Sky+Farm


 * Sky Farm **


 * Sky Farm History/Founding**

Sky Farm Nudist Club is a naturist (nudist) community that is located in Basking Ridge of Somerset Country, New Jersey. It was the first naturist community in the United States. It was originally founded as the //American League for Physical Culture// during a meeting that took place in New York City in the year of 1929. The League issued a brochure that included the slogan “An Invitation to Come into the Sunlight” on the front cover. The inaugural events that occurred were indoor swimming and exercising activities inside of a rented out gymnasium in New York City during the winter of 1931. Following the success of this gathering, Sky Farm purchased permanent property in New Jersey. Sky Farm boasts the label of being the first nudist colony in the United States, and has continued to operate as a member-owned cooperative on the same New Jersey location since 1932. Sky Farm continued its development with the first large project that involved the construction of a hand dug pool in 1933 (Skyfarm.com “History”, n.d.).

Since then, Sky Farm has gone through increased development and improvement.Now the farm offers much more to its members including a heated swimming pool, nature trails, saunas, and a spa. The community operates 365 days a year, and is most frequently used in the summer to enjoy the outdoor atmosphere that goes with a naturist community.



**Sky Farm Recreation & Facilities** Sky Farm could be compared to a similar organization of that of a country club; members pay a membership fee, monthly, and the facility includes many of the amenities that a country club would. However, the obvious difference between the two is that Sky Farmcommunities of members allow social nudity, while conversely in a country club there is a very strict dress code. A list of recreational facilities include: heated pool, hot tub, sauna, Sunning Lawns, Petanque, Miniten, Volleyball, Tennis, Horseshoes, Shuffleboard, and a Children’s Playground. Sky Farm also has a clubhouse, included with: pool tables, cable TV, a fireplace, darts, stereo sound system, free wireless internet access, and a kid’s play room. Sky Farm possesses over 60 cottages that include a full kitchen, along with a huge deck in the common area of the farm for socializing, dining, and event gatherings (skyfarm.com “facilities”, n.d.)

** Sky Farm Membership **

Membership to Sky Farm is granted based on an application process. Sky Farm is a community who embraces the naturism philosophy in advocating and defending social nudity, and an organization that wants to make sure its members fall in line with those ideals. The membership process begins with an optional visit which costs the guest $125 and a $100 application fee to go with that. On the other hand it costs a member $400 per visit, and grants access to the full recreation & facilities available. Children who are under the age of 18 are granted free access when accompanied with an adult, otherwise access is not permitted. All business conducted at Sky Farm is kept private and the information is kept confidence.

** Sky Farm Philanthropy ** Sky Farm’s most recent charitable act occurred at an Open House on June 21, 2008. The event was named “Dare to be Bare for Breast Health”, and its goal was to raisemoney and awareness for the Avon Foundation for Breast Cancer. The members of Sky Farm sponsored a local woman of the town of Manville, who was battling breast cancer. Admission to the open house was limited and by reservation only. The entry fee was $20 per person. Half of this fee would be donated directly to the Avon Foundation. The even included a barbeque lunch, live music poolside, and prize giveaways. With the help of Sky Farm and the efforts of many, many others the Avon Foundation raised over $450,000 worldwide to go towards their crusade against the undeserving breast cancer fighters.

** Statistics on Naturism in the United States **

Compared to other countries around the world, the United States is considered more of a sexually conservative country. So, in 1983 the Naturist Society in the United States sponsored a Gallup poll, and once again in 2000 to gauge where people’s thoughts fell on the topic of nudity. This study showed this


 * Year  ||  19  ||  83  ||  20  ||  00  ||
 * Question  ||   Yes   ||   No   ||   Yes   ||   No   ||
 * Do you believe that people who enjoy nude sunbathing should be able to do so without interference from officials as long as they do so at a beach that is accepted for that purpose? ||  72   ||   24   ||   80   ||   17   ||
 * Local and state governments now set aside public land for special types of recreation such as snowmobiling, surfing and hunting. Do you think special and secluded areas should be set aside for people who enjoy nude sunbathing? ||  39   ||   54   ||   48   ||   48   ||
 * Have you, personally, ever gone “skinny dipping” or nude sunbathing in a mixed group of men and women at a beach, at a pool, or somewhere else? ||  15   ||   83   ||   25   ||   73   ||

(Anderson, 2000)

** Naturist Organization in the United States **

// American Association for Nude Recreation // is a nude organization in the United States that was founded in 1931. This organization supports and advocates nudity in mutually supported and private locations. The AANR’s website slogan is “The credible voice of reason for nude recreation since 1931” (AANR.com, n.d.). It serves to inform and promote the lifestyle of naturism. The AANR is divided into seven separate geographical regions throughout the United States. These separate regions all work together with the local business and organizations to promote family nude recreation and vacationing, with a unique experience in every region (AANR.com, n.d.) These seven regions include: the Eastern Region (AANR-East), Florida Region (AANR-Florida), Midwest Region (AANR-MW), Northwest Region (AANR-NW), Southwestern Region (AANR-SW), Western Region (AANR-West), and Western Canadian Region (AANR-WC). Large parts of what the AANR does are lobby politicians and promote the nudist tourism lifestyle around the country. The AANR have been granted multiple awards before. The first was given by the Hospitality Marketing and Sales Association International while the second was given by the American Society of Association Executives.

** External Links **

** http://www.skyfarm.com/ ** **http://www.aanr.com/** ** http://www.aanr-east.com/ **

** References ** American Association for Nude Recreation. (n.d.). //About the American Association for Nude Recreation//. Retrieved from http://www.aanr.com/about-aanr Anderson, Howard. (2000). //Why be a naturist: Statistics 1983/2000 Gallup Poll.// Retrieved from http://anderh.com/fkk/book/stats.htm =Skyfarm.com. (n.d.) //America’s First and Finest Naturist Community//. Retrieved from http://skyfarm.com/history.html = =Skyfarm.com. (n.d.). //Facilities//. Retrieved from http://skyfarm.com/facilities.html = = Sky Farm Nudist Club. (2008). // Sky Farm Nudist Club to Hold `Dare to be Bare for Breast Health` Open House // [Press Release]. Retrieved from http://express-press-release.net/49/Sky%20Farm%20Nudist%20Club%20to%20Hold%20%60Dare%20to%20be%20Bare%20for%20Breast%20%20Health%60%20Open%20House.php =