Life in Camphill Village Copake
Camphill Village is an integrated community where we connect with one another through meaningful work, enriching spiritual life, and supportive relationships. We are unfolding our potential together through the practice of social therapy, in which we nurture the gifts of our peers while meeting their needs through life’s different stages.
There are more than 20 lifesharing households in Camphill Village. These are shared by individuals with and without developmental differences, including house leaders and their families, volunteers, and students of the Camphill Academy. These housemates of all ages and abilities live as extended families—experiencing milestones and challenges together, enjoying wholesome meals, and sharing responsibilities within the household.
We spend our mornings and afternoons working in our therapeutic craft studios, houses, and practicing biodynamic agriculture. Evenings and weekends are dedicated to creative pursuits and visiting with friends; we might enjoy a week baking cookies and sourdough breads in our Bakery before relaxing on a Saturday afternoon in our busy Coffee Shop. Some will spend evenings practicing a new piece of music before performing alongside fellow musicians in our Village Bell Ensemble concert.
Our weekly activities provide structure and balance, but life in Camphill Village follows the natural rhythms of the seasons. Chilly winter mornings spent cradling mugs of hot mint tea from our gardens melt away into long sunsets by the swim pond. And through these seasonal shifts, we gather for our many holidays and spiritual festivals.
Many of our celebrations are held outdoors, as our scenic valley landscape provides us with space to grow food, as well as gather. Our land enables us to stroll and chat with friends, ride our bicycles in a safe environment, and to decompress peacefully at the end of a fulfilling day.
Camphill Village Copake is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, and we thank our donors and other generous supporters for helping us to make Camphill Village the special place that it is. Learn about the different ways you can support the adults with developmental differences who make their home at Camphill Village here.
Medical and Therapeutic Care
In addition to off-site care, the Medical Office here in Camphill Village is staffed with nurses and doctors. Our caring medical staff practice integrated medicine—combining homeopathic and mainstream medical care and remedies.
We offer on-site dental care, vision care, physical therapy, and mental health counseling, as well as a wide array of supportive therapies including massage, eurythmy, painting, music, and movement—all of which are utilized enthusiastically by our community members of all abilities.
Camphill has reminded me that life is a gift to be shared. The staff in the medical office, the house leaders, and the villagers give testimony to the power of community; and it is clear that Camphill cares.
Upcoming Events
Experience the full cycle of a seed, from germination to seed processing! Turtle Tree Seed is in need of an enthusiastic seasonal gardener to join our crew at Camphill Village. You’ll help us to propagate and care for our seedlings; transplant and direct-sow; harvest, dry, and process our seeds; and maintain our gardens. Our seasonal gardener will earn $20-$22 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications. camphillvillage.org/careers or visit the link in our bio!
And so it begins! Our community broke ground this month on what will be a new care house to shelter and care for the aging population of Camphill Village. We are delighted to have the opportunity to support more of our people from their 20s all the way until their final days here in Copake. We are so grateful for the support we’ve received to make this project possible, as it will fulfill a profound need for the elders of Camphill Village for generations to come.
Our ability to prepare and enjoy fresh vegetables from our own land makes a tremendous difference for the health of our people. From our gardens and greenhouses to our kitchen tables and cooking equipment, your donations make our outstanding health outcomes possible.
Move to Camphill Village Copake and start a year of personal growth and self discovery while we handle your expenses. Camphill Village provides full medical care for our wonderful volunteers, and we pay your monthly college loan payments! Enjoy living and working with adults with developmental disabilities while creating friendships with other volunteers from all over the world, right here in Copake. Apply at the link in our bio!
We`re so fortunate to have a community center like Fountain Hall, where we have access to numerous performances throughout the year. On Friday, we welcomed the cast of Chekhovek, a highly entertaining grouping of short stories by Anton Chekhov, adapted and directed by Melania Levitsky. The cast was so talented and animated, and we couldn`t wait to join them on stage to meet everyone.
The next performances will be at 7:30 this evening at Buttonball Barn in Egremont; Park Theater in Hudson on Friday, March 20 at 7:30pm, Saturday, March 21 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, March 22 at 3pm; and Threefold Auditorium in Spring Valley on Saturday, March 28 at 7:30pm.
We had such a nice time together in Omaskos House last night, where we began a puppet-making project that will last through our current semester of our "Community College." We`ll be presenting the Brothers Grimm story of the "Star Dollars" about a generous orphan girl who gives away her belongings and food and is rewarded with golden coins from the sky. We`ll be using paper, wool, felting, and toilet paper rolls to create all of our characters before our performance at the end of the semester! Click this post in our Sprout 🌱 link to learn more about life in Camphill Village.
We’ve come so far and learned so many great things here in Camphill Village. Please consider supporting us before our fiscal year comes to a close on March 31st. Our donors make so many things possible, from medical care and therapies to the supplies we need to learn and grow. You can donate at the link in our bio!
👏Did you know that your donations to Camphill Village support so many of our therapies and health care that aren’t funded by insurance? Many of our residents require special prescriptions, and we’re able to provide them, thanks to you. 🤓
If you’d like to donate to Camphill Village, you can use the link in our bio or visit camphillvillage.org/DONATE.
Our fiscal years ends on March 31, which means we have from now until then to make sure our operating budget is funded for April 1. Thank you for giving!
