Stump Sprouts
By Jenn (TinyChoices.com) | February 24, 2009
I’ve been lucky enough to have a few wonderful wintery weekends lately, and I’d like to tell you about my visit to Stump Sprouts, a family-run cross country ski and retreat center in Northwestern Massachusetts.
I carpooled up there with four friends, all of us cozily ensconced in one car. The vibe of the place is low-key, down-homey, and totally chill– just the way I like it. One of the first things I noticed is the fact that the buildings are all built of wood, and are even more cozy on the inside than they look from the outside. Much of the furniture is wood as well, and it turns out that both the structures and furnishings are hand-built from wood which has been sustainably harvested from the Stump Sprouts land:
“For thirty years, we have managed our 350 acres of forest to sustain us indefinitely with timber, firewood, recreational opportunities, peace and tranquility.
Almost all of the lumber used to build and furnish our buildings has been sustainably harvested from our land and milled within a few miles of here.”
Turns out they’ve been making Tiny Choices since their beginnings:
“Low impact living, simplicity, in harmony with the landscape, sensitivity towards global environmental issues have been core values of ours since our inception in 1977.
The food is absolutely delicious– everything is made from scratch (including breads) and it’s all hearty, whole-grain, and natural. Vegetarian options are offered as a standard part of each meal, and they grow what they can and keep it as local as possible:
“We specialize in home-grown or locally produced food whenever possible.”
One obvious (not so) Tiny Choice is their solar array (pictured up top there), which turns out, when paired with conservation measures, to provide 100% of their electricity needs:
“Aggressive conservation efforts allow our photovoltaic array to provide us with as much electricity from the sun as we consume.”
They also know what’s what at the end of the line, taking care of their own waste in a responsible manner:
“75% of our trash is either composted, reused or recycled.”
I was really happy to have spent time at a retreat where living lightly and sustainably is obvious in every decision they make, and a part of their very business model. Plus, the cross-country skiing was awesome too!
Have you visited any eco-minded destinations lately?
[Image via StumpSprouts.com]
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[...] Stump Sprouts | Tiny Choices – I’ve been lucky enough to have a few wonderful wintery weekends lately, and I’d like to tell you about my visit to Stump Sprouts, a family-run cross country. [...]