University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, June 22,1977
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In the seclusion of their Kansas woodland home, the members of this family enjoy a life of closeness with each other—and of closeness with the earth. From left to right are Anne, Karen, Jean, Galen, John, Judy and their amiable pet dog, Gretel.
Naturally ...
"I don't think anyone would feel welcome here if we didn't consider them part of the family."
An alternative lifestyle has taught one group of area people the value of sharing, the beauty of nature and the freedom of privacy.
"It's not the word, it's the connotations of it," Judy, 26, said last week.
The term Judy is referring to what she and 10 other people live in—a communal setting.
Living on a 15-acre estate northeast of Lawrence surrounded by wildlife, fresh air and love for one another are Judy; John, 31; Galen, 31; Jean, 23; Anne, 32; Karen, 26; Ed, 34; Chuck 35; Cary, 5; Lianna, 6 and Ben, 7.
Anne, one of the four sisters who owns the farm, said, "We're not a bunch of couples or nuclear families stuck together and No! we don't live in one big bed.
"I kind of think we're rebel in a sense," Galen said in agreement with the other house members. "In a way, we're against it, but I don't understand how can't say that we're rejecting anything."
"Most of us have been living this way most of our lives," she said. "We all lived in a group or large family at one point in our lives. It feels normal."
Communal-living has a long tradition in the United States and it has taken on many and diverse meanings, "depending upon the kind of person you are." Judy said.
Connotations may range from its political identification with the Communist farming communes set up during Mao Tse-tung's rise to power in China in the 1950s to the Vietnam-sparked, cultural radicalism in the 1960s in the United States.
Although this trend of thought generally has died, there are still many who get the impression that communes are a free-for-all for the castaway middle-class, pot smoking, college student. An aspect many don't realize is that most communities aren't haphaush creationions. They're rigid social structures.
But the general thought of these 11 and the residents of the more than 4,000 other communities throughout the United States is that they are as old as the times in which they began.
"One time," Anne recalled, "my sister, Jean, read where some people who live under the same circumstances had consented to also have their style of life featured in a newspaper and the day after the story was published, they came home only to find their home ransacked, vandalized and livestock slaughtered.
But there are still some who consider this way of life abnormal and, in at least one instance, destroyed a commune. That excludes all of these residents to remain anonymous.
"We're cautious because we want to protect ourselves," she said. "We don't want the reader to get the idea that we're a bunch of hippies."
What they are, are 11 who "live off the land," collectively maintaining a farm with five geese, six goats, two pigeons, an abundance of lazy cats and many energetic
Country Kitten
"But that's also a bad word too," Jean said. "Others have come in since then, but we still see ourselves as a family structure, rather than as a democracy."
chickens, hens and roosters, plus Gretel, the frisky German long-haired Dachshund—one big family, as they describe themselves.
"I don't think anyone would feel welcome to live here if we didn't consider them as friends."
She said that they've been calling themselves "family" ever since they (the sisters) first brought the land about two and a half years ago. They've moved in they were just considered family.
Instead, they want to pursue a government of sharing and cooperation. Through monthly meetings the group decides how much money each can give out of incomes
"Fully cooperative living is the most important aspect of this place."
from daily jobs held in Lawrence, at the University of Kansas and other places.
Their three-acre garden supplies them with food and the products grown are also sold to bring in extra cash.
But what's enlightening about these people is that nothing which involves the whole family is done, unless it's discussed with other members of the family.
There's always a lot of work to be done, but the chores are divided between the 11 so workings out quite well, most said.
In return, the money acquired goes back into the farm to buy household and agricultural supplies and supplementary food for themaleshe and food for livestock.
All who live there, however, don't have permanent jobs, so the ones who don't care might be more likely.
"We don't have high expectations," John said. "If someone can't do the work, I'm going to fail."
Ane said, "a lot of times our friends may come over, and help out. They seem to like it."
Karen, 25, who with Jean, tends the goats and the garden, said the French-intensive method of farming is the best method to grow cabbage out of each vegetable and fruit grown.
The method basically involves making planting beds from dirt, manure, straw and compost. This makes the planting beds fertile and helps to improve the crops.
She also said the "companion gardening method" is used to improve the crops by planting new soil and growing together they grow better—keeping harmful insects away from one another.
In one day, Karen said, the goats can give about three to four gallons of milk and the cows will feed them.
But they all said that although their garden consists mostly of vegetables, fruits, berbs and oats, they said they are not avid vegetarians.
As Galen explains, "fully-cooperative
insecurity is the most important aspect of this
life."
"We never cook meat," Anne said. "But if people bring over chicken or fish we won't."
But even more important is that "this is home" and they plan to keep it that way as long as its members are willing.
Karen grows comfrey to feed the goats on the farm.
Banana-Raspberry ice cream—home style.
Lianna (left) shares, with two visitors, the joy of having a pond of her own to play in.
photos by Rick Padden
story by Bryant Griggs
Dinner time on the farm: fresh garden vegetables, goat's milk, fruit and—naturally—good times.