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Green at the Hawk and Ivy
“Green” is more than just a marketing slogan to us. It is a commitment to honor the sacredness of the earth and discover our place on it. “We are not restoring the planet, she is restoring us.” (Paula Gunn Allen) This is a way of life we have been creating over the last 40 years. When we moved here in 1994, we took months to unpack the boxes, but in the first week Eve began planting the organic gardens. Those gardens are at the heart of what we have created here. The flowers and herbs in your room the mixed berries in your fruit bowl, the spinach or asparagus or tomatoes and basil in your omelet – all of these were grown here organically and picked fresh that morning. We want to share with you an authentic experience where healthy food, creative cooking, good conversation take place in a natural setting of breath taking beauty.
The Hawk and Ivy has been approved as a part of the Green Business Network by Green America Today. This is the only organization which gives third party certification of green business practices in America.
Visit www.GreenAmericaToday.org.
Here are some specific ways that we embody “green”:
Gardens: Our vegetable, herbs, flowers, berries and fruit trees are grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. We use a combination of permaculture, biodynamic and time honored organic gardening techniques. Our kitchen and garden waste is recycled in our 3 large compost bins and ends up back in the garden. To conserve our water we use drip irrigation from rain barrels, heavy mulching, and layering of plant species.
Energy use/ carbon foot print: Water is heated in tankless (on demand) water heaters. Our 1910 farmhouse, originally built without a stitch of insulation, now has R-38 in the attic, cellulose blown into the walls, and insulation on ducts and hot water pipes. Individual heating and air units allow us to control energy use. We plan to mount solar collectors on the roof. Energy saving light bulbs illuminate our rooms and our grounds. We recycle all we can and carry the rest to recycle centers.
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Fabrics and cleaning supplies: Our beds are covered with luxurious 100% cotton sheet and down comforters. Linens are washed in nontoxic, biodegradable soaps. Floors are cleaned with cider vinegar and water. All cleaning products are non-toxic. There are no artificial scents- at all.
Pets and wildlife: We love our pets (three cats and a Welch corgi), but they live outside. We raise our honey bees organically. They are gentle and approachable, but separate from normal pathways. You can sit on your deck and watch the wild turkeys and the deer in the meadow or witness magical nights when fireflies dance in the trees and owls call in the dark. Come to breakfast and watch the song birds flock to Eve’s feeders outside the kitchen windows. We have counted over 6o varieties of birds. Our land is a National Wildlife Preserve blessed with diverse eco systems so our animal and bird life is varied and fascinating.
Light pollution: On a cloudless, moonless night, the sky is deep and dark, and the Milky Way dances across the sky.
Community: We share this land and ourselves with our community. We have hosted networking meetings, political campaigns, film series, and workshops, and held fundraisers for the local tailgate market, Western North Carolina Woman Magazine, and Slow Food Asheville (www.slowfoodasheville.org).
Slow Food is a global movement committed to food that is locally grown and enjoyed in season. (www.slowfood.org) Eve has been chairman of Slow Food Asheville for the last two years, and we are both on the board. What food we do not grow ourselves, we try to buy from neighbors and local farmers.
This is a wonderful place to live because there is such an emphasis on a holistic approach to life from sustainable agriculture, healing modalities, wonderful food communities, local cheeses, breweries, bakeries, and fabulous restaurants… to a wealth of artists, galleries, and music.
