EARTHKEEPING NEWS A NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COALITION FOR CHRISTIANITY AND ECOLOGY Volume Twelve, Number Three Fall 2003 Advice Received for 'Methodist Camp Needs Help' In the last issue we asked for advice about a church camp in upstate NY which may be sold and we received this interesting response from Dick Worthen (a Methodist) in Alton, Illinois. "In the Summer issue of Earthkeeping News you asked for suggestions for the 150 acres of the Methodist Camp. At the same time, on the third page you have information concerning Genesis Farm and that is a perfect example of a possibility. Do another Genesis Farm. Do a community garden. Do a "heritage seed" museum where you plant and maintain heritage seed genotypes, complete with appropriate "settlers days" and "harvest celebration" and education. Do all of those. Build a new church. If a sale is inevitable to a developer, make sure the purchaser will build a "green subdivision". We have the perfect model here in Grayslake, Illinois, called Prairie Crossing, where 80% of the land is open in commons, wetlands, bike trails, parks, ponds, etc. Housing is clustered and built with highest efficiency. Prices are 115% of market and yet the ultimate in environmental sensitivity and practicality. It works. There could even be a community discussion about what to do with the property. That could be the church community or the physical community that is nearby, or it could be some of us old fashioned and un-repentant retrogrades from the 60s." Home     Table of Contents