The international Camphill movement is dedicated to community living that includes and supports people of special needs. The movement is inspired Anthroposophy and the teachings of Rudolph Steiner (who also conceived biodynamic agriculture and Waldorf schools) and the first such community was started in Scotland in 1939 by Dr. Karl Koenig. There are now more than 100 communities in 22 countries. The Camphill philosophy also emphasizes care of the earth and most sites include some form of sustainable agriculture component. Our region is fortunate to have three Camphill communities located in Chester County, only an hour outside Philadelphia.
Landscape team turning compost at Camphill Soltane.
Last week I had the good fortune to tour Camphill Soltane (camphillsoltane.org), located in Glenmoore, PA, with its new Agricultural Director, Mason Vollmer. This community includes about 80 residents including adults and young adults with developmental disabilities and full-time residential volunteers and families who live, learn, and work together. The site includes a 2.5 acre orchard with 200 apples trees consisting of 10 varieties. Last year, over 3000 lbs of apples were harvested and mostly made into cider, apple sauce, and apple butter. The site also includes peaches, pears, walnuts, and rows of blackberries and raspberries. Vollmer, who spent most of the last 20 years managing school gardens at Summerfield Waldorf School in CA and Kimberton Waldorf School in PA, is in the process of developing a landscape team at Soltane that will greatly expand its agricultural activities. They have already instituted an impressive community wide composting operation and are working on plans for a CSA and opportunities to market their orchard’s produce. All of these initiatives of course include developing useful and empowering roles for residents of the community.
Vollmer demonstrates apple tree pruning in the Camphill Soltane orchard.
Camphill Village Kimberton Hills (camphillkimberton.org) and Camphill Special School (beaverrun.org) are both in close proximity to Camphill Soltane:
“Camphill Village Kimberton Hills is a 432 acre, land-based, life-sharing community located about an hour west of Philadelphia in Chester County Pennsylvania. Made up of 120 members, Kimberton Hills strives to restore vitality to our ecosystems and societal structures through Anthroposophy, the spiritual philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. Adults who have developmental disabilities live and work side by side with volunteers in family households to form a supportive community based on shared responsibilities and caring. The community features a large biodynamic CSA Garden which offers a two year apprenticeship study program, an award winning organic dairy, a café and bakery which serve the village and surrounding region, weavery and fiber arts workshops, as well as land and building maintenance programs. Kimberton Hills is known locally for its sustainable buildings and its strong cultural life of festivals, music, and art.”
Camphill Kimberton Hills visits the Teens 4 Good farm in Philadelphia in summer '08.
At Camphill Special School, “Children ages 5-19 years live in an extended family with coworkers – often with their own children – and other volunteers in specially designed homes. The education program is adapted from Waldorf education focusing on experiential learning and emphasizing social, artistic and practical skills, and is supported by a variety of therapies that are available to help the child in his or her development. The community consists of approximately 90 students, 40 teachers and teacher aides, 10 therapists, 70 additional coworkers and 11 staff.”
