My sister visited The Farm and almost joined years ago. She had reservations about. Seems communes fall prey to the same traps people try to escape. Ego, power, leaders, control, freedom etc. Get into cult-like issues, and can be a cult of sorts.

From about 73-75, a bit fuzzy, my band shared a large house in Oldsmar FL. 11 bedrooms, several bathrooms, large resturant style kitchen, bar across the front. In the days before the Tampa bridges and causeways it was a hotel, later a restaurant. Torn down for a highway project after we left.

Roof leaked but the rent was dirt cheap.

We practiced there, nearly everyone lived there at one time or another. I think one member did not but was there most of the time.

We certainly shared food, drink, "etc." Pooled the money to keep everything going.

But no overriding "belief system". So a commune but many not a commune.

ROY HARPER
COMMUNE

Still going strong here and there. Just not famous like the Farm or Drop City say. Maybe not "hippie" like you are asking about. Have lived communally with folks on and off most of my adult life. Grueling at times, but still better than the nuclear family grind I seem to have found myself isolated in this last decade. Wouldn't mind living that way, cash out and pool with some other folks.

There is a great, funny, sprawling book by T.C. Boyle, Drop City, fictional epic based on the commune of same name. If you are fascinated by the hippie communes, this is a must read. Btw, Boyle is a fantastic writer.

[Edited on 6/4/2016 by BrerRabbit]

Yes I lived in one in the Southwest.

It was not your 60s type commune but I lived with multiple friends who we all pooled our money together to rent a house, shared expenses for food, rent, etc. It was not an Ashram or a place for spirituality really but my former roommates did practice meditation daily.

Gardening in the southwest is expensive because you have to constantly water so it was easier to just buy our own fruit and vegetables.

It eventually disbanded because of what bird72 wrote about with people arguing about power/control/trying to set up rules, one person playing mind games, one person banding together with another person in the commune and causing fights/distrust among other household members or having an "us v.s. them" attitude, complete lack of communication, etc.

The commune or communal living is still going on where I used to live.

I only talk to one of my former housemates, but he talks to one of the other housemates that still lives there. Now they have a strict vegetarian diet rule for people living there, and there are now three dogs instead of two so I'm not sure how anyone sleeps? When my friend and I lived there the two dogs kept everyone awake since they would bark at night.

I don't regret my experiences but I am in no mood to live this way again. I'd pick living alone which I did for years in college over this.

[Edited on 6/4/2016 by The_Newt]

I lived in a condo for a few years. It was sort of like a commune except for yuppies instead of hippies.

I did
Adirondacks
'68-74
Happiest years of my life
Bucky Fuller helped us erect domes
We built Aframes, suanas and close relationships
Working farm with Scotch Highland cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, chickens
Would love to find something like that again

I did
Adirondacks
'68-74
Happiest years of my life
Bucky Fuller helped us erect domes
We built Aframes, suanas and close relationships
Working farm with Scotch Highland cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, chickens
Would love to find something like that again

Lots of history of commune life in the Adirondacks. I'm curious, can you say the general area of the Adirondack park where your commune was located? For those that aren't in the know, the Adirondacks occupy a space of about 6.2 million acres of land. It's that vast an area.

Paradox,N.Y.

Stayed a week at the beach after my junior year in high school that was pure debauchery. Does that count? 😉

Never lived in a commune but visited the Twin Oaks one in Louisa, Virginia originally patterned after BF Skinners' one from his book Walden 2. This was in the early-70's after they had been established for several years. There was very little applied behavioralism, other than a credit system for various labor tasks. Nice people, very egalitarian, successfully living and working in the country (hammock-making business at the time that continues). They are still thriving with one of the original founders still living there. Very good wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Oaks_Community,_Virginia

If some one is looking for a successful communal living experience this might be a positive place to try (they have a waiting list).

[Edited on 6/8/2016 by dzobo]

Not sure this falls under the commune title , but then again it might exactly fit .
It's a very interesting story , lots of info out there about it and a DVD as well .

It was called Taylor Camp and it was located on Kauai .

here's a bit of info in it .... I find it fascinating .

http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/08/29/paradise-lost-the-hippie-refugee-camp/

[Edited on 6/8/2016 by mtnjam67]

With the two obvious candidates running for president, I might just bug out and go join one!! 😛 😛 😛 😛