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or the last two years I have cooked and eaten
local food. I have worked on the farm where
the food comes from. I have taught other stu-
dents how to make hair conditioner, recycled
jewelry and apple butter. (I’ll
teach you, too; see the ac-
companying recipe). All this
I have done while living in the Green House,
the low-impact living theme house on campus.
The thought of living in a traditional “dorm”
intimidated me as I returned to campus fol-
lowing the Adirondack Semester. I had heard
the Green House referred to as a “half-way
house” for Adirondack Semester students re-
adjusting to campus life and knew it was where
I wanted to live.
A co-ed house of 11 students, the Green
House supports local farms through Com-
munity Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares,
cooks family-style dinners five nights a week, and celebrates
regional music and culture by hosting the North Country
Folk Festival each spring. It has become my home and its
residents my second family. My 10 housemates are a constant
resource, whether I need help with homework or to borrow a
car to get to my weekly horseback-riding lesson.
Living in a small community has its challenges—determin-
ing quiet hours, making sure the trash gets taken out and the
dishes get washed—but it also has its benefits. During our
weekly Sunday house meetings I have become more comfort-
able speaking up, sharing my opinions and
ideas and hearing the views of my house-
mates. I’ve mastered how to prepare a well-
balanced meal for a large group of people in
two hours, using whatever is in the fridge.
I have learned how to bake bread from
scratch and accept responsibilities that many
residence hall tenants lack, like cleaning my
own bathroom.
I’ve always wondered what it would have
been like had I not lived in the Green House.
I may have gotten more sleep, been able to
do homework in the quietness of my own
room and had less of a mess to live with. But
I also would have missed out on late nights
cooking macaroni and cheese and procrastinating on the liv-
ing room couch with good friends and leaving my mark on a
house full of character from years of college students calling it
home. The little green house at 70 Park Street will always have
a special place in my heart. It has played a big part in shaping
my entire St. Lawrence experience.
n
LivingGreen
One student's account of her low-impact life as a Laure tian.
By Laura Stasi '15
F
L au r a’ s A p p l e B u t t e r R e c i p e
It’S become
my home,
and its
residents
my second
family.
Ingredients:
4 pounds cubed apples
(de-skinned if desired)
½ cup granulated sugar—I like to go light
on the sugar but you can add more
if you want it sweeter!
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1 Tbsp. Cloves
1 cup water
l
Combine the ingredients in a large pot over
high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.
l
Simmer the mixture until it begins to thicken,
stirring occasionally (about 1 hour).
l
Allow to cool and enjoy on toast.
l
Store your leftovers in sealed mason jars
or for up to three weeks in the fridge.
Yield: 2 cups