Hard Times in Paradise

When antiwar activism impeded David Colfax's university teaching career in the early 1970s, he, his wife, Micki, and their young sons moved from the midwest to Boonville, Calif., to start a new life. On 47 uncleared acres of a roadless mountaintop, without running water, phone service or electricity, they built a house and learned to live off the land. Their engaging story of modern pioneering is made all the more remarkable by the self-sufficiency and resourcefulness of the children (one raised sheep; another built up a successful dairy goat herd) who were educated at home. The eldest made national news when he was admitted to Harvard, where two brothers have also since attended, on full scholarships. Today, the homestead--called Shining Moon Ranch--includes gardens and pastures interspersed among its redwoods and firs, and the senior Colfaxes are respected local activists. (July)