Two years ago Tobias Jones decided to build a retreat for those with troubled lives. As his column for the magazine comes to an end, he reflects movingly on the pleasures and pain of offering sanctuary
There is much to be said for living in a community. But sometimes it feels like a lot of work for very little in return. And this week Tobias has reached boiling point…
With the soft green shoots of spring come other more thorny issues: should those who contribute to today's kitty be expected to fund tomorrow's harvest?
Fleece, forks, freezers and a bag of Bombay mix… It seems whenever he needs something it miraculously appears. Tobias reflects on a series of fortunate events
From an American green guerilla to an Italian hermit, many great "communitarians" have been women. And what all share is a belief that actions speak louder than words
With the woods echoing to the sound of his chainsaw, Tobias discovers that, despite the blood and bruises, working all day as a lumberjack is more than OK
Explosives chamber, chicken store, makeshift chapel… The old stone shed is to be transformed again, which gives Tobias the chance to plan a new "house of silence"
An impromptu jam session, a spot of table tennis, Monopoly in pairs… Playing games leads to plenty of fun and the occasional fight. But there is only ever one winner – the community
The perfect wood for fuel and furniture is ash, which is why Tobias is about to plant hundreds of them. But it will be 15 years before he can enjoy the fruits of his labour
Returning to a simpler way of life often means that old-fashioned gender stereotypes are reasserted. But is there anything wrong with "feeling like a man"?
Are you better off if you all share what you have? The theory sounds good, but as Tobias is discovering, a "common purse" is fraught with petty difficulties
