[Mrs. Don-o]

The only ones I've met were men who worked for a (Catholic) parish friend of mine, in his woodworking business. That is unusual, because they almost always work for other Hutterites, but in this case there was some kind of big need for cash money in their community so they got woodworking jobs. Sam said they were excellent workers, the best he's had.

It seems they are somewhere between Amish and Mennonite in their lifestyle. The girls and women wear midlength skirts and long-sleeved blouses or long jumper-type dresses, but with more varied, pretty colors; the men can wear regular jeans or overalls; they ride buses and ride bicycles; I don't know about power farm equipment, but they did know all about power woodworking tools.

And they live communally. There might be 10 or 15 families in a community, they build multi-unit housing (duplex style) and are regular monogamous nuclear families but raise and educate their kids together. Within the community they do not have private property (land, houses, etc), though some may own personal things, (clothes, tools, I think.) They have communal meals, or at least communal supper.

There's a bunch of info about the Hutterian Brethren. on the Internet.

[Mamzelle]

Thanks,