the world we know will come and go and everything will
- [Aligning with Your Values: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/aligning-with-your-values-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This is the time of year when there is just too much of the good stuff. I find myself starting something, spending an hour or so on a project, and having to move to the next thing I scheduled on my calendar. Never quite having enough time to get to all the things. Christina here,
- [Letting Go for Fall: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/letting-go-for-fall-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As an acupuncturist, I follow the basic way of life advocated by Chinese medicine, which encourages making adjustments in all parts of your life for the different seasons and for weather. Fall is the season of grief and letting go, the weather and plant life affecting our lungs and gut, and as the season shifts
- [Cooking, HTML, and Chainsaws: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cooking-html-and-chainsaws/) - Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all? Good question. We cook for each other, I guess? “What does cooking have to do with writing?” our social media coordinator asked, after I made some vague suggestion that we make a video, with a voiceover of text from this article. Lately, I’ve been putting off
- [Executive Director Transition Letter](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/executive-director-transition-letter/) - Greeting friends of Dancing Rabbit, Danielle here, writing to share a note from the desk of the outgoing Executive Director. As some of you have seen, the nonprofit here is looking to hire a new Executive Director. Many of you may be wondering why and what the scoop is, and I apologize that the call for
- [Looking Backward, Looking Forward: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/looking-backward-looking-forward-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “We’re moving to Dancing Rabbit,” my mom said firmly in the spring of 2017. We were in our two-bedroom apartment in Sioux Falls when she informed me about this strange little ecovillage in the same sentence that I learned we were to move there. I was like, “We’re going to live in a mud hut?
- [Finding Meaning in Every Age: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/finding-meaning-in-every-age-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - How many past selves do each of us carry? And what would we say to our past selves if they messaged us on Twitter or showed up at our house wanting to talk about their day? In a world which glorifies continuous self-improvement, it’s easy to cast away our “worse” versions like they’re outdated tech.
- [A Big Dose of Practical Hope: Permaculture Design Course at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-big-dose-of-practical-hope-permaculture-design-course-at-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - With a special focus on climate change solutions and hands-on practice, we will cover the broad spectrum of the world-renowned permaculture curriculum.
- [Staying Present and Looking Forward: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/staying-present-and-looking-forward-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This week, I’ve been enjoying the moment but also looking forward to things coming--some exciting and some less so. Benji here, struggling to stay present while also planning, excitedly or worriedly, about things coming up for me and our little village. Another group of participants arrived this week for the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage Visitor Program.
- [Collaboration Is the Key: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/collaboration-is-the-key-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This week brought the sweet relief of cooler temperatures and less humidity, although still not enough rain to keep my cucumbers happy without supplemental watering. In truth, I don’t really mind watering the garden, as it gives me some precious moments to contemplate the progress of the plants and to think about where and how
- [Mindful Attention to Rural Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/mindful-attention-to-rural-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Well, the sun is licking DR dry like an over-eager puppy, and the village population is trying to capture as much heat as possible before winter. It seems like these days some of us are embodying squirrels rather than rabbits with borrowing, nesting, and collecting stores on the daily to ensure maximum coziness come November.
- [Where is Your Edge? A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/where-is-your-edge-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - In permaculture, the edge between different habitats is where the most change and diversity happens. And SubHub being on the edge of a new neighborhood in the village certainly fits that description. Liz here, bringing you news about our SubHub building project that has leaped forward this past building season, as well as the latest
- [Community Has My Back: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-has-my-back-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My long-awaited favorite season seems to be over in the blink of an eye. Leaves and temperatures fall at a quick pace that leaves me struggling to get my firewood in order, stacking it by my little straw bale cabin in an increasingly Jenga-like appearance. I’ve lit two fires in my wood burning stove so
- [Celebrating Life in a Sustainable Intentional Community: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/celebrating-life-in-a-sustainable-intentional-community-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This Thanksgiving, as a new resident of the tri-communities, I am thankful for many things in my life. As a Mexican-American woman who grew up in California’s Central Valley, where industrial-scale fields of almond trees, rows of grape vines, and large swaths of oil fields were the omnipresent and unavoidable landscape of my childhood, here
- [Community Gifts: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-gifts-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - On one of my last nights at Dancing Rabbit, I walked through the village alone. It was frosty and the clouds huddled down close to the houses, almost as if they were trying to warm themselves on the fires crackling inside. The yellow glow from the windows was so inviting, the air so crisp and
- [Closing Up 2021 at Dancing Rabbit: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/closing-up-2021-at-dancing-rabbit-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I can’t ignore the fact that this DR update comes at the close of 2021, so my writing will have some wrap-up reflections that hit me at this time of the year. But first, this is Liz, bringing you the latest from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. As I write this, I am sitting snug and warm
- [The Beauty of Winter: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-beauty-of-winter-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Drip, drip, drip. I can hear what used to be snow sliding down my roof and out of my gutters, onto the slowly thawing earth. The remnants of the snowstorm from a couple of weeks ago have sunk into the ground, leaving it a slick and muddy brown. I think I put away my muck
- [Keep Calm and Carry On: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/keep-calm-and-carry-on-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Well, this column is generally about what has been happening lately, the news and goings-on, and seasonal events of the past few weeks. Looking back on the last few weeks, our biggest event was that after two years of masking, vaccines, and social distancing, our family finally caught COVID. Thankfully, we all had pretty mild
- [DR Folks Volunteer for Maskoke Ecovillage in Alabama: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dr-folks-volunteer-for-maskoke-ecovillage-in-alabama-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - How do you touch a dream, catch smoke, and make a vision into reality? I am currently in that spot, wondering how to describe the experiences I had last week. While I know what I did was simple and humble, my week felt big, expansive and over-the-top. It felt life-changing, exciting, and left me hopeful
- [Feeding the World, One Neighbor at a Time: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/feeding-the-world-one-neighbor-at-a-time-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’ve been making yogurt and cheese regularly in recent weeks, thinking a lot as I work about local economies and self-reliance. Our two milk cows, having weaned their calves recently, are giving five-plus gallons of milk a day. My cheese pot is six gallons. Our seven does (goats in milk) will be weaning their kids
- [Living the Life of Our Future: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-the-life-of-our-future-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The first day of our first visitor session of the year was a week ago today. It so happened that on that day was the last gasp of winter with a full day of snow, falling for hours like a curtain of white corn flakes. It always amazes me that, one way or another, all
- [The Perfect Antidote to an Imperfect World: Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-perfect-antidote-to-an-imperfect-world-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - Two years ago, would I have imagined myself driving to an ecovillage in the middle-of-nowhere, Missouri? Probably not. Would I have imagined myself waking up at 7:30 every morning to go milk a cow when it’s 30 degrees? Like a milkmaid??? Absolutely not. I would never have guessed that Dancing Rabbit would completely alter the
- [Gathering Our Rabbit Family: A Dancing Rabbit Reunion](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/gathering-our-rabbit-family-a-dancing-rabbit-reunion/) - What a week to share the latest from our fair ecovillage! This year is 25 years since a small band of inspired people arrived here in Northeast Missouri to found an intentional community with an ecological mission. Last week, former members, residents, interns, and friends of Dancing Rabbit descended upon the village to join current
- [Visitor Season Has Begun: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/visitor-season-has-begun-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Springtime in Missouri never fails to amaze me. The lush vibrant greening of the world, the sweet scent of honey locust blossoms drifting on the breeze, and the incredible diversity of song birds lighting up each morning with their color and song; this truly feels like God’s own country. Cob here, enjoying this moment of
- [Persevering in the Heat: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/persevering-in-the-heat-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Nature is fierce on the edge of the village where the SubHub neighborhood is forming. It is a permaculture concept that diversity in living organisms flourish where habitats overlap, on the “edges.” As we close up the building over time, we see how persistently birds find small holes to get into the building and build
- [Fireflies in Summer: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fireflies-in-summer-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Summer landed here this past week, though you’d be forgiven for thinking we’ve already had plenty of hot, soupy summer weather notched up here in NEMO and elsewhere in recent weeks. I’m only a little sheepish to say I missed the worst of it last week, spending a few days in Saratoga Springs, New York,
- [The Thorny Approach to Cultural Comebacks: A Dancing Rabbit Message](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-thorny-approach-to-cultural-comebacks-a-dancing-rabbit-message/) - Happy Winter Solstice and more!For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this is the dark time of year, the cold time of year, the time of visioning, reflecting and looking inward. If we make good use of this time, we can find what sources us, fires us, and inspires us, as well as what
- [Facing Realities for the Good of the Planet: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/facing-realities-for-the-good-of-the-planet-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When people compare Dancing Rabbit with our mainstream culture, I often hear the latter referred to as “The Real World.” I (not so humbly) disagree. I notice a rising stubbornness in myself in response to this after coming up on five years of living here.Upon my return from the “Outside World,” I feel an almost
- [Looking Back at my Natural Building Workshop Experience: A Dancing Rabbit Testimonial by Pamela Christian](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/looking-back-at-my-natural-building-workshop-experience-a-dancing-rabbit-testimonial-by-pamela-christian/) - I signed up for the Natural Building Workshop at Dancing Rabbit with my younger sister, Lisa. When she was introduced to the workshop by my son, she was so excited that she invited me to join her. I had had the privilege of living in a strawbale home in the Colorado mountains, so had familiarity
- [Natural Building Workshop at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage: Weaving Place, Community, and Nature](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/natural-building-workshop-at-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage-weaving-place-community-and-nature/) - As I write this, my heart is full after just returning from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage for the Natural Building Workshop. I came to learn natural building, but I feel like I am taking much more with me—a deeper, embodied understanding not only of how to build with natural materials such as clay, sand, straw and
- [Ecovillages Around the US](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ecovillages-around-the-us/) - Building sustainable communities that demonstrate a different way to live and thrive is essential to our collective future on this planet. To further this goal, the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is partnering with other eco-communities to show there are models of sustainability all around the US that can provide
- [How Rabbits Earn a Dime in the Winter Time](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-rabbits-earn-a-dime-in-the-winter-time/) - Winter is here and Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is well prepared for the cold, snow, sleet, and wind. (As I write, the north wind is driving our morning high of 30 degrees down to 10 degrees before midnight, with a forecast of 9 degrees for the high tomorrow.) We had snow and then freezing rain yesterday,
- [Sweeter Milk Equals Better Cheddar: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sweeter-milk-equals-better-cheddar-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - These are not normal times for any of us. For the second year in a row the peaches are almost entirely bloom-less, even though the pears and apples are bursting into a full complement. We actually managed to get peas in the ground in a timely way this year! No, like everybody else in the
- [Coming Together For Another Year: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/coming-together-for-another-year-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Retreat!! Dancing Rabbit engaged in its annual retreat this past week. It is always a little different, but always a wonderful coming-together of most parts of our community to look at ourselves as a group. Are we where we want to be? If not, what do we want to do to get us there? What
- [Choosing The Life You Want](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/choosing-the-life-you-want/) - As February frigidity gives way to March harbingers of spring, my life in the village has a more meta feel to it these days. Avi here, writing to you from Dancing Rabbit in what will be my last article from the community. The end of winter contains within it the opportunity to crystalize the wisdom
- [My DR Visit: Blood, Sweat, Tears, Laughter, and Beers](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/blood-sweat-tears-laughter-and-beers/) - Blood, sweat, tears, laughter, and beers. That’s the conclusion a Rabbit and I came to over coffee one morning. We were having a chat in the Common House, talking about what has gone into creating Dancing Rabbit over the last 21 years. For me, the Visitor Program was a real look into the building of
- [It’s The Small Things: A Dancing Rabbit How-To](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-the-small-things-a-dancing-rabbit-how-to/) - A sustainable future starts with the small things. Carolyn here, with some ideas to help get you moving along the path to a more earth-friendly tomorrow. With endless ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, folks at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage implement a variety of tactics to live lightly. A lot of waste comes simply from the
- [Seven Plump Piglets and Bioluminescent Fungi: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seven-plump-piglets-and-bioluminescent-fungi-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - September rolled in quietly last week while my attention was elsewhere. Now I find myself halfway through the remaining few weeks of summer, finally enjoying as many tomatoes and dropping peaches as I care to eat. I’m appreciating these cooler days and nights, as well, even though they portend the waning of the season when
- [The Span of a Year: My Dancing Rabbit Experience](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-span-of-a-year-my-dancing-rabbit-experience/) - By Ryan Morris Eleven months after attending the Dancing Rabbit Sustainable Living Visitor Program in May 2017, I finally started my residency at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. You may remember my first post about the eye-opening and transformative experience I had at the visitor program. Since then, it has been a winding and sometimes turbulent road with
- [Shine Light on the World: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/shine-light-on-the-world-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I've been fascinated lately reading about forest baths. Doctors in Japan prescribe walking in forests for their patients to combat anxiety and depression. When I moved to Dancing Rabbit, I was struck by how good I felt, kind of like after going on a camping trip or a hike, but 24/7. There is more oxygen
- [Facing Life Head-On: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/facing-life-head-on-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Graham and I have tried to implement as many permaculture concepts in Cob’s vegetable garden this year as time has allowed. One concept that really caught my fancy was to plant perennial flowers and certain veggies in amongst the veggie beds to attract pollinator insects (e.g., cosmos, nasturtiums, zinnias, daisies, borage, and dandelions) and to
- [Forgetting and Re-Creating: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/forgetting-and-re-creating-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This past week of fireworks and waving flags has been an opportunity for me to reflect on what makes this country such a special place, regardless of the opinions and perspectives that often seem to divide more than unite. Cob here, with some thoughts about the value of forgetting and the opportunities inherent in finding
- [Bringing the Festival to My Own Backyard: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/bringing-the-festival-to-my-own-backyard-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - ...plenty of exciting things happened here at Dancing Rabbit during the past week... But I’m having a hard time remembering it all over the songs in my head.
- [Handprints in the Soil: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/handprints-in-the-soil-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It seems like every time I write this column, I end up writing about why the previous week wasn’t a “normal” week. And this last week was no exception. Many of my regular weekly events took place— “the WIP” (the week-in-preview), Ultimate Frisbee games, homeschool classes, there was a Tuesday night potluck—but I wasn’t available
- [A Typical/Atypical Day: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-typical-atypical-day-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My favorite part of the visitor program is the Q&A, which usually happens on the first Friday night of the two-week session. It’s a chance for visitors to ask questions of a large group, especially questions that they think might get varying answers. My favorite questions are the ones that I can’t answer right away—the
- [It's Almost Soup Season: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-almost-soup-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. My name's Ben. I have a master's degree in duck husbandry and domestic thermodynamics and a minor in bull manure, which is probably how I ended up on the prestigious list of presenters and learning leaders for Dancing Rabbit's new, homegrown Permaculture Design Certification currently in progress. Now a person can read some
- [Human Scale: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/human-scale-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, with an account of this week's happenings at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, Northeast Missouri. It's hot here; the sort of heat that boils the motivation out of my blood. Somehow, the air is extremely humid, but the soil is dry to the point of forming fissures. At this point, if you've been
- [Like Rabbits Do](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/like-rabbits-do/) - by Robbie Love Entering the gravel lot off Woehrle Road, I tried in vain to ignore the thumping pitter-patter in my chest. This visit was building up to be quite different than my first short stay—that first meeting of Frankie Danger and the Unruly Allies (future band name), aka the Milkweed Mercantile’s writing workshop. More
- [Help Us Spread the Word + Special Offer](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/22123-2/) - We know our visitor program has a profound impact on people who attend, because so many of them have told us so over the years. This year we're having a harder time getting the word out about it, though, due to Facebook’s algorithm changes and new Google Ads requirements. If you’re not sure what those
- [A Tree Ate My Tarp: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-tree-ate-my-tarp-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - On the last day of February this past week, among the warmest we've experienced so far, Aurelia and I heard both peepers and woodcocks for the first time in the year, around dusk. The peepers were only active down in the bottom, distinct though pretty far off; but the woodcocks with their "peent!" calls and
- [Digging Into Life With Both Hands](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/digging-into-life-with-both-hands/) - Are you cold? I’m cold, but I’m warming up a little as my village nears the next heat apex of this year’s winter roller coaster. There were abundant sledding parties, game gatherings, frigid nights, welcoming fires, cozy get-togethers, and warm hugs over the last couple weeks that I, unfortunately, missed while I was away visiting
- [It’s all about the Goats: A Dancing Rabbit How-To](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-all-about-the-goats-a-dancing-rabbit-how-to/) - I don’t know about you, but I love goats. Their cute faces while they goat-goat around, which typically includes silly jumping and running about, just brightens my day. Carolyn here, from the Dancing Rabbit Communications Team to share the magic of goats in community. One thing I find particularly special is that here at Dancing
- [A Day Late and a Dollar Short: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-day-and-dollar-update/) - As the title of this particular Dancing Rabbit update might suggest, I sometimes struggle with falling behind the curve of work and expectations. This has been such a week (month?) and consequently I'm finding I need to let go of some of the smaller things and reset my target threshold for what is good enough
- [7 Important Ways You Are …](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/7-important-ways-you-are/) - ...Already Like a Rabbit! By the time you read this, tears have fallen and hugs have been shared as the first visitor group of the season departs. Our Sustainable Living Visitor Program showcases all that Dancing Rabbit has to offer, provides a place for you to be vulnerable, and an environment to learn and experiment
- [Service for the Soul: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/service-for-the-soul-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - On Thursday mornings I run errands with Uncle Kurt. He’s been doing the Thursday morning errands for quite a while now. (“I’ve been doing it quite a while,” he said, when asked how long he’s been doing it.) “It’s one of my contributions to the community,” he added. “I also like to get to know
- [Abundance and Adaptation: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/abundance-and-adaptation-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, checking in from the slightly moist dust bowl of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, northeast Missouri. We got about a half inch of rain ...
- [Buzzing Through a Busy Summer Week: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/buzzing-through-a-busy-summer-week-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Summertime, and the livin’ is … hmm, not usually easy, only sometimes hard, but definitely full. Surprising, too, despite the ongoing droughty weather, the recent cool spell and nip of rain were enough to trigger the first, real flush of shiitakes on my mushroom logs this year, though I had to water them for a
- [Tracks in the Snow](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tracks-in-the-snow/) - A new baby boy was born to Burl and Troy during the recent full moon eclipse at Dancing Rabbit, before the moon had reemerged from Earth's shadow. I struggle to credit that it was just a week past. Perhaps it is the innumerable snowflakes that have fallen since (seemingly every day) blurring my recall, but
- [Mud, Muskrats and Merrymaking: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/mud-muskrats-and-merrymaking-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Wow, a lot happened this week, and I think I'm experiencing a bit of whiplash, though that could be from one of the many slips I have taken in the copious mud created by the recent thaw. Ted here, to share the week's update from Dancing Rabbit as we run up to the spring equinox.
- [Fires, Visitors, Fun, and Trains: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fires-visitors-fun-and-trains-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - At last, perhaps, our trials of a lingering winter are coming to an end. Sara and I celebrated 15 years of living at Dancing Rabbit on the 16th, and this seems to be the lengthiest cold spring we can remember. Warm spells almost always start to show up in March, but from later February to
- [May Day: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/may-day-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi friends, Prairie here! This month I took my Dancing Rabbit adventure to the next level by work-exchanging with the Ironweed kitchen co-op, and I have since been enjoying my meals in their cozy cob and straw structure. In this co-op there is the opportunity, every Sunday before lunch, for each member to check in
- [The Rhythms of Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-rhythms-of-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Sunday morning stillness; a fresh common space (thanks to our Sunday morning clean team that swept, scrubbed, sorted, shined and all sorts of s-words to make our common house a lovely place); our WIP (Week In Preview): these are the forms in which the week seems to say hello, here at Dancing Rabbit. The steady
- [Recharging My Batteries: My Dancing Rabbit Experience](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/recharging-my-batteries-my-dancing-rabbit-experience/) - I didn’t know much about ecovillage life before coming to Dancing Rabbit — just the assumptions of some of my friends (like it is some kind of a hippie commune, with one of my friends expecting to see me bald by the end of the summer). Despite these unfounded stereotypes, everything else I heard sounded
- [The Only Constant is Change: My Dancing Rabbit Visit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-only-constant-is-change-my-dancing-rabbit-experience/) - By Michelle Winebarger I thought visiting Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage would be like taking a trip back in time, but once I got there, I felt like I was stepping into the future; a future where technology meets sustainability and conservation; a future where weapons and locks are not needed; a future where traditions are kept,
- [Living As My Authentic Self: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-as-my-authentic-self-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - What does it mean to live an authentic life? Liz here, observing the effects of passing the one year mark of living in alignment with my values, intentions, and purpose. What I remember of my former, urban life (as it fades into the mists of time), is that I experienced considerable tension when thinking about
- [Becoming our Best Selves: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/becoming-our-best-selves-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Its official: I have lived at Dancing Rabbit for a year. I’m so glad that nature reserved this wacky weather for my second spring and not my first. This time last year there was no last-gasp snowing or freeze/thaw/muck/freeze/repeat cycles in the month of April. I think I made a handful of fires last year
- [Returning: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/returning-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As we we left Minnesota, headed once again for Dancing Rabbit, the I-94 corridor sported a few inches of fresh snow — another reminder of our changing climate. Jami here, writing about my most recent return to the village. My husband Dan and I were excited to visit the friends we first got to know
- [Living the Seasonal Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-the-seasonal-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One thing that I especially wanted (and have certainly found) here at Dancing Rabbit was a life that is more in tune with the season. This year especially, I have really appreciated dealing with daily routines and rituals that seem more straightforward and simple. Christina here, writing about what it’s like for me to live
- [Time Home: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/time-home-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I recently returned to Dancing Rabbit for a week and a half, after spending some time with family, before heading out to a meditation retreat. It was just in time to fulfill my monthly clean team duties, to attend approximately eight meetings, and to write this column. It has also been just enough time to
- [April is for Fools: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/april-is-for-fools-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Raised as a mainline Protestant in the Presbyterian tradition, I find Holy Week to be a deeply contemplative and yet joyous time. With a wealth of sacred music to accompany the progression from Tenebrae to Easter morning, from the encroaching darkness to the shining resurrection, it's an emotional roller coaster for me, ending with a
- [Learning to Ride It Out: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/things-i-can-control-and-things-i-cant-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Things I Can Control and Things I Can't One of my favorite parts of working at the Milkweed Mercantile during pizza night is when we're closing up at the end of the night and I clean all of the counters. Life outside that kitchen might be chaotic and out of my control, but for a
- [It’s almost time! Are you in?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-almost-time-are-you-in/) - Spring has arrived, and soon our first visitors of the season will too. We hope you’ll be among them! As the frog songs and bird chirps delightfully begin to fill the air here in the rolling hills of northeast Missouri, excitement over meeting new visitors and potential community mates is budding in the village. Activity
- [Be Like Water: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/be-like-water-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Greetings faithful readers, and happy May Day! Danielle here, writing to you from the most beautiful time of year here at Dancing Rabbit. There are a lot of times throughout the year here that probably rival each other in beauty, but this one is especially high in its existential upliftment effect due to the fact
- [A Greater Us: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-greater-us-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hello, friends!​ ​Tereza here, finally back home after a ​short stay in Chicago, IL, and ​two weeks each in ​San Antonio and Austin, TX​. I began writing this on a lovely Sunday morning​,​ ​​the day after ​Sandhill​'​s annual May Day celebration, and the village ​was quiet​, save the birds, both ​wild and domestic​, singing and
- [Your Deep Dive into Community](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/your-deep-dive-into-community/) - If you’d like to come experience life at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, consider applying for our Sustainable Living Visitor Program! In one of six sessions happening between April and October this year, you can join us in a one- or two-week deep dive into community, and learn eco-friendly skills and systems to take home with you.
- [International Women's Day: Finding Sacred in the Mundane at DR](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/international-womens-day-finding-sacred-in-the-mundane-at-dr/) - Sometimes, I can fall into a trap where I feel like I’m doing the same thing every day and not really getting anywhere. When the dirty dishes in the sink magically replace themselves overnight, when the kids and I are having the same argument that we had yesterday and the day before and the day
- [Celebrating Eight Years at DR: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/celebrating-eight-years-at-dr-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Every year as the Queen Anne’s lace dots the side of the roads around the area, I realize that I am coming upon the anniversary of my first visit to Dancing Rabbit. Christina here, writing about questions, heat, and other regular summer things in my little corner of the world. I came on my own
- [Riding the Waves of Summer: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/riding-the-waves-of-summer-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It’s hot. And sticky. Sweat makes riverbeds of my spine and belly. I chase sleep through the delirious nights in a home without air conditioning, finding some solace in a small fan near the door. During the day, I drift from task to task: my job at SubHub, then to the office in our Common
- [DR’s Agroforestry Co-op Gets Rolling](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/drs-agroforestry-co-op-gets-rolling/) - We rolled the giant snail shell of hay down by the vineyard where we’d planted rows of thornless honey locust and mulberry trees. The “brake” was a two-by-four with nails in it, to be thrown under the impending roll when going downhill. If course correction was needed, rotational force was applied, and the bale turned
- [Our Part in Land Stewardship: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/our-part-in-land-stewardship-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Chirping. Cheeping. Chirruping. Hooting. Trilling. Peeping. Crowing. The roar of birdsong wakes me up at 6 a.m. – insistent, exultant, garbled. Emerging from my tent, I startle a gaggle of rollie pollies when I pick up my shoes. They scamper away into the woodwork like kids who’ve been up to something. The cool humidity is
- [Sustainability from an Ecosystem of Love](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sustainability-from-an-ecosystem-of-love/) - As a participant in the visitor program, I imagined that at Dancing Rabbit (DR) I would learn about permaculture and the use of natural building materials, how the community generated its own power to be off the grid as much as possible and how to grow organic food so the community could eat close to
- [Eco-Cribs: Larkspur](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/eco-cribs-larkspur/) - Video tour of Larkspur, a natural building at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. This home features light clay straw insulation, reclaimed lumber, and earthen plaster.
- [Where have all the rabbits gone?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/where-have-all-the-rabbits-gone/) - So, you may have noticed a lack of new DRTV videos recently. Until now, it’s been one a month, but currently, I am away from Dancing Rabbit, visiting family and friends. But never fear: you can expect to see new episodes of DRTV come January, when I will begin work on the latest episode. So
- [Taking Dancing Rabbit to the Cities](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/taking-dancing-rabbit-to-the-cities/) - People often say that Dancing Rabbit is in the middle of nowhere, and its hard to dispute. Rutledge, our nearest town has a population of 100 (which we hope to surpass in the next few years) and our whole county has fewer residents than some big city high schools (4,843 by the last census). But what we do at Dancing Rabbit is as relevant to cities as it is to small town USA, and I’ve begun to wonder: what if cities adopted Dancing Rabbit’s ecological covenants? In this first article in a series, we explore what would happen if a city banned personal vehicles similar to how Dancing Rabbit has.
- [The Rabbits Do Dance - April 30](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-rabbits-do-dance-april-30/) - Ah, the confusion of spring weather! It seemed so clear in March that we were headed for an early, steady spring; but of course spring around here typically includes all sorts of weather swings, and up through this past week, the threat of a last frost lingered. We waited and waited to fill in the
- [Roots and Shoots - April 23](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/roots-and-shoots-april-23/) - On a sunny day, in the early evening, just after dinner time, excitement is heard in the yards, paths and streets. Excited faces, hands clutching dollar bills, running feet, and lively laughter and chatter called to mind a scene from my suburban childhood. All that was missing, really, were the tinny strains of "Tarantella" growing
- [Opening Up with Spring - April 14](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/april-14/) - DR's newest member, Julie, here with this week's column. As I live my life, I often find that there are themes and lessons that are undeniably pronounced when I have the energy to think creatively about how interestingly life unfolds. For this week's themes, I feel that both cycles and balance have been recurrent in
- [Calling all former Rabbits: members, residents, interns, wexers, visitors, and guests!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/calling-all-former-rabbits-members-residents-interns-wexers-visitors-and-guests/) - If you have lived, worked, played or stayed at Dancing Rabbit before for any length of time, please save the date for our 15th Land Day Reunion! We'll be celebrating 15 years of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage history with storytelling, music, dance, food, fun, and reconnection with Rabbits new and old. Join us October 5-7, 2012 as we
- [Saturday Tours Start This Weekend](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/saturday-tours-start-this-weekend/) - After an early summer, it is with a mixture of regret and relief that I'm settling back into spring. Cob here with the weekly update about what's been going on at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. The cooler weather has been a relief for the early spring plantings of brassicas, peas, early lettuces, and other plants which
- [A Moment in the Sun - 4/3/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-moment-in-the-sun-4312/) - Hi everyone! This is Alline writing this week for Dancing Rabbit. As always, it feels next to impossible to encapsulate a week in the life at DR in a few short columns. However, I am your dedicated reporter and, like the Girl Scout I once was, vow to do my best. The big news, which
- [March 26, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/march-26-2012/) - Greetings! Tereza here, writing her first ever column in the 11+ years she's lived at Dancing Rabbit! Of course the top story continues to be the weather. The unseasonably warm temperatures mean folks are outdoors a lot, playing, hanging out--why, some of them are even working! (For those who may not know, this is a
- [March 19, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/march-19-2012/) - There was no putting off the fruit tree pruning any longer this week. It seemed to me that the peach tree in our courtyard, a two-trunked specimen that grew from the pit of a peach we ate while working on the kitchen foundation in 2004, went from bud break to bloom inside of a week.
- [March 12, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/march-12-2012/) - I had to open the windows to get to sleep comfortably. It was a welcome treat to snuggle and read with my son and hear the spring frogs singing to us from Cattail Pond.
- [March 4, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/march-4-2012/) - I have heard many cries in the distance this week, ranging from “Bent Raising” to “Ultimate Frisbee”. These warmer days have afforded an opportunity for not only more work, but play as well. After the responsibility of retreat (intense meetings for 2 weeks), it seemed that people wanted to subsequently rejoice in the benefits of
- [Books That Made a Difference](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/books-that-made-a-difference/) - At DR we all have our stories about how we found the courage to move to an ecovillage and live differently from most of the people in the US. Alline recently put up this post on her blog Ecovillage Musings about the books that inspired her to want move to a place like Dancing Rabbit.
- [February 27, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/february-27-2012/) - This last week something strange happened…something wonderful: I put on my favorite pair of plaid shorts accompanied by a newly acquired plaid hat and, for good measure, a plaid shirt and jacket. This is noteworthy because it was WARM and SUNNY and BEAUTIFUL. With spring just around the corner I was swept up with glee
- [February 20, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/february-20-2012/) - Hi, this is Sam, reporting from Dancing Rabbit's 2012 annual retreat. We're in the thick of it now. The first weekend of our annual decision-making retreat began Thursday evening and ended Monday afternoon. We have a few days off before going back to meetings on Friday morning. Retreat opened on Thursday evening with a potluck
- [February 14, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/this-week-at-dancing-rabbit-february-14-2012/) - Hi all. This is Alline writing for Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Writing this column can be a bit embarrassing at times. After my last column, where I declared the new Community Building to be fully approved (it was not) I reluctantly donned the title Minister of Disinformation. I promise that I will try to do better
- [February 6, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/february-6-2012/) - Hello from Northeast Missouri! Ted here to update you from Dancing Rabbit. Hard to say what season it is out there, exactly. I'm not much of a birder, but I know the sound of Spring birdsong in my bones, and I certainly heard it this week. That and the faint but wonderfully consistent blade whir
- [A Sustainable Vineyard and Winery At DR](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-sustainable-vineyard-and-winery-at-dr/) - Modern winemaking has brought many apparent improvements to wine. In the past, while developing a reputation, California tried to emulate French winemaking, which was based largely on time-honored winemaking traditions. But California became a frontier for modern winemaking techniques, and at some point ventured out on its own. Now many wineries worldwide, French wineries included,
- [January 30, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/january-30-2012/) - Funding and designing the new common house have been the biggest things affecting the most members lately. It takes a diverse palette of talents and energy to make a building happen, and even more so in a consensus-based non-profit environment.
- [This Year's Workshops at DR: Natural Building, Ecovillages, Dance, Food Preservation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/this-years-workshops-at-dr-natural-building-ecovillages-dance/) - As our village grows there are more opportunities for all of you out there to learn from us and at the same time find out more about our ecovillage. Attend workshops on natural building, dance, food preservation, and sustainable culture leadership, and see first hand how we are creating a model for a more sustainable world. Our workshops are
- [Ways We Live More Sustainably: The Milkweeds](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ways-we-live-more-sustainably-the-milkweeds/) - I've been wanting to do an article about the many different lifestyle and infrastructure changes we as individuals have made at DR to reduce our impact on the planet. Fortunately, the Milkweeds wrote just such an article for their blog, Ecovillage Musings. Like they say in their post, outside of the 6 covenants we live by here at DR,
- [January 16, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/january-16-2012/) - Hi everyone. This is Alline filling in for Jordan, who had to go California unexpectedly (hi Jordan! We miss you!). OK. Here is your hypothetical/imaginary assignment for today. You are asked to design a new community building for your neighborhood. You’ll be working with the 50 neighbors who live closest to you. Oh, heck. For
- [Weekly Update Archives](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/weekly-update-archives/) - February 27, 2012 February 20, 2012 February 14, 2012 February 6, 2012 January 30, 2012 January 16, 2012 January 9, 2012 January 2, 2012 December 26, 2011
- [January 9, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/january-9-2012/) - Greetings gentle readers, and welcome back to October! It's hard to grasp that sunny days in the upper 50s and night time lows above freezing have anything at all to do with January. Cob here, not really complaining about the weather, but feeling unsure about what it will mean for the maple sugaring season! Maple
- [December 26, 2011](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/december-26-2011/) - Happy Boxing Day to all you email subscribers out there from Ted here at Dancing Rabbit! We've had a good week here, including everything from a dance party at La Casa, to a Solstice gathering at the Common House, to a Christmas Eve gathering with mulled cider, cookies and games hosted by Kurt and Alline
- [January 2, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/january-2-2012/) - Hi everyone. This is Alline writing the very first Dancing Rabbit column for 2012. I’m sitting here at my (solar & wind-powered) computer feeling sugared-out, and wondering what it would be like to have Christmas in, say, Australia, where the holiday falls right smack in the middle of the summer. Would we be eating
- [Transcending Twitter](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/transcending-twitter/) - Sara Peters contributed this post to the blog in the theme of enriching our lives by living more sustainably. It is November 29 and nine days ago I checked the battery voltage for our mini-grid solar power system and AHHHHH!, it was LOW. After running around to the four other houses that are affected when we shut
- [Challenges to Starting a Sustainable Business at DR](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/challenges-to-starting-a-sustainable-business-at-dr/) - This is the second of two articles I wrote on sustainable economy at DR about 2 years ago. Some of the information may be a little outdated, such as the electrical grid references. We are now hooked up to the power grid (and feeding power back into it), though we are still not on the water or
- [How Living Sustainably Can Make Our Lives Richer: Food](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-living-sustainably-can-make-our-lives-richer-food/) - I may be writing more articles on this subject because there are so many facets to living sustainably in which, though it may seem we are giving up something we need, we are actually enriching our lives. I invite others at DR to write their own articles for the blog telling of the ways in
- [Composting Toilets at DR](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/composting-toilets-at-dr/) - Who thought the concept of combining human feces and water was a good idea? Since these two were brought together on a mass scale in the flush toilets of the world, our water has never been the same and our waste has just gone to waste. Alline just posted this great article about composting toilets on her blog Ecovillage Musings.
