Voices from the Farm: Adventures in Community Living [Paperback]

Rupert Fike (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1998

Twenty-five years ago, at the height of the counter-culture movement, several hundred hippies drove their school buses into southern Tennessee and founded America's largest, modern-day intentional community, The Farm. In its heyday, the community was home to over 1,200 optimistic young people and the young-at-heart. Their purpose for coming together was to experiment with alternative lifestyles that could help raise the standard of living for impoverished people around the world while conserving the planet's resources. The results of these experiments were not always predictable, but were always interesting, and created lasting bonds among community members that are still strong today. The Farm remains a vibrant, working environment for change. Why has it lasted so long? Discover the answers as members past and present recount some of their more memorable experiences.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Book Publishing Company started out as one of the original "cottage industries" on the Farm over 24 years ago and is still community owned. We publish books that educate, inspire & empower -giving people information to create a sustainable and healthful way of life. We specialize in vegetarian cooking and nutrition, health issues, the environment and Native American teachings and lore.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Book Publishing Company (TN); 1 edition (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157067051X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570670510
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Home & Garden > General
  • #8 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Popular Culture
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Americas > United States > State & Local

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent perspective on communal living and human nature, October 7, 2004

By 

John Washington (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voices from the Farm: Adventures in Community Living (Paperback)

Ironically, I grew up in a small town close to The Farm, but never knew much about it. A friend asked me about it, and when forced to confront my ignorance on the subject I purchased the book to correct that shortcoming. Little did I know how much I was about to be entertained!

Voices from The Farm is written--as a book on the communal living experience should be--by a number of the folks who participated. It is a collection of stories that together summarize the experience of the members, and the life-cycle of the community.

The Farm and its various off-shoots accomplished some great humanitarian feats in the face of the suspicion and prejudice of its neighbors. Winning over those neighbors provides some of the most entertaining tales in the book. However, the biggest obstacles seem--as with human society in general--to be rooted in the human nature of the members of The Farm community.

This book is a great, entertaining collection of stories that together tell the tale of a marvelous exercise in social science and community economics. Excellent work by the editors in preserving, selecting, and arranging the individual contributions to tell the story of The Farm.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intense memoir told in brief segments by former members of The Farm, October 15, 2006

By 

K. Corn "reviewer" (midwest, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Voices from the Farm: Adventures in Community Living (Paperback)

This book gave me a glimpse at life on The Farm, as described by people who'd actually lived there. While no book can EVER be a substitute for the daily reality of living on the land, trying to build a community, take care of children, raise food and get through cold winters, reading this book was still a very powerful experience. It made me think about my spiritual values and what it must have been like for those who were trying to live with a commitment to living gently on the earth, not hurting wild creatures, not using leather.

I appreciated the honesty as well - as varous people would talk of giving into corruption and sneaking Dr. Pepper soda on a trip to town and other acts that went against general group values. Some of these values, of course were not overtly stated...but most were understood. Others were in a state of transition.

Ultimately, the Farm broke up but this book is a powerfl reminder of all that was good about it and of the yearning for finding new ways of building stronger community lives. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I have a feeling many members of The Farm continue to live with similar values as they had back then, when they were simply thought of as crazy "hippies".

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are looking into starting or joining a commune, this book is for you., October 22, 2007

By 

Jennifer R. Andry "Songbird" (Baton Rouge, LA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Voices from the Farm: Adventures in Community Living (Paperback)

This book contains true accounts from former residents of probably the best known intentional community, The Farm. This book can show the reader how to make a commune successful, as well as what things to avoid. It is funny at times and very interesting and educational. Take notes!