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Hey Beatnik, This is The Farm Book...now in PDF
In the early 70s, the first book published by The Farm was a manual on how to start an intentional community. It told about how we got to Tennessee and covered topics from neighbor relations to farming, construction to midwifery, with the spiritual philosophy woven throughout.
The "beatnik" reference in the title was a bit of tongue and cheek humor to counter the hippie label and stereotypes put forth by the mass media.
Original copies of Hey Beatnik are collector's items on ebay and Amazon, but you can scroll through the pages of this PDF to relive the early days.
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The Farm from a new perspective
Check out this and other amazing videos of The Farm shot by Farm friend Pat Kahan using a Go Pro camera and a Drone.
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Hippie Roots
A friend recently posted this very interesting article on the roots of hippie philosphy from a web site called Hippy Land. A connection to nature, meditation, music, along with vegetarian and vegan lifestyles were all part of a social movement in late 19th century Germany. Numbering in the tens of thousands, these bands of wandering minstrels helped lay the foundation for the future youth hostels now found all over Europe. These movements helped inspire the writings of Hermann Hesse, author of Steppenwolf and Siddartha, two books that were popular inspirational reading during the 1960s and 70s.
What I find interesting and to be honest, a bit of concern, was the fascist takeover of German society that followed. It serves as a reminder that we cannot underestimate the continued control of this country by corporate greed. I encourage you to stay true to your ideals and stay strong by building bonds of friendship with like-minded people, wherever you are. Link to the article
Diefenbach, a founder of numerous communities,
and Fidus, an early psychedelic artist, Germany 1887
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Stephen Gaskin 1985 interview, Excerpts from Monday Night Class, Quotes
The November 2014 Sun Magazine recently reprinted a 1985 interview with Stephen that is one of the best interviews of him I have seen in print. The article was unique in that it was two years after The Changeover, the economic shift that took The Farm from a shared income, communal economy to a collective economy. The Changeover made each person responsible for their own income and required that they financially contribute toward the costs of operating and maintaining the community. The Changeover also coincided with the Stephen's transition from spiritual teacher and "abbot of the monastery" to ordinary Farm citizen.
In addition, the magazine has included an excerpt from Stephen's first book, Monday Night Class, transcripts from his first round of lectures and talks in San Francisco circa 1969-70. The excerpts are drawn from the 2005 edition, which includes editorial comments from Stephen regarding his words from the original text.
A few of my favorite quotes from the interview:
"Societies are too powerful by definition. Everybody has to be an anarchist to some degree. The amount of police power that governments are developing is terrifying. There always have to be people who, not from malice or greed or evil but for the best social reasons, remain outlaws."
"People have spoken about my “followers.” Well, I don’t have followers; I have friends."
"I am a nonviolent social revolutionary, and I think that anybody who follows religious disciplines ought to be one, too. And people who say they’re religious but aren’t social revolutionaries are fooling themselves, because if religion is to have any validity whatsoever, the gap between the real and the ideal cannot be so unbridgeable that it’s all pie in the sky. There’s got to be a chance for justice on earth."
"What I have come to respect is the continuing, unending stream of people who have a spark or flash of enlightenment that changes their view so much they usually have to tell about it. They leave tracks, and you follow them like an explorer, knowing that there are other people who have been through these changes. And if you have the good luck to read good books, you find out that, as far back as we have records, people have had similar questions, concerns, problems, and flashes of enlightenment. So you find yourself in the mainstream of humankind.Read the full article / Excerpt from Monday Night Class
Stephen at Goddard College
My books Out to Change the World and The Farm Then and Now were intended as 40 year follow ups to Hey Beatnik, again providing an overview, along with a closer look at the many different components of community. We've learned a few things over these last decades, with more to come I'm sure.
I hope you'll join me next year for a firsthand look at The Farm during one of my GreenLife Retreat Weekends, and that you will find the inspiration you need to pursue your dreams and your chosen path!
Douglas
Farm Experience Retreats and Workshops 2015 Calendar
March 20-22 Farm Experience Weekend: Spring is our favorite time of year, and attracts our largest number of participants.
April 17-19 Farm Experience, The Land: On Saturday afternoon we'll hike to a waterfall in the 1475 acre Big Swan Headwaters Preserve. The Saturday night dinner and entertainment will be a fundraiser for Swan Trust.
May 22-24 Community & Sustainability Conference: Memorial Day Weekend
Your opportunity to explore the connection between lifestyle and intention.
June 3-7 June 3-7 Organic Gardening Intensive: Five days of hands-on gardening as well as garden tours on and Off-The Farm to visit Amish country, a bamboo nursery and more.
July 15-19 Summer Family Retreat: We'll spend the week swimming, hiking, listening to and playing music, enjoying really great food and each other's company.
September 18-20, October 16-18 Farm Experience Weekend: Don't miss fall on The Farm! the crisp, cooler temperatures are always a special time of year!
Now it's up to you. Register today!
Midwifery Workshops: www.midwiferyworkshops.org/
Swan Trust Activities & Hikes Contact: foreverwild@swantrust.org
Permaculture Apprenticeships: Learn straw, cob, earthbag, turf roofs, bamboo, thatch, clay plaster, adobe, alis, and food self-reliance at the Farm community.
Spiral Ridge Permaculture - Workshops and Classes
Meet your host: Douglas Stevenson
Green Life Retreats
A division of Village Media Services
PO Box 259 Summertown, TN 38483
931-964-2590 - office 931-626-4035 cell
Douglas@villagemedia.com
www.villagemedia.com
www.greenliferetreats.com
www.douglasstevenson.com
Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com
