I realize that Joseph Smith is a venerated figure among Mormons, having found those

[cali]

13. Not at all. The problem is scale. Sharon is a tiny town of under 2,000 people.

And the agriculture is solely for those in the compound. If you read the full article, I think you'd grasp why it's a very bad fit. Btw, but Vermont is an agricultural hotbed with innovation galore. It's been extensively covered in media from the NYT to Bon Appetit and abroad.

The problem is not only the architecture but that this is a small town.

In any case, we have some of the strictest land use laws in the country:

Vermont's Land Use and Development Act, is a law passed in 1970 by the Vermont legislature designed to mitigate the effects of development through an application process that addresses the environmental and community impacts of projects that exceed a threshold in size.


Development pressures resulting from the opening of two interstate highways (I-89 and I-91) made access to the state much easier for year-round visitors, creating community concerns including road congestion, increased environmental problems, burden on local services, and rising taxes. Governor Deane C. Davis (Republican) appointed a study commission in 1969 to develop a statewide law to address these concerns, as no environmental regulations or land-use controls existed. A major contributor to the construction of the law was Laura G. Wheeler, in consultation with then Vermont Attorney General James Jeffords.

The law[edit]

The law created nine District Environmental Commissions to review large-scale development projects using 10 criteria that are designed to safeguard the environment, community life, and aesthetic character of the state. They have the power to issue or deny a permit to real estate developers for any project that encompasses more than 10 acres (40,000 m²), or more than 1 acre (4,000 m²) for towns that do not have permanent zoning and subdivision bylaws. The law also applies to any development project with more than 10 housing units or housing lots; and may also apply for construction proposed above 2,500 feet (760 m) of elevation. Act 250 also created the Vermont Environmental Board to review appeals coming from District Commission rulings.

<snip>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_250_(Vermont_law)

And from the article posted in the OP:

Hall is departing from Smith’s original plans, but — given that two centuries have passed — not by much. First, he’s increased the size of each community from one to almost three square miles. Multi-family homes and “work-live units” comprise the available housing options, all of which are relatively small and minimalistic. They’re “free,” provided you work for the community and give up all your money when you move in. (More on that below.)

<snip>

As for the social engineering — that which makes this Hall’s utopian project, and not just a planned community — there is plenty to go around. Those who don’t enjoy the restrictions are free to walk at any time. But those who wish to stay? “Participants and their dependents are required to abide by the rules and bylaws of the community.”

These rules and bylaws are already numerous. There’s a strict, prescribed diet. “There will be a need for regulation of the kinds of food that are made available to NewVista residents,” Hall writes. “The traditional western diet… will have to be greatly modified.”

In Vermont, where winters are long, it’ll take some unprecedented success to make all this work. Or it’ll take money. And if Hall gets his way, there will be no shortage of money at his disposal. Anyone who moves into a NewVista will have to invest all their money in the town. “When individuals come to a NewVista community,” Hall writes, “they will deposit their intellectual assets and cash with the community capital fund.” They must sell their automobiles and other “large personal assets” and similarly deposit — read: donate — this money. Ten percent of all business profits go to the town. NewVistas will own its residents’ intellectual property.

Karrie Jacobs isn’t convinced that residents would be able to put up with the dictates for very long. “To me, it seems like the thing that makes utopian schemes fail is that there’s only a certain amount of social engineering that people will tolerate,” she says. Hall, in Jacobs’s eyes, is overdoing it. Looking at other utopian projects’ track records, it’s hard to disagree.




He's a nut. And it won't happen, but it's disconcerting that he's buying up thousands of acres of good farmland which will soon enough turn to scrub. His timeline is long- he's talking in terms of decades before it's functional, which as I've said, will never happen. And folks here pretty much know that. It's the buying of these thousands of acres, taking them out of use, that has many people upset.

Small Farming is actually thriving and growing here with many people engaged in value added products like cheese or goat milk caramel, etc.

More, Smaller Farms In Vermont Despite National Trends
http://digital.vpr.net/post/more-smaller-farms-vermont-despite-national-trends-1#stream/0

https://learn.uvm.edu/blog-sustainability/vermont-farm-and-food-economy-is-growing

On the road that I live just off of, there is the Heirloom Pork shop, where they raise their own pigs. There is the Angus Beef farm and store. There is a fantastic organic farm store. A little past that is Jasper Hill Farm, widely acclaimed as the best artisan cheese maker and cellarer in the country. There is Hill Farmstead Beer where they're experimenting with growing their own hops. All of this within the last decade or so.

In town, there's the center for an agricultural economy and the Food Venture Center

The Vermont Food Venture Center is a multi-use processing facility, designed to get your food business cooking!
•We start you off with a one-on-one consultation and business advising to help you understand the VFVC facility, policies and your stage of business growth. Start here, with the online Client Inquiry Form.
•We offer 3 kitchens, each with different specialty industrial equipment for between $28-$35 per hour, to food entrepreneurs and farmers and more. Click to download the Rate Sheet.
•We offer cold, frozen and dry storage for your farm or food business needs. Our rates are $25/month for a dry pallet of storage, and $40/month for a frozen or cold pallet. Learn more by reading our Storage Agreement.

Through these services, it is the VFVC’s mission to support job creation, strengthen Vermont’s local food network and further build the agricultural economy.


http://www.hardwickagriculture.org/

This is replicated throughout Vermont. Small scale farming isn't just growing here, it's preserving the landscape and environment, as well as providing employment.