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A life less ordinary

  • tobias jones and family

    Tobias Jones: The comfort of strangers

    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

  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    Too many guests and too little space used to leave Tobias scratching his head, but that was before Morag of the Marsh came to the rescue
  • Resentment: Tobias Jones

    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…
  • Spring has sprung: Tobias Jones

    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?
  • The kindness of strangers: Tobias Jones

    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
  • Prophetic women we admire…

    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
  • Seeing the wood for the trees

    The Busker's taken charge of the shrubs and Pete's leading the way with the whips… With so many helping, Tobias soon has a baby forest on his land
  • When a tree falls in the forest…

    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
  • Open-door policy

    In thinking about hospitality at his woodland retreat, Tobias considers a host of cultural and etymological implications
  • Songs of praise

    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"
  • Upping your game: Tobias Jones

    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 mighty ash: Tobias Jones

    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
  • Getting in touch with your inner caveman

    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"?
  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    The water butts are frozen, the firewood is all gone and Fluffy Blue the chicken is missing. This cold, harsh winter is beginning to take its toll…

  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    Renovating an old building gives Tobias the chance to make a sedum roof. But creating a small meadow at head height requires some high-level thinking
  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    The pigs are fed, the eggs have been collected and someone has lit the fire… As daily life gains its rhythm, Tobias enjoys a glimpse of serenity
  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    Turning an old cabin into a rustic retreat sounded like such a simple idea… But that was before Tobias decided to install a reclaimed stove for warmth
  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    Having an open-door policy is great in theory. But the endless stream of surprise visitors is making Tobias feel less than hospitable
  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    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
  • A life less ordinary: Tobias Jones

    'Volunteer day' gives others the chance to get their hands dirty. But Tobias is worried some may accuse him of reaping the profits of free labour

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