Rough Start to Rural Community

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.