Burning Rainbow Farm - How a Stoner Utopia Went Up in Smoke

I recently finished reading Dean Kuipers book, Burning Rainbow Farm - How a Stoner Utopia Went Up in Smoke. This is the story of Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm days as cannabis reformers, and their tragic end on their farm in Vandalia, Michigan. While Tom was a bit of a cut-up in his youth, he embraced a non-violent life style when he moved to the farm after falling in love with Rollie. The book reveals Tom and Rollie's dreams of a small utopia, the farm, where people with different points of view were allowed to flourish. Once the word started getting around about the concerts and pro-marijuana rallies being held on the farm, kind folks started coming from all over the United States and Canada to enjoy the freedom and commradery that these types of gatherings bring. The story also goes into great detail about the Cass County prosecuting attorney, Scott Teter, and his mishandling of the whole Rainbow Farm issue. Unfortunately, Tom and Rollie were "murdered" days before 9/11, so the story got buried quickly. The facts behind their deaths are questionable. All in all it is a good read, frightening, but a story that needs to be told. You might even call it a cautionary tale for those of us who purport to being activists. Tom and Rollie were two very nice souls, friends of the movement, having had the likes of Stephen Gaskin and Tommy Chong as speakers at the rallies. The book is an indictment of the way the U.S. government handles "radicals".

On a personal note...I had the pleasure of meeting Tom and Rollie a few weeks prior to their deaths. I had gone to the farm, to check out the chill factor, before taking some friends there for the annual "Roach Fest". I camped out for a weekend, literally had the entire farm to myself as it was not a concert weekend and early Saturday morning, Tom came up the road on his golfcart and took me for a tour of the farm. We sparked one up and down the road we rolled...we talked of his current situation and he struck me as one of the gentlest people I had ever met. We spent an hour talking and laughing and I knew that me and my friends would fit in well in this place.

Unfortunately, I was never able to get back before thier deaths, but attended the memorial that was held several weeks later. I'll miss that place, its being torn up to make room for a housing project.

Peace...j.b.

 

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