The only thing I could find on the net about the Meadows was this, a letter from Romain to Home Power Magazine. Dear Richard and Home Power Staff, A little get acquainted talk before I get to the heart of my letter. My name is Romain Cooper and I talked to Richard once over the phone about a used inverter and then about AE, the magazine etc. I live near Takilma, OR with 3 other families on a semi-remote, 200 acre piece of land. We inhabitants did without electricity for many years for the usual reasons: We didn't want to support those "coal burning, river damming, nuke-reacting" utilities, we wanted to remain somewhat self reliant and the price tag of a grid hookup was prohibitive. 9 years ago we first discovered hydro-generated electricity. Our initial installations were the simplest imaginable. Wheels from pulleys and stainless steel dessert spoons, surplus permanent magnet alternators, and Sears deep cycle 12V batteries. A voltmeter and switch to prevent back cycling rounded out the system. Two irrigation lines served as penstocks. They both had about 100' of head and were of 2.5" or 3" PVC. About 4 years ago we upgraded our "electric company". A new penstock was installed to provide irrigation for the 2.5 garden/orchard, to supply domestic water to 3 residences, and to supply electricity to the 3 residences and to misc. shops and work places. The pipeline is 2000' of 5" PVC, mostly buried, with 200' of drop. The system was designed to eventually produce straight ac current during winter flows, hence the 6" pipe. The present system utilizes a 4 jet Harris pelton wheel (4.5"D), a Ford heavy duty truck alternator, 8 Trojan L-16 batteries (wired in series and parallel to store 1400 AH (700AH? RP) at 24V) and a Heart 24V, 2400W inverter. Jonny Klien, neighbor and friend, built for us a voltage regulator that measures battery voltage and relays a dummy load. (This is the JK who is a Takilma ham operator.) This system is removed from the residences that it services by 200 yards from the nearest residence to 600 yards to the farthest. The trenches that hold the AL transmission cables also hold the water yards from the nearest residence to 600 yards to the farthest. The trenches that hold the AL transmission cables also hold the water pipes for the domestic water and cables for phone service. Another system, for a single residence, utilizes the 3" PVC, 110' head irrigation system that was designed to water a 4 acre meadow. It operates on a single jet Harris pelton identical to the other system's with a home-made housing, a surplus permanent magnet alternator, (2) 6V deep cycle forklift batteries wired in series for 12V and a Trace 2000W 12V inverter. The systems have performed well for several years. We run the usual devices: lights, audio (with inverter noise), juicers, blenders, and such, washing machines, power tools. Been running my IBM clone AT on the Heart inverter heavy for over a year with no problems. Though the alternator of the 3 family system can run 60 amps (for how long?), we get what we need for 3 households with 10 amps worth (25-27V) and still trip the shunt load daily. 24 gal./min. gives the 10 amps. The single residence system delivers 10 amps at 13-14V. For us, the catcher is summer time. From July into October we can use hydro only sporadically. Our stream flows are very low and use most of our hydro-power to push irrigation sprinklers rather than generate electricity. Last summer we increased our PV generating capacity of (4) 44W Kyocera panels with 10 bargain 36W Solavolt panels. We put the panels on a beam framework and used wooden mounts modeled after the metal ones described in issue 2. The wiring to the power/battery/inverter shed and components were sized to a 30 amp (at 24V) load to allow for expansion of the array. Unfortunately, the solar site chosen has only fair solar potential. Analysis showed it cheaper to purchase additional panels at reduced output due to shading than to purchase and install wire and components to bring the 24V current to the batteries and inverter from a sunnier location. Which finally brings me to the heart of the letter. Evaluating various sites for their PV outputs proved to be a lot of work and guess work. A few months later, while monitoring streams for the US Forest Service, I used a tool that seemed ideal for evaluating the solar capabilities of a site. The device is called a Solar Pathfinder and it is manufactured by Solar Pathways, Inc. of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The pathfinder looks somewhat like an R2D2 robot. The Forest Service uses it to determine the amount of sun striking a stream at a particular place (which strongly influences stream water temperatures). The device is easy to use and portable. It measures, in one fast reading, the hours of sun hitting a site for the entire year. The reading can be taken anytime of day or year in clear or cloudy weather. A transparent, parabolic mirror shows reflections of all shade producing features including horizons, trees, and buildings. Below the domed mirror, a sky chart tailored to the site's latitude shows, through the year, the sun's projected path. Different charts can show hours of sun light per day, sunrise and sunset times, solar collector outputs in BTU's, watt hours/day from PVs for any time of year. Is this a well know alternative energy tool? Are there other similar products? The price is a bit much for an individual. It seems reasonably enough priced for AE consultants, installers, or for groups of people to chip in and share. I briefly talked (phone call) to Bernie?, the inventor. He was friendly and accessible. Seemed like a tool that Home Power might be interested in so I'm sending you the literature. I don't think the hand held version would be as accurate or easy to use but it may have some advantages other than lower price. Some type of case (though we didn't have one) is advisable to protect the plastic doomed lens. Of course, I very much appreciate the magazine. It is entertaining (to an AE buff), informative and best of all, useful. I hope you can keep up the good work. If any of you are in our area, please visit. Romain Cooper, Cave Junction, OR The Solar Pathfinder not only works well, but is becoming a standard in the industry. It takes the guesswork out of determining solar insolation in sites with trees, hills, buildings, or other obstructions. The Solar Pathfinder is well built and worth what they charge. On your Hydro setup, many microHydro users get the summer time drys. Your solution of PVs is ideal. Wet or dry, you've still got power. RP

