Two Generations, One Community

Camphill Movement

Two Generations, One Community

“I don’t always just see the Village as my home. I see the whole area as my home.

You know, the mountains, the Catskills,When residential volunteers—

dubbed “coworkers”—join ourcommunity, some will stay fordecades, some will leave after ayear and always appreciate theirexperience here, and some willcontinue to return many timesthroughout their lives. These arethe stories of two coworkers bornwith several decades between themand thousands of miles apart, whohave found themselves returningto their home away from homein Copake.An early photo of Teresa Yasuda. Courtesy of Marty Hunt.

Johan Kristensen working in the lower vegetable gardens.

the Hudson River—everything,” he said. “It’s just an amazing area. Yesterday I went on a hike in the evening cuz I had an evening off.”

He said it was easy to return to the Village this time around, and getting back into the groove of Village life was almost effortless, despite not knowing any of the new coworkers. Being on the vegetable garden crew, he sees people from the whole Village regularly at the garden market on Tuesday and Friday mornings. He enjoys learning about all the changes and developments in the Village during his time away, and since his first experience living in the Village with his parents.

Teresa Yasuda first came to Camphill

Village in Copake in 1996. Ours wasthe fifth Camphill Community thatTeresa had lived in by then, with herCamphill journey having started inAberdeen, Scotland in 1989. She ranthe Weavery here in Copake withJonitha Hasse for 10 years. “I was aneighborhood steward, too,” she said,laughing. “I don’t know how, but Idid it for about three years.”She returned to her home country

of Brazil after a decade in Copake,and in 2008, she slowly began comingback for three months each year,missing just 2013 while caring forher father in the hospital.“In 2014 my family said ‘you need to

go,’ because I was a little depressed.It was too much work being every dayin the hospital,” she said. “And I wasmissing so much here. I was missing

the rhythm here somehow.”Her life in Brazil is busy. She lives alone

in her apartment in San Paolo, a cityof more than 12 million people. “It’squite a big city,” she said. “But here it’sso peaceful in nature, especially in thesummertime,” she said. “I know I havevery good memories of winter here,too. Winter here can be very beautifulthough, isn’t it? It’s very nice.”Teresa makes sure to be here in the

Village during Brothers & Sisters Day inthe spring each year. “I like to meet theparents and siblings of the older villagers,you know? Like Frances Manley,”she said. She lamented that many ofher weavers have since retired or havepassed away since she was runningthe Weavery. She has fond memoriesof friends like Betsy Miller and Lee Klein,who are both deceased. She’s pleased after all these years to still spend time with Linda Gradman, Danny Miller, and Karen Jane Hayden, who she considers old friends. And she’s pleased that even after all this time, residents hold the same values of community and a healthy home life.

“I used to be the young coworker. We are aging, but it’s good, the older times. Now with the new house leaders, I try lately to get to know them more, like the lady in Arbutus House,” she said, referring to Sarah White, who was a health aid working in Ita Wegman House before joining the community. “Last summer she said, ‘I need to dedicate my time to Arbutus House, and strengthen the household,’ and I said, ‘Wow! You’ve got the spirit of the community.’”

Johan Kristensen was in high

school, when he came to the Villagefrom Denmark four years ago withhis two sisters and parents, who ranArbutus House for a year. He said thatschoolwork made it difficult to engrainhimself in Village life, but summervacation afforded him the opportunityto work in the vegetable garden,which he found was more satisfyingthan schoolwork—a surprise to Johan,who is usually drawn to moretheoretical activities.“I’m not really a practical person, but

working here in the garden with thepeople and just experiencing this, it’svery concrete,” he said. “You knowwhen you do work, you can see it in away. Here, you’re helping everyone inthe Village. You’re really contributingand that’s definitely nice.”“You can sort of just jump in and you feel at home.”

Johan enjoyed the experience so much

that he returned the following summeron his own, and lived in White OakHouse. “I wanted to come back, not onlyjust to see my classmates and stuff, butalso just to actually participate in theVillage,” he said. “It was so much morefun being a coworker cuz I could actuallygo out and attend all the gatheringsand stuff you know? Like holidays andevents happening in the Village. Like justparticipate, you know? Be a part of it all.”Johan, who returned again this spring,

said he also enjoys being able to explorethe area, as the Village is situated ina beautiful part of the country.“Since four years ago, a lot of things have happened. I think it’s exciting to see everybody, like I love seeing the people I used to live with in Arbutus, like Rukin, Susan Freedman, Suzie Taube, Kipp as well, and Alan,” he said. “I’m so happy to see everyone that I know. I get to work with them and it’s very exciting seeing them again, especially if they remember me. That’s always lovely.”

He said the Village isn’t quite like a family, but it is a closely knit community where everyone knows each other, and all are welcome to contribute.

“It’s funny here in the Village,” he said. “You can sort of just jump in and you feel at home.”

To learn about our volunteer opportunities, please visit CamphillVillage.org/Volunteer.