- [Building a Sustainable Economy at DR](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/building-a-sustainable-economy-at-dr/) - Over two years ago now, I wrote two articles exploring economic issues at Dancing Rabbit. They sort of got lost in the March Hare limbo that has existed since then, and now that I am the new MH editor I thought I'd finally let them see the light of day. Actually both of them were
- [Intimacy in the Ecovillage Setting](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/intimacy-in-the-ecovillage-setting/) - Written by Ted Sterling [Recently printed in Communities Magazine, issue #151, Intimacy] Since first I met Dancing Rabbit founder Tony Sirna at the Communities Conference in Willits, CA in 1998, I have understood that the “village” part of ecovillage here was meant as more than a euphemism. Dancing Rabbit was intended to be more or
- [How Much Does a Rabbit Consume?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dr-consumption/) - How much can I consume while still being socially and ecologically responsible? How little can I consume and maintain a high quality of life? In many ways Dancing Rabbit is an experiment built around these questions. So far I believe we have made significant headway. In the chart below you can find numbers comparing consumption for
- [Ten Years Later, 50 People Call Dancing Rabbit Home](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ten-years-later-50-people-call-dancing-rabbit-home/) - Written by Ted Sterling When I first came to Dancing Rabbit as an intern in 2001, there was a poster chart in one of the old double-wide trailer's back hallways showing a more-or-less exponential projected growth rate, with a fairly linear actual growth rate plotted year-by-year beneath it. At our Land Day rituals, I have
- [Welcome to The March Hare Blog](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/welcome-to-the-march-hare-blog/) - Welcome to the newly launched March Hare blog! Dancing Rabbit's long-running print newsletter is finally entering the era of blogs. We are sad to discontinue the print version of our beloved newsletter, but we're also excited about the new possibilities of upkeeping a website dedicated to life at Dancing Rabbit with news, stories, how-tos, and
- [Sustainable Agriculture and Community at Sandhill Farm](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sustainable-agriculture-and-community-at-sandhill-farm/) - Sandhill Farm, home to friends of Dancing Rabbit, is a small neighboring intentional community here in northeastern Missouri. Sandhill has been practicing organic agriculture and gardening since 1974 on 135 acres, and the community provides most of its own food, including vegetables, fruits, herbs, sorghum syrup, honey, chickens, and turkeys. This video gives us a
- [Milkweed Mercantile: Straw bale bed & breakfast - opening soon!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/milkweed-mercantile-straw-bale-bed-breakfast-opening-soon/) - The Milkweed Mercantile at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is an off-the-grid, straw bale bed & breakfast, organic cafe, and eco general store. Alline gives us a mini tour of the business, which is currently under construction, but opening soon.The Mercantile is currently a finalist for a $10K award at Ideablob.com. Please consider voting for us if
- ['Life With Thomas' playing at Hi Mom! Film Festival](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/life-with-thomas-playing-at-hi-mom-film-festival/) - Hello dear viewers. Despite what you may think, DRTV is not dead. It's merely on a break, since I have been busy building a cob house the past four months. With all that stomping of mud, little time is left to capture daily life here at Dancing Rabbit. However, there is some exciting and relevant
- [Rocket Stoves video: superefficient wood-fired heaters](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/rocket-stoves-video-superefficient-wood-fired-heaters/) - Rocket stoves are superefficient wood-fired stoves that can easily be built using readily available and recycled materials. They are a common sight in cob, straw bale, and other natural building designs. In this video, Nathan and Tony describe two different rocket stove systems, detailing the inner workings of the stoves and their unique ability to
- [Seasonal Living at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seasonal-living-at-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - Here's a brief look at the seasonal aspects of life at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Daily routines are largely influenced by the current season - winter is a time for relaxing, socializing, indoor projects, spring planning, and most importantly, staying warm. And by the end of winter, members are gearing up and itching for spring with
- [Two new DRTV videos in the works](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/two-new-drtv-videos-in-the-works/) - Fear not, loyal DRTV viewers: not one, but two new Dancing Rabbit TV videos are in the works and nearing completion. If it weren't for the frequent gray weather days, they might be ready sooner, but alas, patience is a valuable virtue. In the meantime, keep passing on the previous DRTV episodes to friends and
- [Ecovillage Life with Thomas](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/life-with-thomas/) - Life with Thomas is a short video documentary about Thomas, member of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, a sustainable community in Missouri.
- [DRTV #5 coming soon](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/drtv-5-coming-soon/) - The fifth installment in the Dancing Rabbit TV video blog is coming soon... very soon. Time has been somewhat limited lately, due to our annual retreat (read: meetings) filling up the majority of the past six days, plus a string of cloudy weather doesn't help when you rely on solar power to do your video
- [Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage: Celebrating 10 Years](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-ecovillage-celebrating-10-years/) - On October 5-7, Dancing Rabbit celebrated its 10th anniversary and reunion, and rabbits present and past joined to commemorate and reminisce about the community. In this episode of DRTV, Tony and Cecil, two of the six original Dancing Rabbit co-founders reflect on the progress and growth of the ecovillage against the backdrop of the reunion
- [Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage ecospot](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-ecovillage-ecospot/) - About a month or two ago, we set about creating a short video to enter in Current TV's so-called "Ecospot" contest. Although we didn't make the cut as a semi-finalist, we can at least share the fruits of our labor with you now. Just for some background info, the theme of the Ecospot contest was
- [Natural Building How-To: Earthen Plastering with Tamar](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/natural-building-how-to-earthen-plastering-with-tamar/) - Part 1 Part 2 Lately, there's been a lot of building work going on around Dancing Rabbit, including everything from the continuing progress on Ironweed's cob/straw bale hybrid kitchen, to the frame construction of the Milkweed Mercantile, and to Dan's urbanite foundation construction for his soon-to-be straw bale house. So for this episode of Dancing
- [Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage: an introduction to a sustainable community](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-ecovillage-an-introduction-to-a-sustainable-community/) - Welcome to Dancing Rabbit TV (DRTV), the official video blog of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! In this brand new video series, we hope to share ideas and information about what it means to live sustainably in an off-the-grid community. If you aren't already familiar with Dancing Rabbit, head to the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage website for information
- [The Gift of Generosity: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-gift-of-generosity-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Ah, this place. Ever-changing with the sun and wind, time and temperature, animals and water. Where tiny frogs sing to the night sky and mud clings to boots; where the sunrise greets me between the splitting trunks of a honey locust every morning, and people welcome me home. Again, and again. You know this place.
- [Give STL Day is May 10: Save the Date!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/give-stl-day-is-may-10-save-the-date/) - Dear friends, According to the Chinese zodiac, 2023 is the year of the Water Rabbit, symbolizing a gentler, more peaceful year, with Rabbits emerging from their burrows to greet the light. While this particular cosmology may hold various degrees of meaning in your own life, as a Rabbit myself, it feels more than a little
- [Building Community Online](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/building-community-online/) - "Hello all you lovely patrons..." These 5 wonderful words introduce many pieces of content we create and post on our Patreon in order to engage with you, our lovely audience, in a deeper and more connected way. Each month we put out pictures and videos, answer questions, and have fun conversations with our supporters around
- [Rabbit-cast! Rabbits Interviewed on Ecovillage Podcast Series](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/rabbit-cast-rabbits-interviewed-on-ecovillage-podcast-series/) - Hi there Rabbit-fans! My name is Thumbs, and I’m an ecovillage nomad who has been traveling as a representative of the Global Ecovillage Network (NextGENNA), weaving together the North American ecovillage movement for the last 4 years. I first visited Dancing Rabbit in 2017 to help with a cob building project, and I’ve been riding my inspiration
- [Experimentation, Experience, and Reflection: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/experimentation-experience-and-reflection-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - What is your relationship with giving and receiving constructive or critical feedback? What are your thoughts on feminism? Deep breath! Ready… answer! This is Prairie, once again being prompted by the world and its myriad inhabitants to answer a couple of important questions. If only I could think for a zippy moment and give a
- [Socially Distanced Socialization: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/socially-distanced-socialization-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I know there are dictation devices out there, and it might even be that the smartphone I have begun using in the past few months would already do this for me, but I often long for a way to record my thoughts as I'm at work. In the days leading up to my turn to
- [CSCC Replaces Hierarchy Operating System with Holacracy](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cscc-replaces-hierarchy-operating-system-with-holacracy/) - In the month of May, the staff of the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage decided we were bored of playing the game of “hierarchy” with each other and officially transitioned to playing Holacracy, instead. My name is Avi, and I’m here to share a little bit about this switchover with
- [The Work of Self-Care: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-work-of-self-care-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - There are plenty of unique elements of our daily lives here at Dancing Rabbit that are probably fairly well-known to readers of this column — natural building, the humanure system, the car co-op. These are all very important pieces of what makes life here both more sustainable and just plain great; but there is another
- [A Heavenly Experience: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-heavenly-experience-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Summer has arrived, gardens are producing, and summer activities are going strong (at a healthy distance of course). Parmejean here to tell you of the wonders of living in the community in rural Missouri that I call home. I have recently become the manager of Skyhouse, our onsite boarding house, and I am quite pleased
- [Living in the Now: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-in-the-now-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Long walks, deep talks; sweltering hours, wildflowers; pond dips, trampoline flips; brave leaps, long sleep; big hearts, loud far... — just kidding. Prairie here, trying to play it cool beneath the relentless sun in Northeast Missouri. Last winter, Ted and I hauled a ladder, fresh screws, and a driver to La Casa De Cultura (the
- [Gardening, Governance, and Growing Up: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/gardening-governance-and-growing-up-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I am munching an ear of corn from the garden as I write this, one of the last ears of several dozen that we successfully grew and managed to eat this year - as opposed to the many we've grown and lost to racoons in many previous years. This is just one of a variety
- [Opportunity of a Lifetime: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/opportunity-of-a-lifetime-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When people typically think of opportunities of a lifetime, they think of travelling to beautiful locations, meeting new people, learning new things, and having an experience that will be told in many stories for the rest of their lives. What if I told you that this was possible to obtain at an ecovillage? My name
- [Dying with the Earth in Mind: A Dancing Rabbit Announcement](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dying-with-the-earth-in-mind-a-dancing-rabbit-announcement/) - The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage would like to announce the availability of affordable, upcycled, eco-friendly burial caskets, in partnership with longtime extended community member Mark Mazziotti. “It's an alternative to expensive and lavishly ornamented coffins,” said Mark, a natural builder and resident of Red Earth Farms (REF), the homesteading
- [Gratitudes for Groundhog Days: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/gratitudes-for-groundhog-days-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - For a steady few months now, I have been exchanging daily gratitudes with Sara via text. Often mine are inspired by writing first about what is not going so great with my life. And if you know my personality at all, you’ll know that one thing that is especially challenging for me right now is
- [Summer Heat and Autumn Stars: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/summer-heat-and-autumn-stars-at-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - The summer heat may soon be over, we hope! Hurricane winds are forecast to cool us down a little, which is good for us but sad for the Gulf Coast. Parmejean here, to tell you news of our sweet home, Dancing Rabbit ecovillage. I handle summer heat by rising early, usually at five in the
- [Here Comes the Sun: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/here-comes-the-sun-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - After several consecutive days of rain and grey cloud cover, I looked to the sky this morning and saw dawn break for the first time in what felt to me like weeks. Though I welcome the rain after many weeks of unrelenting heat, there is a certain heaviness I observe in my steps and those
- [Life Tastes Good: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/life-tastes-good-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Ted here with the latest from Dancing Rabbit ecovillage. It is harvest time, and with all the cool, clear days and nights right now, it feels like it. Honey locust leaves fall steadily, and other leaves will soon start turning, but in the garden, we're still bringing in harvests of summer fruit while the brassicas
- [Sometimes We Get What We Need: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sometimes-we-get-what-we-need-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When is something a need and when is something a strategy to get that need met? Christina here, writing about cars, consensus, and covenants. Since we moved to Dancing Rabbit almost five years ago, I have had plenty of opportunities for growth. Challenges, new experiences, difficult situations—so many painful, er, wonderful chances to stretch my comfort
- [Celebrating Our Land: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/celebrating-our-land-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Dancing Rabbit’s six founders purchased 280 acres in Scotland County, Missouri, on October 1, 1997. They chose this location because it was close to Sandhill Farm, an intentional community that had been in the area for over 40 years, the land was cheap, and there were few land restrictions. Every October, Dancing Rabbit celebrates our
- [Gathering for Retreat: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/gathering-for-retreat-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - What do winter preparations look like for folks at Dancing Rabbit? What happens to the garden? Do kitchen co-ops change? What’s Trick-or-Retreat? Hi friends! Prairie here, with another update on Dancing Rabbit ecovillage, and some answers to those questions. Each year the village gets together for a retreat, with activities that encourage us to reflect,
- [Getting Into Some ‘Good Trouble’ at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/getting-into-some-good-trouble-at-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - Building a house with a few other people is a daunting task, no matter what the circumstances. Building a house when you know next to nothing about building might be what you call folly. And building a house out of natural and reclaimed materials is asking for a mountain of trouble. Liz here, describing my
- [Giving Thanks for the Season: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/giving-thanks-for-the-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We made it through Thanksgiving, our first gentle snowfall, many harsh freezes, and challenging interpersonal dynamics. And maybe even with some gratitude, empathy, and courage. Hi friends! This is Prairie with another update on cozy, clustered, and cold Dancing Rabbit ecovillage. When I was a bit younger in years, stature, and experience, I didn’t understand
- [Saying Goodbye to 2020: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/saying-goodbye-to-2020-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hello friends of Dancing Rabbit! Liz here, to give you the latest from the village.This is the last Dancing Rabbit update for 2020. And so we bid adieu to a year that was extraordinary in many ways, and definitely not what any of us were expecting.I can’t think of a better place to wait out
- [Appreciating Group Consensus: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/appreciating-group-consensus-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I have been working on appreciating what is good right now, finding gratitude for the little and big things in my life. But I think it’s also important to realize what I am missing so that I can appreciate it more when it comes back. One thing that I am missing right now is spending
- [An Appreciation for Artistry of All Kinds: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/an-appreciation-for-artistry-of-all-kinds-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When I first came to Dancing Rabbit twenty years ago as an intern, I spent some of my free time building rustic furniture to spruce up my outdoor abode. Skyhouse was in the process of being framed, so there was a goodly pile of lumber scraps and off-cuts not far from my tent platform with
- [Winter Thoughts on Compassion and the Pandemic](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/winter-thoughts-on-compassion-and-the-pandemic/) - I have three questions: How do we learn to rest in ever-present fear and uncertainty? What does resting even look like—especially in an ecovillage? How can we, as human beings, listen to, respect, empathize, and understand one another while acknowledging our differences? Prairie here, with my characteristic curiosity, and a little update on the one
- [Surviving a Polar Vortex: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/surviving-a-polar-vortex-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Like a great ship righting itself after capsizing, the subzero temperatures around here are returning to normal winter cold.Liz here, breathing a sigh of relief and ready to share the latest from Dancing Rabbit.My little cottage feels like a ship to me, with its close quarters and the precarious feeling I have when it's very
- [Take a Walk on the Rewild Side: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/take-a-walk-on-the-rewild-side-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I know from personal experience to heed the advice of people who have lived in Missouri for a while; March weather always comes with surprises, no matter how nice the weather is right in front of you.Liz here, reporting that the weather in the last two weeks has been warm and sunny at Dancing Rabbit
- [Spring Has Sprung: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/spring-has-sprung-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As we approach the equinox, I've been noticing and appreciating the lengthening days here in Northeast Missouri. Our chickens have too, going from two or three eggs on a good day to a dozen-plus day after day here in mid-March. Just as the grass is greening up, brightening the drab beiges and browns of our
- [Community Leadership in an Ecovillage: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-leadership-in-an-ecovillage-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My musings of the last two weeks include questions about what is a leader, how does one lead, and can I make a difference in the world by stepping into more leadership roles. Hi folks! Prairie here with another update from the northeast corner of Missouri. Each morning, as I step outside of my little
- [Community Meals Return to Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-meals-return-to-dancing-rabbit/) - As in other places around the world, things are slowly returning to a semblance of normal around here, and last week, we had our first potluck in over a year. Of course, potluck has changed for now; we are gathering outdoors with room to spread out, there is no holding of hands, and no crowding
- [Working Within My Circle of Influence](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/working-within-my-circle-of-influence/) - With one last half-hearted dump of snow on April 20, winter finally lost its grip on us here in northeast Missouri, and spring has settled in for the moment. Liz here, with the latest on ecovillage life at Dancing Rabbit. I’ve been watching the weather closely, waiting for the night temps in the 30’s to
- [Notes From a Cheese Maker: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/notes-from-a-cheesemaker-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The scythe is an elegant tool, used effectively for centuries, and still the best around for slicing mature grasses and other tall tender plants down to a nice turf with reliable efficiency. No motor, no noisiness beyond the repeated swoosh of the blade singing through its work and the occasional metallic twang of the stone
- [Dancing Rabbit has visitors again!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-has-visitors-again/) - Dancing Rabbit has begun to blossom again, with petals unfurling into dance parties, potlucks, movie nights, and… drum roll please… visitors! We did it. Whew! It's been a wild ride to get to this point, but finally we have arrived; and I even learned a thing or two about persistence and the importance of inner
- [Summertime Kicks off at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/summertime-kicks-off-at-dancing-rabbit/) - The more things change, the more they stay the same… Christina here, writing about summer traditions and how things feel both old and new right now. Some things are the same as every year. Typical of my life in June, the kids are asking all the time to go to the pond. Even while I
- [Where the Wild Things Grow](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/where-the-wild-things-grow/) - I continue to be surprised at how different the weather is here in the Midwest from year to year and this year is no exception. Liz here, with the latest from Dancing Rabbit ecovillage. Just as I braced myself for a hot and humid early summer, having put away my winter clothes and taken the
- [The Busy Days of Summer at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-busy-days-of-summer-at-dancing-rabbit/) - It is always strange to me that summer begins when the days start getting shorter. And yet we stew through the persistent heat and humidity, these lazy days of summer. If only mine were lazy! I feel as though there is never enough time for all the things on my plate that want doing, let
- [It’s Wonderfully Natural: Alternative Construction at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-wonderfully-natural-alternative-construction-at-dancing-rabbit/) - One of the many reasons I moved to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage was because there were so many things I could choose to do there that seemed fun and purposeful, that would fulfill the strong urge I had to contribute to the “thrive-al” of the planet. Liz here, with some musings on natural building at Dancing
- [New Rhythm, New Life at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/new-rhythm-new-life-at-dancing-rabbit/) - I went to pick up my U-Haul for the drive from Ohio to Missouri with my heart in my throat. I had lived within an hour radius of nearly all my family and friends for all my life, and, at the sight of the ubiquitous white and orange truck, the reality of my impending move
- [What Makes Dancing Rabbit A Home](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-makes-dancing-rabbit-a-home/) - What does it mean for me to live at Dancing Rabbit? What is keeping me here? Where else could I be? What is it about this place that keeps me moving through the excitement, frustration, inspiration, chaos, and challenges that Dancing Rabbit offers? Prairie here, with musings on returning to life in an ecovillage in
- [Fall Begins at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fall-begins-at-dancing-rabbit/) - As I sat in the bed of a truck, holding buckets of flowers steady with my legs, a dog-day cicada buzzed out of a clump of goldenrod. A noisy little mosaic of black and green, the cicada climbed onto my finger and perched contentedly. As I watched it, I was struck by the amazing cycle
- [Choosing Between So Many Good Things: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/choosing-between-so-many-good-things-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Should I do something with the basil that is going to seed or should I try to get some time on the paddle board before it gets too cold? Should I spend time getting the kids to do more math or should I try to deal with that ragweed that has been taunting me for
- [After The Fire: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/after-the-fire-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy, y’all. This is Ben, bringing you something of an update from the sooty remains of Critter Kitchen, up along the old fence line, past the bend in the gravel road at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. And yeah, with or without the scattered coal and ashes, the charred and skeletal remnants of timber frame bents, or
- [Special Feature: Full Circle Forest Products!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fcfp/) - Hello Dear Readers, Josh here. I’m a member of Sandhill Farm, which is three miles down the road from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I’m going to share a bit of my story with you, and then about a new business that I started here called Full Circle Forest Products. I’ve been part of the “tri-communities” (Dancing
- [Life at DR Goes on Through COVID: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/life-at-dr-goes-on-through-covid-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Considering we made it through the first waves without much COVID infiltration in the tri-communities, the past month has been a rude awakening here in Northeast Missouri, showing the ease with which omicron is getting around. There have been many times I’ve wondered how much our daily efforts to keep our distance from each other
- [Difficult News: A Brief Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/difficult-news-a-brief-update/) - It is with shock and sadness that I write this update today. Our community has been rocked by a difficult and traumatizing situation. A member of Dancing Rabbit was arrested on 02/01/2019 on charges of sexual assault of minors. Like any community would, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and the surrounding communities are struggling with this very
- [Monsters and Ice: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/monsters-and-ice-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. You know, whenever I have a hard time talking about what's really going on — or worse, no idea what the other party could possibly be thinking — I like to discuss the weather instead. So I think I'll start there. Ben here, writing to y'all from the icy physical and emotional purgatory
- [Mending a Village: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/mending-a-village-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Everything is different; and likely some things will never be the same around here again. This column is generally about what’s hard and what’s wonderful about living here, and I guess this week is no exception, but there are also many many moments of normalcy throughout the day — along with moments of extreme emotions
- [Braving the Weather: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/braving-the-weather-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We’re all affected, every day, by the arrest of one of our community members several weeks ago. Liz here, with the difficult and delicate task of writing about life at Dancing Rabbit. While I could use this column to express how it has affected me, it seems pale in comparison with how it has affected
- [A Message from the Dancing Rabbit Board of Directors](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-message-from-the-dancing-rabbit-board-of-directors/) - In the wake of trauma and tragedy, we find ourselves in a very delicate and difficult experience. Our community continues to grapple with how to best carry onward. How can we best support those directly affected? How can we best process our emotions? How can we best hold each other with care, compassion, and respect? How
- [A Chorus of Many Voices: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-chorus-of-many-voices-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, bringing you my recent observations from the sodden hollows and misty hills of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in northeast Missouri. Humans are not generally the first thing I interact with in the morning, and that's been working out for me pretty nicely so far, as well as for the humans. Every morning
- [The Beauty of Conflict: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-beauty-of-conflict-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Whenever it’s my turn to write this column, I always try to think of a theme for the previous week; some kind of uniting idea or concept always makes it easier for me to decide what to write about, and I imagine that it also makes it easier for readers to follow the random events
- [Tending The Garden: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tending-the-garden-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Time stands still for no one, and that is certainly true at Dancing Rabbit. Liz here, describing the ebb and flow of life at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Spring has definitely sprung. The whole landscape is turning green and the first bulbs are beginning to flower. We have had mild temperatures, rain and cool winds, which
- [Hello Natural Building Enthusiasts!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/hello-natural-building-enthusiasts/) - Are you looking for more natural building opportunities to expand your knowledge and skill set? Join us this summer for three amazing ways you can become the natural builder you have always aspired to be. With 2 intensive weekends or a summer long internship to choose from, where you get to be part of building
- [Spring Is Underway: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/spring-is-underway-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It has been 16 years since Sara and I took up residence at Dancing Rabbit, and every year I learn again that there is nuance and change within long-term patterns. Certain features of my life, like weekly potlucks with friends and neighbors, groups of interested strangers coming to visit our village for weeks at a
- [Stories from the Mud: My Dancing Rabbit Experience](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/stories-from-the-mud-my-dancing-rabbit-experience/) - As I drove towards Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage last August to attend the Natural Building Workshop, I was full of anticipation, questions, and even a little bit of fear.Questions like: who else would be attending the workshop? How could 4 days possibly be enough time to learn anything? What would the work be like? Would the food
- [The Exciting Life of A Sometimes Non-Gardener: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-exciting-life-of-a-sometimes-non-gardener-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi friends! Alline here, writing from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. The weather is warm and sunny, and if I were actually a gardener I’d be outside basking in the sunshine, planting seedlings, applying layers of compost and mulch, and thinking deep, organic thoughts. Alas, my brand of gardening is more Darwinian, as in “survival of the
- [Living Lightly: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-lightly-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Where does the time go? My answer could easily be my son, soon to be age 4; Carolyn, my partner for 11 years running; or the ever-growing list of homesteading tasks. In truth the answer is all of those things and more. This life can be relaxing, though my personal time is often fleeting. (Maybe
- [Adventures in Mud: A Dancing Rabbit Workshop](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/adventures-in-mud-a-dancing-rabbit-workshop/) - It’s spring and the season of mud is upon us; and for some villagers at Dancing Rabbit that means spending time building homes made of earth. You are invited to join in on either or both of two natural building workshops, where you will nourish your mind, heart and stomach over 4 exciting days. You’ll
- [Living and Dying: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-and-dying-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi friends. Alline here, with news from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. This past weekend Dancing Rabbit hosted 20 people in an intensive seminar we call an Ecovillage Weekend Experience. Along with the usual sessions on the things we feel are of interest to our guests — communication, decision-making, self-care, natural building, and alternative energy — I
- [Using the Land Well and Lovingly: A Dancing Rabbit Experience](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/using-the-land-well-and-lovingly-a-dancing-rabbit-experience/) - By Avi Maistri Greetings from Dancing Rabbit, which is frost-free now that spring is in full swing. Avi here, no longer worrying about whether my frost-vulnerable crops will be unexpectedly exposed to a late chill. I’m learning to navigate the natural rhythms of Northeast Missouri, and I’m grateful for my more experienced neighbors, who are often
- [Becoming the Change We Wish To See: A Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/becoming-the-change-we-wish-to-see-a-dancing-rabbit/) - When I tell people I live in an ecovillage, I often hear, “Like a commune?” as a response. “Commune” is often times the only concept people have to place it on their mental map, and that term frequently connotes free love, drug usage, artsyness, and a general shirking of responsibility. Avi here, attempting to shed
- [Life of a Builder: A Dancing Rabbit Feature](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/life-of-a-builder-a-dancing-rabbit-feature/) - For the past 13 years I have been on a journey to learn about natural building, and today I'd like to share a little bit of that with you. My name is Hassan, and my journey began when I was only 2 years out of high school. I had already fallen in love with the
- [Reaching In and Reaching Out: My Dancing Rabbit Reflections](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/reaching-in-and-reaching-out-my-dancing-rabbit-reflections/) - Over the last 20+ years, countless people have crossed paths with Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. From time to time, they tell us about how their experiences here — the things they learned, the people they met, and the fun they had — changed their lives for the better. Often, they leave inspired to live more in
- [The Cycles of Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-cycles-of-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I grew up on a farm 110 miles east of Memphis, Missouri outside the town of Rushville, Illinois, but I spent most of my adult life in central Texas hoping to get back to the Midwest. Parmejean here, a.k.a. Farmer John Demaree, to tell you how happy I am to be back in the Midwest
- [Walking the Talk: My Dancing Rabbit Visit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/walking-the-talk-my-dancing-rabbit-visit/) - When I made the decision to come to Dancing Rabbit for a two-week visitor session in the summer of 2018, I tried to have zero expectations. I tried to leave my assumptions at the door about what made an ecovillage like Dancing Rabbit work and run efficiently. Having an open mind allowed me to truly
- [Observing Nature and One Another: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/observing-nature-and-one-another-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - If I had the attention of hundreds of people, what would I say? What am I passionate about? What do I think is worth speaking? My friend Danielle recently prompted me with these questions, after hearing about my straggling uncertainties and insecurities about writing for Dancing Rabbit. Prairie here, concluding the end of the week
- [Harvest Time: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/harvest-time-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Happy summer, friends! Ted here to bring you the news from Dancing Rabbit in this week of longest days and shortest nights. Not to mention a good bit more rain and some hyper-local lightning storms here in northeast Missouri. We're in the thick of the early berry harvest, plucking raspberries nearly every day, with black
- [Birthdays and Celebrations: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/birthdays-and-celebrations-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - June was a big month for birthdays and celebrations at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, as well as our neighbor communities: Red Earth Farms and Sandhill Farm. Avi here, still digesting all the homebrewed beer, freshly baked cake, grilled meat, and scrumptious potluck dishes. In the last week alone, I helped host a birthday party for my
- [Better than a Daydream: My Dancing Rabbit Visit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/better-than-a-daydream-my-dancing-rabbit-visit/) - Hey there everyone. Jorge here; I’ve been thinking of how to start my story, and I have found no poetically inspirational words to impress you with, so I’ll just be straight with you. I hope that’s okay. On my drive up to Dancing Rabbit I found myself daydreaming about what my experience would be like.
