Laundry

Of course, all our guests can expect fresh clean sheets, blankets, towels, and (oh-so-soft!) bathrobes when they come to stay in our guest house.  You'll get the added pleasure of enjoying the scent and feel of sun-dried laundry--we hang all our linens and towels out to dry whenever it's above freezing outside instead of using the mechanical clothes drier.  This conserves resources by saving a LOT of energy!

Compost

Because we prepare all our meals using many fresh fruits and vegetables, a large proportion of our daily waste is organic material.  Instead of throwing the leaves, stems and eggshells in the waste basket, we keep a large kitchen compost bin that generates a rich organic fertilizer.  We return this compost to our vegetable and herb gardens during planting and throughout the season in a virtuous cycle that creates almost no actual waste!

Low-Energy Lights

Compact fluorescent lights use only a fraction of the energy of ordinary bulbs and are four times more efficient.  They also last 10 times longer and therefore dramatically reduce the cost of lighting your home or business.  At Hawthorn Valley we use compact fluorescents in almost all our lighting fixtures. Find out more about using these energy-saving bulbs at eartheasy.