creating a space
to hear and be heard
A Place of Beauty, Rest and Safety
Fairlight is a place, both virtual and physical, to learn how to listen with our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls engaged to the pains and hurts of the world and to answer them with compassionate, just, merciful and measured words—and actions.
We believe people on all sides are hungering for authentic and honest interactions with the “other” – people they are not encouraged to interact with in our divided culture. Our mission is to provide that place.
We help leaders, through both personal small group discussions and public education campaigns, serve as examples of civility in their roles in peace building, reconciliation and civic discourse.
Who We Are
John Hart,
Founder
John and Kimberly Hart are the owners of Fairlight Farm, a historic property in Maryland’s Pleasant Valley region. They purchased the property in the spring of 2018 and have been slowly learning how to steward it well since then. Neither of them being farmers, it has been quite the learning curve. Much of their time has been spent on developing a forestry plan with the state office of natural resources, understanding the nature of the wetland meadow and what it needs for rehabilitation and restoration, and beginning the daunting task of ridding the wooded areas of invasive species. Much of that has been fun—learning to drive the side-by-side UTV through the fields and woods, splashing in the creek, doing a controlled burn of the meadow. Other projects have been a bit more intense—attempting a half acre, no-till, organic vegetable garden. All have helped us root deeply in the land.
It is our dream to provide a place where others can find peace, a safe haven for the challenging conversations needed in today’s world.