- [Weaving Songs: My Dancing Rabbit Voice](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/weaving-songs-my-dancing-rabbit-voice/) - As the van pulled onto the driveway and past the “sing” signs, I could feel a knowing and growing excitement in the pit of my stomach. This was it: Village Fire, the largest singing event I had ever attended, last year. Now I was here again. Prairie here, to tell you about my experience singing
- [The Summer Fashion Issue: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-summer-fashion-issue-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, writing to you on a cool morning from the mosquito-veiled hedgerows and hillsides of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, when I should be weeding and mulching. With the consistent occurrence of oppressive heat, I would normally use this time to accomplish something tangible, like raking mulch, moving animal paddocks, or beaming nice thoughts
- [Dream Building: My Dancing Rabbit Story](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dream-building-my-dancing-rabbit-story/) - My name is Liz, and I’m building the structure of my dreams at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, using lots of natural building methods and materials. This is my story. When my adult son, Graham, came here to live, I was willing to let our relationship develop in a freeform way. We gardened together for the first
- [The 40-Hour Week: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-40-hour-week-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Christina here, writing about the joys and frustrations of living in a place where I receive so much, and also sometimes feel like I give a lot. Sunday is a very Dancing Rabbit-ish day for me, and this week is no different. It’s one of the fullest days of the week, and definitely the one
- [People I Love: My Dancing Rabbit Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/people-i-love-my-dancing-rabbit-life/) - I blame everything on Ben. See, back in 2013 or so, he wrote a blog post about Schlepp Day, the hellish migration he and his family embarked on to move all of their worldly possessions to a yurt at the top of a hill. He described how all of his skills — mental, physical, and
- [A Weaving of Worlds: My Experience Singing in Community](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-weaving-of-worlds-my-experience-singing-in-community/) - It always fills our hearts with joy to hear from prior visitors about how coming to Dancing Rabbit made a positive impact for them. Here is one such reminder from our dear new friend, Jen, who spent some time with us last year during our community singing event. “Attending Singing Rabbit was one of the
- [Building a Village: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/building-a-village-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hello friends and neighbors! As I write this column, we are waiting for a cool front to roll in and give us relief from this hot, humid July weather. We live simple lives here at Dancing Rabbit and most folks do not have air conditioning. There are, however, three gathering places with air conditioning, so
- [Working Together: My Dancing Rabbit Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/working-together-my-dancing-rabbit-life/) - Hi folks, Vick here. I’m a member of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, and I have lived and thrived here for over five years now. I love to share anecdotes about the amazing lives we enjoy, and I thought it might interest you to know what it’s ACTUALLY like living in a community of around fifty people
- [Life's a Peach: A Dancing Rabbit Reflection](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/lifes-a-peach-a-dancing-rabbit-reflection/) - I used to believe that life was like fresh peaches: mostly insipid and mealy, if you’re lucky enough to get any at all, but every once in a while, you find one that is firm, juicy, and oh-so-flavorful. The occasional event of bliss in life can make mundanity worthwhile; but the pursuit of that perfection
- [An Ocean of Challenges: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/an-ocean-of-challenges-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I moved to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage with my family, almost two years ago, with a fair assumption that I would be challenged to grow in myself, with this planet and in relation to other beings. At that time, I had only grasped a drop of the ocean I would soon be swimming in. Prairie here
- [Creatures Everywhere: My Dancing Rabbit Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/creatures-everywhere-my-dancing-rabbit-life/) - Hi folks, Vick here. I hope you enjoyed your week; we at Dancing Rabbit have been relishing the cooler weather, and spending lots of time outdoors. Here’s the next piece in my series about the top five things I love about living in this magical village, reason number four: 4. I get to be surrounded
- [Mid-Summer Toil: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/mid-summer-toil-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Between maintaining three large garden spaces, bottom-lining our cheese production, working a part-time job, building an online business, planning a wedding celebration in the fall, and applying for my wife’s Green Card, it’s all too easy to lose perspective. What’s really important to do? Why am I doing all of this? Avi here, reporting from
- [Building A Dream: My Dancing Rabbit Project](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/building-a-dream-my-dancing-rabbit-project/) - Before I moved from California to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage over two years ago, I was working with a life coach to figure out what I wanted to do after graduating from acupuncture school. My coach had me do an exercise where I selected three transformative experiences in my life and then searched them for common
- [A Song for Life: My Dancing Rabbit Experience](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-song-for-life-my-dancing-rabbit-experience/) - I moved from Houston to northeast Missouri for one very big reason: community. Not just a group of people, but a thriving community rich with culture and traditions. One of the things my family loves the most is the weekly song circle gathering. Carolyn here, writing about community, singing, and how I am the luckiest
- [Building a Culture of Abundance: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/building-a-culture-of-abundance-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, with another update from the dusty, dry, wasp-ridden savannahs of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in northeast Missouri. Wasps are in the forefront of my mind, as I've allowed the buildup of several large nests around our homestead (peaceful creature that I am) and I am feeling a few stings related to that
- [Let's Hug It Out: My Dancing Rabbit Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/lets-hug-it-out-my-dancing-rabbit-life/) - Hi folks, Vick here. I hope things are going well for you. Here in northeast Missouri, we had our third visitor group of the year join us, and they’ve been spending the week in workshops, learning about sustainability, experiencing what life is like in a tight-knit community, and having lots of fun. This is the
- [Sing With Us Soon: A Dancing Rabbit Last Call](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sing-with-us-soon-a-dancing-rabbit-last-call/) - In only two short weeks Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage will be filled with over 70 singing voices. Will you add your voice to the vibrant tapestry of Singing Rabbit? With 10 song leaders joining in from around the country to share their gifts with you, it will be a weekend for creating lifelong memories. Come learn
- [On The Auction Block: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/on-the-auction-block-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We’ve been having busy late summer days here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. As I head from a conflict resolution meeting back to the office in the common house, I stop to close the downspouts on the rainwater catchment system, so that this afternoon’s burst of rain will flow into Sky House’s underground cistern and we
- [Meet A Rabbit: Cat, A Badass Elder Woman](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/meet-a-rabbit-cat-a-badass-elder-woman/) - Would you believe me if I told you that there’s a woman who worked as a nurse in London, while living on a sailboat; was also a regional manager for an important company, covering 26 U.S. states and Japan; who co-owned and operated a business making t-shirts; actually witnessed Woodstock, live and in the flesh;
- [Figuring Things Out Together: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/figuring-things-out-together-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of my mottos for the past few years has been: “just show up and you’ll figure it out when you get there”. Christina here, writing about some of the ways that I have muddled through the past week, and how life at Dancing Rabbit has helped me to be okay with not always knowing
- [The Song of Work: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-song-of-work-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Cool weather has arrived. Parmesan (Farmer John) here, at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I am not sure how long it will last, but it is a busy time and we are glad to have a reprieve from the heat. I have been putting finish plaster on my home this week, and I am new to the
- [The Best of Both: My Dancing Rabbit Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-best-of-both-my-dancing-rabbit-life/) - Hello! Vick here, writing to you from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. We are winding down from having tons of fun last weekend, when several dozen visitors came to sing and make merry with us — it’s been a pleasure to overhear everyone practicing all the groovy new songs they learned. We’re looking forward to having yet
- [I Came For The Food: A Dancing Rabbit Invitation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/i-came-for-the-food-a-dancing-rabbit-invitation/) - What’s your favorite food? Mine is ice cream. I’m quite a cold-stuff connoisseur. I know my Blue Bell from my Blue Bunny, I can tell how much overrun the maker mixed into the base just by looking at it, and (unlike my friend Mae) I love some crunchy treats mixed in. Many of us who
- [The Village Sings: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-village-sings-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi friends, it’s been a long week! Like Christina mentioned in a previous article, Sundays at Dancing Rabbit are frequently filled with a plethora of community tasks like cleaning our common spaces, Village Council meetings, and (if you’re me this week) writing this article, but last Sunday took a special turn for this village, as
- [Joy and Meaning: My Dancing Rabbit Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/joy-and-meaning-my-dancing-rabbit-life/) - Hi folks, Vick here. I hope you enjoyed your week; we at Dancing Rabbit have been living the high life of the summer season. Things have been vibrant and lively in the village for the last several weeks, because we’ve had back-to-back events with Singing Rabbit, our annual Open House, and a natural building workshop,
- [Busy Days: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/busy-days-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Wow! What a busy time of year. We've had events or programs of various sorts every weekend for the past three weeks, and there are at least two more weekend programs upcoming. Our tours are still going twice monthly through October, harvests are continual and abundant, and all I can do is keep getting up
- [Healing Ingratitude: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/healing-ingratitude-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - By Avi Four and a half years ago, I was gearing up for my favorite kind of adventure — a long distance hike across Israel with my buddy Keith and our mentor Oshik, a man roughly 20 years our senior, who once lived alone in the Carmel forest for six months and made fire with
- [Ecovillagers Say The Darndest Things: A Dancing Rabbit Invitation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ecovillagers-say-the-darndest-things-a-dancing-rabbit-invitation/) - People at Dancing Rabbit like to talk. A LOT. Every once in a while, you get to hear a real gem; the sort of thing that people remember for years to come, and bring up once in a while for a laugh. Below are just a few that have been recorded for posterity, submitted for
- [The Education of an Eater: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-education-of-an-eater-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi friends. This is Alline with a slice of life from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Twenty years ago, after driving our moving van across the western half of the United States, we arrived in northeastern Missouri. I was stunned and excited by the acres and acres (and acres!) of corn. I envisioned a future where every
- [Hybrid Horsepower: A Dancing Rabbit Request](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/hybrid-horsepower-a-dancing-rabbit-request/) - One of the most important ways that we conserve fossil fuels and reduce our carbon footprint at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is by ridesharing as much as possible. We do that by sharing four vehicles amongst ourselves (more than 30 people) in a co-op, instead of each of us having our own. Unfortunately, our vehicles are
- [Cold Remembrance: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cold-remembrance-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi friends! Prairie here from the newly frost-strewn planes of northeast Missouri. Our twenty-second annual Land Day took place (thankfully) the Saturday before our first freeze of the season, though I have been feeling hints of winter’s nip in the grey skies, crisp winds, and clear atmosphere, not to mention the changing colors in scenery
- [Meet a Rabbit: Dan, the Hardcore Sustainable Man](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/meet-a-rabbit-dan-the-hardcore-sustainable-man/) - “They walked on, thinking of This and That, and by-and-by they came to an enchanted place on the very top of the Forest called Galleons Lap, which is sixty-something trees in a circle; and Christopher Robin knew that it was enchanted because nobody had ever been able to count whether it was sixty-three or sixty-four,
- [The Celebration of Autumn: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-celebration-of-autumn-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I've been deeply enjoying the long, slow autumn moment these past few weeks, with the low temperatures flirting with freezing but not going far enough below to make all the trees' leaves fall. Instead, they've been passing slowly through the fantasy of fall colors, lighting me up inside with each walk out on the land.
- [Reaping The Harvest: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/reaping-the-harvest-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As fall turns frigid here at Dancing Rabbit, I’ve been thinking a lot about the phrase, “You reap what you sow.” Avi here. I’m a fall kind of guy. I like the slowing down; the coziness; and the harvesting of and reflecting on what was from the current year, while bringing into greater focus what
- [Gliding on Air: A Dancing Rabbit Invitation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/gliding-on-air-a-dancing-rabbit-invitation/) - Hang gliding is a blast. So says Bob, one of my oldest (and most interesting) friends at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Decades ago, one of his favorite pastimes was soaring through the sky in a delicate aircraft that he maintained himself. At first blush I had to admit, it did sound like it would be a
- [The Beauty In Life’s Imperfections: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-beauty-in-lifes-imperfections-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Being a teenager in a village of inspiring, powerful, knowledgeable people has its perks and quirks. For one thing, I have never before found myself in such a vastly diverse group of people that are so passionate about living their like-minded values, with equally varied strategies for upholding those values. Prairie here, with an update
- [The Country Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-country-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all! I grew up in Rushville Illinois, but spent 30 years in Texas, where I picked up some of the local lingo. When I’m a’down in the rough part of Seguin, Texas I might could turn it awn kinna heavy. I like saying y'all because it feels so inclusive. I traveled to Texas this
- [Cycles and Cycles: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cycles-and-cycles-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It is a pleasure to write to you this week of the Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and undoubtedly some other holidays celebrating the shortest days of the year and the sun's return toward more warmth and light. Ted here to bring you the latest from Dancing Rabbit at the dark of the year. I've
- [Meet A Rabbit: Kurt, Everybody’s Favorite Uncle](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/meet-a-rabbit-kurt-everybodys-favorite-uncle/) - If the Milkweed Mercantile (Dancing Rabbit’s very own eco B&B) is the heart of the village, then the big toothy grin of the village is a charming old fellow in plaid. Folks around here like to call him Uncle Kurt. You’ll often find him hanging out at the bar sharing a joke with his friends,
- [Ringing in 2020 With the Radical Act of Love: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ringing-in-2020-with-the-radical-act-of-love-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “But tell me,” my friend’s grandfather said, looking me in the eyes as he lobbed another question about Dancing Rabbit my way with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, “do you find, there, that familiarity breeds contempt?” Avi here, using the winter to reflect on the question of how close I actually want to live
- [Work Party for the Win: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/work-party-for-the-win-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - What can I say about a week in which the highlight was spending two hours scrubbing walls? It’s been a tough one for sure — strange and lacking answers in so many ways — but not without its wonderful moments. Christina here, writing from our corner of Northeast Missouri during one of the weirdest weeks
- [Discover Your Own Resilience: LIVE Online Class from Dancing Rabbit this Friday](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/discover-your-own-resilience-live-online-class-from-dancing-rabbit-this-friday/) - Dear friends of Dancing Rabbit, Our hearts go out to everyone dealing with the impact of the spread of COVID-19 throughout our communities and around the world. This is a global-scale challenge in taking care of ourselves and one another that is already bringing to light the scope of potential for humans to act cooperatively
- [Power and Potential in the Midst of Uncertainty](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/power-and-potential-in-the-midst-of-uncertainty/) - I don’t want to do math! I find myself thinking time and again in response to the mere idea of doing it. Yesterday I didn’t want to write this article. Last week I hated making lists and planning. Who knows what won’t strike my fancy tomorrow? Prairie here, at Dancing Rabbit, reflecting on choice, options, and
- [Growing Up With BodyTalk: One Teenager's Experience](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/growing-up-with-bodytalk-one-teenagers-experience/) - What do I say about BodyTalk? I have woven it in and out of my life for the past eight years. The notion of being without it, and who I might be in its absence, is slightly unnerving. BodyTalk Access, in particular, has been serving me since I was ten years old, when I attended
- [More Resilient And Less Impatient: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/more-resilient-and-less-impatient-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - So I was reading this morning about the importance of pausing, feeling what is happening, and learning to accept. Not sure if you can relate, but it’s a good choice for what’s going on in my world for sure! Christina here, writing about what I can control and what I can’t control and the painful
- [The Treasures of Nature: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-treasures-of-nature-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Spring is in the air and birds are everywhere! Living in the pastoral village of Dancing Rabbit here in northeast Missouri we are very close to nature, and of course, we are part of nature. We still have chilly weather but the snow is done and many of us are busy in our gardens. We have
- [Summer’s End: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/summers-end-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The end of summer is always bittersweet for me. I welcome the more moderate temperatures. It can be sort of fun at first to dig out the warmer clothes when the nights and mornings grow cooler. The return of more abundant winds boosts our power production, while late ripening fruits fill our baskets and cellars.
- [Ecovillage Weekend Testimonial by Julia Round-Maggerise](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ecovillage-weekend-testimonial-by-julia-round-maggerise/) - My husband and I looked into different lifestyles that had a smaller carbon footprint than the mainstream suburban life that we are currently living. We looked at tiny homes, van life, off-grid yurts on pieces of land, and trailers parked on farmland. Then I came across something different that I had never heard of. This
- [Top Ten Ways to Celebrate: Dancing Rabbit Style](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/top-ten-ways-to-celebrate-dancing-rabbit-style/) - Celebration is a universal human need. And since I’ve moved to Dancing Rabbit, I’ve learned how important it is to set some time aside for connection, play, and a good party. Christina here, writing about celebrations in the Tri-Communities. Every week we have our mini celebration of food and each other at the Tuesday potluck.
- [Entering the Dreaming Season: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/entering-the-dreaming-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This is Emeshe, by the way, here to give you a little Dancing Rabbit update. Fast forward from that day to yesterday morning. There was snow coming down, but not in a cute, fluffy way. It was frigid cold, and a couple of positive COVID tests had the village in hunker-down mode. Then the email
- [The Grinch in Thanksgiving: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-grinch-in-thanksgiving-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - A soothing sunset at the DR pond with Sam. Photo by Prairie.Crisp winter wind nips at my nose as I take my usual route from my little cabin to SubHub in the morning, then to Ironweed kitchen for lunch, up to the Common House for CSCC correspondent work, then back home to lay a fire,
- [Christina’s Survival Tips for Winter: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/christinas-survival-tips-for-winter-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Christina and her son, Max, look for the perfect imperfect Christmas tree. Photo by Christina. It’s often said that we live more seasonably around here, and it really is something that I love about my life in the Tri-Communities. Christina here, writing about how I try to winter in our little corner of NEMO.
- [Trees for the Future: Agroforestry at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/when-humans-and-trees-cooperate/) - Dear Dancing Rabbit Friends and Supporters,Eric here, before I hand it over to Ben for a look into how agroforestry can contribute to a resilient, regenerative, and cooperative future, I want to update you on the status of our fundraiser. Due to a heartwarming recent development, the first $9,000 in donations will now be fully
- [What is Dancing Rabbit’s Gift to the World?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-is-dancing-rabbits-gift-to-the-world/) - Dear extended Rabbit family, One of the markers of this time of year is the giving and receiving of gifts. These traditions date back much farther than the advent, and later exploitation, of the various winter holidays we celebrate nowadays. At its core, the concept of a gift is a beautiful thing, and gifts can
- [Hope in the New Year: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/hope-in-the-new-year-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’ve made my lemon tea and I’m reclining in my armchair, listening to the hum of a wood fire going in my warm, cozy strawbale cottage, wondering how to begin this latest edition of a Dancing Rabbit update, when a flash at the window makes me look up. I see a bright red male cardinal
- [My Search for a Home: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/my-search-for-a-home-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Ever wonder how a person comes to live in an ecovillage? Liz here, to tell my story about how I came to live at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Hang on to your hat; my story has twists and turns and some serendipitous coincidences… About 30 years ago I came across a book called, Ecotopia. Ernest Callenbach
- [<strong>Returning to DR From Afar: A Dancing Rabbit Update</strong>](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/returning-to-dr-from-afar-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The brown cold landscape transformed into a winter wonderland. Photo by Prairie. There is a place where snow clings to trees one day and birds hug the breeze the next; where weather does not define us, but intertwines with our lives. A place where I have learned to be attuned to the landscape around me,
- [Choosing to Stay: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/choosing-to-stay-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of the things about living somewhere that we have purposely chosen is that the choice always feels open to make again and again. I spent most of my life living a few thousand miles from here, with big cities, mountains, and the ocean all nearby, not to mention every big box store I could
- [🛍️ Shopping for a Sustainable Future 🌳](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/🛍️shopping-for-a-sustainable-future🌳/) - Dear Dancing Rabbit friends and followers, Do you ever wonder how you can support the transition to a more sustainable and cooperative world while going about your typical online shopping? Until very recently, Amazon Smile was a service that allowed you to do just this; converting a percentage of all your purchases from Amazon.com into
- [It’s Almost Kidding Season! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-almost-kidding-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Our goat, Luna, is waddling around like a bowling ball on stilts. The past couple of years, our goat, Mocha, has looked absolutely massive in the second half of February, and birthing triplets to show for it, but this year Luna is entering her prime. Hi everyone, I’m Mae! Long time reader, first time writer,
- [Making a Deeper Commitment to Place: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-a-deeper-commitment-to-place-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Most of us are only used to having decision-making power over things we own; not my house, not my rules. But that’s not how things work around here. In the village, people can take responsibility for things they don’t, and will never, own. In fact, people are expected to take ownership without owning, and this pokes at our most visceral fears around security, safety, and scarcity.
- [<strong>Making Room for a Creative Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update</strong>](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-room-for-a-creative-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - A common question I get about my building project is: when will it be done? I want to explain my answer to this, as it speaks to an approach to life that I am cultivating here at Dancing Rabbit, and because I rarely have the time to answer this in full. Liz here, to explain
- [Transformation Awaits You at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/transformation-awaits-you-at-dancing-rabbit/) - In late October, 2017, I attended a retreat called THRIVE at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I remember the sensation of my heart racing as I sat in the opening circle, counting down the heads between me and the person speaking, anticipation wrapping its shaking hands around my heart. When it was finally my turn, I opened
- [Happy Sun Return: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/happy-sun-return-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As long as we have kept chickens — which our oldest Speckled Sussex hen, Rose, tells me is something like nine years now — I have noticed that within a few days of the winter solstice, egg production starts to rebound. Laying is influenced by light exposure, and it only takes a few minutes shift
- [Jumping Into DR Life: Five Weeks as an Intern](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/jumping-into-dr-life-five-weeks-as-an-intern/) - Being an intern at Dancing Rabbit is a great opportunity to spend time at Dancing Rabbit while working side by side with residents and other interns. As expected, people drawn to a place like Dancing Rabbit are truly one-of-a-kind and dedicated to living lightly within the environment; these qualities create a valuable and unforgettable experience
- [Milkweed Mercantile Hosts Artist in Residence Program](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/milkweed-mercantile-hosts-artist-in-residence-program/) - Art has been a part of the Milkweed Mercantile ever since it opened in 2010, from the designs on the lime plaster interior walls, to artwork of local artists hanging on the halls and in the rooms, to the local art for sale in the store. This season the Milkweed Mercantile will be hosting an
- [Emerging from Hard Times: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/emerging-from-hard-times-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Are we back to normal? This seems to be the question floating around the village these days. And there have been moments this spring when the answer has felt like a yes. Like during a particularly lively potluck with the visitors last week, which brought attendees a healthy serving of friendly chatter, shrieking children, and
- [A Garden That Grows Itself: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-garden-that-grows-itself-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Since I first started gardening years ago, it has been a continual process of failing, giving up, and starting over again. But I do try to learn from the experiences whenever I can. Christina here, writing about sorrel, summer squash, and why volunteer tomatoes are my favorite kind of tomato.
- [Dancing Rabbit is Featured on PBS](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-is-featured-on-pbs/) - Dear DR friends and family, We are delighted and honored that Dancing Rabbit has been featured on My World Too, shown nationwide on PBS! My World Too shares inspirational stories of environmental stewardship, organic practices, and Earth-friendly innovations that viewers can learn from and apply in their own lives. Dancing Rabbit, with its commitment to
- [The Rhythms of the Spring Visitor Program: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-rhythms-of-the-april-visitor-program-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Our April visitor program began with a snowstorm, then spring slowly emerged. As the pear trees’ knobby branches began to bloom luscious white blossoms, baby goats pranced and played games of King of the Hill on the picnic tables. Tulips, poppies, and daffodils emerged in village gardens, along the quiet, car-free lanes.Our group of 10
- [Sharing Our Lives: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sharing-our-lives-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I feel so grateful to live in a place where it's easy to share each others' joys and the turning points in our lives..
- [How You Can Go on a Carbon Diet](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-you-can-go-on-a-carbon-diet-2/) - Cutting carbon emissions is sort of like eating healthier. We all know we should be doing it, but it’s much easier said than done. Especially since being on a carbon diet in our current culture is like having to wade through a room full of potato chips to get to the healthy vegetables hidden beneath
- [Second Winter at Dancing Rabbit: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/second-winter-at-dancing-rabbit-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - From membership policy to winter 2.0 and Validation Day, CAFO ordinances to mission fulfillment: Dancing Rabbit sure knows how to have a good time.Prairie here, bringing you another update from this corner of Northeast Missouri.I know it is going to be an interesting two weeks when I start off with a Village Council meeting on
- [Many Forms of Snow: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/many-forms-of-snow-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I almost never looked at the weather report when I lived in California. Looking out the window in the morning was enough to tell me what the day was going to be like. Seasons had pretty much the same weather, year to year. There were months at a time when the weather didn’t change. My
- [High Grown Weeds & Deeds of Queens: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/high-grown-weeds-deeds-of-queens-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - "Hey, MemDem! Look what we're doing! We're prancing on our tippy toes!" exclaimed the glorious Miss Rae as she bounced around the Great Room with a whole lotta Dancing Rabbits.
- [Clever Costumes and Collared Cats: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/clever-costumes-and-collared-cats/) - November has arrived and still we have had only superficial frosts, with tomatoes, basil, and nasturiums persisting in the thermal shelter of rock walls and buildings. Temperatures are headed back up to short-sleeve weather for the first half of the week here, and autumn work will be enlivened once more.
- [So Many Cookies! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/so-many-cookies-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Despite the lack of sunshine, there was much warmth in our togetherness, and joy in the plenitude of cookies. From everyone at Dancing Rabbit, here's wishing you a very happy New Year!
- [Happiness, Holidays and Hygge: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/happiness-holidays-and-hygge-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hygge has more to do with people's behavior towards each other. It is the art of creating intimacy: a sense of comradeship, conviviality, and contentment rolled into one.
- [Sad News, Guests, and Land Day: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sad-news-guests-and-land-day-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - From my perspective, life in the village of late has been a bit of a mixed bag, with some sad happenings, family and friends visiting, and our annual Land Day celebration. Tereza here, feeling a bit under the weather, but doing my best to keep y'all in the loop. The sad news is more passings. Ted's
- [Winding Down the Season: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/winding-down-the-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The last tours took place on Sunday, and the last visitors left on Monday. At Dancing Rabbit, it’s a season of winding down, but not one of giving up. Christina here, bringing news of good questions, swapped clothes, tomato sauce, and new possibilities. One of my favorite parts of the visitor sessions is answering questions. Yes, I like
- [Connection and Cookies: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/connection-and-cookies-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We're in a bit of a brief thaw here this week in northeast Missouri, between a polar vortex episode and the return of colder temperatures. Ted here to bring you the latest from our fair village. I read this week a couple articles online about theories being advanced as to why the Arctic keeps experiencing
- [Pick a Season, Any Season: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/pick-a-season-any-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It's certainly been an interesting week here in Rabbitland in terms of the weather. Seems like we had every season this week. There was snow, though sadly (for some) not enough for sledding, and it melted fairly quickly leaving my least favorite kind of weather: muddy. Those soggier days felt like fall to me. Then
- [Eclipse Adventures (Pt. 2): A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/eclipse-adventures-pt-2-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I'm sitting outdoors just under the tall overhang outside our kitchen's west door. Thunder rumbles in the west, suggesting perhaps a third round of thunderstorms for the day. Tall, rangy sunflowers in bloom and the surrounding oak trees all drip quietly with the remainder of the most recent deluge. Lest I forget, my rooster Rodrigo
- [Family is Complicated…Or is it? A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/family-is-complicatedor-is-it-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I've been reflecting on what makes a person "family". Certainly there are the legal connections by marriage and birth or adoption. There are folks who, like it or not, are family. But what about my mother's best childhood friend, whom I grew up calling my aunt? Or my friends who my young children knew as
- [Growth & Optimism (Despite Discomfort)](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/growth-optimism-despite-discomfort/) - CSCC Looks Back on 2017 Another year has come and gone, which I find myself a little more disappointed by than usual, since I have a personal affinity with the number 17. Despite this discomfort, the promise of all that could happen in 2018 is enticing enough that I’m not only willing but excited to
- [Food, Firewood, and Friendship: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/food-firewood-and-friendship-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of the pleasures of life for me here at Dancing Rabbit is that we have long focused on preserving the fruits (and leaves, etc.) of our seasonal harvests for the leaner times of year. Despite the ever-miraculous ability of birds and mammals to eke out a living through the cold months here in the
- [Connection Within and Without: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/connection-within-and-without-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Dancing Rabbit is a very busy place. There is work and there is play, a plenitude of regular weekly events on the calendar, as well as numerous spontaneous or seasonal occasions. Then there are the people you would love to stop and chat with on the path or in the hall, the glimmers of natural
- [Inner Sustainability: A Dancing Rabbit Invitation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/inner-sustainability-a-dancing-rabbit-invitation/) - “I want to embody all the best things about humanity, like taking care of the planet, being creative, and learning how to be compassionate to all beings.” Can you imagine someone, perhaps yourself, saying that? I certainly can, but one of my neighbors at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage didn’t make that statement. A robot did. Her
- [Making Life Sparkle: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-life-sparkle-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Guess who received a whopping foot and more of snow in the past week? Guess who hit the hills, sliding on sleds? Guess where the goats are these days? Guess who got to sparkle the evening away? Answers reside below... Hello-hello from the windy, frozen plains of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! Prairie here, thankfully staying warm
- [Looking at the year ahead: A Dancing Rabbit Announcement](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/looking-at-the-year-ahead-a-dancing-rabbit-announcement/) - Ecovillage Weekend May 24–27 or September 26-29 Here’s your chance to get a taste of life at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! This intensive weekend will give you a glimpse into how we live and work together to maintain a thriving sustainable community. For more information, or to register, click here! Natural Building Workshop July 4-7 or
- [Living on the Edge: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-on-the-edge-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Since I moved to Missouri from California almost two years ago, I have had a tendency to look back and compare my experiences with each turn of the season. Whenever I can recall a memory of Dancing Rabbit instead of California, things feel a little easier. Liz here, with an update on the new year
- [Doing Good As A Pessimist: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/doing-good-as-a-pessimist-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, your favorite manure-encrusted freelance writer (emphasis on the free), bringing the latest news from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in cold, dreary Northeast Missouri. I'm encrusted in manure for a few reasons. One is that my work area this afternoon is a somewhat rare combination of icy yet muddy conditions; it’s like scrabbling
- [A Village of Holiday Traditions: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-village-of-holiday-traditions-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I have started to wonder how holidays differ for fellow Rabbits from the holidays we grew up with or left behind in our lives before Dancing Rabbit. “T” here, as I approach my first holiday season at DR. My family celebrates Christmas. As a little kid, that meant a trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s or
- [Nothing Can Be Perfect: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/nothing-can-be-perfect-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Fear. It is a tangible feeling. It tells the birds to take flight when creatures near their perches. It encourages the crayfish (or crawdads) to take a pinch at unassuming, soft human limbs intruding upon their humble homes. It is a survival mechanism running through all living things. Just as bringing the same-charged sides of
- [Two Arrows: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/two-arrows-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Winter is in full force right now in the Midwest. Liz here, with the latest from Dancing Rabbit. Friends back in California are surely thinking I’m a fool for moving here and Rabbits who have lived at DR for a while are surely thinking I have yet to see the worst of the winter weather.
- [Combining Thanks and Giving: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/combining-thanks-and-giving-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I sit here bundled against the cold with two dogs at my feet while listening to my toddler laugh as he plays in the bathroom sink. Yes, he has figured out how to move the dog food bin to the counter and climb on it to give himself access to the wettest and “funnest” game
- [Slow and Busy: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/slow-and-busy-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Since spring, I have looked forward to wintertime, when I hoped to have hours every day to lounge around reading books, knitting, and chatting by the fire. Well, we have had a fire going most days at our house and I have read some great books recently, but I still haven’t learned to knit. And
- [Winter Sleep: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/winter-sleep-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - So, I woke up this glorious Sunday morning to the still toasty, snap, crackle, and pop of logs burning in the custom-built rocket stove of my neighbors’ house. I am house-sitting for them, you see. (Did I mention it is a self-feeding rocket stove? Yeah, that’s right, self-feeding. Simply put, it’s an amazing structure.) Their
- [Putting Down Roots: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/putting-down-roots-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Across my neighbor’s yard, there is a tree that seems to be watching me. It is so still, so solid, yet always growing. Its trunk and branches may be still, but beneath the soil, its roots reach out to exchange nutrients with the soil. The concept of roots could be applied in an interesting way
- [It Depends: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/it-depends-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Grandma Matthews did not like going to the chicken coop when she was a girl. She lived on a small farm just south of Corder, Missouri. “I would go into the chicken coop and those chickens would just fly everywhere, and . . . ughh!I hate chickens.” She loved her milk cow though. “That was
- [The Ongoing Fiasco: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-ongoing-fiasco-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. I guess it's my turn to write this thing again. I'll just tell you, because I'm required to do so, that my name is Ben and I've been bumbling about Dancing Rabbit for a hot minute now, doing things and touching stuff in a vain attempt to live a little simpler than I
- [A New World on the Horizon: A Dancing Rabbit Announcement](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-new-world-on-the-horizon-a-dancing-rabbit-announcement/) - The world is becoming more and more aware of climate change and its drastic impact on people from all corners of the earth. At Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, we are seeking ways to reach a wider audience and show the world a different way of living is possible. To that end, we are launching a Dancing
- [The Frost Has Come: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-frost-has-come-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - All good things come to an end, I hear, and in my 15-plus years at Dancing Rabbit, it has so far held true that every warm season is sooner or later met with a first frost. I did see the forecast—patchy frost here the other morning—and I’ve seen the marginal impact on beans and sweet
- [Cross-Pollination: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cross-pollination-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I have a sense of time marching on as the season shifts gears from late summer to fall. Liz here, checking in with the latest about Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. This week we had several rain storms, including one loud thunderstorm that kept me up for hours. I am grateful after these storms that my little,
- [Cat Karma: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cat-karma-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The other night, Highway MM from Rutledge to Memphis and back was two very different experiences. On my way, in the partial light and drizzle, it was a beautiful country drive: hills and curves and cows. I love these kinds of drives. I used to have to leave the city to take a country detour
- [Village Fires and Singing Rabbits](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/village-fires-and-singing-rabbits/) - by Alyson Ewald “You went where?” My brother's voice on the phone sounds confused. “Village Fire. It's a kind of song camp. We're hosting one at Dancing Rabbit, too, in September.” “What's a song camp?” I pause. What is a song camp? It's waking up gently at sunrise to a few people singing a morning
- [A Life Full of Joy, Hope, and Duty: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-life-full-of-joy-hope-and-duty-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Greetings! I don't know about y’all out there but for me this week was full! Tereza here, with news of duties, food changes, theater, sky-watching, and more...
- [Persistent Growth, 4/8/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/persistent-growth-4813/) - Our Saturday tour (second and fourth Saturdays of each month, April through October, 1pm) is almost always led by our most senior guide, Bob.
