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Living at the Homestead: Daily LifeCooking & EatingWe strive to fill our diet with whole foods and fresh produce. Homesteaders traditionally pair up on assigned weeknights to prepare dinner for the community and guests. Every meal is prepared vegan (no meat, dairy, or eggs), although vegetarian sides and ingredients are often on hand. No meat is kept at the Homestead (for various ethical, environmental, and sanitary reasons).Our food comes from a combination of several sources:
Top of Page SleepingCurrently, Homestead community members are dispersed in two cabins, including the basement of Cabin 3 (where the greenhouse is!). There are 5 residents in the main levels of each cabin and two live in the basement. There is loft space in each cabin and living area on the ground level, so community members strive to be respectful of personal and community spaces.In the Homestead's beginning, 3 cabins were built and roommates were evenly spread, allowing them slightly more living space. At this time, the Cabin 3 basement was the kitchen! With the addition of Cabin Phoenix, Homestead community members will sleep in all three cabins again. Top of Page WashingRunning water flows from our cisterns to two places: our kitchen and a spigot near the tool shed. Water flowing from the faucet is the same temperature as the water held in the underground tank, all year! Although this provides chilly summer refreshment, it also means a painfully cold source of water for washing hands or brushing teeth in the winter. Our wood-fired stoves are used to heat the water for washing dishes around mealtime.We haven't developed a satisfactory way to wash ourselves or our clothes, year round, in line with the Homestead's eco-friendly, self-sufficient mission. Currently we are using Denison's athletic building for showers and other dorms for laundry facilities; however, we are in the process of purchasing a manually-operated washing "machine" and setting up a laundry area. Top of Page StudyingAs a living and learning community, the Homestead is notorious for its members' adamant dedication to learning inside and outside of the classroom. Utilizing student-built study tables in the Homestead library, in the loft of Cabin Bob, Homesteaders can spend hours learning about many different things, from social issues to alternative building! The aforementioned space is excellent for getting work done--where the only distraction is a cat sitting in your lap!Top of Page |