| Seven states, six days, and one interesting commune My little visit to Virginia's Twin Oaks The way that Twin Oaks works is that, more or less, any money you earn before you arrive is yours, but anything you gain while you are there goes to the community. That includes any interest or dividends, so those items have to be turned over to TO while you are there so the income benefits the community. When you decide to leave, every bit of the principal is returned to you. Now some may doubt the sincerity of that, but the community is registered under certain federal laws and it would only take one lawsuit from someone who didn�t receive their money back to invite governmental investigation and the possible loss of their legal status. As for possessions, if you can fit it in your room (clothes, stereo, computer, etc.) it is yours, if you cannot (large furniture items, power tools, cars, etc.) then you can either get rid of it before you arrive, or donate it to the community. Property falls in the category of money � what you own when you become a member is yours � however, increases in the land�s value are not absorbed by TO. After a three-week visit, a person can apply for membership and it takes a certain percentage of members voting against you (maybe 20%?) to keep you from getting in. Keenan told me that about half of those who go through the three weeks apply and a large number of those are accepted. However, some of those then back out. Once in, the community feeds, clothes and shelters members, as well as paying for medical care. The member�s only responsibilities are to reach his or her work quota each week and to behave civilly to the other members. One thing that becomes immediately apparent � and is a source of some debate and some disdain � is the amount of regulations, guidelines, meetings, committees and the abbreviations to go along that there are at Twin Oaks. The community has created its own bureaucracy to facilitate operation of the commune. When I say �regulations,� I don�t mean to infer that there are many prohibitions, because it actually seems that there are few. However, in the areas of labor and finances and membership and travel and a number of other things, there are processes that must be followed, and through the years, as the commune has grown and been passed on to new people, those processes have developed, adding more layers of red tape. Despite such issues, there are many positives. The land � more than 400 acres of woodlands in rural Virginia � is beautiful. The meals are healthy and delicious, with some of the fruits, vegetables and beans grown right on the property. The people on the farm are exceptionally friendly and intelligent. There are no advertisements plastered on anything and no commercials screaming at people. Individuals choose what jobs they want to perform for labor credits. Healthcare is provided for everyone. Though the farm is somewhat isolated, that is more a result of its rural location than of barriers being erected. There is Internet access. There is a video collection. Dozens of magazines and newspapers are subscribed to. Common mass-produced food items (Wonder Bread, RC Cola) can be found in the kitchens. Daily trips are taken into the nearest town to purchase whatever is needed, and members can fill out a form if they want something to be picked up for them (the only prohibitions are weapons and illegal drugs). Each member receives a monthly stipend of $60 to use as spending money. It may not seem like much, but remember that all food is provided by the community, as well as other items that we would spend money on. Members can get some food item that isn�t provided, or buy a magazine that isn�t subscribed to or a clothing item, but none of that is necessary for most of the people at TO. Even if they need some clothes they can go into a building that has piles of clothes (it�s called �commie clothes�) as well as towel and sheets. Many members save up their money for times when they leave the farm. Everyone gets three weeks vacation, and some get more by working extra hours. Problems can arise when someone has significant vacation time, but cannot afford to go anywhere. That is one of the beefs that the gentleman named Rich had, although Keenan told me that there are ways around that. He said there is a small pot of money that is rotated for such things, plus there are other avenues through which one can apply. He and Kristen are planning to take the boys to Costa Rica in the next year or so. |