- [Commitment, 4/15/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/commitment-41513/) - Tax day dawns brighter than expected today... this must be a good omen. The half-inch or more of rain predicted for overnight did not manifest, and the sun has managed to break through once or twice this morning. Ted here to offer the latest from the village. I'm finding it hard to decide whether I
- [Five Reasons Why I Sing](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/five-reasons-why-i-sing/) - Five Reasons Why I Sing by Christina Gill Before I moved to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, I was never much of a singer. I sang in the car on the way to work, I sang my kids to sleep, and that was about it. When I came for the visitor program at Dancing Rabbit, I heard
- [Why I Sing](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/why-i-sing/) - By Alyssa Martin When I sing, I feel alive! I feel like every cell in my body is alert, vibrating with harmony. I notice that my worries and typical thought patterns seemingly melt away. I am completely present, a meditation of sorts. I sing to feel awake. For me, shared song is pure joy. In
- [Embracing Change: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/embracing-change/) - Some folks embrace change, some avoid it at all costs. I’m somewhere in the middle. Liz here, with the latest from last week at Dancing Rabbit. I’m fully in the flow this spring and summer cooking for the visitor sessions, two so far, and cooking breakfast for workshops at the Mercantile, six so far this
- [Worthwhile Work: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/worthwhile-work-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - At Dancing Rabbit, there are always approximately 114 things that I could be doing at any moment during the day. Should I go to the group meditation in the Casa or should I take advantage of the cool morning to plant the tomato starts? Should I go hang out at the Mercantile and talk about
- [The Problem is the Solution](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-problem-is-the-solution/) - Greetings! Because you are a friend of Dancing Rabbit, I’m going to take a leap and guess that you are someone who’s interested in solutions—solutions to the ecological and cultural issues we face today. (Just a guess…) And because you’re aware of the issues, and excited by solutions, I’m also guessing that you could be
- [Chores and Chiggers: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/chores-and-chiggers-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hot darn y'all. It's me, Ben. I am not an astronomer, nor an astrologer, but I do in fact live in the dirt, like 80 percent of the world does, and I do declare that writing this inspirational tome, under a newish moon, in late May, in northeast Missouri, of temperate North America, is something
- [Raising the Bar(n): A Bartender's Perspective](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/raising-the-barn-a-bartenders-perspective/) - by Sammy Jo I really love the wonderfully unique perspective of our village that I get from behind the bar at the Milkweed Mercantile. As you can imagine, the conversations I engage in and overhear on a weekly basis are worthy of a blog post in their own right. Everything from relationship dynamics to butchering
- [Help Us Build it to Last](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/help-us-build-it-to-last/) - There's baby chickens in my house and the sun ain't up yet. Just so you know where I'm coming from. Howdy y'all. My name is Ben, and I'm some type of goatherd here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, of rural northeast Missouri. I'm not any sort of expert on much, which is why I refrain from
- [Nine New Kids! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/nine-new-kids-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, once again sending in a report from our quaint little ecovillage, where the soil conditions are soup-tastic. After experiencing five or six different types of precipitant over the past week, the ground has taken on a texture similar to a lot of the food I get at potluck here. Similar mouth
- [It Could Hold Two Rhinos!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/building-a-barn-that-could-hold-two-rhinos/) - Thomas here, with a wee-little update about a project you can come be part of. This June we’ll be timber-framing a very stout barn on a site overlooking the beauty of the Long Branch Creek and some of the best sunsets this world has to offer. In hopes that you’ll realize how incredibly fun and educational this
- [Nourishment and Energy: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/nourishment-and-energy-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of the jokes that Californians often chuckle over is how much we talk about the weather even though it doesn’t change much. But here in northeastern Missouri the weather changes pretty much hourly. Liz here, with more of the latest from Dancing Rabbit. And so many kinds of weather! I feel as if I
- [Timber Framing a Real Deal Barn: Join Us?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/timber-framing-a-real-deal-barn-join-us/) - Sustainable growth and building a life without debt are two things that are important to me. This is Mae, and my family and I are embarking on our sixth year here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Along the way we've embraced the permaculture principle of small and slow solutions, spending more time focusing on design than
- [Seeds, Spirits, and Open Space Technology: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seeds-spirits-and-open-space-technology-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It is often said that the first step toward a solution or significant change is admitting that you have a problem. When hints of spring start interrupting February's winter cold, I realize that I have a problem. A gardening problem. Collating the results of hours spent with seed catalogs, I realize there is absolutely
- [Starting a New Chapter: My Dancing Rabbit Visit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/starting-a-new-chapter-my-dancing-rabbit-visit/) - by Ryan Morris It has been eight months since my Dancing Rabbit (DR) visitor session, and every step since then has been a step back toward DR. I still remember walking up the main path into the village and seeing Javi on the swing in front of the common house, with a big smile on
- [Tasks, Goals, and Values: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tasks-goals-and-values-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This column is usually a reflective narrative of what has happened over the past week or so here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. So when I know that I’ll be writing, I try to be extra observant and reflective—I want to capture that nugget of philosophy in the mundane and beautiful details of everyday life. Except
- [Walking Around in the Cold: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/walking-around-in-the-cold-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, with yet another field report, churned out between the sundry tasks on my list. Where did I put that list anyway? Finding it is probably going to involve a walk in the cold somewhere. That’s my thing that I do in winter. I walk around in the cold. I slept in
- [Winter Wisdom: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/winter-wisdom-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I was going to write about my Christmas week spent back in my hometown in California, but California gets enough attention. In the meantime, I’ve weathered record cold temps here at Dancing Rabbit, and lived to tell the tale. Liz here, with the latest from my ecovillage home. I returned from California to find my
- [Bittersweet Winter: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/bittersweet-winter-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I don't think I've ever checked thermometers so religiously in my life. As a native Coloradoan I'm no stranger to the cold and snow, but this is my first winter at Dancing Rabbit and staying warm is a little more complicated than cranking up the thermostat. This is Cameron, one of the newest residents here,
- [Joy and Snow: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/joy-and-snow-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This is the time of year for reflection: How was 2017? Did I accomplish all that I hoped to this year? What goals do I have for the coming year? How can I improve in 2018? Each year, like clockwork, these questions arise from within me and help me continue to strive for more meaning,
- [Celebrating in New Ways: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/celebrating-in-new-ways-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’ve spent a lot of the last week thinking about two things that are usually ignored or avoided or generally brushed under the rug in mainstream society: darkness and conflict. Christina here, writing about the death of the year, some tough feelings between Rabbits, and how I’ve been celebrating in new ways this week. My
- [Claustrophobic Coziness: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/claustrophobic-coziness-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Oh hey y’all. It’s me, Ben, taking time out of the limited daylight hours to give a little update on life here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I’ll do my best and make it briefer than usual, for in these short days of waning light, there is much to be done before the sun turns the
- [Celebrate With Us!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/come-celebrate-with-us/) - Here at Dancing Rabbit, we love a good party. Especially when we’re celebrating two decades of paradigm-shifting educational and outreach programs that help create a vibrant, sustainable planet. That’s what this year has been about for us: celebrating our 20th anniversary and legacy! Over the years, our supporters have been vital in ensuring that we offer
- [Return of the Cold: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/return-of-the-cold-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Greetings from a much chillier Dancing Rabbit! If you’ve been reading the last few weeks you’ve likely noticed regular mentions of continuing unseasonable warmth. Yeah, not this week. Tereza here, with a cold-impacted take on happenings in the village. Note that there’s a double meaning in that last sentence: I’ve been down with a nasty
- [Rolling into December: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/rolling-into-december-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Rolling into December in a warm spell here in northeast Missouri, we're working through the last of our tomatoes and peppers, picked green and slowly ripening indoors since first frost more than a month ago. They're nice to have, and Sara has put up several rounds of tasty roasted sweet peppers, but I notice that
- [Gratitude and Giving: A Recipe for Success](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/gratitude-and-giving-a-recipe-for-success/) - The winter holidays are my favorite time of year. I secretly love when the Christmas music starts taking over the radio waves and the lights begin to decorate the town square. Although the Midwest has yet to deliver some of the winter wonderland that I grew up with in the Northeast, it still feels like
- [The Silence that Listens: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-silence-that-listens-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This is my first winter in the Midwest. Liz here, watching the temperatures drop and the days get shorter, and reviewing the bits of advice and commentary people have been giving me about winter since I moved here from California seven short months ago. I was actually disappointed that my time outside was about to
- [Leaves Return to the Earth: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/leaves-return-to-the-earth-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won't come again And don't speak too soon For the wheel's still in spin And there's no tellin' who That it's namin' For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin'. —Bob Dylan,
- [Winding Down; Still Busy: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/winding-down-still-busy-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Things are winding down around here. We’re lighting fires indoors, pulling out puzzles and needlepoint projects, and saying goodbye to the last visitors of the season. But also, this has been a busy week, as it usually is in the village. Christina here, writing from frosty NeMo, where things are changing but they’re also sort
- [Has To Taste Like Turnips: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/has-to-taste-like-turnips-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, just in from the cool, slimy drizzle currently permeating our atmosphere here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. After a long week of summery weather, a cold front has finally pushed aside the warmth and sun I’ve become accustomed to, and replaced it with precipitation and a more Octoberly type of cold. I
- [New Folks and Movie Stars: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/new-folks-and-movie-stars-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This week held many highlights, for me anyway, so it was hard to decide what to leave out! Even the weather was exciting, with a cold snap, a few gloomy dark days, other days of unseasonable warmth and bright sun, not to mention some intense storms and a tornado watch (no actual tornado, thank goodness).
- [Upload your resume / skills](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/upload-your-resume-skills/) - Hey - prospective visitor! Do you have a resume that you would like us to see or a document with some details about your skill set? If you do, please consider uploading it. We will share this information with business owners and organizations in the village that might need your skill. Please upload a resume
- [The Approach of Fall: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-approach-of-fall-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Sara and I went out for a lovely walk on the land this morning, with early autumn growing all around us. We have not yet seen any frost, putting this year on the late end of typical (third in a row, by my reckoning). The odd sprig of New England aster or goldenrod and a
- [Celebrating 20 Years: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/celebrating-20-years-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is growing up! The several-days-long on-farm Board of Directors meeting was ample proof of that. Our intrepid Board gathered to tackle high-level issues and review our collective progress to ensure we're on track with our overall mission "to create a society, the size of a small town or village, made up of
- [Building the Dream: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/building-the-dream-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “We’re building Dancing Rabbit because we love the Earth, and to help all people recognize it’s worth… and you know that this is true, we couldn’t do it without you!” For 20 years we have been in construction of cob dwellings and alternative culture, and this weekend we are celebrating all that hard work with
- [What changes are YOU longing for?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-changes-are-you-longing-for/) - Dear Change Agent, Because you’re on this mailing list, you’re likely to be a “change agent” of some kind—a healer, a leader, a concerned citizen, a teacher, a cultural explorer, a lover of the earth. At some level, you’re seeking change in the world. And as you seek change in the outer world, you may
- [Full Circle Memories: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/full-circle-memories-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This fall I’m experiencing some pleasant full-circle memories that I’d like to share with you. Liz here, one of the newer residents of Dancing Rabbit. You see, this time last year I was a student of the nine-day Permaculture Design Course that has taken place at Dancing Rabbit the last several falls. I had a
- [Dancing Rabbit: A Perfect Place to Start](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-a-perfect-place-to-start/) - My Time at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.. by Alex Johnson As I rumbled down the dirt road, leaving a trail of Missouri dust in my wake, the GPS declared with complete and total apathy “Turn right onto Dancing Rabbit Lane in half a mile.” I was almost offended that my phone could remain so calm in this
- [Moments of Beauty: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/moments-of-beauty-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Since I’ve moved here to Dancing Rabbit, I have definitely had more time to stop and smell the roses. Except, since we don’t really grow roses around here, the smells that I have enjoyed here are more of the woodsmoke, prairie grass, sawdust, manure-pile-for-my-garden variety. I think one of the fears people often have about
- [PDC Registration Closes Midnight Saturday - Only Two Spots Left!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/registration-closes-midnight-saturday-only-two-spots-left/) - If you want to take the Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Dancing Rabbit, this year, now is your last chance. Registration closes at midnight this Saturday, and there are only two spots left! Wondering what you might expect? Here’s what long-time Dancing Rabbit member Bear had to say about his experience taking last year’s course: “Ever since
- [An Intentional Thicket: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/an-intentional-thicket-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. It’s me, Ben, writing to you from amidst the evening cricketsong here in the rolling hills and brambly hollers of Dancing Rabbit, Northeast Missouri. I don’t usually write at night, because I’m asleep then, but as the days shorten and I struggle to keep up with the demands of my so-called “simple life”,
- [Come to Dancing Rabbit's Open House!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/come-to-dancing-rabbits-open-house/) - Come celebrate and experience Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage's Annual Open House Saturday, September 9, 2017 FREE tours begin every half hour between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Dancing Rabbit was founded in 1997 to find out how people can live rich, vibrant lives while leaving an ecological footprint that our planet can sustain. Come learn about sustainable living and
- [Happenings & Eclipse adventures (Pt. 1): A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/happenings-eclipse-adventures-pt-1-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy folks, Tereza here, wanting to quickly note our switched-up email schedule: this update is coming to you today, rather than earlier in the week as usual. A number of the folks who work on bringing the weekly update to you (including yours truly) were traveling to see the eclipse, so this is coming to
- [5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Dancing Rabbit This September!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/5-reasons-why-you-should-visit-dancing-rabbit-this-september/) - Editor’s Note: We’re changing our posting schedule a bit this week, due to many Rabbits being away eclipsing. We hope you enjoy this post today, and the regular Weekly Update in a few days. We’ll be back on our regular schedule next week. This September, Dancing Rabbit is hosting a rare opportunity for women to
- [My New Favorite Word: Sustainability](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/my-new-favorite-word-sustainability/) - by Deena Dawn Larsen Editor’s Note: Deena wrote the following just after leaving her Dancing Rabbit visitor session last month. Since then she has applied to become a resident, and returned for a weekend writing workshop at the Milkweed Mercantile. Six days have passed since I left Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (DR). I continue to struggle
- [Abundance of Summer: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/abundance-of-summer-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - New resident Liz here, writing to you after living at Dancing Rabbit for four months. I’ve had a great first summer in Missouri after moving here from Berkeley, California. When I told people that I was moving to Missouri, the first thing both people from Berkeley and midwesterners alike said was, “you know it gets
- [Give Yourself a Gift!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/give-yourself-a-gift/) - Give Yourself the Gift of a THRIVE Weekend Workshop with Laura Wolf at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage You’re active, you’re eco-conscious, you’re doing what you can to make the world a better place. What do you do to keep yourself going, to sustain yourself as you seek to create a more sustainable world? Here’s an invitation to
- [Birthday “Tape” and Other Antics: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/birthday-tape-and-other-antics-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Greetings friends! Katherine here to regale you with our ecovillage antics of the week. The weather has been absolutely amazing, with cool nights and windy days. The August tempers are a bit cooler than in recent years and people are often heard during group check-ins to be enjoying the sun-showers and frequent rainbows. The rain
- [Proud to Be a Muse](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/proud-to-be-a-muse/) - by Brooke Jones I’ve got some exciting news to share with all of you! First, a bit of background... Research has always been an important part of our mission at the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture (CSCC), the nonprofit arm of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, and for the last six years we’ve been working with
- [It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a... Drone? A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-a-bird-its-a-plane-its-a-drone-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I'm often surprised at how much we (the world in general, including those of us living at Dancing Rabbit) rely on technology, bucolic rural location notwithstanding. Given what we know about the impacts of resource extraction, and the negative effects this has on our environment and indigenous populations, how much longer can we continue to
- [What's so special about...](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/whats-so-special-about/) - What’s So Special About… a Permaculture Design Course at Dancing Rabbit? Permaculture is growing by leaps and bounds as an international movement, and Permaculture Design Certificate courses (PDC) are held in many places all over the world. But there is something unique—and very special—about experiencing a PDC at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. We’ll let Brad Williams,
- [Ben Sez: It’s Hot! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ben-sez-its-hot-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, bringing the latest happenings from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, nestled in the humid rolling hills of northeast Missouri. I don’t know if you can smell me from wherever you are, but I can. Right now, I’m getting notes of billy goat, swine excreta, sprouted oats, pencil lead, and beer sweat. I always
- [Unforeseen Benefits: A Special Visitor Session Sept 3-17](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/unforeseen-benefits-a-special-visitor-session-sept-3-17/) - You may recall us raving about how awesome our women’s visitor session was last year. It was such an amazing experience for all involved that we knew immediately we wanted to offer another one in 2017. There are still spots left for this year, and we want to encourage sustainability-minded women to consider joining this
- [Workshops at the Mercantile: Fun and Informative!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/workshops-at-the-mercantile-fun-and-informative/) - As a member of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage I’m always surprised by the reactions from first-time visitors to our little town. The spirit of DIY is strong among our residents. It’s a lifestyle of creation instead of consumption and lots of folks are inspired by what we do. Folks come to the village to learn about
- [Relying on Others: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/relying-on-others-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Saturday morning I went out for my normal Ultimate engagement with my many friends who like to chase flying plastic, but had to sign a couple releases before I could play. Rae and Aaron, who play Ultimate with us now and again, as well as serving on our Outreach committee and running a private business
- [A Mix of Worlds: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-mix-of-worlds-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hello! It’s Stephen and I’m back on farm after being away in Los Angeles for six months, and I’d forgotten what summer really means. Stepping out of the airport: hot and sticky—why did I wear pants? How soon can I take them off? And arriving here, at Dancing Rabbit: so much greenery and life! Plants
- [Workshops, Visitors, and Tractors: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/workshops-visitors-and-tractors-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Greetings, friends! It feels good to be writing again to y'all after so long. Katherine here, with a few musings for your reading pleasure. This week has seen a lot of high energy around the village with workshops, visitors, and tractors! After a successful Milkweed Mercantile Natural Building workshop last week, followed by the CSCC
- [Starting Fresh: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/starting-fresh-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As I sit reflecting on the past week, enjoying the polar vortex that has delivered an unseasonable chill (low 50s overnight is NOT normal for Missouri at this time of year), I can't help but feel recharged and ready for new beginnings. Cob here, with a spring in my step to match my internal sense
- [Hard Play and Fun Work: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/hard-play-and-fun-work-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - This has been a week of hard play, hard work, fun work, challenging work, and finally some rain (which lessened the workload considerably). Christina, here, bringing news of what’s been happening in this corner of NeMo. In my past life, I often heard people use the expression “work hard, play hard.” What I imagined when
- [For Women: A Rare Opportunity!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/for-women-a-rare-opportunity/) - Are you a woman who: Feels excited about living a more sustainable life? Could use a break from mainstream culture? Is craving more authentic interactions with other people? Then this email is for you! (Pssst! If you’re not a woman, but you know a woman who might appreciate this opportunity, please do forward this to
- [Hope, Power, and Wisdom: Permaculture Design Course at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/hope-power-wisdom-pdc-at-dr/) - Could you use a good dose of hope in these troubling times? How about mixing in a little power and wisdom to go with it? Charles Nowell experienced all that and more, in last year’s Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Dancing Rabbit. In his own words: “Taking this Permaculture Design Course has had a profound impact
- [Warm Days, New Folks, and Workshops: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/warm-days-new-folks-and-workshops-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hello, and welcome to the latest installment in "This week at Dancing Rabbit"! Tereza here, feeling quite warm as I write, in my still-cool house with all the shades drawn... It is beautifully sunny outdoors, and as soon as I finish the first draft of this, I'm heading out for some pond time. (Later: Aaaahhh,
- [Abundance in All This: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/abundance-in-all-this-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, with another report from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, which is pretty much where I intend to always be, regardless of the heat, cold, dryness, dampness, or whatever. This current extended heatwave and accompanying dry weather isn’t quite pleasant enough to describe as sultry. I’m pretty ok with sultry. This heat is soul-scouring,
- [The Theme of Plenty: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-theme-of-plenty-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I found myself awake at dawn one morning this past week (our cat Gromit gets wired at about 4 am and we don't have a cat door), and seeing the blooming pink of the sky, I decided to go out for a short walk around the village at a time I don't usually do so.
- [The Hidden Gem of Sustainable Living](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-hidden-gem-of-sustainable-living-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - By Sharon Bagatell, CSCC Education Coordinator I’m really excited about the workshop we’re offering this fall called THRIVE: Inner Sustainability for Healers, Leaders, and Lovers of the Earth, with transformational coach Laura Wolf. Here’s a little bit about why... In talking with folks who visit Dancing Rabbit, I’ve taken to calling the work we do
- [Letting Go: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/letting-go-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - If you are like me, you probably struggle with finding the time to accomplish everything that you've tasked yourself with. I don't really understand why it's so hard to let go of the things that I obviously won't get to, or to simply accept that my notions of what I *think* I can get done
- [Strength in Vulnerability: A Dancing Rabbit Visit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/strength-in-vulnerability-a-dancing-rabbit-visit/) - by Ash Sturm It’s strange to think that somewhere I feel so emotionally close to now was a complete stranger a year ago. I’d had several friends and colleagues recommend checking out Dancing Rabbit, but hadn’t done much follow up research. Dancing Rabbit was the first intentional community I visited, and I wasn't familiar with
- [So Much Growing! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/so-much-growing-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of the main reasons I wanted to move to Dancing Rabbit was to be more in touch with the rhythms of the seasons and of day-to-day life. To watch things grow and change and develop and to be there for each step of the way. Well, I have been very in touch with that
- [Sure Signs of Spring: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sure-signs-of-spring-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all, Ben here, again. It is a pleasant morning in early May here at Dancing Rabbit. I have been awake for quite some time, prompted mostly by the pre-dawn scolding song of house wrens about my warren, the occasional crow of roosters, and the ever present hum of trains a mile and a half
- [The Return of Spring…and Things: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-return-of-springand-things-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Yes, indeedy, spring is here, a time of growth, rebirth, and lots of activity. Recently returned from a month in Texas with Nathan visiting family and friends, I made my first batch of asparagus and shiitake mushrooms last week, sauteed up with plenty of Ironweed garlic, and that right there was the taste of spring
- [Season of Flowers: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/season-of-flowers-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hello all, and happy flowering season to you! Ted here to bring you the news from Dancing Rabbit. Everything seems to be in bloom this week, all-in on spring's arrival. Green is the new gray/brown, and our honey bees are often a good clue for me, as I roam about our gardens and orchards and
- [Moving at the Speed of Life: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/moving-at-the-speed-of-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Saturday's Metropolitan Opera broadcast was a performance of Richard Wagner's Tristan und Isolde. You know, the one with the famous wedding march that virtually all brides use to make their grand entrance. While listening I was observing the frantic activity of at least 14 different species of insects visiting my blossoming plum tree. Cob here,
- [This Week’s Reasons Why: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/this-weeks-reasons-why-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Every once in a while, I wonder why we decided to move our little family halfway across the country—why we decided to leave behind our house, extended family, jobs, schools, and a giant patch of black raspberries in our back yard. Christina, here, writing about this week’s reasons why. My week started off with a
- [Leading Pigs with Marshmallows: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/leading-pigs-with-marshmallows-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, finally upland of the soggy pig waller I’ve been slogging about in for the last week. One week and about a dozen neighbors, plus some sheet metal and some marshmallows, is all it took for me to get our sow loaded onto the trailer, but as the old joke goes, “What’s
- [True Confession: Permaculture Course at DR](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/true-confession-permaculture-course-at-dr/) - by Liz Hackney I have a confession to make before I tell you all about how wonderful the Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Dancing Rabbit (DR) was. You see, all the DR visitor sessions for the year were full, and I felt urgent about seeing it all in person, so I signed up for the
- [Happy Spring! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/happy-spring-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The cat lockdown began this week, initiating four months (through mid-July) of our annual attempt to shelter ground-nesting birds in the village area from the depredations of our vicious feline friends in the most sensitive period of raising young. Ted here—a little weary from multiple nighttime wake-ups by my cat Gromit to let him in
- [The Work of Life, with Laughter and Tears: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-work-of-life-with-laughter-and-tears-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - After weeks of record-breaking warmth and associated wild weather, the return to more seasonal temperatures has been a relief. While the maples have all bloomed, and the maple sugar season was over before it really started, the colder days have slowed the budding of the fruit trees. Hopefully the delay will hold them long enough
- [I Love the Way I Live Here](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/i-love-the-way-i-live-here/) - Howdy, readers! My name is Kale and I was once just like you: a person interested in living more sustainably and following Dancing Rabbit (DR) as a means to get that inspiration for my own life. That was 2-5 years ago. Now I’m writing this blog post as a person who returned to Dancing Rabbit,
- [Sometimes the Grass Really is Greener: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sometimes-the-grass-really-is-greener-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I love the month of March. Every year, as winter cold dissolves into spring, I find myself amazed at the sheer heartiness and determination it must take for plants and animals to survive a climate that turns against them for months on end. I’m reminded of the creativity and strength of will our ancestors must
- [Drums, Voices, and Circles
: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/drums-voices-and-circles
-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’m sure that lots happened this last week here at Dancing Rabbit, but all I can think about is singing. Christina here, bringing news of drums, voices, and circles. Before I moved to Dancing Rabbit, singing was barely a part of my life. Sure, I sang to the kids to get them to sleep at
- [A Different Way of Living: Visiting Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-different-way-of-living-visiting-dancing-rabbit/) - by Liz Hackney Why did I decide to come to a visitor session at DR? To step off the merry-go-round of my life, to think about what was important to me, to try on a different way of living. And I longed to meet others who were living in community and living sustainably. I came
- [Nevermind the Groundhog: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/nevermind-the-groundhog-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, where I’m currently doing my best to stay ahead of the changes in the weather. Folks who’ve read this column for years certainly know by now that we Rabbits, like most rural folk, have a preoccupation with the weather. After all, it dictates a lot of our
- [Want to Feel Better About the World?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/want-to-feel-better-about-the-world/) - With so much happening in the world around us, have you been thinking this might be the year you take an even bigger step towards sustainable living? If so, it might be just the right time for you to join us at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage for one of our six Sustainable Living Visitor Program sessions
- [Big Burn, New Kids, Big Game: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/big-burn-new-kids-big-game-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Despite what the calendar says, large V-formations of geese have been doing their annual fly-over westward this week, and the wind and temperature variations have suggested early March. We tapped a few maples early in the week, and I've managed to get in some outdoor work most days. Just another consecutive year of the hottest
- [New 2017 Workshop Schedule!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/new-2017-workshop-schedule/) - Will you join us for a workshop or visitor program at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in 2017? We took your feedback from last fall’s program survey, and designed this year’s program menu with YOU in mind! Here are ways you can learn with us this year: • Natural Building Workshop - Come experience the exhilaration of
- [Plan to Keep Dripping: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/plan-to-keep-dripping-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - In song circle, we often sing a song that says: “Every time I go into the darkness, I return with fistfuls of jewels.” We sang that song many times on November 8th, along with plenty of other songs about darkness. And we've been singing it a lot since then. Still, it seems like a difficult idea
- [What a Year! CSCC Looks Back at 2016](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-a-year-cscc-looks-back-at-2016/) - Editor’s Note: Not too long ago we shared on our blog a “State of the Village, 2016” piece from Thomas, who serves the village on the Oversight Team. Now we offer a similar retrospective from the Executive Director of Dancing Rabbit’s non-profit branch. Enjoy! First things first: Thank you, thank you, thank you! The Center
- [Good Soil to Grow In: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/good-soil-to-grow-in-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Good morning, dear readers! Lucas here, and I’m going to be a bit selfish today, and share some personal news and perspective with you. Technically, this IS news about Dancing Rabbit, but instead of focusing on village happenings as a whole, I find my thoughts can’t wander too far or wide these days, as my
- [State of the Village 2016](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/state-of-the-village-2016/) - by sambucus holleraway* [Editor's Note: Most years the Village's Oversight Team offers an in-person State of the Village report to Rabbits, and this year they presented it at the annual on-farm meeting of our Board of Directors. They very kindly agreed to write up the following to share the info with you, our readers, as
- [The Secret Is in the Crust: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-secret-is-in-the-crust-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Gentle Readers, it is my glad duty to report on recent (and some near-future) happenings at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Cob here, musing on my personal relationship with the weather. I'm feeling a heightened blend of anxiety and gleeful anticipation for the ice storm, which as I write is encroaching on northeast Missouri. Anxiety because much
- [Morphing into Squishes: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/morphing-into-squishes-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here at Dancing Rabbit, just waiting on a thaw. While this hasn’t yet been the coldest winter I’ve experienced in Northeast Missouri, it is fairly unpleasant to go about my daily necessities at times, between keeping the stock and ourselves fed and watered, and my daily visit to the draftiest functioning outhouse
- [Traditions Old and New (plus Jingles!): A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/traditions-old-and-new-plus-jingles-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It was Sharon’s fault, really, the jingle-based song circle we had last Wednesday night. We didn’t sing catchy old commercial tunes the entire time, thankfully, just the first 20 minutes or so, by which time Aurelia was practically begging us to stop. [See further in the piece for more juicy details, but please note that
- [There’s still time!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/theres-still-time/) - Your help is still needed! By supporting our work, you’ll combat environmental destruction in a very real way by sharing with the world our proven results, like how we’ve reduced consumption of unsustainable grid power and damaging daily commuting miles by an amazing 90% compared to the average American. When you give today, you offer
- [Boisterous, Joyous, and Cold: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/boisterous-joyous-and-cold-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Merry (forthcoming) Christmas and Happy Holidays from Lucas, at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage!! I'm pleased to be back writing to each and every one of you after an exceptionally busy warm season, a season I now find myself missing (and anticipating) as I look outside and shiver. This cold is for the birds. Penguins, specifically. Every
- [Stand With Us Against Big Oil](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/stand-with-us-against-big-oil/) - Are you feeling heartbroken about the cultural and environmental destruction caused by big oil? Do you dream of a world where the atrocities witnessed at Standing Rock are truly a thing of the past? Now is the time to use your power to push back against these kinds of unbelievable acts. If you’re fed up,
- [Making Room: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-room-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The season of snow, bitter winds, and warm crackling fires is well and truly upon us. The gardens are finally dormant, seed catalogs are piling up, and holiday decorations are coming out along with the wafting scents of baking cookies. I love the Christmas holiday! Cob here, with my musings this week from Dancing Rabbit
- [Mostly a Fun Mess: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/mostly-a-fun-mess-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, shivering at you from the cold, fog-enshrouded rolling hills of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in beautiful Northeast Missouri. Technically speaking it isn’t winter, but as far as most of us are concerned, it sure feels like it. The past few mornings I have begun the day with the perennial tradition of punching
- [Holiday consumerism sucks! Want a better option?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/holiday-consumerism-sucks-want-a-better-option/) - Dear friends and supporters, Would you like to live in a world that focuses more on the meaning of the season than on all the products and sales? Do you think holiday consumerism is a poor substitute for real human connection? Yet does it sometimes seem easier to focus on the “stuff” than to deal
- [Want to keep hope alive?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/want-to-keep-hope-alive/) - Dear friends, The climate we all depend on continues to change at an unprecedented rate. Given the recent election results, it’s clear we can’t count on our elected officials to create the change our planet needs. No matter how we all might feel right now, it seems wise to remember that together we can make
- [Stories That Carry Us: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/stories-that-carry-us-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Is it already Thanksgiving? It is. Stephen here, in this fourth week of November, two-thousand and sixteen, anno Domini (in the year of our Lord)—as history is written. The last column was posted a lifetime ago. On November 7th, Ted talked about Halloween, bobbing for turnips, the Day of the Dead, Before the Flood, and the
- [Veterans Day: A Rabbit's Personal Perspective](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/veterans-day-a-rabbits-personal-perspective/) - Dear Readers, My name is Lucas. I am a veteran, and the newest member (after a two-year residency) here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I am writing today in remembrance of Veterans Day, and as a personal act of service to my community and my country. It is my hope that you’ll read this, and pass
- [Bobbing for Turnips: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/bobbing-for-turnips-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Top news of the week: bobbing for turnips is just about as fun as bobbing for apples. Ted here with this week's update from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. If you're thinking I just wrote the other week, well, it's true: we're on a short rotation at the moment, working on recruiting new contributors to our weekly
- [Finding Calm in the Eye of the Storm: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/finding-calm-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - By the time you read this it will likely be November, with less than a week remaining until Election Day, and the weather forecast suggests that I'll be out in my garden still harvesting tomatoes, brassicas, hot peppers, and green beans, in my summer togs no less. Cob here, trying to remain calm and focus
- [Let's All Eat Turnips: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/lets-all-eat-turnips-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy again, y’all. Ben here, bringing you an update from the rolling hills of Northeast Missouri. The weather is transitioning here, but I’m not ultimately sure towards what. Within a week we’ve had patchy frost of the sort that makes the sweet potato greens die back, and a few days that’ve been hot enough to
- [Autumn is Here: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/autumn-is-here-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Forty-two degrees as a low the other night brought me clearly to awareness, and even an embrace of, autumn. I must admit I'm not ready for a frost yet, but we have had them as early as Sept. 15 in my years here, so all of this time—still-ripening tomatoes and peppers and having our paths
- [The Lowdown on New ED Danielle](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-lowdown-on-new-ed-danielle/) - Greetings! My name is Danielle Williams, and I am the new Executive Director (ED) for the Center for Sustainable & Cooperative Culture, the nonprofit here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I wanted to tell you a bit more about me, and give you an update on the nonprofit. I moved to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in 2012,
- [Transitions: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/transitions-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It's often said that there is nothing more consistent than change. Perspectives change as we get older, or encounter new challenges. Seasons change as we plant, garden, and harvest. Society and culture changes as new technologies are developed or made obsolete and as new generations move into leadership roles. These transitions between what came before
- [An Amazing Gift: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/an-amazing-gift-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Good day, Rabbit friends! Katherine here, feverishly writing to you with my cup-o-coffee (thank you, local Zimmerman’s grocery store) and adrenaline-filled fingers. I don’t actually know if I “needed” the coffee this morning as I start yet another busy day here in the village and feel like I could get by on my own energetic
- [Pandora and Permies: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/pandora-and-permies-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We all remember the story of Pandora’s Box. In the mythology of Ancient Greece, Pandora was created as the first woman on Earth, much like Eve. She was given much beauty and abundance in her world, much like Eve. And she also was presented with something that she was commanded not to partake in, an
- [Seeking Out the Edges: A Permaculture Perspective](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seeking-out-the-edges-a-permaculture-perspective/) - Seeking Out the Edges: A Permaculture Perspective I took a blind leap in 2015, and signed up to take a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. As a long-time gardener, I had been feeling tired and burned out. While I loved eating my home-grown food, the work output was weighing on me. I hoped
- [Birthdays, Done Differently: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/birthdays-done-differently-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Many things are done differently here at Dancing Rabbit, and birthdays are certainly no exception. Christina, here, writing about a pretty amazing week. I turned 42 this week, and I got to experience yet another new aspect of life here in the village. Whenever Rabbits are answering questions from the public—at tours, the annual Open
- [Of Mushrooms & Matriarchs: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/of-mushrooms-matriarchs-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, with another brief report of events and happenings here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, in Rutledge, MO. Actually, there aren't a lot of human centered events or happenings here at the moment, which I am totally fine with. Our quaint little ecological community is experiencing a brief lull in population, as a
- [Sea of Green Leaves: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sea-of-green-leaves-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The first hints of autumn are in the air this week, with low temps in the 50s and highs in the 70s and steady winds bringing more power... absolutely lovely! But in the context of how our June-stunted peppers and eggplants are only just starting to bear fruit... I feel anxiety about having enough time
- [Why So Happy?
 A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/why-so-happy-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Good day, Rabbit friends! The sun is now hiding behind the clouds giving a much needed respite from the August “heat dome” in Missouri, and the village is still dripping from this early morning’s thunderstorms. Rain always puts me in a good mood—I feel especially appreciative when it means that I don't have to water the garden! Katherine
- [A Bounty of Growth (and a Blast from the Past): A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-bounty-of-growth-and-a-blast-from-the-past-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Happy Spring, Everybunny! Welcome to the abundance of rain, chickweed, and shiitake mushrooms! The peepers are chorusing and the dandelions are flowering. Around town, outdoor work is picking up momentum as the gardens and warrens are tended to in between showers. It was lovely to walk through the village this week and see all of
- [Impressions from a Recent Rabbit Visitor](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/impressions-from-a-recent-rabbit-visitor/) - Christina visited Dancing Rabbit in July 2015 to check us out. Apparently she liked it, since she then brought her family along for the October visitor session, and they have been accepted for residency. Here she shares about her first visitor session... Some highlights from my 2015 visitor session at Dancing Rabbit: getting covered in
- [Go Dig a Swale!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/go-dig-a-swale/) - Part 3 of 3 "Permaculture nuggets" leading up to the Permaculture Design Course at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.
- [Returning from the Outside: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/returning-from-the-outside-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We just got back after a three-week visit to see family and friends in New England, so it feels like we’re still playing catch up (especially with the laundry). It was great to visit the outside world, but I do appreciate all the benefits of living here, some of which I hadn't even realized I
- [Heatwave, Visitors, and a Sad Farewell: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/heat-wave-visitors-and-a-sad-farewell-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy. Ben here, bringing y’all news from the stormswept prairies, soggy draws, and humid homes of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. It certainly has been an eventful week here, though to be honest I haven’t had an uneventful one yet in my four years of time on farm. I’ll just stick with the formula y’all have come
- [Caring for Each Other: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/caring-for-each-other-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - "Tereza!" Ted yelled when he saw me, "You are the last person I wanted to see here!" Not might sound warm or caring to you, dear reader, but it was. Let me set the scene... A number of Spiral Scouts and parents were camping out near the new pond on Saturday night, and while it
- [Rain, a Big Birthday, and Friends Return: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/rain-a-big-birthday-and-friends-return-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - There is always something to write about here at Dancing Rabbit each week, but it seems there is more than usual to cover this time around. Ted here to bring you the update from our corner of northeast Missouri. After something like five weeks of days in the 90s with every predicted rain missing us
- [Silly Hats, Murals, and Empowerment: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/silly-hats-murals-and-empowerment-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I can only imagine what the guests must have thought, walking into the Mercantile for pizza to be greeted by a man whose long golden hair was braided with garlic bulbs. Next to him stood a woman with a pile of flowers on her head and a man with a crown made out of flip-flops.
