Stelle Earth Day Open House
Sunday - May 4, 2008
10 A.M. - 2 P.M.
One of Stelle's most popular events of the year, our Earth Day Celebration is an opportunity for visitors to learn of the different aspects of sustainability some Stelle participants have pursued over the years. Upon arrival, guests will be given a community map (with highlighted points of interest) along with a schedule of events. Feel free to just wander around the community on your own, or if you prefer, join one of the tours.
This is a full day of activities that is free to the public. To ensure you have time to experience all the day's sites and activities, we recommend starting your day with the 10:30 tour.
We hope you can join us for the entire day!
Be sure to check out our Earth Day Open House workshops and Community Living discussion on Saturday, May 3, 2008. These workshops are being offered to accommodate those who wish to spend a full weekend experiencing the many sustainability applications going on at Stelle.
Featured Events:
Wilkerson Home
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1 Hour Community Guided Tour –
Beginning at 10:30 , 11:30 & 12:30
Our guided tours begin at the Stelle Community Center with a short introductory talk about Stelle before heading out around town. The first stop will be at Stelle's newest eco-friendly home (the Wilkerson's) followed with a stop at the solar powered Stelle Telephone Company where phone company manager Tim Wilhelm will answer your questions.
Haeme Strawbale Home
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Strawbale Home Open House 10 A.M.– 2 P.M.
All visitors will receive a map describing how to get to Jon and June Haeme's strawbale home (3.6 miles from Stelle). Walk through their home and learn how they built it and why. Jon will also discuss his solar and wind applications which help reduce his electric bills to around $20 per month in the summer time and $60 to $80 per month in the winter using electric baseboard heaters. That cost includes both the house and Jon's workshop. Click here for an article on construction of their strawbale home - the first in Illinois.
Hayride Garden Tour
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Hayride Tour of Gardens, Pond and Orchard – 12:00 and 1:00
Take a short hayrack ride to our community gardens and orchard for a quick look at how we raise some of our organic vegetables and fruits. Sample fresh asparagus or rhubarb. Learn about the Ruth Stout method of mulching to minimize labor and watering.
Steve and Jan Bell's home with solar panels and windmill.
(click on photo to enlarge)
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Steve and Jan Bell Home Open House 10 A.M.– 2 P.M.
Steve is one of the top residential and commercial PV and wind system design engineers in the US today and walks down the street daily to his work at Sunwize Technologies. Steve will be available to talk with visitors about his home and some of the more technical aspects of solar and wind technology. (Click here to view a Home Power article on Steve and Jan's home.)
Harry Carr's sheep with the Stelle community in the background.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
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Raising Grass-Based Food - Talk and Meadow Tour (2:00 to 4:00)
Join Harry Carr for an insightful presentation on how grass-based food production can improve our diets, reduce our environmental impact, and restore depleted soils. Harry will describe how animals, primarily ruminants such as sheep and cattle, convert the sun's energy into healthy foods by grazing and digesting nature's storehouse of grasses and legumes. He will describe the health benefits of milk and meat from grass fed animals - for example, how high levels of heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids are produced - and much more. Included will be a meadow tour of Mint Creek Farm with description of some common grassland plants and the chance to experience firsthand a real sheep farm.
Other Planned Activities:
• Bake Sale
• Herb based bath salts, lotions, etc available from
The Herb Basket
• Lunch prepared from mostly organic and locally grown ingredients, served in the Stelle Community Center
Click Here for Directions and Maps to Stelle
VISIT THE STELLE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR
LUNCH · SNACKS · BEVERAGES
(Activities Subject to change without notice. Thanks!)
Overnight lodging is available at the Greenhouse Bed and Breakfast, in the homes of Stelle residents, or in area hotels. Camping space is also available. Click here for further details on lodging.
