Topic 2 of 27: How I heard about the Farm
Mon, Jan 26, 1998 (19:45) |
Paul Terry Walhus (terry)
How did you hear about the Farm?
41 responses total.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 1 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Tue, Jan 27, 1998 (13:59) * 2 lines
Lived close to the Farm, all my life. It's been great to have such
friendly neighbors!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 2 of 41: Anders Hedblom (arba) * Tue, Jan 27, 1998 (13:59) * 8 lines
Well what can I say? I was doing my "military service" in the civil life!
In Sweden,where I live,I`d rejected to do ´the Military Duty´,and had the
good fortune to work in a library in a town `bout 80km from my hometown,
Hudiksvall.On the train to my work,I met a person that gave me a little
blue paperback pocketbook that Stephen once had edited(very far out)!
That person,can`t remember his name,had visited The Farm in the early -70:s.
After that I tryed to look/hear about "The Farm" everywhere.Liked Stephens
idea of how to live a good life!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 3 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Jan 29, 1998 (17:28) * 12 lines
I was living in San Francisco when I first heard about Monday night class from a friend and started attending the sessions at the Family Dog on the Pacific Highway.
Then I moved to Minneapolis to take a job as a city planner and part time running a yoga/tai chi studio.
One day, just by happenstance, I saw a 2 inch article in the Minneapolis paper saying the Caravan was heading to Minneapolis for a gig on Halloween. This little article jumped out at me and stirred up my feelings for Stephen and the Monday Night class group.
So I went out and bought a used schoolbus, "rv"ed it up,
and asked some of my friends (Michael Flaherty, karen Sharkey and Barbie) if they wanted to come along. Off
we went to join up with the Caravan in Kansas City . . .
. . . but I'm getting way ahead, I'll save the rest for another yet to be named topic about folks experiences on the Farm.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 4 of 41: linda benade (paxzen) * Sat, Jan 31, 1998 (16:27) * 1 lines
I first heard of the Farm when I was pregnant with my first child. A friend gave me a copy of the book, 'Spiritual Midwifery". What an experience!! Someday, I hope to become a part of an intentional community.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 5 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sat, Jan 31, 1998 (16:54) * 2 lines
Glad you checked in Linda, what kind of intentional community, what are
your requirements?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 6 of 41: linda benade (paxzen) * Mon, Feb 2, 1998 (05:36) * 1 lines
My requirement would be to live with people who could love and respect me no matter how wacky I am. Music and dancing would be practiced. They would let me work in their garden (and maybe give me a little on the job training!)I am looking for a place where life is more important than accumulation of material possessions.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 7 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Feb 3, 1998 (08:48) * 8 lines
Just how wacky are you? Just kidding!
These are the ideals many of us sought when we came to the Farm. Material possessions do seem to dominate modern day life, I know I get caught up in this and forget the truly important things in life.
Hope some other folks will check in and let us know how they heard about the Farm. And I can think of a lot of topics that I'd like to add to this conference, but I'll restrain myself for now and hope that others will come along and start these up.
Hope you keep checking back in with us Linda.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 8 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Wed, Feb 25, 1998 (18:28) * 7 lines
Hey, Linda! Would you believe, I am thinking of moving to The Farm,
temporarily, still? I only live about 25 miles from The Farm, right now, and, well...I spend so much time there - I'm unemployed right now (and lovin' it!)
and, I would just like to get the "feel" of living there and sharing ideas
and experiences with the community. You know, you're never too old to try
something new, especially when it's for a good cause. I, too,like Terry
says, have to remind myself that materialism isn't better than the truly
important things in life!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 9 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Feb 25, 1998 (19:15) * 2 lines
Wow, that's great Annette. What's the housing situation there now?
Are there houses available for rent/sale?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 10 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Wed, Feb 25, 1998 (19:54) * 6 lines
Available housing is rather scarce, right now, Terry. I got quite lucky
and found out about a new cabin that had just came up for rent, so, I
put my name in for it! I have asked for "temporary residency", and, I
meet with the Membership Committee on Tuesday night as an introduction
for the few that haven't met me, yet. I am looking forward to the
experience!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 11 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Feb 25, 1998 (21:57) * 2 lines
What about places for sale?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 12 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Thu, Feb 26, 1998 (16:43) * 3 lines
None that I know of, right now, Terry. Occasionally, say,average every
6 months, I'll hear of a place for sale. They come few and far between!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 13 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, Feb 27, 1998 (18:58) * 4 lines
Isn't it amazing that now there's a housing shortage with, what, 300
folks and the Farm used to support about 1400 folks?
Of course the density per household was sky high back then.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 14 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Sun, Mar 1, 1998 (00:56) * 5 lines
Right. Look how many folks were living in one house, back then. Alot
of folks have lived in households where they were running over each other!
