hey i was interested at taking an apprenticeship program at this organic farm/hippy commune called The Farm in Summerville Tennessee, i was wondering if anyone here knows how good of a place this is, cause i have seen some pretty spooky places that started out as hippy communes in the 60's.
i've never been, but it apparently is one of the better known, trustworthy, good communiities. have you ever heard of ina may gaskin? she is an amazing midwife, and her and her husband stephen started the farm. stephen was a night school teacher/professor in CA i think. they had this idea, and traveled across the country to tennesee. they had a really long caravan of school busses. DO IT! if i had the oppurtunity, i wouldn't think twice about it... best of luck to you! light and love. namaste. peace be with you.
i know about gaskin, i heard about them from my dad, they taught on mnday night or somthing in the haight ashbury area. thanks!.
Am going to take the midwifery course next year (March) Never been there myself but never heard any neg reviews =) Love Zenia
I have researched the farm a little bit and came to find out that its kinda yuppified nowadays...It started out as a community, but now alot of it is semi-commercialized. Good luck anyway dude.
i grew up in tenessee & never even went to the farm until i moved away and went back for a visit this summer. so i would say its a amazing place. i came back and told my boyfriend i wanted to sell the house and move on the farm. we should be there in about a year. its a place you have to see for yourself.
since my last post i've been talking on the phone with a member. her name is vicki, she's been there since 1977. she also runs the welcome center. i have come to realize that the farm is quite political, controlling to a degree, and they aren't extremely thrilled about the idea of new folks. although i like the idea of the farm and its beauty i could never stand the idea of being dictated or treated like a outsider just because i wasn't a original or part of the original. so, im disappointed but glad at the same time i've come to the conclusion to rule this out.
I've heard a lot of great things about it too, this guy who walked across America wrote about about his travels (Peter Jenkins) and he visited the farm. It sounds like a nice idea, but it's also a huge cult. I don't know what's going on there today, but when Jenkins visited at first he described it as very peaceful and loving and accepting, everyone working together, but then they had rituals in the mornings where everyone had to worship the sun, and he found Stephen (a variation of Stephen, can't remember exactly what it is) was really controlling, and he left pretty quick
The highway child stoped there for a night , I really want to warn you it hasnt been communal since 83, though even if you have to pay for camping 8 dollars a night , its worth it, and if your cool youll attract ccol folk, we met a few gus there who hooked us up with work building a garden and working in the greenhouse and they paid us half in cash half in trade also they do sometimes trade sweet ass organic foods for whatever craft you have for us it was hemp jewlery .. we met this dude...tet?? I think I recall his name was, though his family strill lives there and he does as well, hook up with him if I got the wrong name ask the mean chick...(youll know who Im talking about) at the front gate who has the stickerd car...we also hooked up with this guy whp doesnt live in the farm but lives two propertoes down, the vibe is good, even though they are a bit capatilist it is only so they can keep there community afloat tax man sucks!!! just be cool you can tour certain areas free ...I recomend you do we met a lot of cool ass folk peace drew the highway child!!
It's an okay place... I hear it's gotten kind of cliquey or something... I've never been. I've met a couple kids who were born and raised there, and they were total opposites: one is a prudish Republican lawyer guy, and the other is a crazy liberal hippie.... so I can't really form a solid opinion of them. I've always wanted to go check it out sometime.
