I had the great opportunity to photograph members of the Celo community for the August issue of Our State magazine. Celo is a non-profit land trust founded in 1937. It sits on over 1,000 acres in the South Toe River area outside Burnsville, NC. Over 40 families live there. Community members own their own homes but lease the land from the corporation. The one-time lease fee is refunded and the land reverts back to the corporation when a member leaves the community. In this way members can enjoy living on a large tract of land without the huge expense of buying it. Members of the community share a belief in stewardship of the land, responsibility and cooperation. I enjoyed photographing in such a beautiful place and I share many of the values of it’s members.
