Comment from joann r romei

Excellent

This was an intense read, I don't understand why the food was so terrible, were animals raised to eat? i'm glad you left, your children deserved a better life.

 Comment Written 24-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 24-Jan-2023

Hello Joann,
In the early days, there were a couple of horses, two oxen and two pigs (Adam and Eve). Adam had an accident when a nail that was protruding through his doorway came down and killed him. He was so fat that the meat was awful. There were no chickens, cows or goats yet. Eventually they aqcuired them, but that happened over a period of years. We primarily ate what we could grow in the gardens and during the hunting season, which for deer lasted from mid- August to the end of December, we had venison, but there were so many people to feed that it was mainly ground up. Plus hunting parties didn't go out too often because of the constant need for fire wood. Very seldom was there anything like a roast. We ate a lot of canned salmon, which wasn't my favorite. We were so busy with building projects, gathering and chopping firewood, hauling fresh water and projects in the field that things like going out and catching fresh salmon or halibut, which was readily available in the bay, wasn't pursued. Once the herd of cows was established, we started having fresh milk, which was nice. I don't recall if the chickens, when we finally got them, ever laid enough eggs to make a meal, and it took years before they slaughtered any cows. I don't remember much about the goats, except that the gal in charge of them ran them past my house and they ate some dahlias that were just ready to bloom. We were dealing with people who had some strange ideas about what was godly, and it seemed like if it didn't make sense, then that's what we did. Eventually, things got better, but the first five years were brutal. Thanks for the fine review and comments gal.
Have a blessed day.
Tom

Comment from Wayne Fowler

Exceptional

Holy Cow! (I hope that is blasphemous)
Extremely well written. Great work.
Oh my goodness! What a story!
No one should try to put themselves in your shoes and declare what and when you should have done. No one was in your shoes but you (and your wife).
I kept me riveted. Great telling.
Goes to show - you come across people and have no idea what they've been through.
Best wishes and I am so glad that it worked out for you and your family.

 Comment Written 24-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 24-Jan-2023

Hello Wayne,
thanks so much for the generous reviews and thoughtful comments. I've been guilty so often in my life of judging people without really knowing them or their situation. One thing I'm sure of, everyone, whether or not they believe it, has an interesting story to tell. I'm so glad you enjoyed this. I've been bringing out stories slowly and somewhat reluctantly because I don't want to give away what others had to pay for when they bought the book. Ten years on that farm provided me with a lot of material though. Sometimes it's painful to remember, but the thing to keep in mind is that we made it through and are probably better because of it. I appreciate the great review Wayne. Have a blessed day.
Tom

reply by Wayne Fowler on 24-Jan-2023

I meant NOT blasphemous. Grrrrrr at myself!

reply by the author on 24-Jan-2023

No worries Wayne.

Comment from Jannypan (Jan)

Excellent

You did a great job, Tom, with your informative story.
I enjoyed reading it, though it was poignant and scary
at times. The food sounded atrocious. I could understand
how you were reluctant to leave though you desperately
wanted to leave. What a dilemma. The 'farm' seemed to have
an invisible control over those who lived there. I'm glad you
and family were able to leave after some time.
Thanks for sharing, Jan

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hello Jan,
thanks so much for the wonderful review and comments. The food was less than stellar. One thing that they did was bake fresh bread, but instead of giving it to us fresh, they let it sit on a shelf for a day or two. I never understood the reasoning behind that. There was a feeling that we shouldn't be feeding or encouraging the "flesh man", but going out of your way to make things miserable made no sense to me. It was just one of many battles I faced almost every day. Cabbages grew well on the farm as well as turnips, carrots, peas and potatoes, if the rain didn't rot them in the ground. Unfortunately rutabagas grew well too. Had it been up to me, I would have yarded them out of the ground before they had a chance to mature- nasty things. We ate a lot of stews, usually without meat or very little. I got very good at determining what was a potato and what was a turnip in the stew. I discarded the turnips and ate the potatoes. At one point, I was working in town and a lady came in to the house that the farm kept there to cook for the men. She was an architect by trade and very good at that, but she was a lousy cook. She served us creamed nettles. Of course what you're served and what you eat are two different things. It was gross. You're right, even though the idea might have been good, the old adage that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely was accurate there. Have a blessed day gal.
Tom

Comment from Carol Hillebrenner

Excellent

This is an interesting article and answers a lot of questions I had about the Farm and you staying ten years. Did your wife have the babies on the farm with a midwife? Were the meals so bad because no one knew how to cook or because it was a test of your faith? I am so glad you leaving turned out to be a blessing. Do your older children ever talk about that time? That would be a good story to find out what they remember and liked, or not.

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hello Carol,
thanks so much for the fine review and interesting comments. My first two girls were born at the naval hospital in Charleston S C.
The others were all born in Juneau at Bartlett Memorial Hospital. We usually took a ferry in several weeks before Jan's due date and stayed with some good friends we knew there. Some of the gals knew how to cook, and some didn't. There were elders in charge of everything, including cooking. I got into a pretty heated argument once with a gal that didn't want me to order cases of green beans, corn, or tomatoes. She wanted me to get mung beans because they were healthy. I pointed out that they're only healthy if you eat them, and she was about the only person that liked them. When the kids all get together, the two older girls have the most memories I think. They got a surprisingly good education at the farm, and several of my girls were valedictorians when they graduated high school in town. Outside of a few incidents, they usually don't talk much about it. At the time, the kids weren't allowed to play competitive sports, so there wasn't much for them to do except help around the farm. By the time we left, there was a ping-pong table in the tabernacle, but no one had a baseball or basketball or anything that I can recall. There was no TV or radio, and we had to have books sent in from the library in Juneau. It was a trying time for sure. As I write these answers to questions, I'm recalling things long forgotten, and while I'm not bitter now, I wish that we hadn't spent so long there. Anyway, have a blessed day.
Tom

reply by Carol Hillebrenner on 23-Jan-2023

Thanks for your interesting info. You probably stayed because everything they taught you there meant you would not survive on the outside. The only way cults work is if they convince you of your frailty on the outside.

