Haven Village
The Haven Village is located in Old Fort, Tennessee on the Georgia state at the foothills of a pristine national forest at an elevation of 1000+ feet.Our 216 acres of beautiful nature is tucked away from immediate view, nestled between several ridges offering breathtaking views at the end of a dead-end road offering a feeling of privacy and autonomy. The local region features lots of local real food finds and easy access to a variety of outdoor activities from hiking, foraging and white water rafting. It is truly a place of peace and tranquility where we can reset our nervous systems and reconnect with nature and ourselves.
About Us
Imani Mamalution and Paul River Richardson met in the Fall of 2020 to connect people at this revolutionary time with a shared mission to return to the land. From the onset of their partnership, Imani and River realized that their journeys and the synchronicity of their union amplified both their individual and shared visions. They established the Haven Earth Trade School and began teaching hands-on courses for natural building and educating others about Healthy Hemp Homes. In June 2021 they set up their PMA (Private Membership Association) and began actively looking for land with their members. Two years later, they made an offer on the perfect land in East Tennessee, which is now the home of Haven Village. River and Imani, along with their members, are a beacon of hope shining their light in a world seemingly shrouded in darkness. Together, they are building a new model of resiliency outside of the public domain. They are HemPioneers blazing a new path back to nature and inspiring others along the way.
As a Private Membership Association, we are only open to our members. All visitors and overnight guests are required to purchase a $22 monthly pass as well as sign our Guest Guidelines and Liability Waiver upon arrival.
Our Progress
We have been on a quest looking for the right piece of land while building our membership when we initiated our Ministry of Nature and Private Membership Association in June 2021. We knew at first visit that this was the land we had been waiting for - and the land was happy to receive us. We established the Haven Village Trust and started working on our internal infrastructure and agreements in May 2023 and officially secured the land in July 2023 after several more visits. We brought our first group of members to the land on the Summer Solstice full moon in June 2023, before closing on the property. River began working on developing a masterplan that would be the nucleus for the vision to manifest into reality. During this process, River worked closely with Vastu consultants to better understand the land from an energetic and layout perspective, which proved invaluable to the design process and confirmed his intuitive and pragmatic ideas about the orientation and developable areas on the property. This Masterplan serves as the roadmap for our immediate development strategy. Since the beginning of September 2023 when we arrived on the land full-time, our focus and energy have been poured into initial infrastructure to secure energy, food, water, and immediate shelter to include temporary dwellings such as yurts and glamping in Zone 1 of the property. Another part of our strategy during this phase is to involve residential members, students, and builders in the healthy home construction process so that we can simultaneously build the workforce of the future. We are excited to invite others to the land in the Spring of 2024 to see our progress and learn more about what we are up to.
Our Culture of Care
Haven Village is an emerging model for these times. We nurture a culture of care that forms the foundation of our human ecology. Built on principles of mutual respect, support, and a deep connection to the land our residents and members are committed to harmonious coexistence with nature and one another. Being clear on the relevancy of a culture in which caring for each other creates a space where well-being allows our senses to feel at Home and signifies a place where all of you is welcome. All residents and members that come to Haven Village sign our living agreement so that thriving on the land together is possible and harmony is truly experienceable. Welcome Home.
Visiting Haven Village
We start welcoming visitors in the Spring of 2024. Whether you are a potential residential member, workshop participant or checking us out, we invite you to not only explore our homestead but the natural beauty of our land and the surrounding area. There are forests, mountains and rivers to explore - popular activities include hiking, wild food foraging, white water rafting, star gazing and more. Guests can only book two-night stays Friday - Sunday unless they are attending one of our training or special programs. A typical visit includes a member-led tour, a Friday evening Community Cookout to meet others as well as our Saturday Morning Brunch with Imani & River to learn more about our model for an additional fee (add it on to your reservation). Our off-grid hot tub and sauna is also available for an additional cost.
All guests must be members of Haven Earth PMA (which is a $22 monthly fee added to reservation or event) as well as sign our Guest Agreements and Liability form. Haven Village is a self-organizing, profitable, private nature-preserving fellowship of Beneficiary Residential Members that collaborate in syntropy to enhance and bring about the mission of Haven Village while ensuring a personal livelihood that is rooted in self-responsible lifeways. As a Private Membership Association, we operate in the private realm and welcome others to participate as workshop participants, potential residential members and friends of Haven Village. We do not allow drop-in visitors or pets. All guests must be registered for an event or have a reservation. Bookings are limited to specific dates and times and all bookings must be pre-approved.
