Stephen Gaskin, American activist, co-founded The Farm (died 2014)
Stephen Gaskin
Stephen Gaskin was an American counterculture Hippie icon best known for his presence in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco in the 1960s and for co-founding "The Farm", a spiritual commune in 1970. He was a Green Party presidential primary candidate in 2000 on a platform which included campaign finance reform, universal health care, and decriminalization of marijuana. He was the author of over a dozen books, a political activist, a philanthropic organizer and a self-proclaimed professional Hippie.
The Farm (Tennessee)
The Farm is an intentional community in Lewis County, Tennessee, near the community of Summertown, Tennessee, based on principles of nonviolence, respect for the Earth, and veganism. It was founded in 1971 by Stephen Gaskin and 300 spiritual seekers from Haight-Ashbury and San Francisco. The Farm served as the birthplace of the midwifery revival in the United States and played a central role in launching the contemporary home birth movement. Its members have founded a number of nonprofit organizations, including Plenty International, a relief and development organization, and Swan Conservation Trust, who established the 1,358 acres (550 ha) Big Swan Headwaters Preserve. The Farm has approximately 200 members and residents. The Farm played a role in popularizing soy foods, such as tofu, tempeh, and soymilk, in America.