Gerton, NC

Asheville's Eco Communities: Hickory Nut Forest (series).

Hickory Nut Forest
Eco Community IN CONTEXT...

It's all about "H E ART'

Just a few posts back, Jeff asked me to expand on what intrigues me about HickoryNut Forest, and Asheville eco-community with excellent opportunities for people relocating to the mountains who also cherish the idea of sustainability.

I thought about his question last night. One of the answers has to do with context.

CONTEXT The Eco-Community & Conservation Land : - Hickory Nut Forest is one of the first ECO developments in the USA to combine wide-ranging land conservation with an eco-friendly community of green-built homes, to be powered by renewable energy -(wind power, hydropower , geothermal) - to create a "net-zero-energy community".

• Living in this conservation neighborhood means enjoying the forever-wild mountain forests, soaring cliffs and pristine, cascading streams, out your back door. You can walk for miles in the serenity of nature.
• This eco-community- is an easy drive from Asheville's, cultural amenities, arts, music and delicious cuisine, as well as excellent healthcare all nearby. (17 miles, 23-27 min.) And just 4 minutes to the CSA. Positive perks for body mind and spirit.
• Hiking trails lead conveniently from the building sites into 800+ acresof nature preserve lands with waterfalls, streams, cliffs and mountaintop vistas. And, here to enjoy are tennis courts,(adjacent to Site 1) and close-by- horseback riding, bird watching, fishing, picnicking, boating, over a dozen golf courses in the area, biking, gardening, and community social events. This is convenience where adventure abounds...
• The real-deal as far as deed restrictions go.

Asheville's Eco Communities: Hickory Nut Forest. Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Subscribeto Greenolina's "Green Wheels" BLOG and keep those creative wheels a turnin'

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(*)/'(*)

WE are IN a sustainable world. *********************************************

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Asheville's Eco Communities: Hickory Nut Forest. Now, I said that there are a number of very worthy
eco-communities in and around Asheville. So you may wonder why I'm taking you to Hickory Nut Forestfirst...Here are 7 red-hot and GREEN reasons:

•1. Hickory Nut Forest Eco-developers protect the land. Covenants on the lots ensure that homes will blend naturally into the forest. The most special places are for all to enjoy: the cascading streams, tumbling waterfalls, sheer cliffs, and distant vistas.

•2. Nature Connections.With over six miles of hiking trails, people can enjoy the adjoining 800 acres in Little Bearwallow Mountain Preserve and Florence Nature Preserve. Just down the gorge are another 3500 acres of waterfalls and cliff at Chimney Rock State Park.

•3. Renewable energy.The goal at this Asheville area eco-community is to eliminate the need for fossil fuels and generate energy from a variety of renewable energy sources: solar, wind, hydro and geothermal. Solar thermal panels will collect energy from sunlight to make heat for radiant floors and hot water. Wind turbines, micro-hydro turbines, and photovoltaic panels will make electricity. Geothermal heat pumps will tap the earth's stable temperature.

•4. Hickory Nut Forest is designed to be a net-zero energy community, where more renewable energy is created than we use.

•5. ONLY green-built homes.Green principles insure healthy, energy efficient and friendly to the environment construction. Including: sustainable building materials, non-toxic paints, super-insulated walls, daylighting to conserve energy, local recycled materials, permaculture/water recycling, solar heating, thermal mass, radiant flooring, and geothermal heating and cooling. All of the homes will be certified as HealthyBuiltHomes, HERS rated and EnergyStar.

•6. Organic gardens and an organic farm with a CSA. An organic apple orchard is located nearby.

•7. Community gathering center.Located at the site of an historic gristmill, Laughing Waters will be our first green, solar, zero-energy dwelling and a model for future homes in the community. It is designed to serve as an education, training and research center for demonstrating eco-friendly building and sustainable living.
We plan to make it available for various community events and social gatherings, as well as for quiet, restful retreats.

All this, and, as you will notice from the graphic, Hickory Nut Forest is surrounded on three sides by forever wild conservation partners' land!

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Asheville's Eco Communities: Hickory Nut Forest. Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Subscribeto Greenolina's "Green Wheels" BLOG and keep those creative wheels a turnin'

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(*)/'(*) ...WE are IN a sustainable world. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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One of the most exciting factors to consider if Asheville NC Relocation is on your agenda is our Area Eco Communities!

A "hub' of green and sustainable development, Ashevilleis an attractive place to relocate. And whether it is in an urban environment, or in the rolling regions beyond Asheville's city limits, buyers and investors and sellers of real property will tell you-

"GREEN" is the word here in Western North Carolina's mountains.

(map of the Asheville area)

"We are in a sustainable framework, and we're lovin' it!"

Numerous eco-communities are popping up in and around Asheville. Take for example, Hickory Nut Forest (see map) an evolving "green" community and conservation neighborhood surrounded on three sides by over 800 acres of conservation land. What a place. From the eco-community, trails lead to those 800 + Acresand to the adjoining 250 acres where community buildings and an organic garden will expand into healthy possibilities.

