Franklin Commune, Vermont, August 1970

A two-part study of the self-sustaining lifestyle of a communal farm in Vermont. 

In Part One, commune members talk about growing, picking and eating tomatoes.  The Videofreex ask about the economics of the tomato crop, and how they compare to growing other crops, such as squash.  The commune members speak about which crop will feed the most people, with a large squash feeding the entire community for several meals.  There is a discussion about how to store vegetables in the winter.  We see group members come home with the tomato harvest, and provide a wonderful lesson in canning tomatoes. 

Part Two takes place in the stables, where two farm horses are harnessed before ploughing the fields and sowing seeds.  One farmer explains why they use horses instead of a tractor, and the long term impact on the environment.  Older farming methods are described, as well as how to treat the farm animals.  The pigs and ducks are fed, and the atmosphere is bucolic.