Christian and Johannes Zinzendorf call themselves Harmonists, with central beliefs around the value of hard work in an agrarian life, and a communion with the spirits in nature. They make their own clothes from fabrics that they grow and spin from flax. They grow and harvest grains, care for a variety of animal livestock, and used their handy skills to repair, reconstruct, and relocate 25 outbuildings on their 63 acre farm in Pennsylvania.
This lifestyle was their dream to create – a simpler way of life – and they wanted to bring others there to help them. They built it, and no one came.
Starting a rural community is far from an easy task, especially when the tenets of living there can be so challenging for people to grasp. In this New York Times article, the writer explores through interviews with the couple the challenges of their journey, including the amount of work required, the absence of good help, and even harassment from locals.
To read the story, and for photo credits, visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/style/they-built-it-no-one-came.html?_r=1#
Subscribe to our newsletter for fresh stories and community updates delivered to your inbox.
Get unlimited access to courses, exclusive member events, and a supportive network of community builders
Access all courses, books, and premium content
Member-only workshops and community builders
Member-only workshops and gatherings
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
{{ item.label }}
{{ item.value ? item.value : currencyFormat( item.amount ) }}
Subtotal
{{ currencyFormat( pricing_summary.total_amount ) }}
We’re introducing new Plus features — including community reviews, Profile Match, and unlimited Needs & Offers posts — while keeping most of FIC free for everyone. Membership costs less than two coffees a month.
