The E.C.O. Center

Our one-room schoolhouse, “Bissel School”

Education

Jeannie with students from Loyola Marymount University

Speaking Engagements

Appalachia 101

Group Building

Contemplation

Sacred Spaces

Peace & Quiet Retreats

Antioch Retreats

Outreach

Jeannie and students from Xavier University

For People

For Places

For Pets

The Farm

two miles into the holler, beyond the E.C.O. Center

Turtle Hill Farm

The comfort zone

Turtle Hill is where Jeannie lives in her tiny house called the Comfort Zone, surrounded by her many furry and feathered friends. Her flock of chickens and ducks provide a rainbow of fresh farm eggs she uses, gives away, and sells. Four pygmy goats keep down some brush and two Great Pyrenees patrol for predators while the four cats are expert mousers. Along with their services, all of them give unconditional love. In case you can’t tell, the farm gives Jeannie the most joy as she hosts groups at the ECO Center, interacts with neighbors, involves herself in community projects, and works as Director of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia.

Rubber Bucket

The Shack

Four-tenths of a mile up the road from The Comfort Zone, Bill lives with his cat in an authentic Appalachian tin roof Shack on a part of the land we call Rubber Bucket, a former Christmas tree farm. He gets daily visits from the goats on Turtle Hill who munch on his grass, especially while he’s chopping wood for winter heat, hauling buckets to recycle gray and rain water, pruning his orchard, or working in his garden. Bill does the majority of the building maintenance and grounds keeping, He likes to lead hikes, swim in the pond, talk politics, and read. Living simply in The Shack doesn’t come easy, but it beats the rat race any day.