Group of people gathered outdoors at The Farm Community in Summertown, Tennessee.

The Farm Community in Summertown, Tennessee

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Ecological
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1970

What we do

The Farm is an intentional community of families and friends living on 1,750 acres in south-central Tennessee. Since its inception in 1971, the purpose of The Farm community has been to provide a secure, ecologically healthy, commonly held land base for its members and succeeding generations. It is a place where we can relate to each other and the natural environment in a sustainable way, draw upon the collective strength of the community, and contribute to the positive transformation of the world.
The Farm is a spiritual community but follows no specific doctrine. Founded on the principles of nonviolence and respect for the earth, there is general agreement that all world religions share essential truths that are the moral guideposts for sanity and happiness.
Over its 50 year history, The Farm community has established numerous nonprofit organizations as part of its mission to create positive change in the world. These include Plenty International (international relief and development), Kids To the Country (brings at-risk children to The Farm), The Ecovillage Training Center (sustainability education), Swan Conservation Trust (1425-acre nature preserve), PeaceRoots Alliance (global peace movement), and More Than Warmth (students creating peace quilts sent to children around the world), and many more. The Farm is probably best known for its midwifery program in which the sacrament of birth is considered as an inherent right of all women, newborns, and families. Both basic and advanced midwifery workshops take place throughout the year.
Approximately 225 residents and over 20 Farm businesses contribute to the maintenance and operation of the community. The community is managed by an elected board of directors along with a variety of committees staffed by volunteers. The Farm Education/Conference Center hosts conferences and is the umbrella organization for the Farm School, which offers alternative education to both resident and neighboring school-age students.
Note: Overnight visitors are asked to sign a hold-harmless agreement with the community.

Our Mission

Sustainable Living, Spirituality & Social Change

  • Purpose
  • Ecological
  • Community type
  • Coliving
  • Ecovillage
  • Spiritual Retreat Centers
  • Sustainability practices
  • Sustainability education and community engagement
  • Activities
  • Education
  • Experiences
  • Networking

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1970
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1971
  • Started living together

Video

  • 140 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
260

How to join

Visit often – Live in the community as an extended visitor – Live in the community as a Resident, usually for a minimum of 1 year. Live in the community as a Provisional Member for a second year or longer. Voted in by 2/3 of the community as a Full Member. Pay $3000 membership fee to become a Permanent Member.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

We welcome scheduled visits and tours. Please write or call our Welcome Center, vi****@**************ty.com/931-964-3574 . The community is actively seeking new members and residents. Check us out! The best way to visit is to attend a Market Day or one of the other events that take place throughout the year.

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

Decision-making process

  • Majority Vote

More than 50% agreement needed.

Governance structure

  • Representative/Democratic

Members elect leaders who make decisions within defined roles.

Conflict resolution approach

The majority of residents have lived in the community 35+ years. However, new residents are able and are encouraged to participate equally.
We use consensus whenever possible, especially in smaller committees.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Join fee: $3000
Regular fees: $120
Labor: Encouraged or suggested
The 1750 acre property is owned collectively a Trust to benefit the community members. The community has an extensive infrastructure that is maintained and operated through monthly member dues. All buildings and residences are owned by the Trust, but members generate equity in their homes through personal investment.
All membership applications include a financial review.
Participation in community projects and events is very encouraged.
$3,000 per adult is requested after a community vote to become full member, after approximately a 2 year provisonal membership period.
Members and residents contribute monthly an amount ranging from $110 or more per person

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas

Frequency of communal meals

  • 1-3 times per month

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Community activities and engagement

  • School, Educational Institute or Experience
  • Organization, Resource, or Network
  • Festivals, Conferences, Events

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Religions
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Jewish
  • Quaker
  • Sufi
  • Wiccan, Paganism, or Earth Religions

Gender composition

  • Roughly balanced (no group over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Family-focused (many children and parents)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Community Land Trust or some other kind of nonprofit

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Community type

  • Coliving

    Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
    kitchens, dining, and social areas.

  • Ecovillage

    Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.

  • Spiritual Retreat Centers

    Residential communities focused on providing space for meditation, spiritual practice, and personal growth retreats.