- [Compassion, Connection, and Building Bridges: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/compassion-connection-and-building-bridges-a-dancing/) - Hopefully by the time you read this we will have had some rain. Meanwhile it's mostly hot and dry, with a fine layer of dust and pollen on every surface indoors and out. To be sure, we've had a few welcome cool nights, and even dropped below the dew point once or twice, but that's
- [Benefits and Compromises
: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/benefits-and-compromises
-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It is hot outside. The pond feels like a bathtub, the sun is hazy, the tomatoes are wilting, and I have spotted Thomas on more than one occasion lying on the Common House floor to cool off. Did I mention that I am from New England? Did I mention that I am terrified of the heat?
- [Natural Cycles of Change
: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/natural-cycles-of-change
-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, spending more of my waking time in the house than feels reasonable on a beautiful June day, amidst the thick oak canopies and breast-high stands of parsnip and bergamot of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I feel like there’s a good three or four months in our current climate when a person can
- [Feels Like Summer: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/feels-like-summer-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Ted here to bring you the latest from Dancing Rabbit, after what felt like the first week of summer, complete with steady warmth, mild nights, and some good thunderstorms. I had a second week off from my current day job last week, and managed to slowly tick off some long-awaited to-dos from my list. Moving
- [Slowing Down the Busy: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/slowing-down-the-busy-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Tereza here... slowing down amidst the hectic-ness. Yes, I know it's spring turning to summer. That the weather has been mostly amazing, with sunny days that are warm but not too hot, and with enough rain that not too much watering needs to happen. I know that warmer days are usually busier days. And I
- [Midwest Communities Conference speakers announced!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/midwest-communities-conference-speakers-announced/) - Dear Community-minded friends, It's time to register for the Midwest Sustainable Communities Conference, and network with your fellow activists! Whether your passion is for social justice, climate change work, personal growth and conflict resolution practices, or intentional community, you'll find inspiration and practical tools you can use immediately, wherever your path takes you. Here's a
- [Incredible Summer to Come: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/incredible-summer-to-come-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - People come and go. It’s always been a transient state of being here for most in the ecovillage. It’s not everyone’s cuppa tea to carve out a life of one’s own in the wilds of Missouri. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When people go, they can be profoundly changed, taking a piece of
- [Noticing Patterns: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/noticing-patterns-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I feel like I'm finally starting to understand my parents. It's taken 50 years to get to this point, but maybe that's normal. I've made enough orbits now that I'm beginning to be aware of larger patterns, the deeper periodicity of human social systems (a.k.a. politics), and the different perspectives on life across generations. Cob here,
- [The Green, the Magical, and the Pig: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-green-the-magical-and-the-pig-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It has been a rainy week here in northeast Missouri, with some crazy thunderstorms and a tornado warning on Wednesday, but it wasn’t enough to dampen the singing or the weeding or the outreach-ing. It takes some pretty rough weather to keep us inside. Christina here, new resident of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, bringing you news
- [Baby Goats, Tree Love, and More: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/baby-goats-tree-love-and-more-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, with another communiqué from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, Rutledge, MO. Right now, having been awake four hours, I sit in my humble home of earth and straw, appreciative of the westerly breeze ventilating across me, sweeping the last vestiges of winter stank from my dwelling, quite pleased now that the goats are
- [Reveling in the Green: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/reveling-in-the-green-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Tereza here, recently returned and reveling in the green and flowery spring so far. I'm feeling especially grateful for the current warmth, as I just got back from a month-long trip to Texas, where Nathan and I visited family and friends in San Antonio and Austin. The temps there were far more to my liking than the soggier and
- [Piles and Piles: A Weekly Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/piles-and-piles-a-weekly-update/) - April isn’t the most picturesque time of year in Northeast Missouri… True, a few daffodils are smattered near houses and tasty carpets of chickweed and henbit sit like green islands in the otherwise muddy landscape. The trees are still anxiously holding on to their blossoms, not sure if they are ready for another late frost.
- [Moving On: A Letter from the Executive Director](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/moving-on-a-letter-from-the-executive-director/) - Dear friends and supporters, It is with a profound mix of sadness and excitement that I share with you the news that I will be stepping down as the Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture in late 2016. Everyone always says this kind of thing when they write this kind of
- [A Peach Blossom of a Weekly Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-peach-blossom-of-a-weekly-update/) - Time travels strangely here in the village at times. From one perspective, months often fly by me in a blink and I wonder where they've gone. From another, I can spend a week watching and anticipating the opening of the season's first peach flowers, time slowing to a crawl. Sometimes, like this week, I can
- [Making a Better Pie: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-a-better-pie-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, among the rolling hills of Northeast Missouri, where Spring sprang official. I’m here somewhere between the freak flurries of pebbly sleet and the slow unfolding blossoms of plum. You know what they say about the weather here in our neck of the woods? If ya don’t like it, wait five minutes.
- [Frog Songs and Co-ops: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/frog-songs-and-co-ops-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - All the windows of all the houses open on a certain evening every Spring. I know it’s not technically Spring, but the tree frogs' song that flooded my tiny house told me Spring is definitively here. Nik here. I stepped out into the last of the sunset and the frog chorus enveloped me. It’s a
- [Hens on the Loose: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/hens-on-the-loose-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Ted here bringing you this week's update from an outdoor picnic table late on an early March afternoon when it ought by rights to be colder than it is... but spring weather keeps returning persistently. Among other things I can see from here are some 2-3" tall tulip sprouts, the sprouting tips of some elderberries,
- [Common Sense and Listening: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/common-sense-and-listening-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - "Success is more a function of consistent common sense than of genius." — An Wang, Boston Magazine, 1986 Everyday life at Dancing Rabbit seems reminiscent of these words. Katherine here this week, giving you less of a rundown of happenings here and more of a personal editorial on the state of common sense. When I look
- [A Promise Held: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-promise-held-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, filing another report from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in beautiful Northeast Missouri, on a late February day that’s feeling more like late March. The hay-poor goat farmer part of me eagerly anticipates an early green up of the pastures, as does the gardener part of me. The part of me concerned with
- [Center of the Compass: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/center-of-the-compass-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Home is not simply a mark upon a map any more than a river is just water. It is the place at the centre of the compass…
- [Joys and Challenges: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/joys-and-challenges-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The pack took off, and you couldn't tell which of them had been born and raised at Dancing Rabbit, and which had just arrived…
- [Midwinter Musings: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/midwinter-musings-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - With the mid-winter point coming up this week (Imbolc, for some), I'm finding myself taking stock of this winter's qualities and beginning to think of it as another mild winter like last year's. Last year was the warmest on record, globally, and this is set to be the (new) warmest yet again, according to climatologists,
- [Community of Influence: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-of-influence-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Sometimes, the entire character of an area becomes profoundly changed by a single entity. Something as small as a new family pulling up in their moving van, or something as large as a casino moving in to your hometown. “There goes the neighborhood,” someone will utter, no matter what. For me, it was growing up
- [Sneaky for a Good Cause: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sneaky-for-a-good-cause/) - Our precocious little group never ceases to amaze and I am proud to know that their generation will someday be the caretakers of our earth…
- [Introducing the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture—formerly known as DR Inc!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/introducing-the-center-for-sustainable-and-cooperative-culture-formerly-known-as-dr-inc/) - 'Tis the time of year for self-reflection and resolutions, and as usual, we've been ahead of the curve. Self-reflection is something we’ve built into our culture at Dancing Rabbit, both within the Ecovillage as well as within our nonprofit. And 2015 held an especially exciting and intense version of self-reflection, as we’ve finally taken the
- [Cookie Crumbs and Fancy Pants: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-center-for-coloring-books-crayons-cookie-crumbs-seed-catalogs-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’ve been wearing these things under my coveralls, and the label says they are an “active base layer,” which I suspect is a euphemism for tights, or as my Grandaddy woulda called them “long-handled drawers.”
- [Chicken Chat and Trivia Night](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/chicken-chat-and-trivia-night/) - I envy Aurelia the experience of being so tangibly connected to her food as a child. These are among the more brutal of human practices, from a chicken's point of view…
- [Community Just Happens: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-just-happens-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When one really needs their neighbors, community just happens. I’m not just talking about hippie-types!…
- [Snow Day! Almost! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/snow-day-almost-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Rain for days eventually led to the sun emerging again in blue skies and the solar panels getting back to business. My power system is certainly happy to be full again, as are many others around town.
- [Without Mayonnaise: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-weather-outside-is-frightful-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, just a little soggy and chilled, providing for your education and amusement yet another report from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and the greater wilds of Northeast Missouri. I’ll most certainly describe the weather to you in great detail. In short, it has been raining, and it will continue to do so, in
- [Making Money, Making a Difference: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-money-making-a-difference-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Many of us hope to make a difference by the way we live our lives. I agree with author Paolo Coelho, who said: “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.”
- [Not Hibernating (Yet)! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/not-hibernating-yet-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Like rabbits in the wild, those at Dancing Rabbit do not hibernate in the winter. Sure, there’re fewer visitors and less outdoor work to do, but there’re always board meetings! Zach here, reporting live from somewhat of a flurried week. No, not snow. It’s been unseasonably warm, which has meant extra time for building and
- [Many Hands Make Light Work: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/many-hands-make-light-work-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Oh, the lovely swirl of living in community… Despite the month I see named on the calendar, which usually means things start slowing down, there still seems to be a heck of a lot going on at Dancing Rabbit right now…
- [Power-free Fun (and Pumpkins!): A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/power-free-fun-and-pumpkins-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - If you were invited to party in a total blackout, what would you expect would transpire?
- [A Handful of Hazelnuts: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-handful-of-hazelnuts-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - As autumn encroaches, the pumpkins arrive and the leaves fall. The sunny days are kissed with cool breezes that have us wearing a bit more layers than usual, only to be shed with our continued physical labor.
- [Seasons and Seasonings: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seasons-and-seasonings-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Before the sun rises, the roosters perform a cacophony of crows and calls, heralding a new day, perhaps their last. I slump out of bed and uncrinkle my weary bones.
- [Land Day Reflections: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/land-day-reflections-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Eighteen years ago seven dreamers, armed with a plan, two old computers and a lot of optimism, purchased 280 acres in rural Scotland County, Missouri.
- [Crimson Shadow Moon: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/crimson-shadow-moon-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Smack dab in the middle of Main Street of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, 30 Rabbits and friends sat last night. Aglow in candle and moonlight, they ate, clinked, laughed, and carried on.
- [Visitors, Open House, plus CHEESE! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/visitors-open-house-plus-cheese-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Our visitors attended talks on Dancing Rabbit history, alternative building styles, and our land use planning norms, among others, as well as joining in a work party or two.
- [Autumn's Approach: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/autumns-approach-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I seen a goose! And a woolly bear caterpillar! The summer has come and gone, seemingly quickly, and the impending autumn is dropping hints to that effect.
- [Embarrassingly Simple Solutions: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/embarrassingly-simple-solutions-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - But there is more to the Permaculture Design Course than food (hard to believe, eh?). For example, what the heck is permaculture?
- [It’s almost Dancing Rabbit’s birthday—want a present?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-almost-dancing-rabbits-birthday-want-a-present/) - In just a few weeks it will be Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage's 18th birthday, and we want to celebrate with you. So we decided to give you a birthday gift: the chance to win a prize!
- [Preparing for Change: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/preparing-for-change-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The future here is looking bright. Metaphorically, of course, since we know that winter is around the corner. But I’m feeling more and more prepared everyday.
- [Songs & Kids: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/songs-kids-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Community can work really well in a lot of ways…Figuring out how to learn from and support each other, no matter what age (or other) differences exist is important and valuable work.
- [Making Cheese & Keeping Bees: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-cheese-keeping-bees/) - If you've never made cheese, you may be surprised at how minimal are the differences in recipe between one variety and another...
- [The Creative Act: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-creative-act-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - "Creativity can solve almost any problem," writes George Lois, the creative revolutionary ad man, "The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything."
- [Busy as the Bees: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/busy-as-the-bees-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Lucas here, doing some buzzing (in your ear) of my own on behalf of the DR hive.
- [What Are You Doing Here?: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-are-you-doing-here-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Since I was a little girl I have always had this idea of “saving the world”. I don’t think that I was ever quite sure what that meant, though I’m sure it somehow tied in to my young love and fascination with whales and trees…
- [Life on the Ark: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/life-on-the-ark-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When the waters recede, I hope to stick my head out of this here ark and probably look across a soggy vista of gleeful, worm devouring ducks and mud streaked children, carrying sheaves of lambsquarter and and feral mustard across the dawn meadows, beneath puttering windmills in a global village of our making.
- [Planting Perennial Polycultures of Multipurpose Plants](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/planting-perennial-polycultures-of-multipurpose-plants/) - Planting a perennial polyculture of multipurpose plants is what I’m doing in my forest garden at Dancing Rabbit. Understanding this permaculture concept, though, might be a bit easier than saying it. Here’s what I mean…
- [Here Came the Sun! The Dancing Rabbit Weekly Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/here-came-the-sun-the-dancing-rabbit-weekly-update/) - A casualty of too much rain was the Big Bike Ride Across Missouri, aka the Big BAM. We were very disappointed, not only for ourselves and the town of Rutledge but for the riders and organizers who put so much time and thought into the week.
- [Saving Testudines at "Drenching" Rabbit: The Weekly Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/saving-testudines-at-drenching-rabbit-the-weekly-update/) - Despite the rain and because of it, Sam and Kody installed a turtle saver at the swimming pond. Now, the indigenous testudines no longer have to fear getting stuck in the bowels of an outlet pipe designed simply to alleviate the pressure of heavy rains.
- [Stacking Functions: When is a Garden More Than a Garden?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/stacking-functions-when-is-a-garden-more-than-a-garden/) - Part one of three "permaculture nuggets" leading up to the Permaculture Design Course. Please enjoy!
- [All is not lost: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/all-is-not-lost-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - That's why I live at Dancing Rabbit. To be part of creating and living the change that needs to happen if we are to be one good and healthy human family sharing one good and healthy planet…
- [A Unique Opportunity!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-unique-opportunity/) - There are still a few spaces available in this one-of-a-kind permaculture course held at Dancing Rabbit from August 29 - September 6.
- [Berries, berries everywhere! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/berries-berries-everywhere-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - While the June-bearing strawberries are starting to taper off now, berry season has just begun. Raspberries and mulberries have been full-on in the past week, and this morning Sara brought in our first major harvest of black raspberries. Not having brought a bowl to the garden, she cradled them in the trough of a very large and healthy
- [Babies, babies everywhere: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/babies-babies-everywhere-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Babies, babies everywhere! Every time I step outside, I see baby bunnies, adorable little balls of fluff…
- [Celebrating Connections: Gleanings from the Speaking Tour](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/celebrating-connections-gleanings-from-the-speaking-tour/) - by Ma'ikwe You may recall that I went on the first part of a National Speaking Tour this spring, where I spread the word about Dancing Rabbit, cooperative culture, and climate change. (Part Two happens this fall. Click here to find out more!) Throughout my journey there were a thousand moments of laughter, awe, friendship, realness
- [The Joys of Line-dried Laundry, and More: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-joys-of-line-dried-laundry-and-more-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Most Americans don’t share my obsession; I’m delighted to live in an area where so many people do. There are lots and lots and lots of clotheslines in Northeast Missouri.
- [When Old is Better: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/when-old-is-better-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When does “the old way” need help from “the new way”, and when does “the new way” become unsustainable? Ask ten Rabbits and you’ll likely get ten very different answers, but it’s one of those questions that make this such a dynamic place to live!
- [New Life and New Ideas: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/new-life-and-new-ideas-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The struggle is real here at Dancing Rabbit. It is most certainly a labor of love from my perspective, and I suspect many (if not all) others' as well.
- [93% chance of... inspiration?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/93-chance-of-inspiration/) - Hi friends! Ma'ikwe here, thinking about and getting ready for National Speaking Tour: Round II. While I'm enjoying my summer at home, I can already hear the call of the road, from the not-so-distant month of September. Or maybe that's Mariyam, the tour coordinator, calling to say the schedule is filling up for the fall, and
- [Happy Busy May: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/happy-busy-may-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Happy May y'all! Katherine here with this week's renderings of Dancing Rabbit life. It’s been a great one as well as buuusy! Monday found me in a DR Inc. prep session for Give STL Day, which Dancing Rabbit took part in on Tuesday, May 5th. Give STL Day is a St. Louis, MO based, 24-hour fundraiser in support
- [Did Ya Get Your Corn In?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/did-ya-get-your-corn-in/) - Spring is the time for tonics. As I attempt to shake the final vestiges of another winter from my gradually aging bones, I find myself compelled to devour fistfuls of violet, peppergrass and chickweed…
- [New Folks and the Mighty Mushroom Hunter: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/new-folks-and-the-mighty-mushroom-hunter-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Hi friends. This is Alline, reporting for Dancing Rabbit. As I write this the date is April 27th – by the time this appears in the local newspaper, the Memphis Democrat, it will be Thursday, April 30th. How the heck did that happen? Pretty soon it will be May Day! Our neighbor Laura is reviving
- [Only Connect: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/only-connect-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - At the end of the weekend Dee said: "This could revolutionize sustainable relationships the same way the solar oven revolutionized sustainable cooking."
- [Firsts Of Spring: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/firsts-of-spring-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Planted thickly, the proportion of hickories, redbuds, black cherry, witch hazel and various other species that survive will add significant diversity and future beauty and utility to our draws and wooded edges…
- [Life in the Not-So-Slow Lane: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/life-in-the-not-so-slow-lane-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My life at Dancing Rabbit is in a faster lane than it ever was in the big city where I lived before. But thank goodness, I’m not in it alone…
- [New Folks and Tadpole Eyes: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/new-folks-and-tadpole-eyes-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Pollywogs and tinkle pinks? What kind of blog is this becoming anyway?!
- [Sharing the Abundance: Permaculture Design Course at Dancing Rabbit!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/sharing-the-abundance-permaculture-design-course-at-dancing-rabbit/) - Permaculture looks at life squarely in the face and simply asks the questions: What is? How do things really work? It then lays out multiple paths toward building abundance, security and health into our living systems to benefit humans AND the natural world that sustains all life.
- [Murmur of a Spring Electric: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/murmur-of-a-spring-electric-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Johnny Appleseed, altruistic as he might seem, was making financial investments for himself…
- [Speaking Tour 2015 = Awesome so far!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/speaking-tour-2015-awesome-so-far/) - Nothing I can say about the economics of climate change much surprises folks around here. But they are hungry to hear about Dancing Rabbit and what we're doing to directly address the forces that are driving climate change.
- [Song of the Pinkletinks: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/song-of-the-pinkletinks-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The song of the peeper is just another of our “firsts” for the year. I saw my first ant the other day, bee yesterday, and bat this evening! I was extremely excited each time…
- [Warmer Weather and Pulling Together: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/warmer-weather-and-pulling-together-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - When Thomas found just the perfect log for his new workshop, it was merely a small inconvenience that it was located half a mile down the road at Red Earth Farms...
- [Older and Colder: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/older-and-colder-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I have chosen to participate in all the stages of wood heat... I want to know the real cost of my comfort.
- [Retreat! (or, I Can’t Get No... Sat-tis-fac-tion!): A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/retreat-or-i-cant-get-no-sat-tis-fac-tion-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - For those of us here who want to change the world, we first have to be ready to implement change in our own communities.
- [The Great Blower Door Caper, aka Testing Buildings for Energy Efficiency](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-great-blower-door-caper-aka-testing-buildings-for-energy-efficiency/) - At Dancing Rabbit we've been thinking and talking a lot about how we can bring the best of both worlds -- green building and natural building -- together in our eco-superstructures of the future.
- [All Aboard for the National Speaking Tour!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/all-aboard-for-the-national-speaking-tour/) - I'll be boarding an Amtrak train to begin my nationwide journey, talking everywhere I go about Dancing Rabbit, climate disruption, and creating cooperative culture.
- [Seeds of Spring: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seeds-of-spring-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I looked around the room, and felt a deep sense of being in the presence of independent, pioneering spirits..." OR "I'm determined to do something dumb on a sled. I just hope there's a camera handy when it happens.
- [I Heart DR: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/i-heart-dr-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One of my favorite portions of the WIP is the “I Heart DR” section in which we say just that, what we love about Dancing Rabbit...
- [Grow Your Own... Vehicle Fuel?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/grow-your-own-vehicle-fuel/) - One of the alternative fuel options we’ve been looking into is producing our own vegetable oil for direct use in our vehicles...
- [A Chilly Reminder: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-chilly-reminder-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Power at Dancing Rabbit is a complicated thing. Brace yourselves, everybody – here comes some “good ‘ol days” talk…
- [Everyone Wins: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/everyone-wins-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - ...as Dancing Rabbit’s newest full-fledged Member, I can say that I feel a flush of victory after striving to make my own life a little more sustainable in the rolling hills of northeast Missouri.
- [Video, Visits, Learning & More: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/video-visits-learning-more-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We hope to see many of you here in 2015, and who knows? Perhaps we'll be welcoming some of you as new Rabbits sometime down the road...
- [DR Comes to You: Nationwide Speaking Tour 2015!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dr-comes-to-you-nationwide-speaking-tour-2015/) - This year a lot more people will be inspired by what we’re doing, because in 2015 Dancing Rabbit, Inc.’s Executive Director, Ma’ikwe Schaub Ludwig, is bringing our message to a town near you with a national speaking tour!
- [Deep Thoughts and Down Time: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/deep-thoughts-and-down-time-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We all seemed to leave the conversation with a buoyant sense of hope, along with an undertone of needing to focus our inspiration and turn it into reality.
- [An Odd Duck of an Annual Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/an-odd-duck-of-an-annual-update/) - How best to capture a year in a place like Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage? DR is such a mix of idealism, fun, activity and contemplation that it’s hard to do it justice...
- [Taking a Bite Outta 2015: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/taking-a-bite-outta-2015-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Although the Christmas-light-wrapped paper lantern may not have impressed Dick Clark, it made for a festive ringing-in of 2015.
- [Happy Rabbit Regales Us: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/happy-rabbit-regales-us-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I am thankful for this time of year when ... love may transcend all boundaries for those who will allow. (For the other Grinches and Scrooges out there, right on y’all. It takes all sorts and there’s always room at my table for a little diversity.
- [Season's Greetings: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seasons-greetings-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - In the past week we've had a Hanukkah potluck, a Christmas-carols-and-cookie-munching extravaganza, and a Winter Solstice ritual and vigil...
- [Alline Tells All: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/alline-tells-all-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I get to channel my inner Mrs. Kravitz (remember the neighbor from “Bewitched”?) and ask everyone what they did last week.
- [DR Investor Making Headlines!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dr-investor-making-headlines/) - By living in our community I've gained a deep understanding of how economic sustainability is intertwined with cultural beliefs about money and issues of class and privilege.
- [Passages on Time: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/passages-on-time-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - So here we are, fellow time travelers, voyaging boldly into the future at the speed of time...
- [Giving Thanks: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/giving-thanks-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Something I especially loved about this meal was how many of the dishes were local, prepared with ingredients raised with love by my friends and neighbors…
- [Heartfelt Thanks to All of You!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/heartfelt-thanks-to-all-of-you/) - Thank you for helping us grow, and for helping us spread the news that while we live in an imperfect world, there are ways to make it better.
- [No Matter What the Weather Does: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/no-matter-what-the-weather-does-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The potatoes in the cellar and the various winter squashes stored in the kitchen loft mean we'll be eating well no matter what the weather does.
- [Happy Rabbit Retelling: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/happy-rabbit-retelling-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Another calm Sunday night sittin' here by the fire with my trusty dog, Henry. The day was a brisk one with 25 degrees readin' on the gauge and a slight breeze headed out of the... sky. :) Katherine here to give you the goings-on in Rabbitville as a long time reader, first time writer. My morning started
- [Night Sky Wonder (and other news): A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/night-sky-wonder-and-other-news-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Perhaps people are losing their wonder. Perhaps we feel too large, too important now, with no great expanse to humble us each evening.
- [Assumptions, Change, and a Big Ol' Bottle of Humans: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/assumptions-change-and-a-big-ol-bottle-of-humans-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One day, perhaps soon, the road that stretches beyond our little piece of the ecovillage will be lined with other homes and other lives...
- [Reverence: A Guest Post](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/reverence-a-guest-post/) - I witnessed an expanded expression of food processing from folks raising their own meat...
- [Defrosting All the Little Lights: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/defrosting-all-the-little-lights-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Ultimately, that is why our world needs more ecovillages: this cooperative culture, experimenting as it grows, provides a model for living in harmony no matter where you reside..
- [Time and Transitions: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/time-and-transitions-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I like to believe that we humans are like the woolly bear, tucked away in its cocoon, changing by small degrees into something new and wonderful...
- [Autumn News: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/autumn-news-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I did not think I'd ever be ready for winter again after the bitter last one, but autumn has a way of easing me into it, keeping me too busy to think about it much until it is here...
- [Exploring Dancing Rabbit: A Visitor's Perspective](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/exploring-dancing-rabbit-a-visitors-perspective/) - This is a wonderful place; it is a springboard for the development of our species and the maintenance of our planet.
- [Chopping, Carrying, Celebrating: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/chopping-carrying-celebrating-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The more we know and love the land, the more it provides.
- [Adventures in Homeschooling: A Michaelmas Dragon Story](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/adventures-in-homeschooling-a-michaelmas-dragon-story/) - by Alyssa This fall marks my second year sharing the adventure of homeschooling with my seven-year-old son, Zane. While I relied on plenty of experienced homeschoolers and resources, my first year was truly a year of figuring things out as we went along. My conclusion was that kindergarten is great (and I highly recommend it
- [Wonderings: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/wonderings-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My imagination reeled with the many possibilities ahead for Dancing Rabbit in its ongoing evolution as a community.
- [Visitors and Memories: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/visitors-and-memories-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The second-to-last visitor period for the year is more than halfway through as I write, and this group has been fascinating and fun...
- [Natural Seasonal Flow: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/natural-seasonal-flow-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y'all. Ben here, with another field report from our little post-petroleum oasis here in the rolling hills of Northeast Missouri. As I tingle from the sunburns of the recent past I am simultaneously nipped by the cold of autumn approaching. Transition engulfs our environment. Clusters of ripening honey locust pods hang heavy on the
- [Into the Sunset: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/into-the-sunset-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - ...Everything I did and witnessed took on a special sparkle of affection or patina of nostalgia, since many of them I was doing or witnessing for the last time.
- [Ecological Cooking—Food Co-ops, Dancing Rabbit-style!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ecological-cooking-food-co-ops-dancing-rabbit-style/) - The food co-op is a technology that helps optimize not just the efficiency of heat, but also some more subtle impacts of feeding ourselves.
- [The Biggest Dipper: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-biggest-dipper-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - That first evening back home, as I emerged from the cool water, the last pink light of the sun faded from the horizon...
- [Dogged Hope: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dogged-hope-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I can't help but feel lucky to be writing to you while I have 2 gallons of barbecue sauce in the pressure canner and a cute stray snoozing on a dog-bed by my back door. The barbecue sauce has a home, but this little 15-pound wonder-dog came home with me the other night and has
- [Ni hao-dy, Y’all: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ni-hao-dy-yall-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Northeast Missouri is perfectly splendid enough for me in these days of lingering dew, bergamot blossoms, and cicadas.
- [Livin' the Love: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/livin-the-love-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I wonder, for example, how much Victorian botheration could have been averted if Mr. Darcy had gone to Men’s Group to work on his pride, and if Elizabeth had done a little co-counseling about her prejudice…
- [Heaps of Appreciation: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/heaps-of-appreciation-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We are all so grateful that she is OK, and that we live in a place where we can count on our neighbors when things get tough.
- [What’s the Best Way to Build a Green Home?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/whats-the-best-way-to-build-a-green-home/) - What type of construction is most sustainable? Of course, it depends on the individual situation.
- [News from the Sunflower Kingdom: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/news-from-the-sunflower-kingdom-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The Sunflower Kingdom has again taken root in Ironweed garden, and indeed in much of the land surrounding it here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.
- [Summer Potpourri: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/summer-potpourri-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - No World Cup winners named! But the score, plus more live music, a big bike ride, the new Village Council, and other happenings revealed in "Summer Potpourri", Sam's most recent Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage update!
- [Community Corroboree: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/community-corroboree-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Life here isn’t always fun and easy, but when we come together for the sake of gathering minds, talent, and creativity, I find that there is no place like it.
- [Songs of Summer: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/songs-of-summer-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I don’t know about you, but I really look forward to the “fat” time of year.
- [Ecological Cooking—Solar Ovens: How to Cook with Sunshine!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ecological-cooking-solar-ovens-how-to-cook-with-sunshine/) - In this second installment in her series on Ecological Cooking, Dancing Rabbit member Sam offers solar oven information and cooking tips.
- [Give Those Chickens Space: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/give-the-chickens-space-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - I’m thinking some combination of miso, coffee, Gatorade, and gravy that can be loaded into a drinking tube.
- [Transience and Mandolins: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/transience-and-mandolins-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - A Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage Update. After a weekend of seeing The Flaming Lips & Edward Sharpe, I think I enjoyed the concert here even more.
- [
Life, Death, and Life! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/
life-death-and-life-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My life is also always changing and I struggle to strive and bend and break and go with the flow.
- [Seeing Green: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seeing-green-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - The current visitor session has drawn to a close, and many of these fine folk have applied for residency to explore life at Dancing Rabbit.
- [Oodles of Timberdoodles?: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/oodles-of-timberdoodles-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Returning from a foraging run, my bag lighter than I had hoped, my heart happily pounded as I made the jaunt back to my yurt home. I had seen not one (but two!) woodcocks on my last couple of excursions into the Dancing Rabbit woodlands. Woodcocks, also go by possibly my favorite name for anything
- [Petals of Spring: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/petals-of-spring-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “As fellow Rabbit Dennis said to me this morning: we are blessed in our abundance…”
- [Chicks, Ducks and Buckets: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/chicks-ducks-and-buckets-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Howdy y’all. This is Ben, bringing you the latest spring happenings from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and environs. The asparagus is triumphant in these warm wet days, as is the milkweed shoot, in case you haven’t any asparagus established somewhere. Peering down across the West Slope from stately Critter Heights we have great swaths of green
- [DR does St. Louis Earth Day!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dr-does-st-louis-earth-day/) - Despite being evacuated by a bomb scare, and our event tent jumping into the lake, Dancing Rabbit’s booth at the St. Louis Earth Day Festival was a delightful success. 2014 marked the first time Rabbits have made an official appearance at the festival and it won’t be the last. My head is full of plans
- [How you can go on a carbon diet](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-you-can-go-on-a-carbon-diet/) - Cutting carbon emissions is sort of like eating healthier. We all know we should be doing it, but it's much easier said than done. Especially since being on a carbon diet in our current culture is like having to wade through a room full of potato chips to get to the healthy vegetables hidden beneath
- [In Praise of a Cycling Culture](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/in-praise-of-a-cycling-culture/) - Give a hoot! Ride a bike! Well folks, it’s May of 2014. Bike Month, you know. That makes it eight years since I entered car freedom. That is not to say that I bought the car of my dreams and began feeling free to vroom-vroom around the countryside, blasting Zeppelin IV at full volume, frightening
- [Ecological Cooking: The Haybox](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ecological-cooking-the-haybox/) - In this first installment in her series on Ecological Cooking, Dancing Rabbit member Sam offers information and tips on heating in a haybox. At Dancing Rabbit, we eat food, and like most of you reading this, a lot of the food we eat is cooked. While Dancing Rabbit gets a lot of attention for being
- [We've Cut Our Carbon Footprint in Half!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/weve-cut-our-carbon-footprint-in-half/) - How much does living in an ecovillage cut your carbon footprint? At Dancing Rabbit we now have an answer, and the results are good, though there's still room for improvement. Thanks to researchers from the University of North Texas and Arkansas Tech University, Dancing Rabbit can now say that our carbon footprint is less than
- [Parties! And Caring! And Cake! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/parties-and-caring-and-cake-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “The tulips and daffodils are showing their stuff, brightening even the greyer days with their color.”
- [Living Inter-Generationally at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-inter-generationally-at-dancing-rabbit/) - “...it appears that years have actually elapsed since the 70s, and music, dance styles, lingo, and all the rest of young culture has indeed changed!”
- [Bloom Time! A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/bloom-time-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “I am daily thrilled by the joy of raising a child here, and the hope it instills in me.”
- [Birthdays, Rainbows, Ostrichtron & More: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/birthdays-rainbows-ostrichtron-more-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - After the long winter and few guests, it felt nice to open the doors and welcome people in.
- [Wanna Carry a Duck? A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/wanna-carry-a-duck-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - Being a Rabbit is an active choice, renewed daily, not merely to live a life intrinsically expressing one’s beliefs but to challenge those beliefs through openness to others’ experiences and perceptions.
- [A Traveler Returns, Insightful: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-traveler-returns/) - “…I might venture to say that the ability to be more emotionally resourceful in a close community with many support groups may be a big factor in this community’s residents’ well being.”
- [One Grumpy Bunny: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/one-grumpy-bunny-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - My garden strategy is based mainly on fail-safe techniques, because I'm prone to bouts of laziness, busyness, and grumpiness.
- [What I Learned Living at Dancing Rabbit: A Guest Post](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/what-i-learned-from-living-at-dancing-rabbit-a-guest-post/) - Having lived away from Dancing Rabbit for six years now, I find the whole experience a gift; one that I am still unpacking, and probably will continue to unpack for life.
- [Flavor of the Season: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/flavor-of-the-season-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “Dan’s hoop-house is producing local greens by the bucket-load for us. I just finished eating a candy-sweet spinach salad that is unlike anything you could ever buy in a store...
- [Maple Sugar Moon: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/maple-sugar-moon-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - “As the snow melts and rolls toward the Fabius and Mississippi Rivers, and eventually the Gulf of Mexico, the Earth basks nude beneath, baring treasures left behind throughout the winter...”
- [Everything Changes: Shifting into Spring](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/everything-changes-shifting-into-spring/) - “Yesterday I saw a flock of birds heading north. Their season has ended; their sojourn in the South is over and it is time, they know, to return to spring and fall in to the re-burgeoning of life again.”
- [Coffee Talk and Termite Mounds](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/coffee-talk-and-termite-mounds/) - “Like much of daily life at Dancing Rabbit, morning coffee is just a little bit different than most places. When a mix of locals, travelers, artists, farmers, and others come together, the topics of conversation are…varied, to put it mildly."
