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The Opportunity
Sage Valley is a unique opportunity for a like minded group
of people to live near each other and to work together to create a viable self sustaining community based on solar power.
We will combine the best of old and new technologies to create a low impact lifestyle in the high desert. There are
few places left in the U.S. where larger parcels of land are available to subdivide at reasonable prices. Please read
the following information about this community and contact me if you have any interest.
Mission
Statement
The Sage Valley Community is being formed as a place for a group of people
to live in a simple manner close to the earth. There is little employment nearby so it is oriented towards people
in their retirement years, but not exclusively. It is a great place to vacation and build your retirement home
over a period of time. The people living here will be demonstrating a new way to interact with your neighbors via the
Peace Principles, demonstrating an off the grid lifestyle AND HAVING FUN!!!
Sage Valley's primary mission is to recreate community in a group of people. To bring together
a group of people who want to support each other. Everyone will have their own living space and freedom within
the context of a lightly organized community. We can participate in many things together: making a toboggan run,
establishing hiking trails, camping trips all over the western states, chess tournaments, campfires, learning traditional
skills, tracking projects etc.
Sage Valley has the potential to grow to 50 or more homes on 40 acre lots along 4 miles
of road. It will be a mini village where everyone has their own space under the umbrella of a community association
to maintain integrity of the local ecosystem and to respect the natural beauty of the valley.
There is no specific spiritual path associated with this community. It exists for anyone
with an open heart and a desire to connect with the whole. Many teachings lead to the same space with different words.
Sage Valley is a place for a group of people to bring together their wisdom and experience for the continuation of the evolution
of humanity.
Solar Power
Solar home heating and water heating can save 80% of your energy bill. Germany and Japan have embarked
on nationwide solar power programs. The Sun and our Earth Mother have been in a sacred dance for millions of years.
It is our purpose as humans to dance within the pulse of Creation. The Solar Power Revolution is in progress and
Sage Valley will be one of the leading communities in North America in demonstrating the viability of this ancient resource.
A great resource of information about solar power, health and
community can be found at
Location
Sage Valley is located about 20 miles south of Interstate 80 in central Nevada. It runs in a northwest direction up into
the Shoshone Mountains from Crescent Valley and has the Indain Creek flowing through the valley. The closest town is Battle
Mountain which has a hospital, a great grocery store, a hardware store and the basic supplies. The town of Battle Mountain
is less than 20 miles by dirt roads thru the Shoshone Mountains or a little over 40 miles by mostly paved road thru Crescent
Valley. The mountain roads are not plowed in the winter. The city of Winnemucca on I 80 is the closest city with major
department stores etc.; about 60 miles. Elko is 70/80 miles to the east.
Note that Sage Valley is located very close to the geographical center of the western states. East - West travel is easy
on I 80: 8/10 hours west to the ocean or 8/10 hours east to the Rockies. North - South travel is easy on state highways
with 70mph speed limits. 6/8 hours to the Grand Canyon and northern Arizona.
Why Nevada?
I visited Nevada 4 times during 2004.
I now have a deeper connection with this area and a better understanding of why I am moving out there. It is an elemental
place. The weather patterns are very alive and changing. From blue skys to thunderstorms in a few hours.
Sunsets that are mind bogggling. Constantly in the presence of mountains. It is a place where spirit is alive
and constantly felt. For me it represents a shift from a consumer oriented lifestyle to a more basic connected to the
earth lifestyle. Moving to Nevada is a physical representation of my inner shift to a simpler way of being, to a stronger
connection with the Great Mystery.
Our society has lost its sacred grounding with the earth. We do not have a sense of
place within the ecosystem where we live. Sage Valley will be a place where we can go to plug in to those earth energies
that are vital to our mental, emotional and spiritual health. In the high desert there are few distractions and the
doorway to spirit is wide open. There is easy access to the tops of the mountains that surround Sage Valley for meditation
and prayer.
