Stowe Farm Community

An Intentional Farm Community located in Colrain, Massachusetts

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    • Get to know Stowe Farm
      • Explore Living at Stowe Farm
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    • 3 building lots for sale at Stowe
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Get to know Stowe Farm

Neighbors cutting tile for Lynn’s new house

Thank you for your interest in Stowe Farm Community.

We put this list together to help you get an idea of what it’s like to live here. You will get a better idea when you visit. Attend a gathering, coffee klatch, workshop or work party, or set up an individual visit. Get to know us!  It’s a gradual process, and important to take the time needed.

We are a rural community

• Our houses are clustered on a south-facing former orchard with a magnificent view down the valley.
• Each household owns its ~¾ acre house lot and shares the remaining ~80 acres with 11 families. We make community decisions about building and land use.
• We strive for energy and efficiency in our homes.
• Our homes are surrounded by fields, crops, farm animals, and homesteading activities, not manicured lawns. Some of us are involved in homesteading practices and agricultural or other sustainable business ventures. Others are not, but we all support these enterprises.
• We do grocery runs, but are striving to grow and raise much of our own food, and support local farmers for the rest.
• Paths to houses, community structures, greenhouse, and other areas of Stowe Farm are hilly. We get good workouts!
• Some of us have pets and are responsible pet owners.
• We use natural landscape and agricultural practices to avoid using harmful chemicals.
• We share a community truck, a tractor, and other useful tools and care for them responsibly.
• We purchase many of our large tools, equipment, and infrastructure (such as our greenhouse and storage sheds) as a community.

• Driving distances:
⁃ 1.25 hours from the nearest large airport (Hartford, CT)
⁃ 25 minutes from the hospital and services (Greenfield)
⁃ 15 minutes from smaller shops, food co-op, etc. (Shelburne Falls)

Ways we act as a Community:

• Tolerance, compassion and compromise are ongoing exercises to which we are committed. Our decision making process has enabled us to work through many differences.
• We value a diverse multi-generational neighborhood
• We are willing to give up some individual choices for the benefit of the community.
• We respect each other’s privacy. We all participate in some projects and social events.
• We celebrate our successes, enjoy the beauty of our surroundings, and are serious about keeping a sense of humor.
• We live here because we want to be good neighbors. We all contribute to creating a vibrant community in different ways: gardening, building, cooking, canning, helping with child, elder, or pet care, bookkeeping, organizing, being a good listener.

As a prospective buyer at Stowe Farm you will have certain community responsibilities including:

• Participation in monthly meetings of our governing body, in which all households are encouraged to attend
• Participation in committees (Circles) and work parties that carry out most of the operational needs of the community including grounds maintenance, planning and design of future capital projects etc.
• Striving (and sometimes struggling) to learn to live in community including a willingness to compromise, respect for others, care for other people’s feelings, speaking out when something doesn’t feel right, and being quiet when you need to listen
• Exhibiting deep curiosity about other people’s opinions, especially when they differ from your own

Geese love garden partiesWhile Stowe Farm’s legal structure is a Homeowners Association (HOA) it is important to keep in mind that it is Cohousing with all of its corresponding attributes and responsibilities. We have found that potential buyers benefit from familiarizing themselves with our bylaws and governance process, and our values including a focus on farming and sustainable, energy efficient living.  And, most importantly meeting with other community members to see if you would feel comfortable living here.
We look forward to meeting you and hope you will accept an invitation to a potluck and other informal social gatherings to get to know us.  Just a few examples of how other prospective buyers (and current members) sought to familiarize themselves with Stowe Farm include working in small groups to weed the garden while chatting and learning about life here, accepting an invitation to dinner with one of our member families, attending a holiday gathering or community celebration, bringing their families to explore the woods and trails, or camping out on the property.

We have a wonderful, warm and welcoming community that has experienced both good times and hard times together. We believe it is the best possible environment to raise children and to grow old. We love living here and hope that you will too.

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An especially beautiful sunrise on January 6, 2021 An especially beautiful sunrise on January 6, 2021 at Stowe Farm Community. A day of hope — Just after this was posted, Congress was stormed. A reminder that besides hope and voting, there is much more to do for democracy, equity, and living peacefully on this earth.
Ruthann, Willa, and Ezra had an impromptu solstice Ruthann, Willa, and Ezra had an impromptu solstice gathering at the fire pit. Peter made his beautiful signature fire.
One last play in the dirt before switching to snow One last play in the dirt before switching to snow for the winter.
Thanks, Lynn, for painting our sign. The first sig Thanks, Lynn, for painting our sign. The first signs were taken after two days. The next sign was ripped off the roof after a week. This painted sign plus eight BLM signs have been up for about two months!! Persistence!
This little guy and Grandpa are getting inspired b This little guy and Grandpa are getting inspired by these interesting recipes for tomorrow’s dinner.
Many hands made setting up goat’s winter quarter Many hands made setting up goat’s winter quarters quick and easy at Stowe Farm.
#urbanexodus #sustainablecommunity #cohousingcommunity
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Life up here at Stowe Farm Community is "berry nice" around this time of year as we fill our bowls with fresh picked blueberries and raspberries from our planned gardens and harvest some of the wild blackberries too. More garden goodies and all about us at www.stowefarm.orgSummer's bounty rolling in with plenty of cucumbers to share in community for pickling, salads, and simply as a super crisp snack!A busy bee in the summer season in Lynn's flower garden. We too are busy at Stowe Farm Community harvesting veggies and berries from the gardens and     putting food by to enjoy throughout the rest of the year. More at www.stowefarm.orgLynn had a beautiful sunflower in her gorgeous gardens this year. On this day the birds were singing as the sunflower swayed in the gentle summer breeze and the clouds rolled by in the blue, blue sky. Simply splendid! More connections to nature at www.stowefarm.org
Thank you, Ed for sharing this magical moment after the storm yesterday here at Stowe Farm Community.Harley's butterfly garden is attracting the guests she had hoped for with many blooms available in the sweet summer sun.Berries are ripening throughout our community in the hot summer sun. Some folks have their own home grown patches and there are wild ones to be picked by both humans and the local black bear!
The babbling brook that runs parallel to our community is lush with all sorts of glowing greens throughout the summer. A sweet spot to cool off on a hot summer's day!Peter has a grafting project going on one of the apple trees in our old orchard. Time will tell how it turns out - stay tuned!FrogsThe summer storms have been passing through multiple times each week as the heat and humidity have arrived. We are glad of the rain for the fields and gardens. More at www.stowefarm.org
A few apples continue to grow in the summer sun out in the old orchard here at Stowe Farm Community. Some may be used for cider in the autumn. Sweet!We are surrounded by lush greens and sunshine as summer is in full swing here at Stowe Farm Community. Plenty of open spaces to walk in nature. Discover more at www.stowefarm.orgJuly Morning at Stowe FarmSummerBreeze
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