Camping Among the Stars
Our Star Tents provide a comfortable and inviting space for you to unwind and connect with the rhythms of nature. Our collection of nine Star Tents are located on a gentle hill adjacent to the Fairy Forest - a grove of tall pines next to a small spring-fed pond where our outdoor bath house is located (and future home of the off-grid cedar hot tub and sauna).
A full-size air mattress is provided - sheets and towels are available for an extra cost. Take time to unplug and immerse yourself in the sounds of the surrounding forest. A perfect affordable housing option for those looking to join us for a hands-on training or just a weekend visit.
Glamping in Style
Take camping to the next level with these wood-framed glamping cabins and enjoy the richness of our landscape while keeping the modern comforts. With a lockable entry door, this private suite offers a spacious 180 sqft of living space for 1-2 people, fully fitted out with top-of-the-line healthy natural furnishings including wool mattresses, pillows and linens as well as other ecological sundry items. Each cabin has electricity, a ceiling fan, and an electric heater (please note these cabins are not air-conditioned).
Our five Guest Glamping Tents are located in the heart of the village with easy access to the shared community kitchen space and our indoor/outdoor bathrooms. From your private deck, enjoy the large pond right at your doorstep which leads to several of the trails on the land. A great option for those wanting to experience Village life while enjoying an immersion in Nature. These cabins are reserved for workshop participants and potential residential members. We welcome visitors on our off weeks based on their availability. Three of the cabins are fitted out with queen-size beds and the other two have two twin beds.
Residential Yurt Village
Our Yurt Village (to be completed in March 2024) is for Residential Members looking to book longer stays as well as potential residential members invited to reserve their 10-day stay in one of our yurts (based on availability) as an alternative to our Guest Glamping Tents. These 24-foot iconic round yurt structures are fully adorned with architect-designed Interiors, full bathroom, and kitchen as well as a hemp wool queen size bed in your private suite.
Enjoy morning coffee overlooking the pond while being invigorated by the morning sun rising over the breathtaking Cherokee Mountains with acres of forest behind you. Our Yurt Village is located on the sloping hill above our zone one area and are designed to be a temporary housing option for our members during the build process of their healthy hemp home on their personal lot. Unlike most developers, our approach is to engage our members through the entire construction process as well as help with the implementation of food security measures.
Tiny Hemp Home
Come experience a healthy hemp home firsthand in the first fully off-grid, natural healthy Hemp Tiny Home in the United States! Designed and built by Architect Paul River Richardson as a showcase home for our model here at Haven Village. A year in the making - the Tiny Hemp Home was part of our Hemp Builder Training in Kingsbury, Texas in December 2022 and traveled all the way to Tennessee (not recommended btw!) to serve as the Welcome Center at Haven Village.
Our Tiny Hemp Home is only available for bookings Friday- Sunday on an as-available basis for private and special staycations. Imagine yourself in a one-of-a-kind Healthy Hemp Dwelling that boasts a fully fitted kitchen, full-size bathroom and shower, full-height loft sleeping quarters, and much much more. From your large private deck, you can enjoy the mountain views while breathing the fresh air of this revolutionary building material that is taking the world by storm. You have to experience it to believe it - but once you do you won’t want to go back to the conventional.
Reservations for the Tiny Hemp Home can be made HERE
Watch a short video tour here
Interested in Residential Membership?
If you're interested in joining us as a residential member, we invite you to visit our Haven Village Residential Membership Application page to learn more about the process and determine if it might be a good fit for you. We look forward to welcoming you to Haven Village!
Haven Earth Trade School
Haven Village empowers and inspires a renewed model of community life grounded in a healthy, syntropic, connection with the land and each other. We secure a positive future timeline by cultivating abundant agro-centric lifestyles that are creative, resilient, and honor the natural world. It is also the home of the Haven Earth Trade School where we foster education, innovation, and resiliency for those seeking to return to the land.
We will host our first hands-on training focused on natural building and homesteading in the Spring of 2024. Once you register online at the Haven Earth Trade School you will be redirected back to this site to book your accommodations.