Community Association
A deeded community association will provide a cultural
basket to connect the landowners in Sage Valley. The bedrock of the association will be the Peace Principles as
practiced by traditional societies around the earth. The form of this association, written in the deeds, will provide
the framework for a council to regulate affairs of a common concern. These would include things like trailers, unlicensed
vehicles, building styles, and other things that impact the overall ecology of Sage Valley. It is presently unpopulated
and we want to minimize our impact on the ecosystem. I am providing the vision and preparing the ground for this
community. This will be a real life experience where everyone contributes to empower the whole. In general
motor homes and camping trailers will be allowed for temporary use while constructing a home. Trailers will not be allowed
for long term housing. The recommended housing will be partially in the earth for maximum efficiency. The websites listed
below give information about this kind of housing. NOTE that there is no time limit for the start of construction.
Weather
Sage Valley has great overall weather.
This is largely influenced by the lack of humidity. There are 250 to 300 days of sunshine annually with about
8 to 10 inches of rain. The days are usually 20 to 30 degrees warmer than the nights. In the winter this means
most days are above freezing, often in the 40's. In the summer it means cool evenings. The lack of humidity keeps
both the hot and cold from penetrating. Building a home partially in the earth will average out the desert temperature
changes.
Better than Montana in the winter
and
better than Phoenix in the summer.
The Peace Principles
The
Peace Principles are one of the key building blocks that our culture is missing. I
don’t think that any human endeavor can succeed if it is not based on these Principles.
There are only three of them and like most answers to our problems they are simple, direct and difficult to embody
from the viewpoint of our culture.
These
Principles were given to the Iroquois Nation and other traditional cultures by the Great Peacemaker. This man was born on the northern shores of Lake Ontario
of Immaculate Conception many hundreds of years ago. In that time the tribes
of the Iroquois were engaged in terrible guerilla warfare. He came among the
tribes and spent 40 years building the Great Peace. His story takes nine days
to tell and is recounted once a year by the Iroquois. He crossed Lake Ontario in a stone canoe on his trip south
to meet the people. He worked together with Hiawatha to condole, heal and teach
the five tribes until they were united in the Iroquois Confederacy under the Great Laws of Peace.
The
Peace Principles simply stated are:
1) Always work for Peace.
2) Always work for Unity.
3) Always carry a Good Message.
1) Always work for Peace This Peace has a deeper meaning than we normally imply in our language.
In English it mostly implies a lack of warfare with our neighbors. Peace
is something much deeper than that, something that embraces us and holds us in a state of connection with those around us;
a place of centeredness, harmony, safety, tranquility, quietness and calm that flows in and out of our pores to the surrounding
world. This Peace is manifest in our thoughts and actions. Choose from a place of Peace and you become a place of Peace.
2) Always work for Unity. This principle
means that you are more committed to the Unity of your tribe than to your own ideas of how a thing should be done. This makes consensus possible. If ten people want to hunt
buffalo in the east and one person wants to hunt buffalo in the north, they sit down in a circle and talk about it, possibly
using a talking stick. Everyone’s voice is heard and their reasons are
discussed. The person who wants to hunt in the north will join the others going
to the east because he is committed to Unity. His voice was heard; the others
still wanted to hunt in the east so they all went east.
3) Always carry a Good Message. This
means that you never say anything bad about anyone, at any time, PERIOD!! If
you are having issues with someone, you work it out with them directly, and if the two of you can’t solve it, both of
you go to an elder for help. This is so simple yet is contrary to all the currents
flowing in our culture. We are constantly defining ourselves by putting down
someone else with the underlying message that we are better and more together. This
kind of behavior is actually only demonstrating how weak we are, that we can’t stand on our own Truth so we have to
make a platform for ourselves that is based on judgments of someone else.
If you
want to make a difference with your life, contribute to world peace, stop genocide, and heal the Earth; adopting this one
principle will cause a tidal wave of positive energy to ripple out from you and change the world. Just stop saying bad things about other people. You do not
walk in their shoes. You do not know what they are dealing with. Chances are that their pain is very similar to your pain. We
are more alike than we think. When you break this cycle of negativity in your
life, others will break the cycle in their lives. True evolution and positive
change will embrace humanity from our adoption of the Peace Principles.
