Ivan Petersheim lives a lifestyle that hasn't been seen for nearly 100 years, even in the rugged, dusty, wide-open spaces of West Texas.
He has no car. No television. No oven. And, perhaps most courageously, no air conditioning.Petersheim and his family are Amish, and they moved from Pennsylvania to begin a colony in a sparsely populated area outside Cisco, a town of 4,000 about 45 miles east of Abilene.
So far, there are 14 residents, including Petersheim's parents, three younger siblings and another family, the Johnathans. The families live in three houses on 15 acres owned by Ivan. They gather every Sunday to worship at the home of John Petersheim, Ivan's father, who is a preacher. They expect more Amish families from Pennsylvania to join them soon.
Petersheim says they were attracted to West Texas by the promise of cheap land, and lots of it.
Ivan, his wife, Sadie, and their daughters, ages 4 and 2, arrived six months ago - driven to Texas in a friend's van - and settled into a small house.
Their home is filled with handmade wooden birdhouses, cabinets and knickknacks that they sell on occasional trips to town. They don't make much money from the items, but they don't need much. They grow most of their own food and have few bills to pay. Petersheim would not disclose his age or allow his family to be photographed.
"We felt this was the kind of place where you could be one with nature," Petersheim says.
But some Cisco residents fret that the Petersheims will not be able to conquer the rough terrain without assistance from the 20th century.
Petersheim, whose muscular arms and leathery skin are proof of long hours working in the searing Texas heat, says he's always had to explain to outsiders how the Amish are able to get along without modern conveniences. To beat the heat, for example, the Petersheims drink 10 glasses of water every day.
Some Cisco residents have decided to look out for the family.
Yellow caution signs with a silhouette of a horse and buggy put drivers on alert. And Helen Gaeta, who works at the Cisco Chamber of Commerce, routinely offers to bring supplies the family needs.