About_the_Willowell

About the Willowell Foundation

Land and Facilities

Land

The Willowell Foundation makes its home on 230-acres of farm and forest land in Monkton, Vermont. Originally part of the 300-acre Brown/Hoag family farm, the Willowell Land is a diverse mixture of agricultural meadows, fragile wetlands, northern hardwood forests and White Cedar woodlands. To learn more about the unique ecosystems found on the Willowell land, as well as to learn about our reforestation and conservation efforts, please check out our Conservation and Land Use pages.

Facilities

The Willowell Land is home to several permanent and semi-permanent structures, including the historic Brown/Hoag barn, and a composting toilet and cedar longhouse used by students from the Walden Project, Willowell’s co-sponsored alternative high school program.

Brown/Hoag historic Barn

Built in 1803, the Brown/Hoag barn is located at the junction of the Bristol/Monkton Road and private Stoney Meadow Lane, and is the Willowell Land’s most public landmark. The barn had fallen into disrepair when the Willowell Foundation purchased the Willowell Land in summer 2005, and is currently being restored by the Willowell Foundation. Click Here to read more about Willowell’s Barn Restoration Initiative.

Walden Project Composting Toilet

The Walden Project’s composting toilet and outhouse were built during the summer of 2005 by Walden Project science teacher Julia Bunting and Walden students. The toilet, which relies on aerobic composting of urine, feces and added carbon-rich materials including sawdust and leaves, safely breaks down waste materials without odor or mess. The toilet is also used by visiting student groups.

Walden Project Cedar Longhouse

The Walden Project cedar longhouse is Walden’s main protected classroom space and is used throughout the school year by Walden Project students and teachers. Built in 2004 of hand-harvested cedar poles and sail material in 2004 by Walden Project students as part of a service-learning initiative, the cedar longhouse protects Walden Project students from the elements while still allowing them to experience the outdoors during the coldest and wettest days of the year.

Click Here to learn more about the Walden Project.