- [Discussion, connection, celebration: Rabbits on Retreat!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/discussion-connection-celebration-rabbits-on-retreat/) - The theme was "Eco + Village: How Do We Really Fulfill our Mission While Keeping Our Community Connected?" and topics discussed included affordability, building fun infrastructure (treehouses and ziplines, oh my!), strategic planning, creating a culture of connection, creating/sustaining more beauty in the village, member retention, [and more].
- [Village Pathways](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/village-pathways/) - Welcome to another missive, from Ted at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, where the paths are many, opinions are diverse, and we all do our best to get along. In 2005 I wrote in Dancing Rabbit's newsletter, the March Hare, about pathways through our village: “As an intern at DR in 2001, I was up on Skyhouse
- [Seasonal Reflection: Winter at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/seasonal-reflection/) - "... like a much needed deep breath, winter is when we finally slow down. We take cues from the earth and cold weather and go inside. This is the season I cherish."
- [The Dancing Rabbit Weekly Update, Dr. Seuss-style](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-dancing-rabbit-weekly-update-dr-seuss-style/) - Sam tells the latest from DR — in rhyme! — in the latest @Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage "Weekly Update, Dr. Seuss-style".
- [Fuel for the Inner Fire](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fuel-for-the-inner-fire/) - “Being connected so closely to my food gives me great satisfaction, and every bite I take is a reminder of my invested efforts to create local protein.”
- [A Rabbit in the Freeze: Musings from Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-rabbit-in-the-freeze-musings-from-dancing-rabbit/) - Frozen musings, from Ben at Dancing Rabbit, on polar temps, animal care, firewood and life cycles, only in the latest @Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage weekly update!
- [Dancing Rabbit in San Francisco Bay Area - January 2014](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-in-san-francisco-bay-area-january-2014/) - You're invited to our upcoming Dancing Rabbit events in the San Francisco Bay Area; we hope you'll invite your friends too! Dancing Rabbit founder Tony Sirna is in the Bay Area and will be giving his Making Sustainability a Reality slideshow at various locations around the area. Below are the currently scheduled events, but others
- [Treehouse Dreams: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/treehouse-dreams-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - It is a good lesson to learn again and again– you can find community anywhere you go, if you open to it.
- [Why We Talk So Much About the Weather: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/why-we-talk-so-much-about-the-weather-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - We claim to know a thing or two about natural building; we claim that straw bales can insulate houses as well as, if not better(?), than standard materials; we claim that burning wood can keep us warm in these cold winter months. This week we were tested. And how did we fare?
- [Snow, Seeds, Funds and Festivities: A Dancing Rabbit Update 1/6/2014](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/snow-seeds-funds-and-festivities-a-dancing-rabbit-update-162014/) - How do you know it’s a new year in the village? You spy seed catalogs in every house you visit, traveling Rabbits trickle back home, and ...
- [Cookies, Kids, and Ups and Downs: A Dancing Rabbit Update 12/31/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cookies-kids-and-ups-and-downs-a-dancing-rabbit-update-12312013/) - Rabbit Ecovillage's weekly update, "Cookies, Kids, and Ups and Downs" — includes cookies, gatherings, kids home from school... and did we mention cookies? Yum!
- [The Rest of Us: A Dancing Rabbit Update 12/23/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-rest-of-us-a-dancing-rabbit-update-122313/) - It’s been a week of rushing and rumbling Rabbits; some braving some hairy travel to see friends and family for the holidays, and others have been hunkering down in their warrens. Both have left the village a very quiet landscape.
- [A Green Award, Gorgeous Snow, Fresh Ink](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-green-award-gorgeous-snow-fresh-ink/) - We have a recent addition to our Week in Preview meetings: "I Heart DR", where folks say what they love about DR, and right now I'm feeling warm and fuzzy about the connections I feel with everyone who lives here.
- [Points of Light in the Dark of the Year: A Dancing Rabbit Update](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/points-of-light-in-the-dark-of-the-year-a-dancing-rabbit-update/) - One idea is a "Giving Tree" in the living room, a branch from an evergreen tree hung in the living room with blank, glitter-enhanced boxboard ornaments nearby. Whenever someone witnesses a selfless act of giving, they can write the act (without names) on an ornament and hang it on the "tree."
- [Platefuls of Prosperity: A Dancing Rabbit Update 12/3/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/platefuls-of-prosperity-a-dancing-rabbit-update-12313/) - We’ve been really lucky this past week to have such an abundance to give thanks for. From seeing loved and familiar faces and hearing new improvisational music, to sharing a traditional meal that spans four hundred years, this was a week to savor.
- [Freeze and Thank You: A Dancing Rabbit Update 11/25/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/freeze-and-thank-you-a-dancing-rabbit-update-112513/) - Howdy and Happy Thanksgivukkah from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! Ben here, taking my turn to blow our own collective horn at you for a few brief paragraphs.
- [Brussels Sprouts and Wind Storms: A Dancing Rabbit Update 11/18/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/brussels-sprouts-and-wind-storms-a-dancing-rabbit-update-111813/) - When the other crops begin to succumb to crunchy, sparkly frosts, and dinner time is after dark, the Brussels spouts and I drink deeply and grow fuller.
- [A Year in the Life of Dancing Rabbit: a 2013 Update from Tony](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-year-in-the-life-of-dr/) - This year was a special one for me, as it marked 20 years since I joined Dancing Rabbit. So much has changed in these 20 years, in the 16 years since we bought our land, and even in just the last 12 months. It’s inspiring to see how much of our vision from years ago has come true and how much we have accomplished, even beyond our dreams.
- [Last of the Harvest](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/last-of-the-harvest/) - Despite having put the garden beds to "sleep" recently, there have been wild harvests on the land that I have been taking advantage of. Autumn olives are a fantastic fruit that grow on small shrubs, are rich in vitamin C, and can contain up to 18 times the lycopene of tomatoes. This nitrogen fixer is technically invasive, but I feel that the benefits of it outweigh my immediate concerns, as it also supplies food to wildlife otherwise displaced by mono-cultures of corn and soybeans.
- [Abundance: A Dancing Rabbit Update 11/04/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/abundance-a-dancing-rabbit-update-11042013/) - This deer was shot by a nine year old (I read it on the tag) and dropped off at Dancing Rabbit yesterday afternoon. I had no intention on going hunting, and the young hunter apparently had no intention on eating venison, so it was a win-win I think.
- [Dancing Rabbit in New York City - November 2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-in-new-york-city-november-2013/) - You are invited to our upcoming Dancing Rabbit events in New York City and we hope you will invite your friends too. Dancing Rabbit founder, Tony Sirna, will be in New York City in November giving his Making Sustainability a Reality slideshow at various locations around the city. You can get information on this event
- [Weather Reports: A Dancing Rabbit Update 10/28/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/weather-reports-a-dancing-rabbit-update-10282013/) - “Does it snow here?” was the first question to get me strange looks here at Dancing Rabbit. Those looks somewhere between genuine confusion and the “Are you kidding me?” look that cats give when you ask them an algebra problem.
- [Winding down: A Dancing Rabbit Update 10/21/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/winding-down-a-dancing-rabbit-update-10212013/) - So many seasons are coming to an end here at Dancing Rabbit: the last visitors and work exchangers of the year are trickling away home, peak growing time is drawing to a close, and our final Saturday tour takes place this weekend…
- [Fall, Friends and Firewood 10/14/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fall-friends-and-firewood-10142013/) - One of the biggest moments for the village this past week was watching our executive director (and member) Ma'ikwe give a TEDx talk about Dancing Rabbit at her alma mater Carleton College on Saturday (the 'x' denotes an independently organized TED event). A big crowd gathered at the Mercantile to watch it live via internet, which made it somehow all the more poignant. One of the more-quoted lines I've heard since goes something like, "At Dancing Rabbit, we import optimists and export hope." We do a few other things besides, of course, but it definitely caught some of the spirit of our home for me. If you missed the talk and want to check it out, we'll be posting the YouTube version on our website as soon as it's available: https://www.dancingrabbit.org/tedx-talk-about-dr.
- [All Together Now 10/7/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/all-together-now-1072013/) - I have really exciting news to share with you this week: Our very own Ma'ikwe will be presenting a TEDx talk called "Sustainable is Possible," celebrating the very real achievements of Dancing Rabbit and the power of community as a significant part of what makes sustainability possible. She'll go on stage at Carleton College at about 5pm central time (tune in early just in case it's earlier so you don't miss anything) and you can watch it live here: https://client.stretchinternet.com/client/carletonadmin.portal. I'm excited for even more of the world to get turned on to the idea that working together and sharing resources is an important step toward living within our Earthly means.
- [Coming Together and Saying Farewell 9/30/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/coming-together-and-saying-farewell-9302013/) - As I think back on the past week, I am conjuring an image of a pyramid with group gatherings placed at the bottom, and individuals residing at the top. Countless singular moments make up the whole, and create the base upon which it stands, and have no less significance than a room filled with contra dancers, music, and of course, dancing. I think I'll start this week's article in this singular moment, and work my way back.
- [Fall Critters 9/22/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/fall-critters-9212013/) - We here in the quaint ecovillage of Dancing Rabbit are still reeling from our annual open house event, a day on which folks from near and far gather upon our 280 odd acres to ooh and ahh at mudpie homes and bucket toilets.
- [Turn and face the strange ch-ch-changes! 9/16/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/turn-and-face-the-strange-ch-ch-changes-9162013/) - Greetings everyone! I hope this column finds you in good health. I've heard more than a few coughs and sneezes on my way through the village this morning, no doubt the result of the recent rain and temperature drop. As much as the rain was needed, I can't help but imagine how nice it would
- [Breath of the Village](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/breath-of-the-village/) - Lately at Dancing Rabbit, it feels as though everybody has exhaled one deeply-held breath at once—a collective exhale that could blow out every candle in Northern Missouri. It was not only the ending of another visitor session and a timber frame building workshop, but there were also bittersweet goodbyes for many summer workers and interns
- [It's Hot](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-hot/) - Finally a break in the heat! But it was brutal for well over a week, with multiple days of three-digit heat indexes (I looked it up and yes, "indexes" is acceptable, fellow word lovers! "Indices" is also correct, but more common in academic writing...). And with no rain to speak of and none in the
- [It Takes A Village...](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/it-takes-a-village/) - This week the summery weather came back after a spell of morning sweatshirts and socks to bed. In times like these I often feel grateful that the weather is not something we get to choose. Imagine a meeting wherein the timber frame workshop participants and tomato growers, homesteaders and beer sellers, wind and solar generators
- [Chasing Cows and Drinking Schmizzle](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/chasing-cows-and-drinking-schmizzle/) - Greetings from the heart of ragweed country! This is Ben, living the dream here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, here to fill you in with all the major happenings around these parts, not that I have a clue as to what's going on. Here's a look at the weather: The mornings have been awful chilly, resulting
- [Cake and Celebration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cake-and-celebration/) - Straw bales and timber frames are a common combination at Dancing Rabbit. Here, another house goes up on Crooked Route Road. Pleasant, not-too-hot weather, greenery all around, tomato and eggplant and basil, oh my... Tereza here, enjoying the abundance of summer and offering news from my corner of Rabbit Land! I'll begin with feline happenings...
- [Flowers, Farmer's Markets and Ferments](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/flowers-farmers-markets-and-ferments/) - We are living these days in the sunflower kingdom! I have probably written about this in previous years, but we are in peak sunflower flowering season just now, a hedge of 12 feet or more in an ever-increasing halo around our home and environs. We have to trim it as a hedge, too, removing leaves
- [Councils and Cabbages](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/councils-and-cabbages/) - "I believe this is a first for Dancing Rabbit," said Nathan, who was facilitating the meeting. "Let the voting begin!" It was my privilege to witness a momentous occasion in Dancing Rabbit history - the first official non-consensus voting process. The ecovillage has historically made its decisions through consensus, and although many decisions are now
- [Wet and Wild, June 22](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/wet-and-wild-june-22/) - We're between visitor sessions right now, and have another one coming up next week. I think there's still a few spots in future sessions, if you want to get in on the viz program action.
- [Cultivating Tribute](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/cultivating-tribute/) - It is affirming that our attempts to live a sustainable life is adequate achievement to inspire people to sell their homes, and relocate their lives to rural northeast Missouri to pursue a life with as little negative impact on the planet as possible. Otherwise, we might get lost in the day-to-day routine of simply living out our values without the reminder that what we're doing here is unique and noteworthy.
- [Getting Greener, June 4](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/getting-greener-june-4/) - Good thing I love the color green! We've had so much rain in the last few weeks that everything is bursting with growth! (Well, yes, and mud, but the green is brighter than the brown.) I'm sure I'm not the only one enjoying at least one aspect of the wet -- all the wonderful homegrown
- [We Are Circling, 5/29/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/931/) - Howdy y'all. Greetings from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, which might be renamed Squishy Bottom, Missouri by the middle of this week. This is Ben, attempting to bring you the latest happenings from our quaint utopian burg. What is primarily important to convey is the climatic condition of our region, currently classified as excessively damp. I project
- [New Thursday Tour and More, May 23](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/new-thursday-tour-and-more-may-23/) - This is one of the blessed times of year. After one too-hot day, we've settled into a week straight of perfection. When the temperature hovers in that range between about 75 and 82 where the air is neither too warm nor too cool, the breeze tickles bare arms and legs and the most delicious smells
- [May All Your Weeds Be Edible, 5/16/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/may-all-your-weeds-be-edible-51613/) - What a fun week we just had at Dancing Rabbit! This is Sam, and a big part of my week has been moving forward with the selection of our first Village Council. Teresa and I are in charge of guiding the group through the process we have agreed to for choosing seven people from among
- [Foundation of Bounty, 5/9/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/foundation-of-bounty-5913/) - Even though our Missouri Spring has been delayed by approximately one month, the tide of seasonal change still pushes forth with a fresh stride. With 7 inches of rain this April, we have now officially risen above the status of regional drought, which has weighed heavily on our minds, since so many of us were
- [Rabbit Eat Rabbit World - 5/1/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/rabbit-eat-rabbit-world-5113/) - Howdy rabbiteers! Ben here, churning out some quality, high-fiber journalistic fodder for your informational needs. Currently, our climate requires both shorts and muck boots, as the several inches of rain we have received in recent days haven't completely evaporated in the warm breeze. Signs of an emergent spring abound. Blossoms of peach, pear and cherry
- [One Step Forward..., 4/2/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/one-step-forward-4213/) - It sometimes is impossible to discern whether or not you are making the best choice when all you have is your own hopeful idealism to guide you, especially when you are embarking into uncharted territory.
- [Upward Mobility, 3/26/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/upward-mobility-22613/) - Howdy, gentle reader. Ben here, boots dripping from the morning's trudge through the coupla' three inches of wintry snow slush that has accumulated since the other night, heralding the arrival of spring. Yes spring is here, and though perhaps not in the air, it is most certainly on my mind, as I have (with the
- [A Ponderous Shift, 3/20/2013](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-ponderous-shift-3202013/) - Hello again from Ted here at Dancing Rabbit, where spring is nigh but is only grudgingly letting us know it is coming. Aurelia and I returned from Taos, NM Tuesday after driving out with Sara to help her get established there for a midwifery internship. We were pleased to be able to land there in
- [March Showers...](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/march-showers/) - I've got a mason jar of filtered rain water here, and I offer a toast: Here's to abundant rainfall, little green seedlings, and being the change. Cheers!
- [The Sweet End of Winter, 3/4/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-sweet-end-of-winter/) - Ted Sterling introduced drinking sap in its raw form to me just a few days ago, and its subtly sweet nature has me craving to share the experience with others.
- [Making Sustainability a Reality - Slideshow by Tony](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/making-sustainability-a-reality-slideshow-by-tony/) - Dancing Rabbit member Tony Sirna gives a presentation in Berkley for a co-op there.
- [Through the Looking Glass, 2/19/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/through-the-looking-glass-21913/) - Sheriff Wynn suddenly dropped in for a quick visit during his patrol. It helped me recall that we have neighbors who are reaching out towards us too.
- [Something for Everyone, 1/4/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/something-for-everyone-1413/) - Once again I begin with the weather. I can’t help it, it’s been so bizarre. Upper 50s (Fahrenheit) one day, barely into double digits the next. Forecast calls for sun, then it’s cloudy. Calls for snow, it’s sunny. I give up, Weather, you win! I have no idea what to wear or when to plan
- [Retreat, etc., 1/29/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/retreat-etc-12913/) - Cheesemaking seems to require lots of wait time peppered with a handful of brief work episodes to culture the milk, curdle it, cut the curd, mill and salt it, and press the cheese, so overall it lends itself to hanging out and catching up with a good friend you haven't seen in a while.
- [First Leaf of Spring, 1/23/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/first-leaf-of-spring/) - That decision is timed to coincide with the availability of the applications for this year's wexing positions. You can now access this year's application and view the opportunities that are available here: www.dancingrabbit.org/visit-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/work-exchange/. There's quite a variety this year.
- [Mud - Weekly Update 1/14/13](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/mud-weekly-update-114/) - Though completely dry myself, I looked back at the trailer and discovered it was being sprayed with volleys of frothy mud I can only describe as "barley stew frappe".
- [Potpourmanteau](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/potpourmanteau/) - Who needs TV when you have potholders?
- [All Snug in Their Beds, 12/31/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/all-snug-in-their-beds-123112/) - As we hit the first days of 2013, I'm full of memories from another year jam-packed with construction, friends new and old, meetings, events, celebrations, and so much more. How do we fit it all in? It takes a village. I certainly couldn't manage this much fun and fullness on my own, without a collection of friends to carry some of the load.
- [Living Sustainably at DR-In Detail: Sustainable Building](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/living-sustainably-at-dr-in-detail-sustainable-building/) - You may wonder what it's like to live at DR, and in what ways we are living differently from the rest of America. This series of posts is intended to let you in on some of the practices and technologies we use here to reduce our impact on the planet. This is my personal story,
- [Darkness and Light, Dancing Rabbit Update 12/24/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/darkness-and-light-dancing-rabbit-update-122412/) - I, for one, am feeling more relaxed about my ability to support my family and do other things, like bathe, read, and write this column.
- [Momentum Keeps the Mud From Sticking, 12/17/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/momentum-keeps-the-mud-from-sticking-121712/) - The yet unnamed earth-bagged bunker on Crooked Root is starting to look more and more like the little model Kyle showed me earlier this year, and Sharon and Dennis' floor has grown about a foot deep with gravel, brick and urbanite.
- [How the Milkweeds Got Their Name, 12/11/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-the-milkweeds-got-their-name-dancing-rabbit-update-121112/) - Go down to Thistledown, turn left, and across from the Magic School Bus you'll find The Hermitage
- [Stuff and Nonsense, 12/3/2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/stuff-and-nonesense-1232012/) - Phew! What a week! Tereza here with all the Dancing Rabbit happenings... Well, maybe not so many, actually, because I spent the entire week utterly absorbed in moving from Bluestem (and sorting and packing and cleaning to get it ready for the person who is renting it this winter) to my new place, so I'm
- [Gratitude, 11/26/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/gratitude-112612/) - We can try reducing each of those things individually or in batches, to a bare minimum, experiencing a winter burning as little wood as possible in a one room apartment, for example. Or in a small yurt.
- [A Morning Romp, November 12, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-morning-romp-november-12-2012/) - November is here, and this will be my first winter at Dancing Rabbit to experience the transition from outside to inside, from warm to cold, from salad to turnip.
- [Dancing Rabbit Correspondence November 5, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-correspondence-november-5-2012/) - Hi all. This is Alline writing for Dancing Rabbit. There is a group of six or so writers who take turns with this column; each person brings his/her own focus and point of view to light. This week it's my turn. I'm sitting here at my desk – the rain is thrumming on the roof
- [DR Out and About](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dr-out-and-about/) - Education is central to Dancing Rabbit's mission and we are always working to inspire people towards sustainable living and give them the information and tools to really do it. In the next few weeks some rabbits will be giving public presentations while they are out and about. Please come join us if we are in
- [Keeping Warm, 10/29/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/keeping-warm-102912/) - Ted here at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage on day three of our first run of solidly freezing nights. After intermittently wet days of shorts and sweaty outdoor work earlier in the week, the cold front blew in seemingly over the course of half an hour or so Thursday. We all went scrambling for more layers, and
- [Our Kind of Flush, 10/22/2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/our-kind-of-flush-10222012/) - We have a rotation of writers here at DR, taking turns to bring you this column each week. As a writer, it's a roll of the proverbial dice what will come up to report on during my week. This is the second time I've been blessed to have remarkable natural phenomena remind me what a
- [Ten Year Snapshot: A Visitor's Eye View of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/ten-year-snapshot-a-visitors-eye-view-of-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - Betsy Merbitz was an intern at Dancing Rabbit in 2002 and returned last weekend for our 15th Anniversary (aka Land Day) and Reunion. Betsy shares her impressions in this week’s column. Thanks, Betsy! In 2002 Dancing Rabbit was a small community with about fifteen permanent members and approximately five inhabitable homes on the land. I
- [Reunion Report and More, 10/9/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/reunion-report-and-more-10912/) - One of the many fascinating things I discovered at Dancing Rabbit's 15th Anniversary Party & Reunion this past weekend is that some of our readers (not naming names, but one of them rhymes with Moby) don't always appreciate the many references to the weather in our weekly column. Who knew? Tereza here, hereby warning you
- [Pillars of Earth, 10/1/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/pillars-of-earth-10112/) - Hello again from Ted here at Dancing Rabbit with this week's update. The cracks in the ground are still widening here in Scotland County. It feels a little like summer is draining out of the trees and fields. Though cooler weather makes it less noticeable to me, we are still living in a parched land.
- [Feeding Our Muse](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/feeding-our-muse/) - Earlier sunsets and frantic rabbits (both human and animal) seem inversely proportional as our daylight wanes, and deadlines hang in the cooling air like the last tomato signaling briefly before passing its prime and entering our stomachs to fuel this closure. We'll need the energy. Fall crops of lettuce, broccoli, and carrots are steadily scouring
- [Riding, and Dancing, into the Sunset 9/18/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/riding-and-dancing-into-the-sunset-91812/) - Howdy y’all. Ben here, bringing you some of the latest news from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, and I believe that I may finally declare that we are progressing toward fall. In fact, upon consulting my calendar, this week will be the autumnal equinox, and I have noticed an increasing difficulty in my ability to creep out
- [Dancing Rabbit Correspondence September 9, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/dancing-rabbit-correspondence-september-9-2012/) - The desk where I write is next to an upstairs window in our house. At various times I can hear kids laughing and playing (anything from basketball to squealing as they ride their bikes up and down Main Street), the muted conversation and gentle laughter of neighbors interacting, the wind through the leaves, barking dogs, and the blues band practicing across the road at La Casa. Today, however, is so gorgeous and breezy that I decided to leave my desk take a walk around the village to do some "live" reporting.
- [One Day in the Life of a Rabbit - September 4, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/one-day-in-the-life-of-a-rabbit-september-4-2012/) - There are a couple of great opportunities to visit us soon. One is an Open House this Saturday the 8th, which is open to all and is a chance for our neighbors to come out and see what we're doing out here. The village changes every year, so come see how much we've grown! The
- [Creative Progress](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/creative-progress/) - Hammers, chisels, and saws, oh my! Every time I step outside, the sound of a growing village greets me in the form of a nail rhythmically joining wood, or a hand-saw cutting through the umpteenth 2x4 of the day. Despite it being 98 degrees this week, the pressure of the end of this year's building
- [Annual DR Open House Coming Soon!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/annual-dr-open-house-coming-soon/) - Saturday September 8th is Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage's Annual Open House. A cross between a super-sized tour and a home-spun eco-expo, we guarantee something for everyone, and expect that we all will have fun, too!
- [Top 5 Reasons My Family Moved to an Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/top-5-reasons-my-family-moved-to-an-ecovillage-2/) - Picture this: Packing up the U-Haul. Saying good-bye to friends in Boulder, CO. Starting down 800 miles of highway and a few dirt roads. My two daughters sitting beside me on the bench seat. We’re heading to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Many people have asked me why I would change our lives so radically. Here I’ll
- [A Big Wind Blows - July 30, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-big-wind-blows-july-30-2012/) - A bit of a time warp: Here's the newsletter from July 30!
- [It's Dry, So Dry: July 24, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/its-dry-so-dry-july-24-2012/) - With high temperatures hanging around 100 again at the moment, and much of my life and work based outdoors, I am finding acceptance within me: discomfort is transitory. I can always take comfort from the trees that stay green around us, despite baking in the heat day after day with extended periods of no rain.
- [RSVP - Dancing Rabbit's 15th Anniversary and Reunion Ocober 5-7](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/rsvp-dancing-rabbits-15th-anniversary-and-reunion-ocober-5-7/) - If you have lived, worked, played or stayed at Dancing Rabbit before for any length of time, you are invited to our 15th Anniversary Land Day Celebration, October 5-7, 2012. Now is the time to RSVP at reunion.dancingrabbit.org and let us know if you will be joining us. We’ll be celebrating 15 years of Dancing
- [The Work Goes On - July 16, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/the-work-goes-on-july-16-2012/) - Hello folks! The daylight hours each day are getting fewer now, and rabbits all around the village are squeezing every minute of productivity and fun into what are still very long days.
- [Connection and Celebration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/connection-and-celebration/) - Our cooling pond has been a frequent meeting ground as we all attempt to dodge discomfort in this unrelenting heat wave. It's a reminder of the importance of everything that we are doing here, and how it is more pertinent than ever to adopt a life-style that is harmonious with the earth's rhythms rather than discordant with it.
- [Stronger and Wiser with Every Year - June 26, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/stronger-and-wiser-with-every-year/) - The deal is you wear a silly hat and get a free piece of amazing birthday cake. Most everyone from Dancing Rabbit, Red Earth Farms, and Sandhill rose to the challenge to out-funny everyone else's headgear.
- [Chasing Dreams, Tomatoes, and Skirts - June 11, 2012](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/chasing-dreams-and-skirts-june-11-2012/) - Part of our mission says that we want to grow to be the size of a small town, and which is usually spoken of as being 500-1000 people. (Our current population is approximately 70.) Population growth has been a hot topic off and on at DR. Folks discuss, how much, how fast, and in what ways we should grow. I think we all agree that if we grow too quickly we run the risk of losing our unique culture and possibly even experiencing the dreaded "mission drift." What we differ on is exactly how fast is too fast.
- [How Our Gardens Grow - 6/4/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/how-our-gardens-grow-6412/) - The garden is one of the most calming places for me at the moment. More so than in any previous year, and thanks to the energies of our work exchangers and DR visitors helping out, Ironweed garden is almost completely planted, and more weed-free and immaculately tended than ever.
- [Simply to Smell a Rose 5/22/12](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/simply-to-smell-a-rose-52212/) - Jordan here; coming at you live this week from Dancing Rabbit. I am always impressed by the ever-quickening progression of things 'round here. We haven't slowed down one bit this week; that’s for sure. Further "Crooked Route" construction took place, bent raising madness ensued once again, teams of ten at a time shuffled around large
- [Keeping livestock for a more sustainable food system](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/keeping-livestock-for-a-more-sustainable-food-system/) - Dancing Rabbit recently took 19 acres of our land out of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a government program that pays us to maintain potential agricultural land as wildlife habitat. Though this program has helped us pay the mortgage on our land, most of the land we could potentially use for ag projects has been
- [A Bowl Full of Cherries](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/a-bowl-full-of-cherries/) - Greetings gentle readers, this is Cob reporting on the latest and greatest happenings from Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and our little houses on the prairie. For those of you outside of northeastern Missouri, the unseasonably warm spring has given way to cooler temperatures and welcome rain, rejuvenating all the weeds and grasses that seek to take
- [May Day! May Day! - May 7](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/may-day-may-day/) - Greetings! Tereza here, with all the doings at Dancing Rabbit, or at least all the doings I know about... Seems like it was a super busy week, so in an attempt to not forget anything important, I've decided to go backwards in time. Our first visitor session of the season ended Monday, but since three

## Pages

- [Homepage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/) - Dancing Rabbit is an ecovillage, sustainability demonstration project, and robust and growing intentional community in rural northeast Missouri.
- [Online Women's One Day Event](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/online-womens-one-day-event/) - Come along to reconnect with your inner wild woman during our Women's Retreat. Unleash your goddess within while reawakening your bond to nature and yourself.
- [Thanks for Registering! Women's Self Love Event](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-registering-wr-online-event/) - Thanks for Registering! We’ll see you at the Women’s Self-Love Event! Check your email for more information. DATE Saturday, March 21 Time Pacific: 12-3pmMountain: 1-4pmCentral: 2-5 pmEastern: 3-6pm If you have any questions please email us: hello@dancingrabbit.org
- [Tours](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/tours-and-open-house/) - Saturday ToursWe offer a tour of our village on the second Saturday of the month, May through October. The tour begins at 1:00 pm and generally lasts one and a half to two hours. We have a limit to our tour group size, so YOU NEED TO MAKE A RESERVATION for our regularly scheduled tours.
- [Contact Us](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/contact-dancing-rabbit/) - Contact Dancing Rabbit! What's your name? What's your e-mail address? Message I'm human, I swear. Send Message Postal MailDancing Rabbit Ecovillage Attn: General Correspondence 1 Dancing Rabbit Lane, Unit 1 Rutledge, MO 63563PhoneYou can call us at 660-883-5511 to leave a message, but we’ll respond much more quickly if you use the contact form above.
- [Sustainable Living Visitor Program](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visit/) - Do you want to discover the magic of living IN COMMUNITY? Request an application before programs fill up so you can join our community for a sustainable living immersion! Give Me the Application Now! Do you want to see if Dancing Rabbit is your next home? Do you want to build skills and experience in
- [Women's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-retreat/) - Come along to reconnect with your inner wild woman during our Women's Retreat. Unleash your goddess within while reawakening your bond to nature and yourself.
- [Donate to Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/donate/) - Let's show the world how to live in a way the planet can sustain! | Make a donation today!
- [Agroforestry](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/agroforestry/) - Community Agroforestry Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and forest-crops like fruit, nuts and botanical products on working farms. Adoption of these practices can improve economic outcomes for farmers while improving ecosystem services for habitat, clean water, and soil health. In 2023, with support from CSCC and various donors, members of the Tri-Communities began a
- [Natural Building Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/natural-building-payment/) - This workshop fills quickly - pay now to secure your spot! Natural Building Workshops If you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. Natural Building Workshop:Adult: $597Child: $397Cob Oven Workshop:Adult: $497Child: $397The all-inclusive fee covers: instruction, materials, meals, camping platform (bring your own gear), showers, bathrooms, WiFi, and community building access. Indoor
- [People of Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/) - People of Dancing Rabbit Who are these mysterious Rabbits? Follow the links to find out more about some of the people who live or own homes here.(Tip for prospective visitors: these bios can give you an idea of the kind of info we might like to know about you…)You can also see bios of our
- [Bio - Tails](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/bio-tails/) - Tails: I grew up near Detroit, both thriving and surviving 12 years of Catholic School. Raised in a family of engineers, I defied expectations and studied anthropological archaeology in university. Go Blue! Growing up, I had a passion for culture, history, geography, and the natural world. My life and work took me to many interesting
- [Bio - Daniel](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/bio-daniel/) - Daniel: Growing up an hour west of Kansas City, I enjoyed exploring the creeks, woods, and prairies around our house, but I was curious about how other people lived and I wanted to go see the big wide world. In college at the University of Kansas, less than half an hour away from home, I
- [Bio - Itzel](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/bio-itzel/) - Itzel: Throughout my life, I have constantly sought close-knit community experiences: working on tall ships, joining a multicultural life-long sorority, convincing my friends to rent a big house together…like many other millennials, I often dreamed of buying a plot of land and starting a community. I attended a visitor program at Dancing Rabbit in 2019
- [Thank You for Registering: Women's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-registering-wr/) - Your Spot is Saved! Want to Book a Room? We’ll be in touch regarding more event details, but for now save the dates for the Women’s Retreat: May 22 – 25, 2026We look forward to witnessing your creativity, passion, and wisdom take flight during this gathering of unleashing the authentic YOU!Event organizers will be in touch
- [WR - Booked!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/wr-booked/) - Your call is booked! Submit a deposit? You’re on your way to securing some time away from it all- just for you!Want to get a head start and submit a deposit for this program? Submit a Deposit “I am just so grateful. I truly never expected such a powerful transformation, and I am forever changed
- [Women's Retreat Self-Love Package Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-retreat-self-love-package-payment/) - Days Hours Minutes Seconds The Post-Event Offer is Now Over...But You Can Still Sign Up for the Women's Retreat That Will Awaken You to a New Level of Self-Love! The Live-Event-Only Offer is Now Over...But For a Limited Time You Can Still Get the Self-Love Special Bundle That Will Transform Your Life and Bring Self
- [Book Your Interview -- Natural Building](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/book-your-interview-natural-building/) - Great! You’re registered for a natural building workshop. Next steps: If you have more questions, you can schedule a short call with us to chat about the workshop: Book Your Call Now If you’re ready to complete your sign-up and save your spot, you can pay here: Pay Now “I particularly appreciated the broad exposure
- [Natural Building Workshop](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/workshops-and-events/natural-building/) - Natural Building & Cob Oven Workshops Curious how to transform clay, sand, and straw into a fully functional wood-fired oven? — Ready to get your hands dirty, learn by doing, and bring home the skills to build your own? Do you dream of building your own eco-home someday?—Are you excited about building with straw bales,
- [Visitor Application Form](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-application/) - Ready to transform your life and society for the better?Apply for the visitor program and turn someday into today!We require a separate application for each adult who would like to come to Dancing Rabbit. Not everyone who applies is selected. Please be descriptive enough in your answers for us to get a good sense of you,
- [Webinar series](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-series/) - Thanks for supporting your friendly neighborhood Ecovillage! Questions or comments about this content? E-mail us at web@dancingrabbit.org. Below are the webinars you ordered - don't forget about the documents with additional content also linked below! Webinar 1 - "Ecovillage Answers to the Climate Crisis: 10 Ways to Shift from Angst to Action" with Sharon Bagatell https://youtu.be/kemJuKdd240
- [Workshops and Events](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/workshops-and-events/) - Dancing Rabbit is an ecovillage, sustainability demonstration project, and robust and growing intentional community in rural northeast Missouri.
