The Farm (Tennessee)

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The Farm is an intentional community in southeastern Lewis County, Tennessee, near the community of Summertown, Tennessee,^[1] based on principles of nonviolence and respect for the Earth. It was founded in 1971 by Stephen Gaskin and 320 San Francisco hippies; The Farm is well known amongst hippies and other members of similar subcultures as well as by many vegetarians. The Farm now has approximately 200 residents.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Projects 2.1 Tennessee Farm Band 2.2 Plenty 3 The Social Issues of Marriage 4 Changes 5 Famous Former members 6 Current status 7 Organizations 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Origins

The Farm was established after Gaskin and friends led a caravan of 60 buses, vans and trucks on a cross country speaking tour across the US. Along the way, they checked out various places that might be suitable for settlement before deciding on Tennessee.^[2] After buying 1,000 acres (4 km^2) for 70 dollars per acre and another adjoining 800 acres (3.2 km^2) for 100 dollars per acre, the Farm began building its village in the woods alongside the network of crude logging roads that followed its ridgelines.

From its founding through the 70's, Farm members took vows of poverty and owned no personal possessions, though this restriction loosened as time passed. During that time, Farm members did not use artificial birth control, alcohol, tobacco, man-made psychotropics or animal products.

The Farm installed its own water system, but resisted running 60-cycle alternating current powerlines beyond the main house that served as its administration office and publishing center, hoping some day to establish home power systems off the grid. Communications within the Farm were carried out via CB radio and later with an old plug wire phone system donated by a local town. Kerosene lamps and outhouses were standard for the first 5-10 years. A 12-volt trickle charge system charged used golf cart batteries in homes, which in turn powered automobile tail light bulbs hanging from the ceilings and walls. Many of the buildings on the Farm were unconventional, ranging from converted school buses to modified 16 x 32 army tents. Over time, larger homes were constructed, each providing shelter for multiple families and single people, often with up to 40 people under one roof. Visitors were also housed in a two-story tent made by sewing two army tents together.

[edit] Projects

The Farm had its own electrical crew, compost crew, farming crew, construction & demolition crew, clinic, motor pool, laundromat, tofu plant, bakery, school and ambulance service. They established The Book Publishing Company, which published the works of the Gaskins and other Farm members.

They also ran a "soy dairy", which developed and later marketed a soymilk ice "cream" called "Iced-Bean", and a vegetable store in the town of Summertown. A crew constantly manned the gate where all traffic passed and was logged.

[edit] Tennessee Farm Band

They maintained The Farm Band, a rock group in the early Jam Band genre, which toured the country. Songs included On the Rim of the Nashville Basin. Mantra Records and Akarma Records distributed their albums. ^[3]

[edit] Plenty

In 1974, after helping local neighbors after a tornado, the Farm formed Plenty (later, Plenty International), its charitable works arm. It began by gathering and supplying food for local disaster victims, and holding weekly "quilting bees" to make blankets for them. Plenty's most notable projects came through its 4-year presence in the Guatemalan highlands after the earthquake of 1976, helping to rebuild 1200 houses and lay 27 kilometers of waterpipe. There, it established a micro-commune of volunteers and their families, living simply among Mayan populations and working under the approval of the military government. They have also set up clinics in Lesotho and Mexico, and created the Jefferson Award-winning South Bronx Ambulance Project in New York City. Plenty currently maintains an office in Belize, Central America, which initiated a school lunch program based on organic gardens planted next to each school to help provide more vegetables for the children's diets. A midwifery program helped train over 60 Mayan women from villages throughout the region in prenatal care and safe delivery techniques.

Plenty was one of the first relief organizations to enter New Orleans, getting past Federal roadblocks to bring supplies to survivors just three days after Hurricane Katrina. Plenty helped establish a base camp for volunteers and channeled funding to Common Ground, a local group assisting in clean up, legal defense services and the operation of free clinics. Plenty volunteers have purchased and restored a home in the area to serve as a headquarters for housing relief volunteers and construction crews helping to rebuild homes.

[edit] The Social Issues of Marriage

Gaskin believed that marriage was a sacred act, and that the sexuality between two people was created by the flow of cosmic energy, which was known as “the juice”. “For a community to exist in harmony and balance, both kinds of energy had to be nurtured, and most importantly shared.”^[4] The ideology of marriage within the farm could be described as “synergistic”. Another thing to note is that seriousness and commitment was required in marriage. Birth control was frowned upon, and abortions were prohibited within the community. Childbearing was natural and performed by midwives. Premarital sex was greatly discouraged, and most couples on the Farm were married.

The original community members believed in the practice of group marriage. The “four marriage system” was viewed as an important social structure in the early days of the commune. Gaskin himself was in a “six marriage” in which there were three women and two men not including him. They shared three beds and would switch partners continuously. This however was not required; Gaskin understood that not everyone was ready to be in a group marriage. Only people with great ability and great cosmic energy, or “the juice”, were in plural marriages.

