Alexander, Florence

The Tolstoy Farm was established in 1963 on 80 acres (North 80) and 120 acres (South 120) near Davenport, WA. Huw "Piper" Williams, the founder, in the early 1960s took part in peace marches, including some organized by the New England Committee for Nonviolent Action, which had a rural, somewhat communal farm in Connecticut from which its activities emanated. He decided to return home to Washington and start a similar farm there. Setting up shop on land owned by his mother and his grandparents, he invited friends from the peace movement, to join him and "attempt to live in a way that would not require violent acts, being in the military, courts, jail, or police." Early on they adopted as the sole rule of the community the principle that no one could be forced to leave, so that "We would have to work out our differences in the right way." With no rules restricting sexual activity or drug use and with wide-open membership, Tolstoy Farm lurched closer to hip than anything that had gone before. Many were attracted to Tolstoy--there were fifty the first summer--and the community focused mainly on living at a near-subsistence level. With a cash flow of less than $100 per month, Williams recalled, "We were pretty poor, trying to grow our own food, build our own shelter, use old tools and equipment. It occupied us and challenged us." After some shifts and land acquisition during the first two years, Tolstoy Farm ended up consisting of two separate parcels of land, one of 80 (North 80) acres in a large canyon and another of 120 (South 120) acres two miles to the south. An existing farmhouse, known as Hart House, became the communal center. A diverse crowd took up residence there, especially as hippie interest in communes boomed in 1966 and 1967. More than a few of the newcomers, whose numbers included runaways and mental patients, created problems for the longer-term residents. In the spring of 1968 Hart House burned to the ground as a result of a fire set by a teenage girl Williams describes as "kind of off balance." Many of the earlier settlers had already built simple homes elsewhere on the two pieces of land and were reportedly not entirely sad to see the chaotic Hart House scene come to an end. After the fire the community consisted of private households, although cooperative features endured. Population estimates vary, but it appears that at its late-sixties peak the community had perhaps as many as 80 residents, including a healthy contingent of children in the cooperative alternative school, and several cooperative work projects. Eventually things took a downhill turn. "Things got wild and different," Williams says. He left and later gathered another community, the Earth Cyclers, on land owned by his parents 25 miles from Tolstoy; at the time it consisted of nine persons living simply and carrying out organic farming and forestry projects. Tolstoy farm has survived (2009) as an intentional community that describes itself as a decentralized rural community that shares 240 acres. The two main parcels are nonprofit corporations with dweller-owned homes. The five adjoining parcels are owned by alumni. At this time there are about 50 residents with differing pursuits that include growing organic food to eat and sell, self-sufficiency, potlucks, carpentry, quilting, computers, cooking, massage, herbs, mycology, art, seed saving, nature loving, volleyball, brewing, crafts, parenting, flowers, orchards, reading, relaxing, rebellion, rituals, music, and compost. Farm-grown veggies sell in Spokane and through community-supported agricultures (CSAs).

From the description of Washington State Library's collection of Florence Alexander's manuscripts about Tolstoy Farm, circa 1975. (Washington State Library, Office of Secretary of State). WorldCat record id: 431491082