Nashville's Big Back Yard Houses A Rural Tennessee Community With Unique Art, Roadside Stands, And Markets

Located 73 miles south of Nashville Airport, in the "big back yard" of rural Lawrence County, is an unincorporated town with a population of around 800. Spread across the rolling, rural hills of south Tennessee, Summertown is best known for The Farm, a successful hippy commune with over 50 years of history that's just three miles up the road. Nestled inside a wooded nature preserve, The Farm is famous for the community's expertise in natural childbirth and midwifery, as well as their vegetarian lifestyle, and charity work through Plenty International, their charitable enterprise which offers natural disaster aid, environmentalist training, and water and sanitation projects in Belize, Nepal, Liberia, and more.

The easiest way to get to and around Summertown is to drive, as it's not served by buses or trains. If you want to stay in Summertown, you can board with several residents at The Farm. If you fancy camping, pitch your tent at The Farm's welcome center campground. It costs $14 a night and must be booked in advance. Note that The Farm has a gate, which is closed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. There's also a separate campground in Summertown where you can park your RV. While Summertown doesn't have any hotels, and accommodation options are pretty sparse outside of The Farm, you can find accommodation in nearby Lawrenceburg. While you're in town, drive less than half an hour and find inner peace at this uncrowded middle Tennessee lake.

Founded in 1971, the Farm began as a group of people traveling from San Francisco to Tennessee who wanted to explore a different way of life, founded on the principles of non-violence and respecting the planet. They started an intentional community and acquired 1,750 acres of land that is now held in common. The 200-ish families and friends who live on The Farm today build their own houses out of sustainable materials, they care for the land, and they use human manure as fertilizer from their unique compost toilets. Residents also have their own private school, and run courses in sustainable living at their Ecovillage Training Center.

You can take a pre-arranged tour of the community to get local insights into what life is like there. The Farm has a store where you can buy vegetarian food and snacks, and a welcome center that will give you all the info you could want about the community's history and its events. You can also buy their signature tie-dye clothes at the welcome center. 

The Farm also runs experience weekends and retreats, where you can get to know the community and their way of life. If you really like it, you can move to The Farm — but becoming a permanent member with your own house may take several years, because they need to make sure you align with their values. If you're looking for community with a bit less commune vibes, visit this family-friendly Tennessee community on the edge of Memphis' metro.

In addition to The Farm's attractions, there are a few other things you can check out while visiting Summertown. The Farm Artisan Market runs every second Saturday of the month between April and October. It operates at The Farm in their large open-air dome structure, and it hosts food trucks, farmers, and artisans from the area. The market also offers a kids' arts and craft section, live music, and activities like glass blowing.

As you drive into Summertown, you may come across the Tennessee TARDIS. This is a unique piece of art that's well worth a visit for the photo opp. It's basically a porta-potty designed to look exactly like the TARDIS from "Doctor Who." Each summer, the town hosts the Summertown Bluegrass Festival, a wholesome, multi-day alcohol free dance and music event complete with a fairground with colorful rides. While you're in the state and in the mood for mind expansion, visit Tennessee's largest indoor waterpark, which features an unforgettably psychedelic aqua experience.