Trip to Twin Oaks

This is the namesake twin oak, as well as the original living quarters for the community.

On Saturday September 8th a handful of us went to Twin Oaks, a 45 year old intentional community in nearby Louisa, Virginia. Twin Oaks is known locally for its tofu and soy products that it produces and sells at places like Ellwood Thompson and Whole Foods. Perhaps less well known is the fact that at the height of the hammock craze Twin Oaks supplied Pier 1 with all of the hammocks sold in their stores (this craze having ended -- and the availability of multicultural trinkets being so widespread that you can get a wide assortment at Burlington Coat Factory -- begs the question how is it that Pier 1 is still around?). 

Beginning of the tour, gardens (fields) to the left of the group.

We went for a tour of Twin Oaks to learn about the ideas, motivations, and guidelines that go into creating and sustaining an intentional community. The tour was great, very thorough and the three hours went by pretty quickly. We were shown: the fields where much of their food is grown; the facility where the hammocks are made; the offices where business operations for tofu and hammocks is conducted; the tofu processing are (we didn't go inside); a residence named Tupelo; TK, the kitchen and community center; a home for elderly members which had a hospice being built next door; and finally our guide's favorite, the warehouse where the hammocks and tofu are stored before they are sold.

This machine makes the braided rope for the hammocks.

There was a pretty major storm two hours into the tour and our guide (Sean?) sat us down in the community space and explained how the community is governed and how labor assignments are determined (and kept accounted). Judging by the conversation on the ride home none of us really understood the systems very well and I don't think it's because our guide (Sean?) did a poor job of explaining it. I would guess that it's because after working on guidelines and rules in the environment of Twin Oaks -- which is one that aims to be egalitarian in the disbursement of labor and financial wealth, and one where everyone is viewed as an equal -- for 45 years, the guidelines are sure to become pretty complicated.

For more on the way Twin Oaks is governed.     

Mike was kind enough to drive us there. He's a great driver! 

We arrived early and lounged. Here's Beth lounging.

More lounging by Jessica, Jaclyn, and Mike.

And here we are right before we left. Mike, Kate, Beth, Jaclyn, Jessica, Yuki, and Michael.