These days, there are still , mostly young adults, living in households,
together, but most established families or older single folks live in their
own dwellings.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 15 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Mar 1, 1998 (08:45) * 3 lines
Of course, back then, the tenthouses (16x32 army tents) and schoolbusses
took up a lot of the slack. I assume tenthouses are passe?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 16 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Sun, Mar 1, 1998 (11:23) * 3 lines
Definitely. There are still very few who live in the old buses (that have
small buildings attached to them), but, most folks reside in houses/mobile
homes. The only tents that I see, these days, are put up by campers! :)
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 17 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Mar 1, 1998 (19:31) * 6 lines
Funny, I'm putting up a tenthouse out in the woods behind my house just
for a hangout, but I'm modeling it after the old tenthouses we had at the
Farm. We lived in one *in the winter*, *in Wisconsin* (and had one
helluva wood stove to heat it).
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 18 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Mon, Mar 2, 1998 (01:14) * 4 lines
Ah, but any dwelling suits the purpose if it provides peace and
tranquility! Good for you! Having a private hangout where you can
feel peaceful and relaxed is another method for keeping one's
sanity intact, don't you think?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 19 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, Mar 2, 1998 (01:44) * 8 lines
Absolutely, speaking of sanity, I just tried to get to the media
conference and ended up here. Maybe I'm in the twilight zone tonight.
Feels like it.
We all need those safe havens where we can, at least temporarily,
extricate ourselves from el rat race. The woods around here are nice.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 20 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Sat, Mar 7, 1998 (19:17) * 4 lines
The woods are a wonderful place to lose yourself. This morning, I watched
a woodpecker and a squirrel battle it out while having my morning cup of
java! Amazing how involved I became, and, how all worries just seem to
slip away...
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 21 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sat, Mar 7, 1998 (19:23) * 4 lines
Agree about slipping off the woods. I did a bit of that today, myself.
Right now the last daylight in the sky is battling with clouds and
thunder sounds fill the air. Just like Tenneessee!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 22 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Thu, Mar 12, 1998 (09:30) * 1 lines
Made it to The Farm. by the way...I'm here!:)
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 23 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Mar 12, 1998 (14:56) * 1 lines
Great. The adventure begins. It should be exciting to hear your comments.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 24 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Mon, Mar 23, 1998 (19:08) * 4 lines
Community dinners every Wednesday night, Terry...Mmmmmmm...I AM eating
good at least ONCE a week!(grin) It is also a good opportunity for
everyone to get together and enjoy each other's company and talk about
ideas, problems, etc. Good food and Good company!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 25 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Mon, Mar 23, 1998 (20:32) * 2 lines
Any updates Annette, how has it gone now that you're settling in?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 26 of 41: Stacey Vura (stacey) * Tue, Mar 24, 1998 (09:34) * 1 lines
can't wait to hear Annette, i plan to live vicariously through you on this one!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 27 of 41: Annette Mercer (LaughingSky) * Tue, Apr 21, 1998 (21:19) * 6 lines
Sorry, folks - I guess I wandered aimlessly off into the woods, for
a while! :) Things are great! We had the big Unity Festival, this past
weekend, and, despite getting rainsoaked all day on Saturday, it was a
success! Music and shows, inside, all weekend at the Community Center,
good veggie food, crafts booths under the big tent, bonfires, drummings,
and lots of wet, smiling hippies....myself, included!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 28 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Tue, Apr 21, 1998 (22:27) * 3 lines
Great, I was wondering what happened to you Annette. What part of the
Farm was this held? About how many folks attended? Are the Traugots
still on the Farm?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 29 of 41: frank matthews (akia) * Fri, Feb 5, 1999 (19:38) * 10 lines
Hi,
I was a biker, riding my harley, drinking beer, and smoking the last pound of real acopulco gold I've ever had...it was like '76 and I found a copy of Hey Beatnick at a bookstore in St.Petersburg Florida...and I mentioned to my neighbor who was a hippy 'nam vette who worked at the local VA hospital...and he mentioned that he worked with a guy who used to live on The Farm...
turned out to be Dane of Dane and Elizabeth...
he was one of the guys who went to prison for the farm dope field...
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 30 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sat, Feb 6, 1999 (09:37) * 4 lines
Dane and I used to do T'ai Chi in San Francisco. He studied with Master
Choy, who was not one of Stephens favorites!
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 31 of 41: brandon lerda (brandler) * Sun, Feb 7, 1999 (17:30) * 1 lines
Frank, I know Dane but lost touch after the slam. Would you happen to have a line on his (and/or Elizabeth) whereabouts these days?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 32 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Sun, Feb 7, 1999 (19:39) * 2 lines
Brandon! How are you doing?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 33 of 41: The Troublemaker's Organization (Troublemaker) * Wed, Dec 27, 2000 (10:32) * 3 lines
The Troublemaker's Organization- http://www.troublemaker.org
I first heard of the Farm in an advanced history class in high school some very very bright girl was doing a report on utopian societies, shes probably a psychologist somewhere shrinking someones head back down to size or a crackwhore, you know how things workout. The next time I was just out of reform school and wandering the streets of a well known party university, how I got from reform school to a large university in one fell swoop is still kind of a mystery to me however the old hippie gentleman id met the very first night told me all kinds of interesting things about the hippie "scene" and I do remember him speaking of the Farm. All thats been well over ten years ago, and as of late I know I signed the Farms guestbook. Thats where I heard of this page through an email sent from that page. Now why exactly I signed the Farms guestbook isnt something I can recall at the present time, Senator.