- [Ecovillage Adventure Weekend](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-weekend/) - Ecovillage Weekend Want to see what life is like at a rural ecovillage but don’t have time to dedicate a week or more to the visit?We’ve designed the Ecovillage Weekend for those who can’t leave their lives behind for more than a few days but are curious to gain first-hand experience in what it’s like
- [Women's Retreat Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-retreat-payment/) - What is transformation worth? Make it real; say yes to self-love and a whole new you! Price (1 Adult): $597May 22 – 25, 2026If you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. One moment while our payment processing system loads … If the payment form doesn’t show up in about 10 seconds,
- [Singing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/sing/) - Come join us in building community through song. All ages and talent levels welcome. lets we weave our voices together, laugh, play and learn.
- [Singing Rabbit Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/singing-rabbit-payment/) - Reserve your spot to sing, dance and laugh with us today! Singing RabbitAugust 28 – 31, 2026 (Tentative) Registration: Adult (ages 18 and up) Sliding Scale: $250 – $350Children (ages 6-17): $125Children 5 and Under: Free!Day Rate*:*You must specify in the special info field below which day(s) you will be attending for proper food count.Adult (ages
- [Thanks for Registering!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thanks-for-registering/) - Thanks for Registering! We look forward to seeing you at Singing Rabbit this year DATE August 28 – 31, 2026 (Tentative) Please arrive between 1:30-3:30pm on Friday, August, or 7-9am on Saturday. Indoor Accommodations on site have all been reserved for this event, so please bring your camping gear and be prepared to camp. If
- [Tiny House Visitor](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visit-th/) - Do you dream of living in a Tiny House? LobeliaLobelia is an 864 sq. ft. two bedroom, straw bale, passive solar with kitchen, common spaces, and composting toilet. One of the larger tiny houses available, it is the perfect size for a family. It comes with gardens, solar panels, cistern, shed, and root cellar space.
- [Thank You for Registering: Natural Building](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-registering-nb/) - Your Spot is Saved! Want to Book a Room? You are now registered to attend a Dancing RabbitCob Oven WorkshopWe look forward to sharing and showing you how to take the next steps toward your own natural building dream projects! We’ll be in touch with you about more information related to this event.Are you so excited
- [NB - Booked!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/nb-booked/) - Cob Oven Workshop Call Booked! Now that you’ve booked a call, if you want to get a head start and submit a deposit for this program (fully refundable if your application is not approved), and preview accommodations options, click here. “It was tremendously helpful. Reading books is one thing, but getting hands-on was incredible. It
- [Permaculture Design Course](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/pdc/) - Want to learn how to do you part to leave your planet in better condition than when you arrived?Tired of feeling cynical about the future of our world?Ready to dig deep, work hard, and gain the knowledge and skills that you need to really make a difference? Save your spot now in the 2025 Permaculture
- [Ecovillage Adventure Weekend Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-weekend-payment/) - Reserve Your Spot in the Ecovillage Weekend! Earth Day Sale Price: $317 ~Register in April for Savings of $80!~ Registration:Adult (18 and up): $297Children (0-17): $75/childIf you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. One moment while our payment processing system loads … If the payment form doesn’t show up in about 10
- [Book Your Interview -- Ecovillage Adventure Weekend](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/book-your-interview-ecovillage-adventure-weekend/) - Great! You’re registered for an Ecovillage Weekend. If you’re ready to complete your sign-up, you can pay here: Pay Now Next steps: If you have more questions, you can schedule a short call with us to chat about the workshop: Book Your Call Now …it is one thing to try to explain this experience and
- [Thank You for Registering: Ecovillage Adventure Weekend](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-registering-eew/) - Your Spot is Saved! Want to Book a Room? You are now registered to attend anEcovillage Weekend at Dancing Rabbit We look forward to sharing our form of “Rabbit Activism” and the sustainable ways that we live and learn in community with you! We’ll be in touch with you leading up to the program with
- [Ecovillage Adventure Weekend Registration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-weekend-registration/) - Register for the Ecovillage Weekend below! *note: We no longer require any particular vaccination status in order to attend a program at Dancing Rabbit. “I had no idea this was going to be a life changing experience. [It was] so much more than buildings and gardens. The word community has a whole new meaning to
- [Follow DR](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/follow-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - Follow us online! Interested in sustainable living and community life at Dancing Rabbit, and want to learn more about what we’re up to? Dancing Rabbit offers lots of ways for you to keep up with what we’re doing! Join the worldwide community of people who share your interests and: Join us on Patreon where you
- [Work Exchange](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/work-exchange/) - Work exchange and internship opportunities at Dancing Rabbit Are you ready to immerse yourself in a radically different lifestyle, rooted in connection to the Earth and community within a well-established ecovillage, while actively contributing to various projects aimed at building a regenerative, resilient, and cooperative culture? If so, then you’re in luck! We are actively
- [Queer Collective Work Exchange](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/queer-collective-work-exchange/) - What is the Queer Collective’s goal at Dancing Rabbit? We are a coalition of queer people who secure refuge, safety, resilience, and autonomy for ourselves and our peers across lines of intersectionality. We aim to do this by having fun together, building housing, and sharing resources where we can!Apply to join us hereWe are working
- [Milkweed Mercantile](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/milkweed-mercantile/) - Book a Stay! About Us Our Guest Rooms Food Special Offers Visiting Dancing Rabbit Directions About Us Welcome to the Milkweed Mercantile!Our little inn was built by Alline and Kurt, two of the very earliest members of Dancing Rabbit. After setting up their own home, they began work on the Milkweed Mercantile as a way
- [Ecovillage Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/) - Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is a vibrant community with people of diverse backgrounds who have come together to live in community and be friendly to the planet. Get some facts about how we live by clicking below:Our landEconomyCost of LivingPeople of Dancing RabbitCutting our carbon footprintHow to become a resident or member of Dancing Rabbit EcovillageFollow
- [Program Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/program-payment/) - This workshop fills quickly - sign up now to secure your spot! Permaculture Design Certification Course Deposit: $350Cost: $1,795.00All meals and instruction covered for 8 days. You’ll have a chance to book accommodations separately after paying for the course. If you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. One moment while
- [Visitor Followup Information](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-followup-information/) - We just have a few follow up questions for you: Name Emergency Contact (Name and Phone): What ALMOST kept you from paying and signing up for a Visitor Program? Rate your Interest in Dancing Rabbit: Serious = Serious interest in membership (i.e. Plan on moving to a community, and DR is first choice) Moderate =
- [Visitor Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-payment/) - Visitor Program Payment We’re looking forward to your visit! Now is your chance to ensure your spot by submitting payment. Please submit the amount designated by our programs staff, and the additional pickup/dropoff fee if necessary. If you do not know what amount you are supposed to pay, please follow up by e-mailing hello@dancingrabbit.org Airport
- [Dancing Rabbit Board of Directors](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/dancing-rabbit-inc-nonprofit/board-bios/) - The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture: Board of Directors The board of directors for the Center for Sustainable & Cooperative Culture (501c3) and Dancing Rabbit Land Trust (501c2) oversees financial development and strategic planning for our non-profit in conjunction with the Dancing Rabbit membership. Daniel Pugh Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, Rutledge, MODaniel grew up in
- [Bio - Kurt](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/kurt/) - Kurt: Having been born in 1951, I guess I could be called one of the old codgers of Dancing Rabbit. I was raised in Kansas City, Missouri so our move here in 1999 wasn’t the huge geographical change that my wife, Alline Anderson, experienced. It’s interesting to look back and see how all the events
- [Dancing Rabbit's Vision](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/vision/) - Dancing Rabbit's Vision Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is a collection of passionate people experimenting our way toward an ambitious mission and vision of ecologically sustainable living. We are balancing economic and social sustainability in the context of our ecological commitments. As a small intentional community intent on growing to be a village of several hundred, we
- [How to Become a Resident / Member](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/residency-membership/) - How to Become a Resident / Member Dancing Rabbit isn’t just a place, it’s a lifestyle. Moving here is also a multistep process. Get to know us and let us get to know you. We recommend that folks who are interested in moving here come visit DR via our Visitor Program. These programs are
- [The March Hare: Dancing Rabbit's Weekly Blog](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/marchhare/) - The March Hare began as Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage's long-running quarterly print newsletter, and is now our online blog.
- [CSCC Staff](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/dancing-rabbit-inc-nonprofit/dancing-rabbit-inc-staff/) - StaffThe Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture (formerly Dancing Rabbit, Inc.) at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manages our outreach, research and educational initiatives. Get to know a little about our key staff members, below! Emeshe AmadeCo-Executive Director, Center for Sustainable and Cooperative CultureEmeshe first came to Dancing Rabbit as a work
- [Registration - Natural Building Workshop](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/natural-building-registration/) - Sign up now!
- [PDC Registration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/permaculture-registration/) - Register now for the 2025 course! *note: We no longer require any particular vaccination status in order to attend a program at Dancing Rabbit. “I got my Permaculture Design Certificate at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage… and I really can’t imagine a better place to take this course…yes, a new world is possible. I don’t even need
- [Visitor Program Application Abandonment? Check out this instead...](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-program-application-abandonment-check-out-this-instead/) - Sorry to see you're giving up on visiting!Perhaps another one of our workshops might be of interest to you? Didn't mean to exit out? Return to the visitor program application here
- [Founder's Retreat Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/founders-retreat-payment/) - Reserve your spot in the Founder's Retreat Registration:Adult (18 and up): $697 (15% for each additional member of the group)Children (0-17): $150If you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. One moment while our payment processing system loads… If the payment form doesn’t show up in about 10 seconds, please refresh the
- [Book Your Interview](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/book-your-interview/) - Next Step (required): schedule a qualification interview to see if you can snag a spot in one of our upcoming visitor programs. The final step in the visitor application process is a brief phone interview with one of us. We’ll ask a couple questions to get to know you a bit better and explore anything
- [Thank You for Registering: Founder's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-registering-founders-retreat/) - Your Spot is Saved! You are now registered to attendDancing Rabbit’s Founder’s Retreat
- [Founder's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/founders-retreat/) - Founder's Retreat April 6 - 13, 2025 Whether you’re tossing around the idea of forming a new community, have already purchased land with a plan, or are struggling with new or legacy issues in an existing community, take a seat at our table!Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage was formed as a demonstration project for exploring issues of
- [Homepage -- DEPRECATED](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/homepage/) - Communal Living | Sustainable Living | Community Living
- [Women's Retreat Registration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-retreat-registration/) - Awaken Your Sacred Feminine Essence – register for the next Women’s Retreat below: FYI: You’ll get an opportunity to schedule a fit call with us after you submit this form (to make sure this program matches your hopes, dreams & desires). If there was one thing you could get out of this retreat that would
- [Book Your Interview -- Women's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/book-for-womens-retreat/) - Next Step (required!): schedule a short call with us to finalize your registration and chat about what to expect in this retreat! Book Your Call Now This was an amazing and connecting experience for me. I laughed, I cried, I breathed, I danced and I found a profound sense of belonging in a few short
- [Singing Rabbit Registration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/singing-rabbit-registration/) - Help us weave song and community together. Sign up below! “Singing together in a group is like breathing together. In the moments when we synchronize and become one harmonious organism, we create something infinitely bigger than ourselves.”-Liat BatshiraCommunity Song Leader Refund Policy: Cancellations more than 30 days before the workshop or program begins: 100% refund
- [Women's Retreat Alumni Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-retreat-alumni-payment/) - Reignite the magic - come back for the next women's retreat! Special Alumni Price (1 Adult): $497If you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. One moment while our payment processing system loads … If the payment form doesn’t show up in about 10 seconds, please refresh the page. Refund Policy: Cancellations
- [Overview](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/about-us-overview/) - About Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage At Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (DR), we understand how difficult it can be to live sustainably and responsibly within modern US culture. We believe that we can work to build a healthy alternative: a social structure that is both non-exploitative and vibrant. As our village grows, we see this ideal take shape
- [Book Your Interview -- Permaculture Design Course](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/book-interview-pdc/) - Questions? Schedule a call today, or, pay now to secure your spot! Book Your Call Now Pay Now I realize now permaculture is a mindset and a way of living; more than just a design process. Coming here, I knew this would probably be a life changing experience, and I had no clue what to
- [Tour and Student Group Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/tour-and-student-group-payment/) - Thank you for bringing your group to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.We’re excited to show you the sustainable society we’ve been building for the past 27 years!
- [Short Term Visitor Payments](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/short-term-visitor-payments/) - Thank you for your interest in coming to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.We’re excited to show you the sustainable community we’ve been building for the past 27 years!You can pay for your visit here once our Correspondent has found you a host.One moment while our payment processing system loads …Back to top
- [Open House](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/oh/) - Saturday, 2026 Date TBA10:00am – 3:00pm Join us for our Annual Open House! Tours start every half-hour from 10:00am thru 3:00pm, on a $0 to $50 sliding-scale donation basis, with a suggested rate of $10/adult. Lunch and refreshments will be available for purchase. Kids are welcome, but please leave your pets at home.Dancing Rabbit was
- [Thank You for Registering: PDC](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-registering-pdc/) - Your Spot is Saved! Want to Book a Room? You are now registered to attend aPermaculture Design Course at Dancing Rabbit We look forward to bringing you in to the sustainable habitat revolution and making you EVEN MORE a part of the solution! Event organizers will be in touch with you about other information related
- [Work Exchange -- Duplicate LIVE 02/06](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/work-exchange-duplicate-live-02-06/) - Work exchange and internship opportunities at Dancing Rabbit Are you ready to immerse yourself in a radically different lifestyle, rooted in connection to the Earth and community within a well-established ecovillage, while actively contributing to various projects aimed at building a regenerative, resilient, and radical culture? If so, then you’re in luck! We are actively
- [Online Women's Retreat: Thank You for Registering](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-registering-wo/) - Thank you for your payment! You are now registered to attend the Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage Women’s Online Retreat We look forward to journeying through the wilderness of womanhood with you! Dates/Time of event: TBD Our event team will be in touch with you with more information leading up to this event.
- [Permaculture Design Course - Booked!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/pdc-booked/) - Permaculture Design Course Call Booked! You booked a call – yay! If you want to get a head start and submit a deposit for this program (fully refundable if your application is not approved) and preview accommodations options, click here. “I expected a university class. I got a humanizing, spiritual, and engaging experience. Much more
- [Viz - Booked!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/viz-booked/) - Visitor Program Call Booked! You booked a call – yay! If you want to get a head start and submit a deposit for this program (fully refundable if your application is not approved), and look at accommodations options, click here. There is something for everyone in terms of interests, sleeping styles, activities, food, etc. People are
- [Visitor Program Info Session](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-program-info-session/) - You’re registered! You will receive an email with the information for the upcoming Zoom session where we discuss how our most recent visitors felt about their time at Dancing Rabbit and what their lives look like after their program ended. Be sure to bring your questions, curiosity, and a nice cup of tea for this
- [Visitor Program Info Session - Sign Up!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-program-info-session-sign-up/) - Register now for a chance to talk to past visitors about their experiences at Dancing Rabbit! Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023Time: 4:00pm CST
- [My World Too - Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/my-world-too-dancing-rabbit/) - My World Too: Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage I Want To Visit!
- [Program Full - Thank You](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/program-full-thank-you/) - Darn! This program is already full. But we want you to visit – sign up earlier next time!We’ll let you know when we set dates for the next workshop.Want to check out other ways to come to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage? Here are programs and workshops still available: Sustainable Living Visitor Program For over 20 years, Dancing
- [2023 Speaking Tour](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/speaking-tour/) - On her speaking tour, Prairie will be sharing about life lessons learned from growing up in an ecovillage, how to up your sustainability game, and other topics.
- [Getting Here](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/directions/) - Getting to Dancing Rabbit Ride Sharing If you are not using a personal vehicle to get to our community, please make arrangements to get yourself to Kirksville, MO using one of the methods outlined below. We will arrange for a vehicle to pick you up and take you back at the appropriate times. The total
- [Dancing Rabbit's Stance on Abuse](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/stance-on-abuse/) - Trigger arning: Sexual Abuse | Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage takes a strong stance in support of healthy boundaries, consent, and transparency.
- [Subscribe To Our Newsletter](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/)
- [Online Women's  Retreat Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-online-retreat-payment/) - Our programs fill quickly - sign up now to secure your spot. Women’s Online Retreat Price: $197If you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. One moment while our payment processing system loads … If the payment form doesn’t show up in about 10 seconds, please refresh the page. Refund Policy: Should
- [Mercantile Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/mercantile-payment/)
- [Wexer Donation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/wexer-donation/)
- [Intern Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/intern-payment/)
- [Thank You](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you/) - We’ll be in touch, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
- [Village Market](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/village-market/) - Village Market Our Small Business Owners Serving Rutledge, MO, the greater Scotland County area, and folks online Rabbit FeathersHi, I’m Mae, and I moved to Dancing Rabbit with my family in 2012. I love animals and have built a life around taking care of them as sustainably and ethically as possible. I also love reading,
- [Women's Retreat Registration -- Test](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-retreat-registration-test/) - Register for Awakening Your Sacred Feminine Essence Women’s Retreat below: *note: We no longer require any particular vaccination status in order to attend a program at Dancing Rabbit. If there was one thing you could get out of this retreat that would make it feel 100% worthwhile, what would that be? What areas of your
- [Thank You for Submitting Your Application!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-prepayment/) - Reserve Your Spot in the Visitor Program If you are excited and want to take the next step now, you don’t have to wait to save your spot in a visitor program! Even while your application is in review by our team, you can pay now to hold your spot in case you are accepted.
- [Thank you for submitting a visitor program application!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-applying/) - Woohoo! You're two steps away from visiting Dancing Rabbit! If we think you might be a good enough match for a visitor program, we'll send you a text message in the next 48 hours to schedule a follow up phone interview. If the phone number you submitted doesn't receive text messages please email us right
- [Open House Tickets](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/oh/open-house-tickets/)
- [Online Women's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-online-retreat/) - Come along to reconnect with your inner wild woman during our Women's Retreat. Unleash your goddess within while reawakening your bond to nature and yourself.
- [About Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/) - Learn more about Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! Overview Official Land Acknowledgement Statement History Dancing Rabbit’s Vision People of Dancing Rabbit Frequently Asked Questions Contact Us
- [Our Nonprofit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/dancing-rabbit-inc-nonprofit/) - As our society faces ecological crisis, there is a critical need for practical, tangible examples of sustainable systems to serve as a model and inspiration for change. Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is just such an example. The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture (CSCC) is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that spreads the word about the Ecovillage’s
- [Bio - Ted](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/ted/) - Ted's Bio Conservation and love of the green, natural world is the earliest joy I can recall. My father loved mammals and birds and all natural history, and from both parents I got a conservationist value for trees and preservation. Forest floors and trees just felt good, made me happy. In high school and college
- [Economy](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/economy/) - Economy at Dancing Rabbit Creating and growing a village takes a lot of work! We couldn't do it without significant volunteer effort from members, visitors and many others. Dancing Rabbit runs on a unique blend of volunteerism, mutual support, keeping costs low, and providing ample opportunity to defray basic living expenses. Part of Dancing Rabbit's
- [Dancing Rabbit Membership Agreement](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/membership-agreement/) - Dancing Rabbit Membership Agreement One must agree to the following terms in order to become a member of Dancing Rabbit. Members and residents also agree to the covenants of the Dancing Rabbit Land Trust when they move here. As a member of Dancing Rabbit, Inc.: I agree to help Dancing Rabbit achieve its stated goals
- [Thank You for Subscribing](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-subscribing/) - Thank You for SubscribingYou are now part of Dancing Rabbit’s extended community and will be one of the first to hear updates from us.In the meantime, you can read past blog posts here, and join our Patreon community here. Glad to have you with us, participating however you can in the sustainable living movement that
- [Social Change](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/) - Social Change Perhaps many would agree that the mainstream culture could use some improvements. Some might see it needing just a little spring cleaning while others might see serious problems at the core. At DR you’re more likely to find the latter: people who see the need for fundamental changes in our culture, especially in
- [Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/faq/) - Dancing Rabbit FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) in approximate order of how frequently asked Q: Are you a cult? A: No. People tend to be concerned about four main things when they think about cults: being forced to believe in something (brainwashing), having to unquestioningly follow a leader, being coerced into staying in a situation that
- [Application Process Complete!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/vizqthanks/) - Thank you for taking the time to apply for a visitor program! We'll be in touch soon to send you more information.
- [Foundations](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/green-building/foundations/) - Considering Alternatives To Traditional Cement Foundations In any building project you need to start from the ground up. Foundations need to provide a couple key functions. One is to support the weight of the building so that it does not sink and sag unevenly. A second is to get the walls off the ground and
- [Cutting Our Carbon Footprint](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/cutting-our-carbon-footprint/) - Cutting Our Carbon Footprint How Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage’s footprint compares to America’s footprint At Dancing Rabbit we’ve designed our village entirely around principles of sustainability, and tried to create a culture that makes ecological living the norm rather than the exception. But how are we doing at reducing our carbon footprint, one of the key
- [Ecological Covenants](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/ecological-covenants/) - Ecological Covenants Here are the ecological covenants people who live at Dancing Rabbit agree to adhere to, as part of our endeavor to pass on a healthy planet to future generations: 1. Dancing Rabbit members will not use personal motorized vehicles, or store them on Dancing Rabbit property. 2. At Dancing Rabbit, fossil fuels
- [Building](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/) - Buildings at Dancing Rabbit At Dancing Rabbit we have covenants and sustainability guidelines that affect the design and construction of homes and other structures on our land. Buildings are made with straw, reclaimed wood, other reclaimed materials, cob (sand, straw and native clay, sometimes with a pinch of manure), and other materials. You'll find a
- [Rainwater Catchment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/water/rainwater-catchment/) - Water Catchment at Dancing Rabbit We are blessed here in northeast Missouri with generally abundant rainfall and other precipitation to meet our needs year-round. It arrives generally from the interior West, which has minimal industry and so leaves the rain nice and clean. In the midst of hundreds of surrounding miles of almost continuous conventional
- [How to Build a Rainwater Catchment Cistern](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/how-to-build-a-rainwater-catchment-cistern/) - How to Build a Rainwater Catchment Cistern More on how we get, use, and treat water at Dancing Rabbit. Environmental Concerns Although it may go without saying, at Dancing Rabbit we're always looking for ways to be more sustainable and self sufficient. One of the ways we've determined we can do this is by developing
- [Dancing Rabbit Land Trust](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/our-land/dancing-rabbit-land-trust/) - Dancing Rabbit Land Trust Dancing Rabbit's ownership is based on the Community Land Trust model. The land is owned by a 501(c)2 non-profit that is partnered with our 501(c)3 non-profit. Our non-profits have a board of directors made up of members and non-members who steward the land and finances of the organizations while leaving the
- [Our Land](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/our-land/) - Our Land Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is located on 280 acres of beautiful Missouri rolling hills, purchased by our land trust in 1997. Our land includes six ponds and a small creek that runs much of the year. We have 40 acres in woodland plus 30 acres where we have planted over 12,000 trees as part
- [Nearby Communities](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/our-land/local-intentional-communities/) - Intentional Communities in Northeast Missouri Northeast Missouri (aka NEMO) is home to numerous intentional communities with diverse structures. We have strong connections between the communities including a weekly potluck dinner alternately hosted at Dancing Rabbit and Sandhill. Having many communities to visit and choose from is a great boon to visitors and community seekers, so
- [What can I do to make a difference](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/what-can-i-do/) - What Can I Do to Make a Difference? We have been getting lots of "what can I do where I live" type questions. So after conducting a straw poll of the the Rabbits, here is a list of what we suggest that you can do to help the environment (short of moving to Dancing Rabbit).
- [Green Building](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/green-building/) - Green Building When we talk about Green Building as opposed to Natural Building, we mean specifically building that results in an efficient finished product--so the building uses less resources over its lifetime--and makes wise use of construction resources by favoring locally available and reclaimed materials. There's a lot of overlap between Natural Building and Green
- [Natural Building Materials, Techniques & Technologies at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/) - Natural Building What is Natural Building?Natural Building includes a variety of building techniques that focus on creating sustainable buildings which minimize their negative ecological impact. Natural Buildings often rely on non-industrial, minimally processed, locally available, and renewable materials and can also utilize recycled or salvaged materials.Natural Building ideally incorporates sustainable design practices to integrate the
- [Pond View](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/pond-view/) - Pond View Penn and his then-partner Andra started building a cabin in September of 2002. It is now the home of Sparky. It's a load-bearing strawbale structure built on top of an insulated gravel-trench-and-earthbag foundation. (No concrete!) The interior living space is 10 feet by 13 feet, with a 6 foot by 10 foot sleeping
- [Larkspur](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/larkspur/) - Larkspur Built in 2006/2007, Larkspur is a stick-framed, light-clay straw home. It is two story and 400 square feet. The exterior is old barn siding and the interior is earthen plaster. As of 2022, it had an additional 2" of solid-core pink foam added under the exterior siding. For more on Larkspur see this ten
- [The Timberframe](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/the-timberframe/) - The Timberframe Next door to Allium is the Timberframe, which was also started in the summer of 1998. The Timberframe was designed and built by Aaron Corbin, one of the founding members. It is a post and beam strawbale building, and the posts and beams are joined in the traditional mortise and tenon style. The
- [Gobcobatron](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/gobcobatron/) - Gobcobatron: Small, Cozy Cob House Gobcobatron is a small cob house built by Ziggy in 2008-2009. It's a small, one room home, roughly 200 square foot space in the shape of a snail. Featuring a reciprocal roof with wild grasses, earthen plasters, a terracotta tile floor, a recycled urbanite foundation, and a tiny mud room,
- [Eco-Living](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/) - Eco-Living At Dancing Rabbit we are a community of people dedicated to demonstrating a certain kind of lifestyle. Call it “eco”, “eco-groovy”, “green”, “sustainable”, “mindful”, “small footprint”, or any of a number of other buzz words, the effect on our lives is the same: We each make it a point to live in a way
- [Straw Bale Houses: Load Bearing, Timber Framed & More](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/straw-bale-house-construction/types-of-straw-bale-house-construction/) - Straw Bale Houses At Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage By Alline Anderson The following article was published in The Last Straw, a publication focused on straw bale houses. Some jargon is used, so feel free to contact us if you need further explanation! Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage makes its home in the gently rolling hills of Northeastern Missouri.
- [Straw Bale House Construction](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/straw-bale-house-construction/) - Straw Bale House Construction Why build a straw bale house? Straw bales are a highly insulative, low-embodied-energy, natural building material made from an agricultural waste product. For many, they are locally available and affordable. Straw is easy to work with for people new to construction as they are flexible and can be very forgiving. Straw
- [Carbon Diet](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/cutting-our-carbon-footprint/carbon-diet/) - Just like going on a diet, cutting your carbon emissions is not always easy, but it's not all about sacrifice.
- [Renewable Energy - Electricity at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/alternative-energy/renewable-energy/) - Renewable Electricity at Dancing Rabbit Homes at Dancing Rabbit range from being electricity free to having many of the conveniences of modern life -- electric lights, computers, Internet, hot and cold running water, refrigeration, washing machines, etc. How do so many homes at Dancing Rabbit use less than 14%* of the electricity the average American
- [Sustainable Home Heating](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/alternative-energy/sustainable-home-heating/) - Sustainable Home Heating Using less energy in your home starts with good passive solar design. By orienting buildings with windows to the south and appropriate shading homes can be heated by the sun in winter and kept cool and breezy in the summer. By providing for high levels of insulation and sufficient thermal mass, heat
- [Online Women's Retreat Registration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/womens-online-retreat-registration/) - Women's Online Retreat Registration Please fill out each field. If there was one thing you could get out of this retreat that would make it feel 100% worthwhile to you, what would that be? What areas of your life are working well and what areas could use improvement? Have you ever done anything similar to
- [How To Pour A Rammed Earth Floor/Adobe Floor](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/earthen-floor/) - How To Pour A Rammed Earth Floor/Adobe Floor by Tony Sirna At Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, we've found our earthen floor/adobe floor hybrid to be a cheap, easy to install, durable ecological flooring solution. Built with gravel, sand, clay, straw, and linseed oil, it is made of local natural materials except for a plastic moisture barrier
- [How Dancing Rabbit Operates](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/function/) - How Dancing Rabbit Operates Dancing Rabbit is a village, our land is owned by a land trust (DRLT) and the sustainability demonstration project in which everyone who lives here participates is run by the Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. DRLT and DR Inc. have a board of directors that meets occasionally
- [Governance](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/function/governance/) - Governance We make most of our community decisions using empowered committees and an elected Village Council (VC), with nominal oversight by the Board of Directors of the land trust, DRLT, and the nonprofit organization, CSCC (previously DR Inc.), Committees, the VC, and the Board use consensus to make decisions. Why consensus? Because we’ve found that
- [Communication and Resolving Conflict](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/communication-and-resolving-conflict/) - Communication and Resolving Conflict What Can Be Hard About Living in Community? For many of us, one of the hardest things about living in community is dealing with conflict. Unfortunately the mainstream culture doesn’t teach healthy conflict resolution skills, so it’s essential for us to learn them in order for our community to thrive. One
- [Media Coverage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/about-us-overview/media-coverage/) - Dancing Rabbit in the Media Here is some of the press we've gotten over the years: CNN.com "5 Great Spots for Dropping Off the Grid" -- April 2012 Zillow.com "4 People Who Are Doing It: Living Greener Off the Grid" --April 2012 Forbes.com "Homes Made from Wacky Materials" -- February 2012 Principia Magazine Cover Story
- [Class 2: Creating a Carbon-Efficient Kitchen with Sara Peters and Ted Sterling](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-2/) - Thanks for supporting your friendly neighborhood Ecovillage! Questions or comments about this content? E-mail us at webinars@dancingrabbit.org. Below is the webinar you ordered - don't forget about the documents with additional content also linked below! Webinar 2 - "Creating a Carbon-Efficient Kitchen" with Sara Peters & Ted Sterling https://youtu.be/Y5TT2t9JIRg This is a recording of a previously
- [Class 3: At Home with Carbon-Conscious Living with Dennis Hoffarth](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-3/) - Thanks for supporting your friendly neighborhood Ecovillage! Questions or comments about this content? E-mail us at webinars@dancingrabbit.org. Below is the webinar you ordered - don't forget about the documents with additional content also linked below! Webinar 3 - "At Home with Carbon-Conscious Living" with Dennis Hoffarth https://youtu.be/Hs-dfdwacaQ This is a recording of a previously live webinar.
- [Class 4: How to Create a Successful Co-op: Sharing Your Table, Tools, and Transportation with Cob Carleton](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-4/) - Thanks for supporting your friendly neighborhood Ecovillage! Questions or comments about this content? E-mail us at webinars@dancingrabbit.org. Below is the webinar you ordered - don't forget about the documents with additional content also linked below! Webinar 4 - "How to Create a Successful Co-op: Sharing Your Table, Tools, and Transportation" with Cob Carleton https://youtu.be/YguDz-IPh0c This is
- [Class 5: Building Skills for Cooperative Culture with Ma'ikwe Ludwig](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-5/) - Thanks for supporting your friendly neighborhood Ecovillage! Questions or comments about this content? E-mail us at webinars@dancingrabbit.org. Below is the webinar you ordered - don't forget about the documents with additional content also linked below! Webinar 5 - "Building Skills for Cooperative Culture" with Ma'ikwe Ludwig https://youtu.be/4O-VFsZgtWM This is a recording of a previously live webinar.
- [Webinar Series Payment - Enter code](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-series-payment-enter-code/) - Register and pay for your webinar series We're excited to have you view the webinars offered by the Center for Sustainability and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! You can make your payment via credit card or bank transfer below. Program fee (per 1 adult): Webinar Series: Webinars 1-5 plus a 6th
- [Dancing Rabbit Sustainability Guidelines](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/sustainability-guidelines/) - Dancing Rabbit Sustainability Guidelines This legal document is signed by all DR residents and describes what we mean when we say "sustainable." In theory, the simple statements below are sufficient to govern life at Dancing Rabbit. Since all residents agree to abide by the Guidelines, no other enforcement of ecologically acceptable behavior is necessary. In
- [Common House](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/green-building/common-house/) - The Common House For lots of reasons, Dancing Rabbit needed a building to serve a number of functions. The non-profit needs a place to carry on its business (meetings, answering email, outreach activities). Some people reside in simple homes and need basic facilities (toilets, telephone lines, indoor showers). We need a gathering place for the
- [Food Sources](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/food/food-sources/) - Food Sources Vegan or Vegetarian Diet? Many people ask if you have to be vegan or vegetarian to live at DR. The answer is no. While many folks here eat a vegetarian or vegan diet for ecological, ethical or other reasons, we do not mandate any diet. We are open to having sustainable animal agriculture
- [BlogThankYou](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/blogthankyou/) - Thank You for Subscribing You are now subscribed to Dancing Rabbit's blog and you should be receiving updates from us soon. Will you help Dancing Rabbit make a greener world? 25 years ago, a few dreamers set out to create a new kind of human settlement—one where people could bring their lives into balance with
- [Sustainable Transportation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/alternative-energy/sustainable-transportation/) - Dancing Rabbit's vehicle co-op is now the proud owner of a fully electric Nissan LEAF. It has a range of about 80 miles when its batteries are fully charged.