Natural beauty inspires: You can stand by a any number of waterfalls -(see photo)

15 or more waterfalls grace Hickory Nut Forest's Conservation Partner's Lands that connect with this eco-community - or hike the trails leading to wildflower meadows and rock-climbing adventure- or explore the heirloom apple orchard and the "grape garden"...just a stone's throw away from the noisy Hickory Nut Creek!

Consider how much the kids, future grandkids, family and friends are going to love the opportunities here,and put a visit to Asheville area eco-communities on your schedule.
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Curious about sustainable Green real estate possibilities ? Simply pedal on over to Convivial Blogger Greenolina's "Green Wheels" BLOG and SUBSCRIBE

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(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............

Asheville NC Relocation - Area Eco Communities.The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved
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Looking for Creative Retirement? Baby Boomer and Nature Lover? If you are "at one" with nature- the woods, the hills, the shades of leaves of Autumn, the waterfalls- now could be just the right time to RELAX and turn your 1031 into Eco-Friendly living in Asheville, NC.

Just this week we were out on our annual Fall Leaves photo shoot .

We meandered up the paved drive (see photo ) and into the woods. The sound of Hickory Nut Creek and distant waterfalls kept us company. Rustling leaves and songbirds chimed in. And then the music of the wind played in the forest.

And it brought with it another kind of music, the laughter of grandparents, kids and grandkids in the heirloom orchard at Hickory Nut Forest eco-community.

So! It wasn't yet time for the annual "Monster Jam". What could the cheery sound be?

I looked at my companion and remarked, " AHA! Must mean the apples are ripe and ready to eat right off the trees!" (see photo)

No chemicals used here. This is an organic orchard. The juice from the apples is the kind of treat that makes you want to live right in the orchard. If you are the kind of person who, like me, enjoys mingling with other eco-friendly folks, you will love such gatherings at Hickory Nut Forest Preserve.

The benefits of camaraderie make me want to build my green-built dream home at Hickory Nut Forest Eco-community.

Important to Note: Hickory Nut Forest's very foundation rests on maintaining a healthy, diverse ecosystem. This is a place where people can choose to live among caring neighbors, sharing their inspiration and enthusiasm, a sustainable community that powers the homes by unleashing the renewable energy inherent in the land, the water, the wind and the sun, and a thoughtfully-planned neighborhood, where green-built homes are designed with natural, non-toxic materials to be safe, healthy, and energy efficient, built to the highest green building standards.

Hickory Nut Forest is an Evolving Eco Community where Baby Boomers will find much to appreciate:

Beautifully Landscaped (Native Plants) and Hand-Built Rockery Entrance
Earth-Friendly Chip and Seal Paved Roads
Miles of Walking and Hiking Trails that Lead to 1,000 + Acres of conservation land.
15 Waterfalls on the adjacent conservation land.
Community Electric Vehicle and Net Zero Energy Plan is definitely in place as is the Meeting/Conference Center . Creative Retirees can look forward to Special Conferences for Eco-Friendly Audiences.

Personally give me the Nature Parks and Trails. They are designed for All Ages. However, according to RETIRE.NET creative retirement at Hickory Nut Forest includes:

Pools/Spas Natural pools in Hickory Nut Creek allow brisk dips in mountain "swimming holes," while at nearby Lake Lure, beaches are open for summertime swimming. Part of the common area has been set aside for a future private swimming pool for homeowners.

Outdoor ActivitiesHiking trails wind up Little Bearwallow Mountain and down to beautiful waterfalls on Hickory Nut Creek. Another 5 miles of trails will connect to the Florence Preserve and eventually are planned to extend the length of the gorge to the new Hickory Nut Gorge State Park at Lake Lure.

Golf 15 Golf courses are available within a short 25-minute drive of Hickory Nut Forest.

Tennis Two outdoor hard tennis courts are adjacent to the common area.

Water/ Marina/ Boating A variety of boating opportunities and a marina are located just 10 miles down the gorge at Lake Lure.

Equestrian facilities are available at Hickory Nut Gap Farm just a few miles away.

As we completed our photo shoot, we discovered all of this to be spot-on! In fact, a forever-wild land conservation easement surrounds the Hickory Nut Forest Community. This means that the developers have chosen never to allow the land to be developed. Because of this, the forest around your home will always be in its natural state for you and your family to enjoy for generations to come!

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Read GREENOLINA'S news about mountain and valley neighborhoods, real estate, local day trips, picnics, and ecotourist attractions you'll just love. Curious aboutgreen building, remodeling and eco-communities ? ...Subscribe to Greenolina's "Green Wheels" BLOG.

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(*)/'(*) .......... ............and always remember that " poets are soldiers that liberate words from the steadfast possession of definition." -Eli Khamarov ....... We are in a sustainable world, so grab hold of your Muse... dream that world... and make it happen!. ......................... .............

