Dear Friends,
The passage of time is such an interesting phenomenon and it is hitting close to home here in the community these days.
When Deborah and I arrived in 1973, we were some of the young ones. We missed the whole scene in San Francisco in the late 60s and early 70s. Most of the people who arrived in Tennessee on the Caravan of buses were in their early to mid 20s.
We were just 19, high school sweethearts who had gotten married and came to The Farm together, ready to go to work as adults.
By the age of 20, we’d started a family.
Now some 50 years later, I turn 70 in November.
Yesterday and Today!
And now those kids are in their forties and fifties.
There’s plenty of gray hair among them. Even their age of retirement is now within sight.
Which puts the demographics of the community in an interesting position. There are about 90 of us founding members. We make up the majority of the community and the larger part of its revenue stream in the form of monthly dues.
All residents pay a little over $110 a month to cover the operating expenses of the community. The largest expense is the operation and maintenance of our water system. We spend thousands every year maintaining the roads, our public buildings, and have a few salaried employees, most of whom work part-time for modest wages.
There are approximately 70 of what we call the Next Generation, comprised of our kids and younger people who weren’t born on The Farm, but they fall into the same age demographic. It feels a little freaky to think of those under 50 as the young ones.
The crew at our electronics firm, SEI, is a nice mix of Founding and Next Generations.There’s been a fair amount of talk within the community that we need an influx of another hundred or so people to replace the Founding Generation if the community expects to keep the monthly cost per person about the same. As the founders begin to fade away, unless we are replaced, there will be an increasing financial burden on a smaller number of people.
If you think of replacing 90 people over the course of the next 10 years, that’s only about 10 people per year. which is about how many people join each year now, although not all are in that younger age group. Some are Founding Members returning as they retire.
With a little extra effort that number could be increased. But it’s also challenging to find people who are ready for the intensity of life in community, and willing to accept its endless challenges. Many who are new to living in community leave after a few years.
Yes, there are those who stick it out to become permanent residents, but no one will tell you it’s easy.
Just figuring out how to support yourself in what is still a relatively rural area is a challenge. There’s working your way into the social/political dynamics of The Farm. It is important to gain an understanding of our history and earned acceptance by the local Tennesseans. At the same time, we must recognize that this country is turning more conservative, in many ways less open than when we first arrived, especially as we find ourselves, situated in the center of a very "Red" state.
Early on we learned the meaning of the Bible verse, "to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves." Our commitment to pacifist, non-violence has let it be known that we are not a threat. Our charitable works have provided a cushion of good karma. Our years of working in the surrounding community, from construction work to medical care, doing business with local banks, and demonstrating that we are honest people, all combined have gone a long way toward establishing good neighbor relations.
Early on, this was one of Stephen Gaskin‘s key insights, that only if we were welcomed and accepted by the neighbors could we survive. We helped farmers with their harvest, supported local widows, gave free tours on weekends, and used the media to tell our story, in an effort to demonstrate that we were good citizens, worthy of their respect. And it has worked all these years.
It’s a message, we hope to pass on from generation to generation.
Probably the best example we have right now is our monthly Market Day. It’s open to the public and draws a large crowd of local Tennesseans every month. Some are repeat visitors and others come for the first time curious to see the inside of the hippie community.
Grab lunch from a food truck at The Farm Market Day, October 14, the last one of the year! - photo by Laura Look
Our last Market Day for 2023 is October 14. If you’re nearby and have never visited, I encourage you to come check us out. If you’re further away, fall is a great time to come and visit for the weekend. It’s an opportunity to see a lot of us in one place, hanging out, listening to the live music, mixing and mingling.Otherwise, if you just come at a random time, the place is very quiet, and you can wonder where all the people are. It’s pretty easy for 1700 acres to absorb a couple hundred people busy with their personal lives.
As I write this today, I am in Turkey, near Istanbul. My work these days is to bring the good medicine of Dances Of Universal Peace, sharing music and sacred phrases from around the world. I’m here with 140 people from 31 countries who share a similar goal, to open our hearts and lift our voices, and to be the peace that holds this fragile world together.
The next time you hear from me will be from a mountaintop in Nepal, where I will kiss the sky.
Drumming
Enhance your skills and deepen your appreciation for the power of drumming through hands-on classes. Learn the art of multiple drum types, techniques, and cultures – from the absolute beginner through intermediate skill levels.
Dance
Our expert instructors will guide you through various cultural dance styles, each with their own rich history and traditions.
Culture
Drumming and dance are the heartbeats of community, connecting us to our cultural roots and bringing us together in celebration. Join us as we experience the transformative power of rhythm and movement, and discover how they can enrich and deepen our sense of community.
The Farm Midwifery Center in AP News and NPR
Corina Fitch, a second-generation Farm Midwife: "I was interviewed by a woman who was writing about the maternal healthcare crisis and maternity deserts. I informed her that midwives, who provide low-cost, high-quality care in rural settings, can be a primary solution to this issue."
A place to turn
Inside a house in the woods, a handful of women sat in a circle on pillows for a prenatal group meeting at The Farm Midwifery Center, a storied place in Summertown, Tennessee, that’s more than a half-century old.
Led by midwife Corina Fitch, the women shared thoughts and concerns, and at one point tied on scarves and danced together. One by one, Fitch pulled them into a bedroom to measure bellies, take blood, listen to fetal heartbeats and ask about things like nutrition. Read the full article
- October Nepal
- November Thailand
- November 22 - December 10 The Vietnam Dance Caravan
- February 1-10 India - Pilgrimage to the Dargha of Hazrat Inayat Khan in New Delhi
Thank you for your time and attention!
My books:
Out to Change the World and The Farm Then and Now
A big thanks to everyone who has become a patron of Farm Fresh! When you become a subscriber, your contribution helps spread the word about community-based alternatives and the spiritual path.
Take this one small step to be part of the solution!
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