The Shoshone Mountains
The road thru Sage Valley is a county maintained dirt road. It is graded
once a year and there are no legal access problems. It is normally accessable by any kind of car. Snow normally
melts off in a few days below the 6000 foot level so it normally does not accumulate on the road. There may be periods
of heavy rains or heavy snow where a 4x4 vehicle is necessary for access. Being snowed in for a day or two sometimes
will be a part of the Sage Valley experience. Learning to live together and support each other, independently from
our mother culture, will be some of the lessons we will learn as a community.
Water
In Nevada every landowner can drill one domestic well per parcel.
In the large valleys on either side of the Shoshone Mountains water is generally found at 100 to 200 feet. On June 16,
2005 the first well was drilled at Sage Valley on lot number 8. The well depth was 154 feet and the volume was 80 gallons
per minute. The second well was drilled on lot 1 with a depth of 150 feet and a flow volume of 80 to 100 gallons per
minute. Samples will be taken and tested to insure that this water is potable and free of any hazardous substances.
The results of the tests for heavy metals from two different labs was identical.
The well on lot 8 was within the standards of Nevada on all the heavy metals tested. The well on lot 1 was the same
except that the arsenic count on this well was .02 ml instead of the state standard of .01ml. Note that the old state
standard was .05 ml and was only recently changed to .01 ml. I don't consider this level of arsenic as a major problem
and I think that a filter can be added to the drinking water tap to remove the arsenic.
Power
There are no public utilities in Sage Valley. There is almost unlimited sunshine
for solar power. We can have backup generators to share within the entire community. Communications
will be by satellite.
Subdivision
The subdivision of this square mile in to 40 acre
parcels has been approved and the subdivision map is shown below.
Hazards
There
are rattlesnakes, scorpions, coyotes, mountain lions etc. in these mountains. Dehydration and hypothermia are concerns
if you are not prepared for extended periods "in the bush".
This area of Nevada is very mineralized and there are several active gold mines within 80 miles of
Sage Valley. There are no active mines in our watershed. There are hazards to the environment posed by mining
operations. My research to date has led me to the conclusion that living in Sage Valley where there is mining in the
area, is healthier than living in any major city with traffic jams etc. This is my personal opinion and everyone is
encouraged to research this issure and bring their findings to the community. (This area of Nevada is a great place
to explore for mineralized rocks, turquoise, etc.)
There are inactive mines in the area of Sage Valley. The closest, the Grey Eagle Mine is about 1.5 miles away
and was probably active from the 20's to the 40's. It was not a large mining operation but there is a containment area
with tailings from this mine. The containment seems mostly intact but some tailings may have washed down the dry wash.
This wash leads into Sage Valley between lots 6 and 8. Initial observations suggest that these tailings in a noticeable
quantity are a mile or more from our boundary line. A more complete examination will be made.
The main question regarding this mine would be if there is any groundwater contamination. The well on lot 8 is now
completed and water tests will be done to insure there are no hazardous materials in the aquifer. As the mine appears
to have been a small operation at a distance of 1.5 miles from Sage Valley; there may not be any negative influence from this
mine on living in Sage Valley. Investigations of this possible problem are on going.
A LOCAL GEOLOGIST WAS HIRED TO REVIEW THE MINE SITE AND DISCUSS ITS IMPACT ON THE SAGE VALLEY COMMUNITY. HIS REPORT
IS AS FOLLOWS:
REPORT
ON EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS
TO
SAGE VALLEY COMMUNITY FROM THE GREY EAGLE MINE
JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. (JBR) performed an abbreviated evaluation of the potential for tailings from the
Grey Eagle Mine (GEM) to impact the Sage Valley Community parcel (SVC). The GEM
is located in the same drainage as the SVC, approximately two miles upgradient. Specifically,
the GEM is located in the southeast quarter of Section 14 of Township 29 North, Range 46 East, while the SVC is located in
Section 27 of this same Township and Range. The attached figure indicates the
location of the GEM and the SVC.
