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By Sarah Brown
This is the story about how Josh and Sarah Brown
decided to pursue the dream of building
Simpler Times Village in Central Indiana.
Josh and I enjoy a life of adventure, and most of our adventures happen in the most important place on earth, home. But our home just doesn't fit into the average neighborhood. We want to do a little organic farming and have neighbors nearby. We would like to walk to local shops, and be free to run a cottage industry from home. We want to be surrounded by families that share our old fashion values. We want streams and forests for our children to explore. We want gardens, chickens, and a so much more. After living in a village in Austria we knew that such villages exist, but to live that way in Indiana we knew we would have to be active in creating the community we dreamed of.
We have both spent time in European Villages, and have visited some early American towns. We just love the way we could walk everywhere we needed to go. The old villages were built before cars, the industrial revolution, the communication revolution. These towns were build for families, where several generations shared everyday life and work. We really loved the villages in Austria that were more than 400 years old. Community design was naturally family centered and pedestrian oriented. At the heart of many villages we found a commercial center surrounding a common village green or walking street. There were shops on the first floor, and the shopkeepers would often live upstairs. Many of the goods for sale were produced by local families. Parents taught their trades to the next generation, and spent lots of time with their children in the process, and mothers were at the heart of their homes. It was common for three or four generations sustain the family unit together on a daily basis. The villages were supplied with good food from family farms on the village edge. These farms offered fresh local produce to the villagers.
No one had to drive to Wal-Mart for anything, and “Made in China” stickers were simply never found. Neighbors traded goods, instead of always using cash or credit. No one in these villages would be tempted by the white eggs, white bread and tasteless tomatoes that abound in our American Groceries… they lived the difference. We were inspired by the design and lifestyle we discovered in these villages.
THE PROBLEMS WE SAW IN THE USA
In returning to the USA we saw that current zoning and development trends foster an automobile oriented lifestyle that is fast paced. Families often go off in separate directions daily, and many end up in separate directions permanently.
Homes and neighborhoods are empty by day and glowing with television by night. Many folks haven't even thought that there could be an alternative to all this, but everyone seems to know that something in our society has gone wrong.
It is common for American families have double incomes, sending mom and dad in different directions all day. Children are off to school or day care from a very early age. The elderly are in nursing homes, instead of with family. No one keeps the home fires burning. Several vehicles are required to connect all the events of the day. Yes, people have more stuff then ever, but we find that people also have less time, less happiness, less simple togetherness, and less contentment.
We think that the root of many of America's problems could be that most parents don't spend lots of quality time investing in their own children. Parents must teach, train, and share their faith with the next generation, so much of this happens when families are simply together.
With a home centered lifestyle families will naturally spend lots of time together, this made us see a need for such a place as Simpler Times Village. The village we have planned allows this kind of lifestyle to be pursued in a supportive environment with zoning that keeps life local. We just want give families that chance to live daily life close to home
WE THINK WE FOUND AN ANSWER
A couple years ago Sarah started painting murals, and painted several European village scenes. People would often comment how they long to live a simpler life in a place like the one she painted. We learned that a lot of people feel the same way as we do about slowing down and staying closer to home.
What's missing in the USA is a neighborhood where others do the same. We also learned that many people are seeing the value of homegrown foods and handmade goods from local farmers and craftsmen. In 2001 we got the Simpler Times Co-op going, to form a local network of families who value a simpler home centered life. Soon we realized we had the ingredients necessary for a real village. Then we knew we needed a development team, a location, really special zoning, and the finances to get the job done.
OTHER PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY AND WANT TO JOIN US
Many of the families who want to locate in the village have already made steps toward a home centered life. They have done this in different ways, for example: most have a full time parent in the home, others are into gardening, homesteading, homeschooling, or operate home based businesses. For some families moving to Simpler Times Village is a first step towards a home centered life. Many of the people planning to move into the community have the goal of opening charming little shops to serve their neighbors and visitors too.
Over the past four years Our family and others have been working together to make this dream a reality. These things take time, but with each step we are a little closer to bring in the bricks and mortar.
Family Photos: Josh & Sarah Brown with children Isaac, 7, Anna, 6, Estera, 5, Rachel, 3, Naomi, 1 and baby Susannah .
So, what will our family do in the village?
We plan to raise a small herd of dairy goats and pack goats.
We'll have a little business on the village green, being a pack goat carrier service for folks who need their packages and purchases carried to their cars or houses in the village.
We will also plan to be very involved in the Discovery Center. | |
