Honeydew 2023

What a year it was...

Horizons offer only a glimpse of possibilities, and at Honeydew, the landscape never ceases to surprise us. When we arrived on site in late February — deep in snow — we could not have foreseen what an incredible year it would be. 2023 surpassed all our expectations, and challenged us to grow further & faster than we could have imagined.

Last winter, we set an ambitious timetable for opening: a mini-welcome to our neighbours in April for the national Festa della Liberazione, and a full launch in late June at the local Festa del Pane.

Spring was lush, beautiful, and volatile — we faced torrential rains and flooding in Emilia-Romagna. (Fortunately, Honeydew is at an altitude of 700 metres and climate resilience is a core focus of the project). The property had been unoccupied for almost a decade, and it required a tidal wave of youthful energy to awaken it ahead of our summer launch.

With volunteers from around the world (many via WorkAway), we tackled renovations to the five hectare site and made preparations for a season of retreats, installing a new yoga hall, bringing back to life the swimming pool, and completely refurbishing the dilapidated hotel rooms. The main site can now house 44 people, with an additional two dozen in the bungalows.

Just one month after opening to the public in late June, we held our first retreat; the second followed three weeks later. The success of these events — and of the growing life of the community itself — was captured in a viral 90-second Instagram reel, which has racked up 15,000 likes! The creator, Gabu, really distilled the spirit of the project:

Media coverage followed suit, with three generous articles about the community, in Forbes (July), The Guardian (September), and Euronews (October). These explored how Honeydew’s vision is resonating with young people and new families, who seek an alternative to isolating individualism, toxic pollution, and the culture of relentless competition. Our eco-communal model offers collective solidarity, a reconnection with the earth, and a sustainable and healthy framework for raising children.

Personally, I haven’t had much time to write (apologies to my editor, who even travelled out to Italy to prompt me about a book deadline), but I did expand on our vision for Honeydew in an article for Third Wave (December). This essay reflects on the inspiration for the project, and the need for humility; the root of that word comes from the Latin humus — earth.

Our project appeals to a global audience, to the extent that we are now moving to the next stage: growing from an eco-community to a flourishing eco-village. We have grand plans — for a forest school, an expanded agriculture programme (with chickens and bees joining us from March), a complete refurbishment of the ten adjoining bungalows, and an updated system to ensure full energy independence (already we are supported by 147 solar panels).

If you wish to learn more and support our plans for the future, please visit our newly-launched crowdfunder. A donation of any amount will be greatly appreciated and acknowledged. Please share this link with anyone who might be interested:

2024 is shaping up to be an exciting year. The Guardian is visiting in April to record a short film about the community, and we’re welcoming international volunteers from a dozen countries. (Language lessons are now part of the fabric of the community: here you can learn Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, English, Hebrew, and Farsi.)

The Tour de France is even coming to Honeydew! In the first week of July, the route passes along the two towns in our immediate vicinity, both viewable from the property: San Leo (“the most beautiful town in Italy”, according to Nobel Laureate Umberto Eco) and Novafeltria, capital of the Valmarecchia.

The preceding weekend (29-30 June), we celebrate Maiolo’s famous Bread Festival, when we’ll be opening up the traditional oven in our renovated pizzeria to cook the local speciality, spianata romagnola.

We hope that you’ll join us for one of these events, and help promote our vision for a renaissance in communal living. (Please consider gifting one of the tier perks to a friend or family member.) If you’d like to visit us, volunteer, or contribute in any other way, please don’t hesitate to contact me at benjamin@honeydew.community.

We wish you a joyful & peaceful holiday season, and look forward to welcoming you soon.

A presto, spero!
Benjamin