Page 23 - C.A.L.L. #34 - Winter 2011/2012
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always wanted to visit a commune, I’ve             with no visible top down hierarchy.

             always dreamed of living in an                     Acorn is part of the Federation of
             intentional community that had shared              Egalitarian Communities, which means
             values but it never occurred to me that            they share income equally. But there
             there would be more turnover than not.             doesn’t appear to be much dogma about
             Ira, one of the founders who still lives           it. Cars are shared and there is a shed
             here and who came from Twin Oaks, a                full of communal bicycles, though some
             kind of mother community to Acorn,                 people own their own bikes and almost
             says Americans move a lot and                      everyone has a laptop. There are also
             therefore so do those who want to live             community as well as privately owned
             in community. People interested in                 towels and bedding and clothing. The

             living here come for a three week visit,           one bathroom in the main building
             then leave for 10 days. All decisions,             features a charming row of
             including acceptance of new members,               toothbrushes as well as clearly labeled
             are made by consensus                                             containers: hair products;
             and the community uses                                            insect bites and poison ivy
             the Quaker Clearness                                              medications; ace
             Process to discuss each                                           bandages, etc.
             potential member both                                             There are twice weekly
             individually and in a                                             meetings and a bulletin
             group. If the candidate                                           board with
             is accepted, he or she                                            announcements, work that
             goes through a nine-                                              needs to be done, rides

             month provisional                                                 wanted, etc. There
             membership during which                                           doesn’t seem to be anyone
             there are additional,                                             specifically in charge of
             regular clearness                                                 visitors and you have to
             meetings.                                                         find your way and ask
             The expectation is that                                           around in order to
             people will work 42 hours                                         contribute work-wise, to
             a week, or six hours a                                            get information and to
             day. It’s a human and                                             know what’s expected
             humane work schedule.                                             (though basic guidelines

             When you start and                                                for visitors are in the
             finish or how you divide your time is up           READ ME booklet.) It’s hard to know
             to you. One member likes to sleep till             whether you are bugging people when
             10, another is up by 6. People seem                you ask them – and they’ve probably
             hard-working and like their hearts are             been asked dozens of times — how
             in what they are doing. There is a lot             they got here or why they want to live
             of talent here: In addition to the good            communally, but on the other hand,
             cooks, there are carpenters, writers,              everyone seems more than willing to
             farmers, and more. The houses are                  share their stories.  Along with the
             surrounded by herb and vegetable                   hard work, there is a laid back, relaxed
             gardens, some for consumption and                  feeling to Acorn.
             some grown for the seed business.

             Things seem to tick along smoothly                 Ruth, Israel
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