Corinna Wood Apprenticeship Details

Apprenticeships Dates

Apprenticeships last 3-6 months, beginning as early as April and ending as late as October. Apprenticeships start on the first Monday of a month.

To apply, see current times open, and for further details, see the Application page.

About Earthaven Ecovillage

Apprentices live at Earthaven Ecovillage, an intentional community in the mountains of Black Mountain, North Carolina. Apprenticeships with Corinna Wood are also a great way to explore the possibility of long-term membership at Earthaven, and some apprentices come with that intention, although that is certainly not necessary.

Earthaven is located on 325 acres in a forested valley area. Earthaven is committed to contributing responsibly to our children’s future through ecological living, consensus decision-making, and education. The creeks and the sun provide all of Earthaven's electrical power.

Since 1995, the community has grown to fifty full members—from young children to great-grandmothers—and expects to grow to 150 people. Earthaven is also home to a huge diversity of wild and cultivated plants, as well as chickens, goats, rabbits, deer, and salamanders. Learn all about Earthaven at earthaven.org.

What you receive

Apprentices receive the opportunity to experience life at Earthaven Ecovillage, the day-to-day skill-building work, and educational programs. See 2008 Apprentice Class Calendar to get a sense of the kinds of classes which may fall during your stay.

Depending on the educational programs offered during your stay, classes may cover the following:

plant identification
wild food harvesting & preparation
making tinctures, infusions, oils, salves, & vinegars
herbs for every cycle of a woman's life
the wise woman tradition
herbal first aid
healing foods
fertility awareness for natural birth control
the six steps of healing
communication with plant spirits

Apprentices bring to them the teachings they are ready for. Through the work that you will be doing, you will put much of the above into practice. In addition, there are other areas in which apprentices learn, not in a classroom setting, but by "osmosis." That includes learning such areas as:

honoring and loving yourself as a woman
speaking your truth
community living
permaculture design & ecological living in these times
herbs and other natural treatments for common ailments
taking responsibility for yourself and your actions
sustainable building techniques
running a small business

What you give

Apprentices are committed to working 36 hours/week. The work involved includes gardening, assisting at classes, family support and contributing to Corinna's home and community--for example, processing firewood, childcare, and natural building projects. Apprentices also cover their own food costs (standard monthly plan at Hut Hamlet Kitchen is $220-250/month).

Your decision

Our apprenticeships are a physically and emotionally demanding immersion of your total being, which requires your openness to transformation. Living close to the elements, being in the powerful cauldron of community, and following through with your work commitments takes stamina and determination.

If you are eager to live closer to the earth, wanting to experience community living, ready to work hard in a service role, and hungry to deepen your self-love and understanding of yourself as a woman, this may be just what you are looking for.

Corinna Wood also offers wonderful mini-apprenticeships in the form of the Wise Woman Fundamentals of Herbalism. If the commitment of the full apprenticeship program feels like too much for you, please consider that one of these may be the best choice for you.