Comment from royowen

Excellent

Having been part of a controlling ministry myself, but at least it wasn't commune like, being constantly angry with something that I hadn't agreed to, God graciously got us off the hook, and for some years we toured locally and abroad with the two families of musicians, but that's another story. But boy I can see the bad place you and Jan got yourself in. Beautifully written Tom, blessings Roy

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hello Roy,
thanks so much for the great review and comments. I knew you were a musician, and that you had come to know the Lord at some point, but I didn't know you were a part of what you refer to as a controlling ministry. Perhaps some time you can share your story. It's encouraging to know that the Lord doesn't leave us alone, even if at times it seems like He has. I'm reminded that His word will go out and accomplish what He desires and won't return to Him void. Nothing in God's economy goes to waste. Have a blessed day my friend.
Tom

reply by royowen on 24-Jan-2023

Yep Tom, we are all precious to God, I hate it when they tell you if you leave you will be damned, leave anyway, the husband is head, the family is first.

reply by the author on 24-Jan-2023

Well said Roy! I agree with you one hundred percent.
Blessings
Tom

reply by royowen on 24-Jan-2023

Bless you

Comment from Terry Broxson

Excellent

Tom, you have listed the story as General Fiction, but I do believe it is nonfiction. My first thought was to be thankful you were not in Jonestown with Jim Jones or in Waco with the Branch Davidians. At least you did get out with your life and your family. Powerful story. Terry.

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hi Terry,
you're right, it's non fiction. I didn't bother to look at the category, I was all caught up in my story. We were at the farm when Jonestown happened. I saw a Newsweek magazine and I was even more determined to take more control of my life. At one point, there was a visitor from one of the farms in Canada who mentioned that no one kept their hunting rifles with them. They were all stored together and I believe they had to get permission from the eldership there to use them. When I heard that, I vowed they would never get my guns. Fortunately, the order never came down to give them up, or I might be writing from a jail cell. Thanks so much for the great review.
Have a blessed day.
Tom

Comment from damommy

Exceptional

Very good writing! I can understand your dilemma and why you stayed so long. Sometimes, it's hard to make a break even when you're dissatisfied. Plus, the devil we know scares us less than the devil we don't know.

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hello Yvonne,
Thanks so much for the outstanding review and the six. I truly appreciate it. You're so right about fearing the unknown, it's very much like being in a prison when your mind holds you captive. Until you can break free, nothing will change. Have a blessed day my friend.
Tom

reply by damommy on 23-Jan-2023

You're very welcome. How's Jan?

reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hi Yvonne,
She's doing well, thanks. She is sleeping a lot, which I suppose is good, but last night, after she went to bed, she couldn't go to sleep and had to go downstairs and read or some such thing. It's been a better experience for her this time though. I'll let her know you asked about her.
Blessings
Tom

Comment from Mary Shifman

Excellent

You and your family were brave to make such a move in the first place and quite stoic to have stayed for ten, apparently mostly unpleasant, years. I really can't imagine it. I've often heard it said that, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." You are good evidence that it's true.

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hello Mary,
thanks so much for your kind words. I don't know that we were brave so much as uninformed. Like people everywhere, we made a plan without fully understanding what we were getting into. It was a tough time, but God never lets anything go to waste, and I did learn a lot from my time on the farm. I wouldn't want to do it ever again, but we survived and I believe are stronger for it. Have a blessed day.
Tom

reply by Mary Shifman on 24-Jan-2023

You are welcome.

Comment from Jim Wile

Excellent

This was a very interesting story. It was clear and well-written, describing an experiment which sounds like communal living for you and your family. It's certainly understandable that you eventually left with the loss of freedom you seemed to have there. It took courage to leave for the unknown with that brood, though. Congratulations on getting out.

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hello Jim,
thanks so much for the fine review and comments. The unknown is always a scary place. It all worked out, although not without problems, such as all people have I suppose. If I'd had an idea of what we were going to encounter when we arrived at the farm, we would never have gone there. It was totally different than what we had experienced when we were with the group in Charleston. Have a blessed day.
Tom

Comment from Bill Schott

Excellent

This is an incredible profiling of this type of existence that pits man against both nature and forces of misguided faith. Bear liver mush would have been enough to send me off to kill the cook.

 Comment Written 23-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 23-Jan-2023

Hello Bill,
ha, ha, ha- it's a laughing matter now, but at the time, I was so hungry that I almost ate it. For the life of me I don't know what they were thinking serving that. Though there might be a very few people who eat brown bear, as a general rule it's not killed for the purpose of consumption, unlike black bear. Much of the diet of a brown bear consists of salmon, and if you kill one when they are feeding on fish, the meat will reflect the flavor. Not good. Thanks so much for the fine comments and review. Have a blessed day.
Tom