Photos above: Hutterite children, twister formation, rear view image on the highway, Johnston waterfall from cave and courting peacock. All photos shot in Canada.
South of Longview in Alberta, Canada
A day with the Hutterites ...
They live the simple and good life, my friends the Hutterites, on their colony south of Calgary, in Canada. Living off the land - away from the city glitter, they are farmers and almost abolutely self-sufficient, making their own clothes and food. I have known my friends for 13 years, and they finally allowed me (a rare permission) to take some photos on their colony during harvest time - showing the children in the fields and at home. Their life-style was strange to me, but these strangers have become friends, allowing me to look into their daily routines, exchanging thoughts and experiences. And at the end, giving me the greatest gift - to learn more about myself. In their schools they teach an old form of German. Of course, everything is based on the bible. But they ask me: "Are you happier out there in the world you live in?" I have to admit, I am not. Their happiness comes from the inside, without outside forces. Their simple questions, their no-nonsense response to life"s quest astonish me every time I visit. They live their days in harmony with the land and off the land - without radio, TV or phones. My Hutterites still manage to think clearly. That's something, if we are honest on the "outside" isn't easy with all the distractions we have to digest. When I spend a day with my Hutterites, I always feel refreshed in soul and mind. It's like going back in time - remembering stories my grandmother used to tell me, when hard times made people good - and forced them to live and work together. Hutterite colonies are never larger than 120 persons. If they reach that size, they have to open another additional location and colony. Most women have more than five children. Hutterites make their own clothes, although they do not reject technology as the Amish. Farmers on the Hutterite Colony have top notch farm equipment. They are the main suppliers of many major food chains in Canada. What impresses me most - their contentment with life as it is: Simple with a clear path in front of them. Can we say that about the thoughts we keep or thelife we live?
South of Longview in Alberta, Canada