- [Cost of Living](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/economy/cost-of-living/) - The Cost of Living at Dancing Rabbit: How to Make Ends Meet VCC (Village Commons Co-op)All members and residents are part of the VCC. The VCC exists to bill village residents for services that benefit everyone generally and which are hard to split out by person: village governance, recycling costs, path maintenance, access to the
- [History](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/history/) - The very beginning, or: How and Where It All Began This history is now available on SOUNDCLOUND via an interview with Tony Sirna by Dan Antonioli at Laytonville Ecovillage. Have a listen or just read on! The year: 1993. The place: Synergy, a student co-op at Stanford University in California. The people: three students, inspired
- [Energy Use at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/alternative-energy/) - Energy Use at Dancing Rabbit The average American produces 5 times as much CO2 as the world average and easily 30-40% of that comes from energy used directly for things like transportation, home heating and cooling, and electricity. Any attempt to be sustainable must include a shift towards living within the ongoing flow of renewable
- [Dancing Rabbit Mission Statement](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/vision/mission-statement/) - Dancing Rabbit Mission Statement To create a society, the size of a small town or village, made up of individuals and communities of various sizes and social structures, which allows and encourages its members to live sustainably.*To encourage this sustainable society to grow to have the size and recognition necessary to have an influence on
- [Grain Bin Renovation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/green-building/grain-bin-renovation/) - Repurposing a Grain Bin into a Duplex – A Construction Photojournal by Don and Gare We are collaborating to convert a 3, 000 bushel grain bin into two one-room apartments. We chose to use the grain bin because it already has walls, a roof, and a concrete floor, and we only have three months before
- [Research](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/dancing-rabbit-inc-nonprofit/research/) - Research We say that we live sustainably, but what does that actually mean? If we don’t measure it and study it, how do we really know? If I live like a Rabbit, would it actually be better for the Earth? What would my carbon footprint be? At Dancing Rabbit, we don’t just want
- [Bio - Prairie](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/prairie/) - Prairie: Prairie moved to community with her family as a young teen and in 2020, at age 17, she made the decision to remain at Dancing Rabbit even after her family moved elsewhere. Coming of age in community has had a special influence on who she has become. Ecovillage life has supported her to mature,
- [Bio - Nathan](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/nathan/) - Nathan I'm Nathan Mackenzie Brown. I was born on June 14th, 1980 in San Antonio, Texas. I was born at home, breast fed until I was about 2 years old, and I grew up eating things like tofu, rice cakes and carob. These are somewhat common practices now, but in the early 80's in Texas,
- [Bio - Mae](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/mae/) - Mae: My name is Mae and I moved to Dancing Rabbit in spring of 2012 with my partner, Ben, and then 2 year old daughter Althea. Since then we have built a small strawbale home, a small farm, and an excellent subcommunity/kitchen co-op called the Critters. In February of 2016 I gave birth to our
- [Bio - John](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/john/) - John: I grew up on a farm in Schuyler County, Illinois, 100 miles due east of Rutledge, Missouri. One of seven children, I was the middle child, and had three brothers and three sisters. It was a small farm by today’s standards, but not a bad spread in the sixties. We raised lots of corn
- [Bio - Graham](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/graham/) - Graham: When you grow up white and middle class in the Bay Area, California, “community” tends to be a fairly abstract concept. I think I’ve gravitated to various forms of community throughout my life: Boy Scouts, my college fraternity, the short-lived but intense camaraderie of archaeological digs, and the transient community of traveling and volunteering
- [Bio - Danielle](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/dee/) - Danielle Danielle moved to Dancing Rabbit in 2012, and began working for the nonprofit here, the Center for Sustainable & Cooperative Culture, in 2013. She served as the general correspondent for a few years, and was hired in 2016 as the Executive Director for CSCC. She is delighted to serve her community and accelerate the
- [Bio - Dorothy](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/dorothy/) - Dorothy: I am writing this in March 2021, and I moved to Dancing Rabbit in October, 2016, at the age of 62. I first heard of Dancing Rabbit by clicking on a link in the Tiny House Blog while I was spending a long, lovely winter house- and cat-sitting for a friend in St. John’s,
- [Bio - Dan](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/dan/) - Dan D. Read more about Dan here!
- [Bio - Cob](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/cob/) - Cob: A refugee from suburbia with the attendant work commute, play-date scheduling for kids, and the challenges of finding compatible times to hang out with friends, I found respite in community at Dancing Rabbit over a decade ago…and have hardly ever looked back. I was looking to retire from a professional career in association management
- [Bio - Bob](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/bob/) - Bob: I was born in Houston in 1954. I grew up on the gulf coast of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. My father built petrochemical plants and we moved to where the projects were. So “home” was a series of rental houses in racist working class refinery towns in the deep, old South, which was a
- [Bio - Alline](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/member-bios/alline/) - Alline: My husband, Kurt Kessner, and I arrived from Berkeley at Dancing Rabbit on June 24, 1999, in the middle of a heat wave and just in time for the Women’s Building Workshop. We were greeted by a parade (Tony juggling, Cecil playing his trombone, and 18 interns cheering and banging on pots and pans)
- [Clay Plaster | Earth Plaster | Earthen Plaster | Natural Plaster](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/earthen-plaster/) - Clay Plaster How-Topictures by Travis ToonEarth plaster can be used as a finish layer on cob, straw bales, earthbags, and other natural building techniques. This document describes finish earth plaster on cob, but the process is the same on other materials. Variation in materials and technique is possible and often desirable to account for local
- [Annual Report](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/annual-report/) - The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative CultureAnnual Report
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/privacy-policy/) - PRIVACY POLICY Last updated June 22, 2020 Thank you for choosing to be part of our community at The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture, doing business as Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (“Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. If you have any
- [Dancing Rabbit Vehicle Co-op](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/dancing-rabbit-vehicle-co-op/) - Dancing Rabbit Vehicle Co-operative The Dancing Rabbit Vehicle Cooperative, DRVC, is the means of transportation for all Dancing Rabbit members and long-term residents. Dancing Rabbit members can have the flexibility and convenience of an automobile without having to own a private car. The DRVC, along with the few other carsharing groups operating in North America,
- [Consensus](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/function/consensus/) - Decision Making by Consensus We make most decisions at Dancing Rabbit using consensus. That means that the group works hard to take everyone’s concerns and excitements into account when we are making decisions; we work to listen well and be creative in finding solutions that everyone can (at the very least) live with. This doesn’t
- [Co-ops at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/co-ops/) - Co-ops at Dancing Rabbit We have quite a few co-ops here at DR. Co-ops help us meet our personal needs in a more efficient way because of the “economy of scale” we can achieve through co-operation and because sharing cuts down on the resources required to meet each person’s needs. Read below to find out
- [Green Caskets Part 1 V2](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/green-caskets-v2/) - Do you need rapid delivery of a casket within the USA? Do you want to save $1,000’s compared to traditional funeral costs? Do you want to return your loved one to the earth in a natural, hand-crafted, eco-friendly casket? Federal Law Requires Funeral Homes accept our caskets WITHOUT charging you extra fees! This cuts your
- [Green Caskets](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/green-caskets/) - Green Biodegradable Caskets Looking for the greenest casket option for your loved one’s burial? It’s challenging to go against what has become the funeral industry norm of unnecessary chemicals, extra waste, and showy expenses. Traditional caskets can include hundreds of pounds of metal, chemically treated wood, and synthetic fibers. All these artificial barriers are designed
- [Village Projects Work Exchange Position](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/wex-payment/)
- [Official Land Acknowledgement Statement](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/land-acknowledgement/) - Official Land Acknowledgement Statement Why Land Acknowledgement For non-Indigenous communities, land acknowledgment is a powerful way of showing respect and honoring the Indigenous peoples of the land on which we work and live. Land acknowledgment is a formal way to recognize the Indigenous peoples who were removed — often violently — from their land due
- [Reasons for not Visiting](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/reasons-for-not-visiting/) - Help Us Improve Our Programs We know the Visitor Program is not the right fit for everyone. It will help us to improve our programs if we know why you're not interested. Loading… "...I want to thank 'all of you all' for the most remarkable time of my life so
- [What's Keeping You from Applying for the Visitor Program?](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/whats-keeping-you-from-applying-for-the-visitor-program/) - Didn't mean to exit out? Click here to return to the visitor program application. Loading… "...I want to thank 'all of you all' for the most remarkable time of my life so far. I was awed, dazzled and worn out by the time I left. My head was floating with so many
- [Thank you for your donation!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-your-donation/) - Thank you for your donation!Your support helps inspire a movement toward more sustainable living. Let’s make the average American lifestyle something the planet can sustain! We would love to keep you in-the-know about how your donation is helping us grow; please sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook.Your transaction has been completed,
- [Green Casket Interest V2 Part 3 - TY Page](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/green-casket-interest-part-3-v2/) - Thank you. We’ll be in touch as soon as we have estimated your delivery date! (That is, if you provided your phone number on the previous form.)Don’t want to wait? If you know you want one of our caskets, click here to purchase and we’ll get it headed your way.
- [Class 1: Ecovillage Answers to the Climate Crisis: 10 Ways to Shift from Angst to Action](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-free/) - Thanks for supporting your friendly neighborhood Ecovillage! Questions or comments about this content? E-mail us at dancingrabbit@ic.org Below is the webinar you ordered - don't forget about the documents with additional content also linked below! Webinar 1 - "Ecovillage Answers to the Climate Crisis: 10 Ways to Shift from Angst to Action" with Sharon Bagatell https://youtu.be/kemJuKdd240
- [Green Casket Interest V2 Part 2 - Name & Number](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/green-caskets-part-2-v2/) - Receive a notification as soon as we know your delivery date First Name Last Name Phone Number Notify Me
- [Webinar Series Payment – Webinar 2](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-pay2/) - Register and pay for webinar 2 We're excited to have you view the webinars offered by the Center for Sustainability and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! You can make your payment via credit card or bank transfer below. Program fee (per 1 adult): Webinar Series: Webinar 2: $15 One moment
- [Webinar Series Payment - Webinar 5](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-pay5/) - Register and pay for webinar 5 We're excited to have you view the webinars offered by the Center for Sustainability and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! You can make your payment via credit card or bank transfer below. Program fee (per 1 adult): Webinar Series: Webinar 5: $15 One moment
- [Webinar Series Payment - Webinar 4](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-pay4/) - Register and pay for webinar 4 We're excited to have you view the webinars offered by the Center for Sustainability and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! You can make your payment via credit card or bank transfer below. Program fee (per 1 adult): Webinar Series: Webinar 4: $15 One moment
- [Webinar Series Payment - Webinar 3](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinar-pay3/) - Register and pay for webinar 3 We're excited to have you view the webinars offered by the Center for Sustainability and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! You can make your payment via credit card or bank transfer below. Program fee (per 1 adult): Webinar Series: Webinar 3: $15 One moment
- [Green Casket Interest V1 Part 2 - Name & Number](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/green-caskets-part-2-v1/) - Receive a notification as soon as we know your delivery date First Name Last Name Phone Send
- [Green Caskets - Thank You For Your Purchase](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/thank-you-for-your-purchase/) - Thank You For Your Purchase!We'll Be In Contact Soon About Your Order.
- [Visitor Program Video 2](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-program-video-2/) - Like what you see? Click HERE to apply for the visitor program!
- [Visitor Program Video 1](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-program-video-1/) - Like what you see? Click HERE to apply for the visitor program!
- [Visitor Program Video 3](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visitor-program-video-3/) - Like what you see? Click HERE to apply for the visitor program!
- [Green Casket Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/green-casket-payment/) - Get Your Pallet Wood Casket Basic: Premium: Looking for more customization? For simple customization requests like engraved name, symbols, etc. check the customization box in the form and we will get in touch with you.*Due to UPS shipping restrictions, we have to make caskets that are a certain size or smaller. Our standard casket will
- [Webinars](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/webinars/) - How to Live Like an Ecovillager: Low Carbon, High Quality Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage’s Online Education Series Concerned about climate change? Looking for ways to shrink your carbon footprint? Ready to shift your life and take action? Dancing Rabbit’s “Low Carbon, High Quality” Webinar series is for you! Click on the class titles below to view the
- [Vision Details](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/vision/vision-details/) - Vision Details Agriculture, technology, and sustainable economy Socio-governmental structure Outreach: working for change I. Agriculture, technology, and sustainable society Return to Table of Contents ---Next Our conception of sustainable living requires both lifestyle and technological choices quite different from those which have become typical for Americans. We cannot predict those choices exactly; what follows is
- [Sustainability Guideline Glossary](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/sustainability-guidelines/glossary/) - Anthropogenic - resulting from the influence of human beings on nature. Aquifers - layers of rock or soil able to hold or transmit much water. Biodiversity - diversity of all living organisms. Biofuel - any fuel made from nonfossil organic matter, such as vegetable oil or ethanol. Biogas - methane obtained from decomposing organic matter.
- [New Documentary about Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/living-paradise-visitor-pitch/) - Watch the trailer & then fill out your application if you want to claim a spot in an upcoming visitor program! Come experience a place where you can be all of who you are! Click here to finish filling out your application today to join in on a visitor program at Dancing Rabbit.
- [Documentary about Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/living-paradise-trailer-ofvp/) - Watch the trailer & then submit your deposit if you want to claim a spot in an upcoming visitor program! Come experience a place where you can be all of who you are! Click here to submit your deposit for an upcoming visitor program at Dancing Rabbit.
- [Culture](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/dr-culture/) - Dancing Rabbit Culture Every group, no matter its size, develops a culture based on the ideals, values, patterns and norms of the people who belong to it. At Dancing Rabbit we are trying to create a culture based on sustainability, cooperation, openness, and support. As most of us were raised in a culture that is
- [Terms and Conditions](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/terms-and-conditions/) - TERMS OF USE Last updated October 10, 2018 To see our Terms and Conditions for our online shop scroll down or click MERCHANDISE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AGREEMENT TO TERMS These Terms of Use constitute a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity (“you”) and The Center for Sustainable
- [Webinar Series Payment](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/web-series-payment/) - Register and pay for your webinar series We're excited to have you view the webinars offered by the Center for Sustainability and Cooperative Culture at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage! You can make your payment via credit card or bank transfer below. Program fee (per 1 adult): Webinar Series: Webinars 1-5 plus a 6th
- [Enjoy our free webinar!](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/enjoy-our-free-webinar/) - Thanks for your interest in our free webinar! Please give us your name and e-mail address, and click "Get your webinar!" First Name: Last Name: Email:
- [Resource Use - Average American vs Dancing Rabbit 2011](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/resource-use-average-american-vs-dancing-rabbit-2011/) - Resource Use - Average American vs Dancing Rabbit 2011 We are often asked how our resource use compares with that of the average American. Here are some figures to give you a sense of how we are doing. While this is a great step towards sustainability we feel we still have a long way to
- [Homeschooling](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/dr-culture/homeschooling/) - Homeschooling and Education Parents decide for themselves how they would like to school their children. Some children go to public school, and others have experienced a variety of home schooling options, such as preschool, a homeschool cooperative and one on one tutoring with community members in their expertise (e.g. Spanish, physics, biology, math, art, etc.).
- [Food Preparation](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/food/food-preparation/) - Food Preparation, Processing and Storage Methods Cooking When it comes to food, most of the ecological impact (see our page on local foods) comes from production, shipping, processing, marketing, and storage rather than cooking, but cooking is still something we make serious efforts to do efficiently. As with other resource use, in cooking conservation comes
- [Sustainable Hot Water](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/alternative-energy/sustainable-hot-water/) - Sustainable Hot Water Most people really like a nice warm shower, but heating water takes energy that has to come from somewhere. At Dancing Rabbit our covenants prohibit using non-renewable energy sources for domestic hot water, so alternatives must be found to the standard gas water heater. At DR, there is a wide range of
- [Greywater](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/water/greywater/) - Greywater Greywater systems take our soapy sink, shower, and laundry water and transforms this "waste" water via mechanical filtration and chemical biodegradation into purified and nutritious food for some of our plants and animals that in turn feed us. This short essay highlights how greywater systems can transform our undesirable waste-water into nourishing food for
- [Humanure](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/water/humanure/) - Humanure and Composting Toilets Isn't it so convenient that we flush our poop away, down the toilet, never to return? Literally speaking, but metaphorically, too. Each and every day, we flush away our poop, like it's a problem that we don't want to deal with. That action in itself causes more problems than the source
- [Water](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/water/) - Water at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage Water is an extremely valuable natural resource, and it’s no less precious at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Instead of depending heavily on county water availability and infrastructure, we provide most of our own water needs through rainwater catchment and storage. Rainwater Catchment and Storage With relatively simple gutter and downspout systems
- [Sports and Games](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/social-change/dr-culture/sports-and-recreation/) - Sports & Recreation We're not just all work, around here. We like to play, too! At Dancing Rabbit, you can always get a game of something going. We often do: ultimate frisbee, all year long yoga: both self paced and taught dance, improvisational, contra, square, swing pond swimming, all year long soccer whiffle ball sock
- [Resource Management](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/resource-management/) - Resource Management Dancing Rabbit manifests its vision, covenants, and sustainability guidelines in the choices we make to manage resources. These choices affect how we live our daily lives: our diets, food preparation, building design, construction, electricity production, energy use, water use, transportation, space heating, and more. Our covenants and sustainability guidelines direct us to use
- [Food](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/food/) - Food Food is central to any human culture and examining our relationship with food is important to an exploration of sustainable living. It is a big part of our social life here at DR. People can choose to cook and eat independently or join or form a food co-op. Food co-ops allow people to save
- [Skyhouse](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/skyhouse/) - Skyhouse Skyhouse is a six bedroom strawbale building. Skyhouse is not just a building, but also the name of an income sharing sub-community at DR. Skyhouse has an extensive description of its building process on this web site if you want all the details.
- [Milkweeds' Cottage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/milkweeds-cottage/) - The Milkweeds' Cottage Here we see the Milkweeds' Cottage, home of Kurt and Alline. Kurt and Alline are married but don't share a last name so we made a name up for them, hence they are "The Milkweeds." They moved to DR in 1999 and began building their new home. By the end of that
- [Prairie Restoration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/our-land/prairie-restoration/) - Prairie Restoration North of St. Louis and a bit west of the Mississippi River, Dancing Rabbit is in the eastern edge of what was once America's great prairie. The prairie is now mostly gone, having been decimated by US agricultural and livestock management practices. Less than 2% of the prairie remains and most people don't
- [Humanure at Dancing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/resource-management/humanure/) - Humanure at Dancing Rabbit by Brian Liloia The "Sitter's Side" of the DR Outhouse In Nickelodeon's recent A Kid Off The Grid TV program, Dancing Rabbit's humanure system was explained. It quickly turned into a joke on The Daily Show soon after the Nick show aired. However, you might be wondering more about what humanure
- [Dancing Rabbit Vehicle Co-op Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/ecovillage-life/eco-living/dancing-rabbit-vehicle-co-op/dancing-rabbit-vehicle-co-op-frequently-asked-questions/) - Frequently Asked Questions Can anyone join the DRVC? How much will it cost to use a car? I want a car that's dependable. Will that be a problem? Won't the cars be dirty inside with so many people using them? What's the connection between Dancing Rabbit and the DRVC? What will I have to do
- [Building Our First Straw Bale House](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/building/natural-building/straw-bale-house-construction/building-our-first-straw-bale-house/) - Building Our First Straw Bale House On August 29, 1998 Dancing Rabbit took a big step forward with the wall raising for its first straw bale house. Thirty friends and neighbors joined us to turn 200 strawbales into a small two bedroom cabin. In the following four days we got trusses up and the roof

## My Templates

- [Popup on exiting Viz App](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=elementor-popup-41331) - Content area
- [Newsletter sign up](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=newsletter-sign-up) - Content area
- [Default Kit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=default-kit)
- [Dancing Rabbit Header](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=dancing-rabbit-header) - Content area
- [Footer](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=footer) - Content area
- [PBS](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=pbs) - Watch the episode of My World Too on PBS that featured Dancing Rabbit!
- [Elementor: Blog Post](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=elementor-single-post-33764) - April 26, 2022 Elementor: Blog Post Since I first started gardening years ago, it has been a continual process of failing, giving up, and starting over again. But I do try to learn from the experiences whenever I can. Christina here, writing about sorrel, summer squash, and why volunteer tomatoes are my favorite kind of
- [Blog Post](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=blog-post) - April 24, 2023 Blog Post Share: PrevPreviousWomen’s Retreat NextPBSNext Related Posts An Invitation Into Extraordinary Friendship & Community at the Women’s Retreat Feeling the Burn: A Dancing Rabbit Update Rest, stress and blessings: A Dancing Rabbit Update The Retreat That Changed Everything — and Why We’re Gathering Again Direct Action through Meetings: A Dancing Rabbit
- [Women's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=womens-retreat) - If there was one thing you could get out of this retreat that would make it feel 100% worthwhile, what would that be? What areas of your life are working well and what areas could use improvement? Do you have any of these dietary restrictions? vegetarian vegan gluten-free lactose-free Would you prefer to: camp rent
- [Elementor: Page Template](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=elementor-single-page-33806) - Elementor: Page Template Community Agroforestry Agroforestry is the intentional integration of trees and forest-crops like fruit, nuts and botanical products on working farms. Adoption of these practices can improve economic outcomes for farmers while improving ecosystem services for habitat, clean water, and soil health. In 2023, with support from CSCC and various donors, members of the
- [Members A-C](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=members-a-c) - Alline Alis (Kyle) Angela Ben Bob Cat Cob Connie Alline My husband, Kurt Kessner, and I arrived from Berkeley at Dancing Rabbit on June 24, 1999, in the middle of a heat wave and just in time for the Women’s Building Workshop. We were greeted by a parade (Tony juggling, Cecil playing his trombone, and
- [Archives](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=archives) - Template: Archives An Invitation Into Extraordinary Friendship & Community at the Women’s Retreat February 23, 2026 Read More » Feeling the Burn: A Dancing Rabbit Update February 16, 2026 Read More » Rest, stress and blessings: A Dancing Rabbit Update February 2, 2026 Read More » Agroforestry January 30, 2026 Read More » The Retreat
- [Author Bio](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=author-bio) - Liz Hackney serves as the editor of this newsletter. She wears many hats right now: acupuncturist, building designer, tiler, building supplies procurement, earth plasterer, and SubHub tour guide. She can’t wait for this cold spring wind to stop blowing…
- [Program Sale](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=program-sale-2) - Earth Day Sale! Register for an Ecovillage Experience Weekend in April and get 20% off!
- [Co-ops Tabs](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=co-ops-tabs) - DRLT - DR Land Trust Cattail DRVC - DR Vehicle Co-op BEDR - Better Energy for DR Kitchens DRLT - DR Land Trust Dancing Rabbit Land Trust owns DR’s land. Therefore members pay lease fees for the warren (lot) where their house is and for garden spaces. This is based on the size of the
- [Natural Building Intern Template (Carolyn Made)](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=natural-building-intern-template-carolyn-made) - Natural Building Internship Come join in a hands on building experience where you will help create a straw bale roundhouse from start to finish in just 2 months. Come join in a hands on building experience where you will help create a straw bale roundhouse from start to finish in just 2 months. I'm Ready to Apply!
- [Post Program Payment Page - template](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=post-program-payment-page-template) - Thank you for your payment! You are now registered to attend the Women’s Online Retreat, hosted by Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage We look forward to sharing in the wilds of woman-ness together with you! Dates/Time of event: May 14-16, 2021 Event organizers will be in touch with you with more information leading up to this event.
- [Rabbit Bio](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=rabbit-bio) - Mae: My name is Mae and I moved to Dancing Rabbit in spring of 2012 with my partner, Ben, and then 2 year old daughter Althea. Since then we have built a small strawbale home, a small farm, and an excellent subcommunity/kitchen co-op called the Critters. In February of 2016 I gave birth to our
- [Courses Content](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=courses-content) - [course_content course_id=27188]
- [Courses Sign Up](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=courses-sign-up) - Price $1.00 Get Started Enroll or Login
- [Courses Header](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=courses-header) - Tester Course for Danielle
- [Header-Creative Corporate](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=header-creative-corporate) - Content area
- [Footer - Default](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=footer-default) - Content area
- [EcoWkd Page](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=ecowkd-page) - Ecovillage WeekendExplore Living Lightly Spend a long weekend with us at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and gather ideas, concepts, and skills for living lightly wherever you live. This unique program blends the “eco” with the “village” of our community life. You’ll have hands-on opportunities with natural building, low-carbon gardens and kitchens, alternative energy systems, and organic
- [Rental/Accommodations](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=rental-accommodations) - Thank you for taking the time to register and pay for a workshop or visitor program at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage!The following accommodations are available for Dancing Rabbit program participants (that’s you!). These spaces are available on a first come, first serve basis.You can reach out using the contact info below to reserve lodging for yourself
- [Viz Program Testimonials](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=viz-program-testimonials) - Come and Discover Why Our Past Program Participants Gave Their Experience Here an average 4.7 Star Rating!  Rated 4.7 out of 5
- [Yoga Instructors Template](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=yoga-instructors-template) - Your Yoga Retreat Instructors Annie Zylstra Annie Zylstra is a classically trained vocalist who has transitioned to inspiring the world to sing for the joy of it. She loves to share her gift for singing with the world, engaging in song circles from the U.S. to the UK. As a person who lives her life
- [Program Template (based off yoga retreat)](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=program-template-based-off-yoga-retreat) - Join us for a Magical and Affordable Weekend Yoga Retreat for Beginners ​ Come along and experience a yoga weekend to remember. Whether you are looking for a yoga retreat for beginners or are a yogi and want a fun immersive yoga weekend, there is a place for you at our affordable yoga retreat. You
- [Bios](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=bios) - Annie Zylstra Annie Zylstra is a classically trained vocalist who has transitioned to inspiring the world to sing for the joy of it. She loves to share her gift for singing with the world, engaging in song circles from the U.S. to the UK. As a person who lives her life in an offering to
- [Program Full Page - Open House](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=program-full-page-open-house) - Annual Open House: Saturday, September 7thFree tours of Dancing Rabbit begin every half hour from 1-4pmNatural Building DemonstrationPetting FarmMusicCraft FairPizza and Drinks for saleand more! Click Here to Learn More!
- [Visitor Program - Application First](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=visitor-program-application-first) - Experience Sustainable Living in Community Do you desire to live more simply?Are you excited about learning how you can make your life more eco-friendly?Do you crave the magic of living in a community dedicated to sustainable living practices? Yes, I'm Interested! Discover Sustainable Community Living Firsthand! Natural buildings and green constructionRenewable energyPermaculture design & organic gardeningInner
- [Donate Template](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=donate-template) - Announcement: there will be a live auction starting August 15th. Come join us in celebrating Lammas with hand-crafted items up for bid! Thank you for giving the gift of sustainability!Your donation and support helps us demonstrate how every act of generosity counts, and that it means even more when we give together. With your help,
- [payment page](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=payment-page) - This workshop fills quickly - sign up now to secure your spot! Natural Building Workshop Dates:July 4-7 – FULL!September 12-15: [hoops name=”natbuildwxop participant #s”] Price (1 Adult): $497If you wish to review the refund policy before you pay, click here. One moment while our payment processing system loads … “The way Hassan explained the properties of all the
- [Singing rabbit original bios](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=singing-rabbit-original-bios) - Josh BlaineJosh’s work as a community song leader began as an inquiry into the state of protest songs after the 2016 election, which sent him out on the road to interview dozens of musicians and song leaders for a project called “Finding Our Voice.” Since his return in the fall of 2017, he’s been leading
- [staff bios](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=staff-bios) - The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture: Staff The Center for Sustainable and Cooperative Culture (formerly Dancing Rabbit, Inc.) at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is the 501(c)3 nonprofit that manages our outreach and educational activities. Below is information on our key staff members. Add Your Heading Text Here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit
- [Viz landing page](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=viz-landing-page) - Experience Sustainable Living in Community Do you desire to live more simply?Are you excited about learning how you can make your life more eco-friendly?Do you crave the magic of living in a community dedicated to sustainable living practices? Give Me the Application Now! Experience Sustainable Living in Community Do you desire to live more simply?Are
- [pic w/ info](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=pic-w-info) - Learn How To Live Lightly In Community Come along and spend up to two weeks diving deep into sustainable living with 8 – 15 other people in your Visitor Session.Join us and immerse yourself in informative and hands-on workshops where you learn about life at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage.Learn the ways we are changing our lives
- [video sign up](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=video-sign-up) - I'm Ready to Apply!
- [review left pic](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=review-left-pic) - “I enjoyed the hands on experience of stacking straw bales. It was also helpful to see the tow different plastering techniques adjacent to each other. I am more excited about the possibility of building a straw bale home than I have ever been.” – Ryan, Natural Building Workshop Participant 2018  Rated 5 out of 5
- [review right pic](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=review-right-pic) - “The way Hassan explained the properties of all the materials we worked with was so helpful for me. I feel like I understand so much more than just a few days ago and also feel calmer and less intimidated about building, and thats because of the attitude he exhibited in how he goes about building.”–
- [programs builder](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=programs-builder) - Natural Building Internship Come join in a hands on building experience where you will help create a straw bale roundhouse from start to finish in just 2 months. Come join in a hands on building experience where you will help create a straw bale roundhouse from start to finish in just 2 months. I'm Ready to Apply!
- [Florist > Home 1](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/?elementor_library=elements-home-1) - Your wishes in our hands. Carraway Florist Our Collection Our Florists Our Gardens Varius quam quisque id diam vel quam. Ac ut consequat semper viverra nam libero justo. In metus vulputate eu scelerisque. Bibendum est ultricies integer quis auctor elit sed vulputate mi. Quis vel eros donec ac odio tempor orci dapibus. Pretium nibh ipsum

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/category/uncategorized/)
- [Newsletter](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/category/newsletter/)
- [Videos](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/category/videos/)
- [The March Hare: The Dancing Rabbit Weekly Blog](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/category/weekly-update/)
- [Promo](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/category/promo/)

## Tags

- [Agriculture](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/agriculture/)
- [Alline](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/alline/)
- [Alyssa](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/alyssa/)
- [Art](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/art/)
- [autumn](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/autumn/)
- [Ben](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/ben/)
- [Brussel Sprouts](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/brussel-sprouts/)
- [Cecil](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/cecil/)
- [Christina](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/christina/)
- [Cob](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/cob/)
- [Cooking](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/cooking/)
- [Culture](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/culture/)
- [Dee](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/dee/)
- [Earth Day](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/earth-day/)
- [Economics](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/economics/)
- [Ecovillage Life](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/ecovillage-life/)
- [Events](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/events/)
- [Food](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/food-2/)
- [General](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/general-2/)
- [Harvest](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/harvest/)
- [History](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/history-2/)
- [hunting](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/hunting/)
- [Josi](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/josi/)
- [Julie](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/julie/)
- [Katherine](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/katherine/)
- [Lucas](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/lucas/)
- [Maikwe](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/maikwe/)
- [midwifery](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/midwifery/)
- [Natural Building](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/natural-building/)
- [New York](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/new-york/)
- [Newsletter](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/newsletter/)
- [nik](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/nik/)
- [Organic Gardening](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/organic-gardening-2/)
- [osage](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/osage/)
- [People](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/people/)
- [permaculture](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/permaculture/)
- [Population](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/population/)
- [Renewable Energy](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/renewable-energy/)
- [Sam](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/sam/)
- [Sharon](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/sharon/)
- [Snow](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/snow/)
- [Speaking Tour](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/speaking-tour/)
- [Stephanie](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/stephanie/)
- [Stephen](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/stephen/)
- [Strawbale](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/strawbale/)
- [Technology](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/technology-2/)
- [Ted](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/ted/)
- [Tereza](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/tereza/)
- [Thanksgiving](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/thanksgiving/)
- [thistledown](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/thistledown/)
- [Updates](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/updates/)
- [vehicles](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/vehicles/)
- [Vick](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/vick/)
- [visitor](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/visitor/)
- [visitors](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/visitors/)
- [Weather](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/weather/)
- [Weekly](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/weekly/)
- [Wind](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/wind/)
- [Winding Down](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/winding-down/)
- [Zach](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/zach/)
- [Veterans](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/veterans/)
- [Danielle](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/danielle/)
- [PDC](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/pdc/)
- [Aaron](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/aaron/)
- [Liz](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/liz/)
- [Deena](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/deena/)
- [sustainability](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/sustainability/)
- [Melany](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/melany/)
- [Cameron](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/cameron/)
- [Mae](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/mae/)
- [goats](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/goats/)
- [timber framing](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/timber-framing/)
- [timber frame](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/timber-frame/)
- [Thomas](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/thomas/)
- [goat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/goat/)
- [Possibility Alliance](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/possibility-alliance/)
- [Prescribed burn](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/prescribed-burn/)
- [mushroom workshop](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/mushroom-workshop/)
- [amtrack](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/amtrack/)
- [sammy](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/sammy/)
- [goat barn](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/goat-barn/)
- [carylon](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/carylon/)
- [benji](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/benji/)
- [alyson](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/alyson/)
- [Singing Rabbit](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/singing-rabbit/)
- [troy](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/troy/)
- [ryan](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/ryan/)
- [carolyn](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/carolyn/)
- [patreon](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/patreon/)
- [prairie](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/prairie/)
- [colwyn](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/colwyn/)
- [John](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/john/)
- [Avi](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/avi/)
- [Katie](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/katie/)
- [covid](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/covid/)
- [tapping](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/tapping/)
- [winter](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/winter/)
- [community](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/community/)
- [consensus](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/consensus/)
- [spring](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/spring/)
- [reunion](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/reunion/)
- [celebration](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/celebration/)
- [Brooke](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/brooke/)
- [ecovillage experience weekend](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/ecovillage-experience-weekend/)
- [gardening](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/gardening/)
- [garden](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/garden/)
- [Emeshe](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/emeshe/)
- [limewash](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/limewash/)
- [paint](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/paint/)
- [fireflies](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/fireflies/)
- [REF](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/ref/)
- [Red Earth Farms](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/red-earth-farms/)
- [Land Day](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/land-day/)
- [Dairy Co-op](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/dairy-co-op/)
- [Natural Building Workshop](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/natural-building-workshop/)
- [testimonial](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/testimonial/)
- [celebrate](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/celebrate/)
- [visitor program](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/visitor-program/)
- [holidays](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/holidays/)
- [hope](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/hope/)
- [traditions](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/traditions/)
- [SubHub](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/subhub/)
- [Home](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/home/)
- [Women's Retreat](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/womens-retreat/)
- [residency](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/residency/)
- [ownership](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/ownership/)
- [Erika](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/erika/)
- [interns](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/interns/)
- [Give STL](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/give-stl/)
- [Anniversary](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/anniversary/)
- [Transition](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/transition/)
- [Executive Director](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/executive-director/)
- [Chad](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/chad/)
- [K*](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/k/)
- [critters](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/critters/)
- [EOY 2023](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/eoy-2023/)
- [The Hub](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/the-hub/)
- [Kelly](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/kelly/)
- [Kenny](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/kenny/)
- [Nathan](https://www.dancingrabbit.org/newsletter/tag/nathan/)