South Wind Farm
An Ideal Place for Learning and Healing
Our campus at South Wind Farm encompasses acres of rolling meadows, ponds, woodlands and abundant native wildlife. This setting, in the heart of the Piedmont region, provides one of the most ideal environments in the country for the study of the healing arts. When you come here for a workshop or to receive a massage at our Student Clinic, you bathe in the beauty and tranquility of nature, and go home feeling relaxed and restored.
Our Community
Body Therapy Institute is located in Chatham County, North Carolina, within the historic farming community of Silk Hope. We are 7 miles from the town of Siler City, and 13 miles from the county seat of Pittsboro. Ideally situated between two metropolitan centers – the Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill “Triangle” and the Greensboro / Winston-Salem / High Point “Triad” – the school has easy access to major universities and medical centers, cultural events and an abundance of artistic and recreational resources. The Atlantic Ocean is just a few hours to the East, and the Blue Ridge Mountains are an equal distance to the West.
Click here to get Driving Directions to our location.
Educational Facilities
Our Classroom Building was designed from the ground up to serve the needs of our students and faculty. It is a breathtaking timberframe structure with country-style porches that look out over an expansive meadow and serene pond. Colorful gardens surround the building and delight the senses. The classroom features hardwood floors, a cathedral ceiling and natural light everywhere. The adjoining library provides a quiet place to read or study. Both levels of the building are handicapped-accessible. Across the lawn from the classroom, our Administration Building provides office space for staff members and faculty.
The Natural World
At a time when people are confronted by increasing stresses of noise, pollution and overcrowding, South Wind Farm offers an oasis of peace and restorative energy. We believe passionately in the Healing Power of Nature, and are dedicated to preserving an environment that satisfies the deep instinctual needs everyone has for contact with the natural world. Current research studies reveal that immersion in nature elevates the immune system and can speed recovery from illness. We’ve also observed that students learn more readily in our natural setting. This echoes what indigenous cultures have known and practiced for millenia.
In addition to serving our human friends, the farm also provides an important habitat for many native species, such as white-tail deer, fox, raccoon, wild turkey, owls, red-tailed hawks, and a great variety of other flora and fauna.
Click here to visit a Field Guide to South Wind Farm. This interesting resource describes the geography of our area, and provides species lists for the Mammals, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Trees that are found on this land.
A Commitment to the Environment
Both of our main buildings were constructed using “green” technologies that conserve energy and help to preserve the environment. They feature what are called Structural Insulated Panels that replace the standard “stick-framing” building method. It takes 40-50% less energy to heat and cool a building constructed with this state-of-the-art approach. Whenever conditions permit, we open up the windows to enjoy fresh air.
We are committed to recycling on our campus, and work to maintain a healthy environment both inside and out. In the Classroom Buillding, we utilize non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products – and we provide all-organic massage oils and lotions for student use during hands-on classes and massage clinics.
About Chatham County
Chatham County is a place where you’ll find open spaces, friendly people, community values and progressive ideas. Founded in 1771, it is still primarily a rural county of approximately 65,000 people that is equidistant from two metropolitan centers.
While traditional farming and forestry are found here, Chatham County has become a nationally-recognized center for sustainable agriculture, green building, alternative energy and social change organizations. Non-profits such as the Rural Advancement Fund International, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Piedmont Biofuels Cooperative, and the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association are all based here.
This community is home to a large number of artisans and craftspeople. The Chatham County Arts Council has a gallery in downtown Pittsboro and sponsors an annual Studio Tour each December. Chatham also supports a thriving music scene. The nearby Pittsboro Roadhouse & General Store features live performances 3-4 nights a week ranging from Bluegrass to Jazz. And the Shakori Hills Grassroots Music Festival takes place each April and October just a few miles from our school campus. This is a major 4-day music event that draws people from all across the country.
BTI has helped to establish a vital community of healing arts practitioners in the area. A number of our graduates have massage therapy practices in Chatham County. Along with acupuncturists, chiropractors, yoga studios and counselors, there are great resources to assist people in restoring health and maintaining well-being. The Chatham Marketplace is a great natural food co-op in Pittsboro that features local and organically-grown food.
A Place Called Silk Hope
This farming community was first settled by English Quakers more than 270 years ago. Silk Hope got its name back in the mid-1800’s when a gentleman sought to establish a silk industry in this area. He planted Mulberry trees, and when they grew to the proper size, he sent away to China for silkworms. As the story goes, he put the silkworms on the leaves of his trees but they would not eat! The problem was that he had planted the wrong variety of Mulberry; hence, his “silk hopes” were dashed.
Agriculture is still the major activity found here. Over the Labor Day weekend each year, there is a festival called Old Fashioned Farmers Day sponsored by our local Ruritan chapter. Thousands of people come out to celebrate traditional farming activities and enjoy some good North Carolina barbecue.
Today, Silk Hope is still the kind of community where folks look out for one another, and where the stars shine brightly at night.