FAQ's

FAQs

Where are you located?
What should I bring?
Why can't I bring my pet?
What do you mean by "Ecological Design"?
What is "Natural Building"?

A: HomeGrown HideAways is in the beautiful Red Lick Valley area approximately 11 miles east of Berea, 20 miles south of Richmond, 45 miles south Lexington, and 145 miles north of Knoxville. Your GPS may lead you astray, so use the directions below:

From the North

I-75 South to exit 83 (Duncannon Lane).
From the ramp, turn LEFT onto Duncannon.
Stay on Duncannon for about 4 miles until it ends at the Army Depot.
Turn RIGHT onto US 25/421 South.
Stay on 421, headed towards McKee for about 10 miles (DO NOT veer right onto HWY 1016).
Turn LEFT onto Red Lick Rd (HWY 594) and follow for 3.5 miles to Floyd Branch.
Floyd Branch is the FIRST RIGHT after the country store.
We are on the right 1.5 miles down Floyd Branch (500).

From the South

I-75 North to exit 76 (KY 21).
From the ramp, turn RIGHT onto KY 21 (Chestnut Street).
Go about 1.5 miles to College Square and VEER RIGHT at the stop light to stay on KY 21.
When you cross the intersection between Boone Tavern Hotel and Union Church, KY 21 becomes Prospect St.
Stay on Prospect/KY 21 for about 5 miles until it ends at 421/Big Hill Rd.
Turn LEFT onto 421 North and drive about 1.2 miles to Red Lick Rd (HWY 594).
Turn RIGHT onto Red Lick Rd (HWY 594) and follow for 3.5 miles to Floyd Branch.
Floyd Branch is the FIRST RIGHT after the country store.
We are on the right 1.5 miles down Floyd Branch (500).

Q: What should I bring?

A: We are a farm in the mountains so be prepared to encounter INSECTS (mosquitos, ticks, chiggers), WILDLIFE (deer, turkey, snakes, toads, and dare we mention the bear track we spotted one spring?), WEATHER (hot, cold, rain, snow), TOXIC PLANTS (poison ivy, stinging nettle, wild mushrooms), just to name a few.

We DO NOT have internet or cell service (trust me, your "people" aren't out here), but we do encourage other forms of entertainment: instruments, hiking shoes, fishing poles, bubbles, hula hoops, etc.

We also DO NOT have trash service. We will have recycling bins set up for glass, plastic, cans, paper, and compost for your food waste, but plan to take your trash with you when you leave. We will have extra bags for those that forget. We also encourage you to bring your own dishes & cutlery to minimize excess trash as well.

Q: Why can't I bring my pet?

A: DO NOT BRING YOUR PET! We can't stress this one enough. We love our pets, too (four dogs, three cats, two chickens, and a goat currently make their homes here, along with the occasional stray), but we are not in the business of breaking up dog fights, cleaning up other animals' waste, or making sure your pet doessn't chase the livestock. Besides that, our insurance will not cover damage caused by your pet so expenses will come out of your own pocket. UNLESS YOU HAVE CERTIFIED DOCUMENTATION THAT YOUR PET IS A SERVICE ANIMAL, YOU WILL BE TURNED AWAY. NO EXCEPTIONS. Durham Kennels is located within eight miles and has very affordable rates.

Q: What do you mean by "Ecological Design"?

A: One of the best definitions for eclogical design comes from Dr. Richard Olson, Director of the Sustainability and Environmental Studies program at Berea College: the application of ecological principles to the design of sustainable technologies, buildings, communities, and landscapes. But what are ecological principles? Five basic principles cited in The Sustainable Campus newsletter include:

1. Solutions grow from place. Ecological design is small-scale and direct, responsive to both local conditions and local people.
2. Ecological accounting informs design. The projected impacts of the project's acquisition, construction, operation, and the eventual decommissioning of the materials used must be evaluated in the design process.
3. Design with nature. Work with, not against, natural processes, and engage in processes that regenerate, not deplete, natural resources.
4. Everyone is a designer. Every stakeholder in the project has knowledge and skills that they can, if enabled, contribute to the design process.
5. Make nature visible. Making natural cycles and processes visible bring the designed environment to life and informs us of our place within nature.

Q: What is "Natural Building"?

A: We like to describe Natural Building as "a deeper shade of green." HomeGrown HideAways works to design structures that take advantage of the local climate, ecology, and geology. We make every attempt to utilize minimally processed, low impact, recycled, reused, nontoxic materials that are sourced as close to the building site as possible. We also incorporate appropriate technologies that serve to minimize any negative environmental, ethical, cultural, social, and economical aspects of the global community.

To see different styles of natural building and their descriptions, visit our Natural Building page.

HomeGrown HideAways

Educational Facility & Eco-Retreat