In the middle of the Western Illinois countryside, a bed and breakfast provides a unique twist to a traveler’s weekend getaway. According to its brochure, Peace of Earth, “an eco-friendly lodging experience,” is the place for visitors who want a relaxing and “homey” nature experience throughout the year.
Peace of Earth is located on 30 acres of land outside of Rushville, Ill. Owner/operator Pat Sullivan and her husband, Tim, bought this land in 1978 with the intentions of building a “destination,” or area where visitors could come to interact with nature. They began by building their passive solar home.
According to Pat Sullivan, a passive solar home means “no moving parts.” Every part of their home is a “collector,” or re-used part. While sitting at her dining room table, Sullivan is able to tell stories of the wood used to build the walls, window frames, and beams. The wood on the walls came from a tornado-ravaged barn and the unused wood of a cabinetmaker, she explained.
Secondly, a passive solar home uses the sun’s solar energy to heat and cool it. The Sullivan’s home has many glass windows on the south side of the house. When the sun rises, it shines through the windows and directly onto the tile of the dining and sitting rooms. It also shines on a large brick mass in the center of the room to generate heat. The room heats up slowly and lowers the amount of heat and air conditioning needed throughout the year.
“We only run the air conditioner to control humidity,” Sullivan said. “We have only ran it about five to six hours in the past month and a half.”
After working as Outdoor Education Director for the Girl Scouts, Sullivan decided to create a new career and turn the dream of a “destination” into a reality. In 2006, the Sullivans began work on the bed and breakfast portion of Peace of Earth. By 2007, they began building the first cabin on the property. They also converted their home into a lodge by opening up three rooms in their house for visitors. In 2008, the Sullivans opened the bed and breakfast with three cabins, one tree house, and the three rooms in the lodge.
The lodge itself uses many green practices in its maintenance. The carpet is made from recycled pop bottles. The bedding is made from natural fibers. CFL light bulbs, organic products, and re-useable utensils in the kitchen are other green practices used at Peace of Earth.
However, the most unique green feature inside the lodge is the composting toilet. The composting toilet does not use water or electricity. Instead, it decomposes the waste into soil that could be used as fertilizer. Peat moss is added before use and combines with the waste by use of a crank. The mixture is taken out of the bottom drawer of the toilet and sits for a year before use. Sullivan only uses the mixture as landscaping fertilizer because she does not know if it would effect or contaminate plants in the garden.
Peace on Earth tends to attract people from cities such as Chicago and St. Louis and visitors from out of state, said Sullivan. However, even neighbors from as close as nine miles away have also stayed there, she added.
Visitors can come to Peace on Earth and enjoy various activities. The property has three miles of trails, prairie grass, wildlife viewing, birding, a creek, hiking, off-site canoeing, a natural play area for the children, an organic garden, and environmental center.
“This uses (and builds upon) the natural habitat—supporting a diverse ecological community— takes care of itself,” Sullivan said.
The garden produces tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, herbs, and greens, which are used to prepare breakfast for the guests. Any organic foods, in which they do not produce, are bought from local markets or farmers.
The Sullivans also raise their own chickens for eggs. Sullivan found a unique method for raising chickens from an organic farm in Virginia. All of the chickens graze within a coop on a certain area of grass. Then, they are moved 16 feet to a new patch of grass. This way they can continue to graze and produce eggs while the old grazing area can fertilize the soil and replenish itself.
Sullivan also created an environmental center using techniques from her job with the Girl Scouts. Children, who are visiting from schools or with their parents, can study fossils and pelts of different animals to learn more about nature.
Peace of Earth provides a relaxing and laid-back way to escape the pressures of everyday life. Visitors can reconnect with their families and other guests through the simplicity of nature. It is not only a good place for nature and the environment; it is good for the soul. “It’s very therapeutic,” said Sullivan.
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