The only contact I could find! Romain Cooper Program Director Siskiyou Regional Education Project P.O. Box 220 Cave Junction, Oregon 97523 Phone (541) 592-4459 Fax (541) 592-2653 mailto://romain@siskiyou.org http://www.siskiyou.org

And here's the email from Eugene: From: Eugene Hill To: terry@www.spring.net Subject: (no subject) i was one of the founding members of "the meadows" commune in 1969-71 takilma oregon... does the commune still exist... is anyone online... do any of the original members still live there... i was thinking of coming for a visit... but did not want to waste my time if everyone is gone... thanks for taking the time to reply... if you do... eugene hill Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 22:37:09 -0600 From: Eugene Hill To: Paul Terry Walhus Subject: Re: (no subject) i live south of albuquerque, nm... i have 2 acres and a home... i left the meadows in 1972-73 right after janet silverman committed suicide... i built the wooden teepee next to the stream but don't know how long it stayed up after i left... i knew everyone you speak of (i think)... did you know susan, allen and reva and there kids... also there was bill (white rabbit) donny, abby... i just heard that allen was murdered and reva died of cancer... glad to hear from you... why don't you write to me and maybe i will collect stories and put up a web page about the meadows somewhere... also will fill you in how what i know since i was there from the beginning... how great is the music scene in austin??? i spent some time in san antonio a few years ago but did not get to spend any time in austin... thanks for writing...

FROM llucy...................May 2, 2000, 10:16 (EST) hmm my chariot calling. just got a REUNION invitation from the Meadows...in august, some of y'all should come full moon. had a question..did alan and reva weiss come from Newpaltz? does anyone know where their children are? sure it's three decades later and guns in schools but remember the behaviorist's wood have had the humanrats at their own throats already years ago and so it goes population pressures, but we wood not give up our nice, loving, intelligent well adapted kids and grandkids either hmmmmm? the delicate balance of globalization which i noticed THE POPE (god spare us) denounced in a speechcummass on mayday...is feeding and using and sparking the whole teetering mass of us in spite of all this. maybe giving us a chance to think of something better yet before we turn out to be no smarter than a one celled organism.. humans! ya got to be intrigued. must get to work carry on! love http://members.aol.com/tedibearxx/archive10.html

FROM llucy...................Apr 18, 2002, 09:15 (EST) <> checking back in....spent a little time in takilma last weekend..visted grace, mowed her lawn(had to repair the mower)young women still not hep to becoming their own mechanics as quick as possible. went out to t-town and rode a horse to hope mountain down to waldo and back thru allan gulch. the bycycle path,,,built with such care 20 years ago now growing neglected. someone has taken a cat and stirred up the queen of bronze tailing pond...bet that put toxic stew into the watershed.Pelliter hired Jim Dougherty to log that piece behind the community building. he selected out for all the big trees...some 2nd growth left. left the slash down on ground...now that is going to be a fuelload for a wildfire. dry there/even more dry that my desert home. most unsettling. http://members.aol.com/tedibearxx/archive26.html

FROM llucy...................Apr 25, 2000, 10:22 (EST) well..morning you guys. finding you just by random chance was sweet. it makes me feel like hanging a deer and inviting y'all over for music. sigh. what ya say? still in oregon even if a lonk way from holland. what about tom (m)? still about the planet you think? think i'll stop and burn one for him.. me honey convinced me to give up cigs..(but still sneak one or two a month) chuckle..but will go still smoking.. it's bizarre i found you cause just this last month have had series of dreams all dreams of trying to get to the crystal palace and never getting all the way there..and artichokes always bloom along the trail. hey..email i guess is safe 'nuf... mailto://llucy85@hotmail.com. love

FROM llucy...................May 5, 2002, 09:14 (EST) <> morning all!..the lovely news is that our children are holding a music camping festival on White School House Road, JUNE 1 and 2. That is Cave Junction folks. They have a website.. (www.SHININGSTARSFESTIVAL.com) and a phone number for tickets...541-592-5460. This is a fundraiser for the dome school. It just sounds like great fun and Allan and I will stop working like retirees and go have some fun...18 bands we have never heard of oh well we just are not hip to the new music out there. i am still stuck on danny hathaway and roberta flack.chuckle.