METHODS
JBR personnel conducted a site reconnaissance of the GEM, with emphasis on the tailings. We observed and photographed the present site conditions. We
reviewed the historic information about the GEM in Mines of Northern Nevada, written by W.H. Emmons in 1908. A single grab sample of the tailings was collected.
BACKGROUND
The GEM was reportedly mined for lead, silver, and gold in the 1870s and 1880s and again between 1905 and 1908 (Emmons,
1908). The presence of tailings impoundments indicates a later stage of activity;
prior to the 1930s, small-scale mining and mineral processing operations typically discharged tailings in an uncontrolled
manner. Field observations indicate that the site may have been used as a staging
area for exploration work as late as the early 1990s. Based on the condition
of the facilities and the degree of natural revegetation that has occurred, it is surmised that mining has not occurred since
the mid 20th century.
The ore reportedly occurs as narrow veins in granodiorite. Specific mineralogy
is not known, but likely consists of poly-metallic sulfides (galena, sphalerite, and pyrite), with some native copper and
silver. In addition to the reported production of lead, silver and gold, copper
and zinc were also reportedly present in the ore (Emmons, 1908). Remains of the
site include substantial concrete foundations and a multi-staged tailings impoundment, indicating that some ore processing
occurred on site. Breaching of the tailings storage facility (TSF) and downslope
migration of tails had been reported to JBR prior to the field investigation.
OBSERVATIONS
The GEM consists of abandoned underground workings, concrete foundations, three small wooden buildings, a metal tank,
a metal cylindrical structure (possibly furnace or retort), numerous four‑wheel drive roads, and a multi-stage TSF (see
Photo 1). The site is relatively clean, although there are small amounts of debris
scattered throughout. Slopes and road-cuts appear stable and, except for minor
raveling, show very little evidence of erosion. The site has been revegetated,
apparently by natural processes. Vegetation consists of a sagebrush and grass
community, giving way to a pinyon juniper community at higher elevations to the west.
Minor amounts of Canadian thistle occur throughout the property, primarily in disturbed areas such as road-cuts and
the TSF.
No chemicals or petroleum products or evidence thereof was observed. No
staining of soils or stressed vegetation that could indicate contamination was present.
No excessive erosion or sedimentation was observed.
The two wooden buildings have been vandalized and have substantial debris within.
These buildings constitute the most significant source of debris and litter.
The larger of the two wooden buildings was equipped with a toilet, indicating that a sanitary leach field is probably
located on site.
The TSF is located in the small drainage immediately below the foundations (mill area).
The TSF appears to have been constructed in four or five phases. The size
of each impoundment generally increases progressively downgradient. The upper-most
impoundments are very small (vertical height of 10 feet or less) and have been so completely vegetated that they are scarcely
discernable. In fact, it is possible that the upper impoundment consists of two
stages, although this cannot be determined with certainty due to the vigorous vegetation.
The next two impoundments downstream are each approximately 2 acre or less in surface area,
with embankment heights of ten feet or less. There is no remaining freeboard
in these upper three Aponds@ and the surfaces have been
completely revegetated.
The largest impoundment has a span of approximately 150 feet at its ultimate height, which is estimated to be about
40 feet. The impoundment surface is estimated to comprise approximately one acre
and has approximately five feet of remaining freeboard. The surface of this impoundment
has been approximately 60 percent revegetated. A small natural seep occurs in
its southeast corner, and flows onto the tailings surface, supporting a small area of vigorous grass and sedge growth. The outer slope of this impoundment appears to have a bench approximately halfway
down, likely indicating a staged construction. The outer slopes are completely
vegetated with mature sagebrush and grass. There is no evidence of a breach of
the impoundment or release of tailings (see Photo 2).
