Building Community, One Straw Bale at a Time: Inside Dancing Rabbit’s Hub Collective – GreenBuildingAdvisor

By Nathaniel Carlsen | February 10, 2026

In researching the content for this series, I returned to Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage to speak with natural builders and residents. The first building I visited was the Hub Collective. This site has had several lives over the years: four different owners, a stint as a storage yard for building materials, and finally an unfinished timber frame structure waiting for someone with a vision.

That someone turned out to be Liz Hackney. She acquired the property from Alison, trading a cottage she owned for the foundation, frame, and roof that would eventually become the Hub Collective.

When Liz took on the project, she had little building experience, and, as an older woman in a predominantly male field—she often felt underestimated. This skepticism only fueled her determination. Six years later, the Hub is nearly complete, with two temporary residents already living in the lofts and a foundation already in place for a future addition. The building is 95% women-built and has served as a teaching project for many to experience natural building, or building at all, for the first time.

A jobsite that welcomes new builders

At a time when the trades are struggling to recruit a younger and more diverse workforce, Liz has created an inspiring jobsite. Natural building, she emphasized, is an accessible trade to learn. With a focus on plasterwork and curves, and an appreciation for the aesthetic value of irregularity and uniqueness, it’s easy to see why. Traditional building skills are still required, and Liz noted that a fear of power tools has been a common concern that builders at the Hub have to overcome. To allow this to happen, she not only conveys lessons about technique and safety but also fosters a supportive environment. Having the crew cheering you on after making that first table…