Genesis of The Farm, America's Biggest Commune and Cannabis Church: Voluntary Peasants Part 1

Can a group of wide-eyed, idealistic spiritual hippies save the world by creating a "better" way to live? A far-out read and deep personal journey into the psyche and mindscape of turbulent, exciting, sometimes dangerous times. Beyond sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll—beyond hippies. Adventurer/Journalist/Humorist Melvyn Stiriss sheds fresh light on sixties spirituality and communal living when, as a UPI reporter, he followed the story of the times over the edge to live the story himself. In 1971, Melvyn and 300 "voluntary peasants" co-founded The Farm, America’s biggest, most-influential commune to come out of the sixties—a remarkably bold, somewhat successful experiment in collective living.
Enter what may seem another world. Entertaining, informative, true stories of The a remarkable joint venture and bold attempt to create a better way of life—Earth-friendly, people-friendly, eclectic, agrarian, vegan community and pioneering cannabis church—a commune awarded the Swedish Right Livelihood Award—“For caring, sharing and acting with and on behalf of those in need at home and abroad.” An example of The Farm’s humanitarian outreach, the author worked with Mayans and a crew from the community in remote villages after a devastating earthquake in Guatemala—building rural schools, clinics, houses and a cli

Stiriss—“I co-founded and lived thirteen years in America’s biggest commune not undercover but as a full-fledged member of the hippie collective, living the dream, “saving the world.” The idea of writing about the experience came after, when I realized the importance of reporting behind-the-scenes, everyday observations of one of the most-intriguing social experiments to come out of that heady era.”
Enter what may seem another world. Entertaining, informative, true stories of America’s biggest commune—The Farm—a remarkable bold attempt to create a better way of life, an affordable model for the world—an Earth-friendly, people-friendly, eclectic, agrarian, vegan community and pioneering cannabis church—a commune awarded the Swedish Right Livelihood Award—“For caring, sharing and acting with and on behalf of those in need at home and abroad.” An example of The Farm’s humanitarian outreach, the author worked with Mayans and a crew from the community in remote villages after a devastating earthquake in Guatemala—building schools, clinics, houses and a clinic for Mother Teresa.
“Imagine all the people living life in peace.”—John Lennon
That was us! We had it going. Cool, fun, weaving of journalism, pathos and humor transports the reader on an entertaining, mind-expanding, psychedelic odyssey.
Over the collective’s 13 years, 5,000 people lived and worked together as “voluntary peasants” sharing labor, life and friendship—a path with heart—working without pay—to create a globally-affordable, sustainable safe, sane, eclectic, agrarian, egalitarian, meaningful, fun lifestyle. The Farm was a grassroots, 24/7 peace demonstration.
Pooling resources, working together, we built our own town—complete with farming, construction, motor pool, soy dairy, clinic, lab, doctors, midwives, bakery, cottage industries, FM radio station, solar-heated school, a dozen satellite communities and humanitarian outreach projects around the world. At peak—1,450 people enjoyed Zero Unemployment, Universal Healthcare, and all necessities on $100/person a month!”
Melvyn I include my deeply personal spiritual student-teacher relationship with Stephen Gaskin; personal “yogas,” “spiritual missions” to perform. We also examine surprising effects of group think.
The whole, remarkable 5-part story, Voluntary Peasants Labor of Love, will be available in print and Ebook Spring, 2016