Subiaco Abbey

I was driving the long way home through west Arkansas one day and I saw what looked like a medieval castle rising out of the farmland. Turns out it was Subiaco Abbey, a monastery that was established there in the late 19th century.

Google Earth

Subiaco is definitely an intentional community. I'm not sure if it's entirely self-sufficient, but if it is not then it is still able to mostly take care of itself. It has a sawmill for making its own lumber. It also has farming operations, producing both cash crops and produce for its own use, beef cattle breeding, vineyards, and horticultural products. They also make peanut brittle and hot sauce that is popular throughout Arkansas. There is also a tailor who makes the special clothes that monks must wear.

The abbey also has a retreat center for overnight visitors' lodging and a Catholic boarding school (Subiaco Academy).

As a Benedictine monastery, the 43 monks must follow a strict daily and weekly schedule of prayer, prayerful scripture reading, attending mass, long periods of silence, and working in their specialized area. These specialized areas include farming, construction/maintenance, teaching at the school, business operations, and ministering to the local communities.

Here is their website: http://countrymonks.org.2.ecatholicwebsites.com/index.cfm?active=1