In the picturesque hamlet of Livingston Manor, you’ll find a growing handful of creative and community-oriented endeavors complementing the covered bridge and views of the Western Catskills. Among them is the Haven Market, devoted to providing fresh local groceries at wholesale prices plus lifestyle products and delicious vegan dishes that will rock your taste buds, along with an onsite nutritionist and demonstration kitchen, to teach patrons to recreate the experience at home.
The family-run market evolved from a buying co-op and potluck series hosted by Alex and Maya Kovalyov and their sons Sam and Fred, who’d moved from the New Jersey ‘burbs to the Catskills backcountry as part of a family wellness journey. Both Sam and Alex have recovered from chronic illness after switching to real food and country life. In 2015, they decided that what had worked for them might be useful to others too, and incorporated Haven Wholistic Wellness as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
“Everything is organic and allergy-friendly, wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free, and and plant-based,” says Sam Kovalyov, president and CEO. “We have a 26-point list that we consider in choosing each product, rating benefits to the individual, the community, and the environment. The goal is to find the absolute healthiest option in every category. We research who we’re buying from and where the money is going; we strive to support minority- and women-owned businesses, family businesses, and businesses that value health on every level.”
Besides the Main Street market, the family maintains Camp Haven on their 40-acre spread. The camp’s vision is ambitious and enticing if still evolving. “Camp Haven was our first project, designed for us to be able to walk people through the importance of minimalism and sustainability and living more intentionally in harmony,” says Kovalyov. “The plan is to eventually construct 12 different varieties of tiny home architecture on site, so people can try them out for a weekend and see whether it actually is something they can live with.”
For the present, interested folks can come camp on the property. You can bring your own tent and use their platform or get as much equipment and assistance as you need from the Haven crew. “You can call us and we’ll set up a tent for you in advance, coach you through getting a fire started,” he says. “We get a lot of curious visitors from the city, and we try to meet you at your comfort level. The goal is to get people to fall in love with nature again. It should be fun, not hard.”
The long-range plan is a comprehensive holistic education, wellness, nutrition, and community center. The two geodesic domes that have already been built were damaged in a storm. The Haven crew is in the process of trying to repair them, and Kovalyov is candid about the fact that the center is a work in progress. “We’re always really happy to get volunteer help and donations,” he says. “Like planting a seed and harvesting 10,000 seeds from the plant that grows from it, we try to work a multiplier effect on the good that we’re given.”
The camp also offers multi-day unplugged wellness retreats. Eventual plans include a large welcome center with a lodge, communal kitchen, and two loft rooms, “People respond to different levels of luxury,” says Kovalyov. “Some can handle sitting in the dirt, others not. But everyone can benefit from the realization that as long as we have the dirt, the sun and the water, nature helps with the rest. We’re constantly told that nature’s broken—it’s way more abundant than we give it credit for.”
You can check out the market from 12-6pm, Tuesday through Sunday, or call to inquire about guided tours, camping reservations, and planned community education and recreation programs. You’re also invited to a Haven potluck dinner at the market, happening on Saturday, April 30 from 6-9 pm.
Haven Market and Camp Haven
https://haven.us.org/