Below the lowermost impoundment, there is a small area of un-vegetated, pale-colored silt. This material may have been assumed to consist of tailings released from the impoundment. However, it appears to be material that was used to construct a level area (pad) for a building that has
since been removed, or has burned. Several observations support this conclusion. The material is completely isolated from the TSF, and does not form a continuous blanket
from the TSF to its deposition point. There are remains of a brick chimney or
furnace, as well as scattered debris that were likely associated with the structure. The sediment is uniformly level and approximately
two feet thick, except where it has been down-cut by water along the center of the channel in which it is located (see Photo
3). Finally, the pad is conveniently located to roads so that it may have served
as a lodging area or other centralized facility for the early mining era. Specifically,
the remains of a road leading directly to this site from the west can be discerned, and the main access road comes nearly
to this site, before turning sharply south and uphill.
Based on these observations, the deposited material likely originated from the erosion of this pad. The material has migrated 50 feet or less from the pad.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
There is no indication of a breach of the TSF or release of tailings. There
is no evidence of any tailings in the creek bottom below the lowermost portion of the GEM facilities. The TSF appears to be structurally stable and has apparently withstood several decades or more of natural
processes without being compromised. The site has been reclaimed by natural processes
and there is no evidence of contamination. The possibility for environmental
impacts to the SVC from the GEM appears to be remote. No further evaluation or
analysis is recommended.
There has been a great deal of nuclear testing done in Nevada. All of the atmospheric testing
done in the 50's was done about 250 miles south of Sage Valley. As most winds are from the west to the east, I haven't
found any indication that there is a fallout problem at Sage Valley. Most of the underground testing was also done 250
miles south of Sage Valley and should not pose any threat at all. There was one underground test about 100 miles
from Sage Valley and is also not a problem as far as I know. Everyone is encouraged to do their own research.
Housing
I have been surfing the web and the following
websites have some photos and information about solar housing.
http://www.earthshipbiotecture.com
The following site has excellent information. On the right hand side of the main page
under the heading of "Natural Buildings" click on the section for earthship. Great photos and a cross section view of
how an earthship is heated by the sunlight in the winter, but not in the summer. http://greenhomebuilding.com
A great website is:
http://thenaturalhome.com
American Solar Energy Society: http://ases.org
http://homepower.com
http://solarroofs.com
http://ecological-living.info
http://networkearth.org
http://hollowtop.com
http://earthships.com
http://earthship.org
http://envirolink.org
http://earthshelters.com
http://www.calearth.org
http://www.newsociety.com
http://www.realgoods.com
http://www.solarliving.org
http://www.solar4power.com
http://www.solarpower.com
PLEASE NOTE that very similar housing can be built with concrete walls instead of using
old tires.
The following illustration explains the basic concept of an earthship type of home. Partially
in the ground, with passive solar heating through the south facing windows. Approximately 80% of the yearly energy bill
can be saved with solar home heating and solar hot water heating.
The sun is higher in the sky in the summer so the overhang of the roof creates a shaded
area and the house does not overheat in the summer. As winter approaches the sun moves lower in the sky and shines deeper
into the house providing more heat.
Earthships can be built to any size and shape. Many of the photographs in the above
links are of fairly large homes Earthship cabins of 600 or 800 square feet are very practical. Note that
the classic earthship construction uses rammed earth in tires. This is not the only way to make the walls. Many
other common types of walls can be used to build an earthship.
The following 6 photos are a panorama of Sage Valley taken from one spot
and turning in a circle; Late June, 2004
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View location of lots
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| Map showing land in central Nevada relative to I-80 |
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| Map showing individual 40 acre parcels. (Click Map to see larger picture) |
As of January 25, 2007
The available lots in Phase I are:
6,7,9,11,12,& 14
One or two lots are temporarily reserved and could come back on the market.
The above survey map shows the Phase I subdivision
at Sage Valley. Several of the parcels are sold or being held for people pending a visit to Sage Valley to inspect
their lot. Parcels 6,7,9,11,12 and 14 are presently for sale. Other lots may come back on the market
if people change their minds as I am reserving certain lots pending the potential owners coming to inspect their parcel.
The price is $16,000.00 for lot 9,11,1
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