Baby Boomer and Nature Lover? Turn your 1031 into Eco-Friendly Creative Retirement Living-Asheville NC. .The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved

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Lot 12 could be called the IDEAL LOT in the authentic eco-community of Hickory Nut Forest in Gerton, North Carolina.

This ECO COMMUNITY adjacent to 250 acres of "forever wild" land and with trails leading to 800 acres of conservation partners' lands is just 23min to the cultural center of Asheville, NC. . ALL HealthyBuilt homes are planned for the eco-community which is also aiming to be a net zero energy community.

Especially desirable for Lot 12 is that is offers very good southern sun. Home builders and gardeners can take good advantage of this aspect of Lot 12.

You will love the nature trails from Hickory Nut Forest Eco-community. There are 6 miles of trails in the neighborhood alone and these stretch out to meet 800+/- AC of conservation land, awesome waterfalls and streams, (see photo) distant mountain vistas, heirloom apple orchard, and grape garden (see photo below).

The Asheville, N.C.-based eco-developers dubbed Site # 12 , with it's hand made path into the hardwoods, "Striped Maple".

Here you will find a flag flying in the mountain breeze to mark the path to take as you walk the terrain that softly rises into the trees. The 1.25 AC Lot 12 could be calling ..."welcome to this conservation neighborhood" (just 17 lots surrounded on three sides by over a 800 acres of conservation land)... Yes, here is an .easy building site, good southern solar-orientation...and a friendly atmosphere.....

• location
• Ashevile's "green" real estate market
• community

....Looking to the Future.... THIS Asheville, NC eco-community is amazing, because, right from the start, the eco-innovators who designed and planned this conservation neighborhood have "done it right"!

Welcome to the Greater Asheville, NC Area, and
Lot 12 Striped Maple, Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community in Charming
Gerton, North Carolina

CONTEXT- Location: Building Site 12 is within 30 minute pleasant drive from Asheville, N.C. and the city's healthy impetus for sustainable development, diverse economic structure bases on tourism, services, and eco-innovativeattitudes. Overall education levels, wages and per capita income levels are on the "plus" side. Standards of living are, too.

CONTEXT- Asheville Area Sustainable Real Estate Market:GREEN is "red-hot" here. Greater Asheville, North Carolina's GREEN real estate market enjoys clients who are hungry for sustainable neighborhoods, energy-efficient design and green-built homes. Now take a look at the natural amenities in the conservation neighborhood in which Site 12 at Hickory Nut Forest Eco-community rests, and you may conclude, as I have, that THIS IS THE PERFECT SPOT for your eco-friendly construction.

CONTEXT The Eco-Community & Conservation Land : Just A Few of the Conservation Neighborhood's Perks

(below-- the Old Apple Orchard and future farm on adjacent conservation land. You can hike to it from Site 12)

- FEATURES & BENEFITS FOR YOU

- Site 12 is within the first development in the USA to combine wide-ranging land conservation with an eco-friendly community of green-built homes, to be powered by renewable energy -(wind power, hydropower , geothermal) - to create a "net-zero-energy community".

1. You are on the leading edge + save $$.
2. Living in this conservation neighborhood means enjoying the forever-wild mountain forests, soaring cliffs and pristine, cascading streams, out your back door. You can walk for miles in the serenity of nature.
3. Great perks for body mind and spirit! This Eco-Community- is easy drive from Asheville's, cultural amenities, arts, music and delicious cuisine, as well as excellent healthcare all nearby. (17 miles, 30 min)
4. You get the "best of both worlds."
5. Hiking trails lead conveniently from Site 12 into 800 + acres of nature preserve lands with waterfalls, streams, cliffs and mountaintop vistas.
   You are IN a sustainable world.

LOCATED in the quaint village of Gerton, Site 12 is tucked away in the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge. . You have found the place to rest and relax, deeply.

Tennis courts, (a stone's throw from Lot 12)and close-by- hiking trails, horseback riding, bird watching, fishing, picnicking, boating, over a dozen golf courses in the area, biking, gardening, and community social events. Within walking distance: Nita's Grocery/General Store, the Post Office, Gerton Fire Department.

Building Site 12. 1.25 AC.
Listed at $159,000.
MLS 414754

If you are not committed to another real estate professional, then please call me at 828-255-1082 . For more information on THIS and other featured properties, please visit: http://www.ecostewardrealty.com/ . We invite you to specify your property needs, design your dream , see our my "prime property picks" and search the MLS that covers a 5-county area here in mountains near Asheville, North Carolina.

The ECO Certified ® Real Estate Consultants at The ECO Steward Real Estate Firm specialize in working with eco-developers and land for sale in the Greater Asheville, North Carolina area. We are excited about value-added, ECO-friendly properties, and focus on positive futures. Our real estate practice inspires property investments for wealth of the generous kind.

Lot 12 Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community Gerton NC 28735. Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Subscribeto Greenolina's "Green Wheels" BLOG and keep those creative wheels a turnin'

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