Along with being the name of the mythic Hobbit Village, the term “Shire” also refers to a rural cultural stronghold – which is just what this community is becoming. 

At least 5 year round, cold springs flow from the edge of the forest into the ponds, meadows, and marshes below, providing the potential for mass gravity-fed irrigation, ponds, wetlands, chiampas, microhydro, and more. The weaving network of pure springs and streams dripping off the edge of this forest ecosystem into the lush meadow below naturally creates a dream-like system of ponds, marshes, and irrigation channels that open up possibilities for an extremely diverse array of productive food systems.

The property hosts a rustic, multi-bedroom Swiss-style lodge, built in the 1950′s, connected by flybridge to a longhouse, and overlooking a near two acre spring fed pond which hosts visiting geese, wood ducks, mallards, coots, large heron resting and fishing on the banks, and eagles, ospreys, and hawks flying overhead. Recent fire-prevention measures have opened up prime areas around the lodge for terraced permaculture gardens and retention ponds.

Shire Members share a common vision, the lodge, community land facilities, and each have a personally designated “Zone of Stewardship” to steward over the coming decades. Shire Springs has the vision, values, and intentions to steward this property into an Ecovillage model facilitating deeper connection to Nature, ourselves, each other, and as a Village for future generations to come.

For more information on our Vision, Values, the Land, How to Get Involved, Membership Opportunities, and more, please have a look around our website.