[edit] Changes

At its peak, the Farm claimed somewhere between 1200 and 1600 members living on the main property, along with many small "satellite" communities located in the U.S. and internationally. However, the Tennessee community lacked the infrastructure and income to properly support its growing numbers and grew increasingly in debt.

In 1983, not only due to financial difficulties, but also a challenge to Gaskin's leadership and direction^{[citation needed]}, the Farm changed its agreement and began requiring members to support themselves with their own income rather than donate all income to the central bank.

The "Changeover" was a difficult time. The local area provided few possibilities for employment. The nearest nearest large city, Nashville, was a 1.5 hour drive and 75 miles away.^{[citation needed]}. Disillusioned, many people left to start over, and eventually the population settled down to about 250 adults and children. Those that stayed made the choice to continue living in community for its freedom and peaceful atmosphere, and the safety and security it provided for the children.

The $400,000 plus debt was paid off after several years and the community has remained debt free to this day. An entrepreneurial spirit took hold, and numerous small businesses were established to provide support for the residents. Many members went back to school to get degrees in the medical field, and many now work at clinics and hospitals throughout central Tennessee.

In the nineties, with the community back on solid ground, The Farm returned to its original purpose of initiating social change through outreach and example. The Ecovillage Training Center was established as an educational facility in new technologies such as solar energy, bio fuels, and construction techniques based on locally-available, eco-friendly materials.

The Farm maintains contact with its over 4000 former members through list serves, an annual reunion, and through the work of its nonprofit organizations. Former members have gone on to become leaders in many different fields and endeavors, maintaining a sense of right livelihood and a commitment to the betterment of the world.

[edit] Famous Former members

Four ex-members of the Farm were instrumental in establishing and managing the Whole Earth Lectronic Link (The WELL), one of the most influential early online communities. One of them went on to found Women's Wire, which became Women.com, the first commercial women-focused online community. Another founded SFgate, one of the first newspaper-based online sites.

The Farm's former person in charge of growing food for the community has become a leader in the organic farming movement, managing production on over 4000 acres. Former members of Farm Foods are now the marketing force behind many healthy food products found on store shelves nationwide. A former member who was an MD spent years helping to eradicate polio in India, and many other former members help manage other nonprofits.

[edit] Current status

Today the Farm's population is growing^{[citation needed]}, as a new crop of young families seeking a saner lifestyle that combines environmental, political and spiritual awareness discover the potential and opportunity the community has to offer. Those interested in becoming residents are encouraged to visit during the bi-annual Farm Experience Weekend, an inside look at how the community operates and functions and the agreements that have enabled it to survive for over 35 years.

[edit] Organizations

The Farm is still home to many organizations. These organizations include the following:

• The Midwifery Center, led by Ina May Gaskin, referred to as "the mother of authentic midwifery."^[5]
• The Ecovillage Training Center, which offers conferences and seminars on organic gardening, permaculture, strawbale construction and sustainable technologies.
• Plenty International, an international aid and development NGO that aids indigenous populations, at-risk children, and the environment.
• Kids To The Country, a Plenty project that brings at-risk kids to The Farm to enjoy nature, to relax and be kids, and to study peace education.
• More Than Warmth, an educational project for students of all ages to learn about world cultures. It fosters understanding, knowledge, and compassion between cultures through nonviolent, nonpolitical, and nonreligious means.
• PeaceRoots Alliance, which links individuals and groups dedicated to peace efforts around the country and beyond with real projects and actions.
• Swan Conservation Trust, an organization dedicated to restoring and preserving natural resources and wildlife habitat.
• The Rocinante Health Center, an ecotopian retirement and health care center on 100 acres of land adjacent to The Farm.
• SE International, Inc., designer, manufacturer, and distributor of Radiation Alert detectors, Geiger counters, dosimeters, and ionizing radiation spectrum analyzers.
• The Farm School, The Farm School provides alternative education for students taught by qualified members. Peter Kindfield, Ph.D., Principal

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Fike, Rupert (ed), Voices from The Farm: Adventures in Community Living (1998) ISBN 1-57067-051-X
• "Why We Left The Farm", Whole Earth Review #49, Winter 1985, pp 56–66 (stories from eight former members)
• "Farm Stories", Whole Earth Review #60, Fall 1988, pp 88–101 (reprinted from the WELL, by two former members)
• In A Walk Across America" by Peter Jenkins, Jenkins discusses his stay at The Farm in Chapters 20 through 22. William Morrow & Co., 1979.

Kern, Louis (1993). The Farm Midwives. Retrieved February 1, 2008, from The Farm Web site: www.thefarm.org/lifestyle/kerntext.html

[edit] External links

• The Farm Community's official website
• Ecovillage Training Center website
• The Farm School Website
• NPR story
• The Farm in Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture
• Stephen Gaskin's Personal Website
• PeaceRoots Alliance
• SE International, Inc.
• Swan Land Trust
• [1] an internet web site about intentional communities and ecovillages in the world