FROM llucy...................May 5, 2002, 18:02 (EST) A Dome School & Takilma Community Benefit Mountain Meadows - Cave Junction, OR June 1 & 2, 2002 Confirmed Acts: Freedom Tribe, Jupiter Hollow, The Sasha Butterfly Band, Tina Malia, Shim Shai, Broadfunk, Americanistan, The Rhythm Pimps, Kawaida, School of Green, Trickle up Theory, Redwood Highway, I AM Crew, Day*Go*Bah, Cesar, MC Metric & Marv Ellis, DJ Zion, Isall & The Circle of Light, Scott Huckabay, and more to be announced� For even more fun, there will be The Illuminated Fools Giant Puppets, Fire dancers, Parades, Workshops, as well as many surprises included with your pass� Of course our show would not be complete without our Kids village � Children can do all kinds of arts & crafts projects, as well as free face painting, and snacks. Kid's Village will have sacred space available for resting children and nursing mommas� Any other questions? e-mail us or call! 541-592-5460 Shining Stars Festival PO Box 1225 Cave Junction, OR 97523 There will also be late night festivities for all of our beautiful campers� 2 Stages on 400 acres! Volunteers/Vending: Please send your request to our e-mail addy or call (541) 592-5460

So wither the Meadows? Does it still exist and who lives there now?

This guy would know: Jonathan D. Klein K7JK, Talsalsan Farm, 12330 Takilma Rd., Cave Junction, OR 97523. Here's what I wrote in my introduction in topic 1 in the Spring's Farm Conference. Topic 1 of 24 [farm]: introductions Response 29 of 33: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, May 4, 2001 (00:43) * 1 lines There are some great communities in Southern Oregon, I lived there about 20 years and my wife at the time and I worked a little natural foods store (called affectionately the "Wonder Dome" by area folk) on the highway from Takilma to Grants Pass. There was (is?) a place there called the Meadows, it's about 200 acres of springfed woods and gardens and the Illinois River borders it. It's quite paradaisical, I remember some of the folks, Romaine, Bear, Beth and Michael. Joohnhnny the ham operator lived down the road and there were the sisters who lived at a Farm behind Talsalsan Farm, Laurie and, and ? , Apple's Larry Tessler lived at a commune in the neighborhood with a name that's on the tip of my tongue, Canaan I think it was, they had a huge lodge and ran the local peoples clinic. Crooks Creek and the Family of the Mystic Arts were other phenomenal communities, I could write a book about this era!

Highly recommended, the Siskiyou Newsletter to which Romain and Lori have made major contributions: http://www.siskiyou.org/newsletters/sp02.pdf

Wow, an email reply this morning from Romain! Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 21:33:25 -0700 From: Romain Cooper To: Paul Terry Walhus Cc: Eugene Hill Subject: Meadows Paul and (Eu)Gene, I do remember both of you and hope all is well with you. The Meadows does indeed still exist but not as a commune. We are a land trust (with a conservation easement to protect the ecology and natural beauty of the Meadows) but we operate as seperate households who live cooperatively. Mark and Beth are still here. I live with Christy (Paul probably met her but not Gene). Beth, Mark, Christy and I share a large garden that supplies much of our food (vegies and fruits) year round. Dog is still here with his wife, Linda (though they are often in Eugene, OR where Linda is presently employed. A third building is now occupied by renters. Kids are older and have "flown the coop". We had a 30 year reunion (Mark and I and Allen and Reva, etc. first arrived in 1970) in Aug., 1990. We tried to locate both of you w/o success. It was a great reunion though w/ many folk making it from all over the country. Much has transpired and I can't at this time give a real update. It's been a long time since I talked with or heard from you, Paul, and much longer for you, Gene. Reva did die of cancer but Allen wasn't murdered (suicide or drug overdose or both? Many years ago). The house I built in 1980 and still live in is over the site of the "wooden teepee". Looks like you now go by your full name, Eugene? My name is spelled w/o the "e". I am working (as director at this time) of a local enviro group ( www.siskiyou.org or www.siskiyourivers.org ). As perhaps you've heard, a huge fire (~380,000 acres) is now burning just to the west of here in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and surrounding wildlands. This is a rough situation that has kept me, and all the staff, busier than usual. Beth and Mark are basket makers (of course they do all kinds of other things). The baskets are made from local materials and have to be seen to be believed. Donnalee is still here in Takilma. Gemini Bill is in Cave Jct. Donny died about 8 years ago in a freak canoe accident / drowning (he hadn't lived in this area for a number of years) - so sad. Keep in touch, guys. Once again, hope all is well on your end of the world. Romain

I just sent a pointer to this topic to Michael Swaine on Facebook who lives in Grants Pass, OR.

Romain, are you on facebook?