The Troublemaker's Organization- http://www.troublemaker.org
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 34 of 41: The Farm still lives (sprin5) * Thu, Dec 28, 2000 (12:22) * 1 lines
You don't remember who that "old hippie gentleman" was, do you? So you're a troublemaker?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 35 of 41: Shelbi Cassel (shelbi) * Sun, Mar 4, 2001 (22:03) * 1 lines
I found out about the farm from a girl that I had went to Antioch with. I think her name was Wokonda. She had been born on the farm. I have read as much as I can on this community. I have read everything from "Hey Beatnik!" to "This Season's People" and everything in between. I have read "Spiritual Midwifery" and that led to my two natural childbirths-one in a birhting center, and the last one at home. I have always wanted to visit the Farm but haven't made it yet. I would love to find a community like that to settle into. I am so interested in gardening, homeopathic medicine, midwifery, herbiology, and environmental construction. However, I find myself pondering over the section about how the farm failed. Did it fail or did it just not live up to expectations?
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 36 of 41: The Farm still lives (sprin5) * Mon, Mar 5, 2001 (08:20) * 1 lines
It obviously didn't continue at the level it attained at it's peak, and failure is a harsh judgment. I think a little of both, it failed to fulfill it's ideals of becoming a global force for change, but it managed to survive and lived on in the ideals of it's members that dispersed out all over the world. A lot of these folks made changes that they derived from their Farm roots, like Cliff Figallo infusing the ideals of the Farm in to the WELL community along with John Coate and Nancy Rhine. I think there must be countless examples of where Farm ideals live on in other manifestations.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 37 of 41: Shelbi Cassel (shelbi) * Mon, Mar 5, 2001 (18:48) * 1 lines
Maybe the expectations for the Farm were too high. After all, it was an experiment in an alternative to the babylonian living that was all around the Farm. I think part of the problem has to come from being a closeknit community of around 300 members to swelling to over 1500 members. I believe that communities must be kept small to foster the kind of communication that is necessary to discover the truth that all were looking for. Too many people would crowd the group head and create way too much subconscious.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 38 of 41: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, May 3, 2001 (23:45) * 1 lines
That may be true, it got too big and institutionalized and lost some of the intimacy that was possible with the smaller group head. I felt that process overcome the Farm. Our own expectations were very high, by now we had hoped to become a worldwide phenomenon.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 39 of 41: Don James (beatnick) * Mon, Jul 2, 2001 (07:41) * 7 lines
I was going to the Denver Institute of Technology in '75 and a co-student,
Karen, loaned me Hey Beatnik. Prior to reading it, I thought drugs and Pink Floyd were the height of technology. Stephen blew me away. It was like "what?
you say what?" and I must have read the book 10 times before I realized that he had written two other books, then I bought those and poured over them. I was
hooked. He had gotten my gourd. This was living religion and it was like I had
become possessed or something. I had no idea really what the hell he was talking
about but I was certain that "he" knew. Stephen opened a place in my heart that
would never again close up.
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 40 of 41: Don James (beatnick) * Sat, May 31, 2003 (14:08) * 5 lines
In response 38, Terry wrote:
That may be true, it got too big and institutionalized and lost some of the intimacy that was possible with the smaller group head. I felt that process overcome the Farm. Our own expectations were very high, by now we had hoped to become a worldwide phenomenon.
-this high expectation thing has disillusioned other spiritual groups, such as another of Stephen's not-favorites, Maharaji, who was the kid guru in the seventies, they thought they would enlighten the world, there was that Millenium meeting of thousands in the Astrodome. The Maharishi thought if he could just get x amount of people meditating in every major city, then surely world peace would come soon. Wanting to save the whole world is a noble desire, but actually expecting to is prety naive, considering the situation. Even during The Farm's heyday, only an eclectic few even heard of it. In my opinion what we really need is people of heart and character in power, being lawyers, senators, that kind of thing. Plus you can't ever have too many buddhas :-)
Topic 2 of 27 [farm]: How I heard about the Farm
Response 41 of 41: Marcia (MarciaH) * Sat, May 31, 2003 (21:16) * 1 lines
I can remember World Earth Day when we were all gathered at places of strength and connection to the eternal strength to renew our own. I held hands.... nothing happened. We drifted back to reality and got jobs to feed our children. Keep the flame of hope alive!!
farm conference 
Main Menu