Regardless of whether or not you've been here before, this is home.
The Gathering organizers, the Celo Community, and the land, waters and sky of the South Toe River Valley welcome you.
We are a gathering where community, nature, and love are celebrated.
​We've included everything you need to know about preparing for our Gathering on this page.

 

Food

Three vegetarian meals will be served Friday and Saturday. Two vegetarian meals will be served on Sunday.

If you are allergic to anything, be sure to bring supplemental options for yourself, in case the meal contains ingredients you cannot consume.

Please contact the registrar at least 2 weeks before the event if you will be bringing culinary delights from your garden to share, so we can incorporate them into the meal planning.

You are welcome to bring meat to supplement your meal, if you are an omnivore!

 

Camping

On-site camping is available.  Camping is rustic and located on the field adjacent to the community cabin and outhouse for those who want to be close in.  We also have more primitive camping (no water, no toilets) in the Upper Meadow for those wishing to be more secluded and away from the hussle and bussle.  It is a steep hike down to the community cabin, but you can drive onto the meadow from a separate entrance off the road, so you can camp next to your car.

Please come prepared to camp primitively. Please respect other campers by holding to a 10 p.m. curfew on noise and/or bright outside light in the campground.

Walk softly on the Earth. Protecting life is a sacred activity, so please treat land, plants, creatures and the people you meet with respect, taking nothing from the land but your connection to it.

 

What to Bring

SUPPLY LIST
(a starter list)

> camping gear
> rain gear
> warm clothes (it can get chilly at night, even in August)
> personal food & drinks 
> cooler
> camping stove, if you have one (kitchen might get crowded)
> musical instruments
> ceremonial clothes for Saturday night
> seeds, plants, produce to share
> wares to trade or sell (no commission is charged)
​> ​information and education to share

We have for many years held space for a casual Seed and Plant Exchange where there are free seed sharing supplies (envelopes, labels, markers, etc.) to facilitate exchange of heirloom and open-pollinated seeds and rooted cuttings, etc. of useful plants. You are encouraged to share exceptional varieties, either pre-packed or in bulk... Please provide some plant info such as where grown, growth habit, best uses, secret tips, etc. on the label. Our Exchange is really organized as a Seed Give-Away... you do not have to bring seeds to take seeds, but we appreciate any donations. Saving and sharing genetically diverse seeds is a radical act! Sow seeds and multiply! Contact Lee Barnes with any questions or special needs

 

Share Your Wares

Getting together is a time to share, building a wealth of relationships that will continue beyond the Gathering!

Here are some possibilities of how we might share our gifts:

Barter/Trade/Free Market
​
​We've been known to open up an area after Open Space on Saturday for vendors to spread out their trade-ware.  Vendors are responsible for setting up and taking down their items.

Healing Tent
​
Running from Friday morning Through Saturday evening, we can set up a special tent for anyone who would like to donate their time and services to demonstrating the healing arts.

Selling of Wares for Money
​
We are not opposed to making money; if you have something that you would like to sell for cash rather than trade, you can set up at your tent or in the community cabin for exposure.

 

Work-Trade and Scholarships

The Gathering is made possible by many people, organizations, and businesses that apply the permaculture principle of sharing the surplus.

​Our philosophy of sharing combined with keeping our costs down allow for the Gathering to be affordable.  

Here are some additional options to make the Gathering affordable for you:   
 

Personal Fundraising

Raising your own funds can be creative and empowering. And making a difference in the world is essentially a process of asking for help. With the time and energy you invest in this way, your experience at the SE Gathering will belong to you. You can create your own funding using some of these ideas:

Get sponsored - ask family, friends, or your place of faith to give you the funding.

Throw a fundraising party  - where you cook for your guests and tell them about the importance of the gathering to you; you pass the hat and they make a contribution.

Sell things you have that you don’t need – it’s amazing how much funding you can raise just by selling off items that you can move on - plants, clothes, jewelry, furniture, etc.

Work for a Discount

Work-trade is for a 4 hour shift in addition to the one hour per day of attendance everyone must volunteer. Work-traders are also required to help with cleanup on Sunday (many hands make light work). If you work-trade, you must be present Thursday afternoon through clean up on Sunday. 

No work exchanges will be accepted via “walk-in.”

​Upon acceptance, work-trade recipients will receive a coupon code to adjust ticket price in the registration cart. 

Click Here to Apply

Deadline to apply is July 15.

Scholarships

We are excited to offer scholarships to help bring folks to the Gathering who might not otherwise be able to attend.  We require scholarship applicants to also apply for a work-trade position, unless the applicant is unable to work. 
If you are unable to do a work-trade, please contact the registrar for a scholarship application.

---

​
Still have more questions?

Ask Us

 

Miscellaneous

Parking

Park only in designated areas.  Short term parking is available in the registration parking lot and provided while checking in. Day parking is in the designated area next where our tent camping is located.  
​If your vehicle is leaking oil or other contaminants, you must place a container under your vehicle.

Toilets

While a plumbed restroom is available for emergencies and for those with disabilities, we also provide private and comfortable composting toilets to alleviate the stress on the Arthur Morgan School's sewer system.

Drinking Water

Drinking water is available at the AMS kitchen. Our water comes from a well.

Bathing

There are bath houses for both men and women on the AMS grounds which you are welcome to use.

Flora & Fauna

AMS is home to a few species to watch out for. Do not sample any plants or fungi unless you are SURE they are edible! The most common biting insects are no-see-ums, tiny gnats at sunrise and sunset. There are mosquitoes, especially after wet weather, and there are a number of stinging insects such as wasps and bees.  If you have strong reaction to bee stings, please come prepared with an epi-pen or other treatment for allergic reactions. The best defense is long pants and sleeves. Use natural insect repellents​ ​

Illegal/Intoxicating Substances

Do not use or bring with you any illegal substances. Please refrain from excessive use of alcohol.

Phone

Please be advised that cell phone signals are not reliable out here. There is WiFi in and near the lodge and a landline phone for short calls.​

Swimming Hole
​& Sauna

There is a pond at AMS and we ask that you swim at your own risk. All children must be with an adult.

Safety

You are responsible for your own safety. Be responsible and pay attention.

Privacy

​Arthur Morgan School is nested within Celo community and there are several private residences located near the campground. Please be considerate when walking near private residences.

Trash & Sanitation

Use designated recycling and trash containers for your discarded items. Use cans as marked. Be especially careful about diapers and bare-bottomed babies. Pack out disposable diapers, and empty cloth diapers into a toilet.

 

Pet Policy

We're sorry, but for practical purposes NO animals are allowed to be brought to the Gathering.
If you have a service animal, please email the registrar to inform us in advance.

 

Location and Directions

AMS, 60 AMS Circle, Burnsville, NC 28714

From Asheville: Take exit 9 to Burnsville. Travel through Burnsville. Turn right at the sign for Micaville and Mount Mitchell. Turn left onto 7 Mile Ridge Road (at the Celo Inn). If you pass the Ten Thousand Things Food Co-op and Toe River Crafts Gallery on your right, you’ve just missed your turn. From 7 Mile Ridge Road, turn right onto Hannah Branch Road (gravel). Continue past Camp Celo until you see a giant yellow pencil and Arthur Morgan School sign. Turn left at the pencil sign and proceed past the new library building to a parking lot in the center of campus.

We can't wait to see you in 2022!

2022 updates