Twin Oaks is an income-sharing community of 100 people living on 485 acres of farm and forestland in Virginia. We were founded in 1967, and our lifestyle reflects our values of egalitarianism, ecology, and nonviolence. We welcome scheduled visitors throughout the year. We are economically self-sufficient.
Members work full-time in our community businesses–growing, packing, and shipping organic heirloom seeds, indexing books, making tofu and other work. These businesses provide about one-third of our work; the rest goes into the tasks needed to support a rural village of 100 people–organic gardening, milking cows, equipment and building maintenance, cooking, office work, and more. Our work schedules of 40 hours each week are very flexible. In return for member’s labor, the community provides all basic needs, including housing, food, clothing, etc. Twin Oaks has an intricate community culture.
Our everyday lives include many recreational activities–social and support groups, performances, music, games, dance, and art. Our culture values inclusivity and sustainable living. We share our vehicles, we build our own buildings, and we share houses of 10-20 people. Some of us do sustainability activism and work for economic, racial and gender justice. Each summer we host a Communities Conference, Women’s Gathering and Queer Gathering ; see our website for details.
We offer a two-hour tour on many Saturday afternoons; please email or call during business hours to reserve a place. Our Three-Week Visitor Program is a prerequisite for membership and must be arranged well in advance of the proposed stay. Information about visiting is available on our website.
egalitarianism, income-sharing
Read our website visiting section and then correspond with us to arrange a Saturday tour and/or a three-week visit. Arrangements must be made well ahead of any visit.
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.
Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).
All member income goes into common pool for community use.
Labor: Yes (42 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Weekly work quota, 40 hours.
Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.
Communal living with shared resources, property, and often income or work responsibilities
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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