February 3, 2026
In late January Twin Oaks had an electrical fire in one of our residences. No one was hurt, but the building was home to 10 members, our community clothes plus laundry, and a wood shop. We've found rooms for everyone to stay in and are in recovery mode. We are not in immediate financial peril, but if you would like to donate money to help us recover follow this link.
If you are possibly interested in making Twin Oaks a home for yourself, please read our Visitor Information and send in a Letter of Introduction. The dates for our 2026 visitor periods are here. If you'd like to come for a Saturday Tour, please email
Twin Oaks is an intentional community in rural central Virginia, made up of around 85 adult members and 15 children. Since the community's beginning in 1967, our way of life has reflected our values of cooperation, sharing, egalitarianism, income-sharing, nonviolence, and ecological sustainability.
Twin Oaks Community is located on the traditional territory of the Monacan and Mannahoac peoples (now merged as the Monacan Indian Nation), known to its inhabitants as Amai Amañuhkañ ("The Country of the People of the Land"). Our bylaws call for us to strive to eliminate sexism, racism, ageism, and competitiveness. We believe that this also includes a call to dismantle colonialism and acknowledge our position as settlers on stolen land. You can find out more about current tribal issues and join us in supporting the Monacan Indian Nation.
A safe(r) and supportive queertranstastic camping event full of fun, learning, networking, revelry, and more, for queer folks and allies of all ages!
Addressing Racism at Twin Oaks
Last Updated: May 2024
Twin Oaks community is committed to fostering a culture of racial equity and inclusivity. We believe in creating a space where all individuals, regardless of race or background, feel respected, valued, and empowered. Through open dialogue, education, and proactive initiatives, we strive to dismantle systemic racism and promote equality for all members of our community.
Our community has not been immune to racism and other discriminations. While we strive towards our ideals of egalitarianism and equity, we have fallen short before. We are working towards centering anti racism as a pillar of our community. You can read more about some of the culture and history of Twin Oaks as it relates to social justice, as well as some of our current anti racism initiatives, in the Racial Justice section under the Culture tab at the top of the page.
We do not have a group religion; our beliefs are diverse. We do not have a central leader; we govern ourselves by a form of democracy with responsibility shared among various managers, planners, and committees. We are self-supporting economically, and partly self-sufficient. We are income-sharing. Each member works 38.5 hours a week in the community's business and domestic areas. Each member receives housing, food, healthcare, and personal spending money from the community.
Our current community income is earned in our existing businesses including working with our sister community in Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, an heirloom, organic seed business, our Tofu business, our Book-Indexing business and other smaller income areas. We are also exploring a number of new businesses as a result of the loss of our long-time hammocks business due to the fire.Still, less than half of our work goes into these income-producing activities; the balance goes into a variety of tasks that benefit our quality of life—including milking cows, gardening, cooking, and childcare. Most people prefer doing a variety of work, rather than the same job day in, day out.
A number of us choose to be politically active in issues of peace, ecology, anti-racism, and feminism. Each summer we host a Women's Gathering, Queer Gathering, and Communities Conference where we welcome both experienced communitarians, and seekers who are new to community living.
We offer Saturday tours on some but not all Saturdays. The tour guide will show you around the community, describe what life is like here, and answer any questions. Schedule your tour here (opens an external link.)
We offer a structured three week visit designed to give the visitor some general education and experience in living at Twin Oaks. Read about the Visitor Program here
Please do not drop in and expect to get a tour or be able to stay overnight. Tours and visits must always be pre-arranged, and to be a guest here, a member must agree to be your host before you arrive.
Twin Oaks Community
138 Twin Oaks Road # W
Louisa, VA 23093 USA
540-894-5126
888-424-8838 Fax
Email Us
When communicating with us by email please do not send attachments. Please send only plain text email, not HTML formatted mail. When you write, please tell us how/where you heard about Twin Oaks. If it was through another website, we'd like to know which one, and the URL if possible.