Sustainability approach

  • Sustainability education and community engagement

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • Up to 33%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Land area size
    1750 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • Tennessee, United States

The Farm Community in Summertown, Tennessee

Needs and Offers

Offer
  • Communities with Openings
1 month ago

Rooms in Beautiful Location in downtown East Austin

Mountain Laurel House has upcoming room openings on August 1 and September 1 to share our house in central East Austin close to downtown. Rent is $925 per month with $75 to cover your share of the utilities and maintenance. You provide your own food. We enjoy sharing a meal at the dining table at least once a month for fun, to check in on our lives, and talk about housekeeping together. To apply, email do*************@***il.com with subject line Room at Mountain Laurel House. Request the brief application questions and we’ll provide more info and answer your questions. Mountain Laurel House is in a great location! It’s on a green cul de sac, with a wooded lot to the southwest and a green open space to the west. It’s close to the East 11th & Rosewood dining and entertainment district and right across from the Carver Library and a bus stop. We’re in walking distance to downtown Austin, the State Capitol, Huston-Tillotson University and a short bike or bus ride to the University of Texas; and, south or east of here, Lady Bird Lake and Boggy Creek hike and bike trails, park lands, swimming pools, pickleball and basketball courts. I kayak on Town Lake aka Lady Bird Lake or swim just across downtown at Deep Eddy or Barton Springs fresh-water, spring-fed swimming pools. We enjoy sharing a meal at the dining table at least once a month for fun, to check in on our lives, and plan housekeeping together. HEB is a short 5 minute drive east on 7th St. and Whole Foods is about a ten minute walk from here on 5th St. Amenities in the house include a dishwasher, utility room with a clothes washer-dryer and an optional clothesline, high-speed internet, a big dining room table for meals or activities, and a large screen TV for movie nights. The yard has beautiful native wildlife habitat gardens, veggie and herb pots, a large Cedar Elm, two Live Oaks, a fruit-bearing Fig, a Champenelle grape vine, and a Chili pequin. The cul de sac is a large park-like
  • Promoted
Offer
Offer
  • Marketplace
6 years ago

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves Books for Sale

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves, Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant introduce Cohousing with stories and pictures of both Danish and American communities. Beautiful photographs and line drawings illustrate the warmly written account of how these communities came to be. Specific information on legal and financial aspects of working with developers, group process, and design issues make this book informative as well as inspiring. This is the book which brought Cohousing to North America. This book is the much prized second edition which has become a rarer and somewhat of a collectors item. Its community case studies were not included in the more recent publication. It preceded Creating Cohousing which is widely available. I acquired 25 cases from a local distributor who closed down. If you would like three or more copies for yourself, to share with your friends or to market your group, please let me know. I would love for them to be made useful and find great homes. Books are paperback (hard copy was not an option at the time from the publisher) all brand new, in Oakland (CA) so could be picked in Oakland or mailed to you. I would very much like to recuperate what I paid which is $10 per book. So, If you would like three or more shipped, I will add the postage, packing and handling fees. I have sold several cases (18 books per case) for $150 per case ($8 per book). I have a little wiggle room on the pricing. Please let me know if you are interested. Use the Send Message button on this page.
Need
  • Communities with Openings
3 years ago

Twin Oaks, an established, income-sharing, village-scale community is seeking new members

Twin Oaks is looking for new members! Founded in 1967, Twin Oaks is an egalitarian, income-sharing community made currently 70 adults and 15 kids, living on 500 forested acres in central Virginia. Twin Oaks has strong social justice values including feminism, racial justice, and queer culture. We host a Queer Gathering and Women’s Gathering each summer, and we have a number of working groups around racial justice issues in general and in an intentional community context. Please visit our website twinoaks.org for more information and directions on how to apply for a Visitor Period. A Visitor Period is the first step towards becoming a member. We can offer: your choice of full-time work in our income-sharing community businesses (heirloom seeds, hammocks, and others) and/or domestic work areas from organic gardening to milking cows and cheese-making to office work to technical jobs and more! an individual room in shared housing; each member has their own personal bedroom and shares a kitchen, living room and bathroom with others in their house. Each residence has its own culture and range of ages. all meals are provided in our communal dining hall and/or in smaller kitchens for individual eating. We generally accommodate all special diets. (gluten-free, vegan, no garlic, etc.) income-sharing includes health-care and monthly stipend for extra We are looking for: people with various life skills and/or a willingness to learn people who share our values of social justice, sustainability and living closely with a diversity of people people with a generally responsible and pro-active approach to community living experience or interest in non-hierarchical, shared decision-making BIPOC, women and non-binary people especially encouraged The first step towards becoming a member is to participate in one of

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A residential project: people live here as their primary home.

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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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