The Farm (Summertown, Tennessee)

For over 40 years I've followed the news of The Farm, an intentional community based on non-violence and respect for the Earth. The Farm is located in Lewis County, Tennessee, near the small town of Summertown, and I never imagined I would someday be in a situation that would put me within striking distance of this community. (One of the greatest perks of this lifestyle, by the way, is finding yourself close to places you've always wanted to visit!) 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 has gone through many transitions over the years, with an evolving philosophy and fluctuating population. At its peak, the Farm claimed somewhere between 1200 and 1600 members living on the main property; today there are approximately 175 residents.

The Farm has been involved in many enterprises, with its own electrical crew, composting crew, farming crew, construction & demolition crew, clinic, firewood crew, alternative energy crew, motor pool, laundromat, tofu plant, bakery, school and ambulance service. It established The Book Publishing Company, which published the works of the Gaskins and other Farm members. The Farm's midwifery school and Ina May Gaskin's seminal book "Spiritual Midwifery" are well-known throughout the world for their emphasis on maternal and newborn compassion, safety and success rates.

Dan and I spent a day in July 2011 taking a self-guided tour of The Farm, visiting The Farm Store, the Visitor Center (where we bought a tie-dye T-shirt, a hat, and a vegan Chinese cookbook), having a picnic lunch under the dome, and spending some time inside the mystical Wholeo (a geodesic dome fourteen feet in diameter and seven feet tall, covered with curved stained glass panels). This was truly a day well spent, allowing me to accomplish one of the highest priority items on my bucket list.

There is so much more to share about The Farm, but it would require a whole separate blog on that alone, so instead I will include two links that will provide more in-depth information if you are interested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farm_(Tennessee)

http://www.thefarm.org/