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Dining Complex. The Complex is also where many meetings and cultural events (such as
my slide show on Lotan) are held. Many adults have partners, a few are formally
married. Everyone has their own individual room. Partners may or may not live in the
same residence. There are those with partners outside of TO.

The TO residences are “bathed in green”. Every effort was made to maintain forest
around the buildings. A number of residences have solar panels. There is also a small
solar panel farm in one of the fields.

TO is egalitarian and non-hierarchical. Ongoing coordination and management is
handled by managers who oversee each main work and domestic area of the community –
e.g. hammocks, tofu, child care, health, mental health, new members, and “process”.
(“Process” deals with interpersonal problems or problems between a member and the
community.) Larger decisions that affect the community as a whole are handled by a
team of three planners. Planners rotate every 18 months.

A great deal of time is invested in ensuring the involvement of the entire community in
the decision making process. Planners may meet two or three times a week for two to
three hours. A special “O & I” (Opinion and Idea) Board enables members to express
opinions and woe to the planners and managers that ignore the input. An average of 15
members participate in general meetings.

Child Care and Having Children

In TO’s early years there used to be comprehensive child care modeled on the example
of the kibbutz. A special building, named “Degania” after the first kibbutz, was built
for the purpose. Today it is used for partial day care only. Children today (remember –
there are actually very few) live in the residences in their own room where at least one
of the parents also lives. However, every child also has a “Primaries”, one for each day –
“crucial others” for the child in addition to the parents. The Primaries can function as
surrogate parents when necessary. The comparison is made of uncles/aunts or
grandparents in an extended family. This is part of TO’s self-image.

At present, TO children are home-schooled.

Having children on TO involves a process over and above the biological act of
procreation. A request to have (or adopt) a child is submitted to the entire community
via the Child Care team. You have to have been a TO member for two years. You have to
have had significant (positive) experience as a Primary. The child-adult ratio (1:5) has
to be maintained. The Child Care team processes the application and is responsible for
the final decision. Nevertheless, refusal to grant permission to have a child is a rare
occurrence.

For further information and background reading: www.twinoaks.org
Also: Kat Kinkade. Is It Utopia Yet?, Twin Oaks Publications, 1992.

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