Months ago, Katie mentioned here that we were “starting a commune.” I’d like to amend that statement slightly, based on our now enlightened understanding of vocabulary: we are staring a compound, not a commune. Or have started, rather. [Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall; a [...]

Back in the 60s and 70s young people migrated back to the countryside to make a go of farming. Novella Carpenter’s parents were part of that movement. But it didn’t last. People found that growing food is very hard and rural life can be extremely isolating. The motives of today’s generation of farmers are different, [...]