The Forgotten Siege of Rainbow Farm
By: Aj Wiseman
Tags: True Crime, Politics, Society, History, Culture

The Forgotten Siege of Rainbow Farm

Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm’s farm was a symbol of freedom and they were willing to die for it.

Tom Crosslin and Rollie Rohm-Source: rainbowfarmcamp.com

In 1990, Tom Crosslin met Rollie Rohm and felt something different. The man known for his promiscuity was in love. Rohm, a 17-year-old single father, eventually ceded to Tom’s charm and the two began a relationship.

Crosslin was a country boy who wasn’t afraid to fight if necessary and even was in a biker gang earlier in his life. Rohm was quiet and calm. He loved to play soccer and listen to rock music which was partially showcased by his long blond hair.

In 1993, Crosslin purchased a 35-acre farm outside of Vandalia, MI. The old farmhouse was unlivable, but Crosslin saw the beauty in the land and wanted to make a home for himself, Rohm, and Rohm’s young son Robert.

Crosslin, Rohm, and friends immediately started to renovate the house. After taking a break from a long day of working, Crosslin and Rohm were sitting atop a hill on the property when they saw a rainbow. It happened a couple more times that week so they christened it Rainbow Farm.

On the Fourth of July, they held a cookout. They expected about 100 people and 250 showed up. Crosslin loved the communal atmosphere, but he was also a businessman who thought about the profit he could make if he had a cover charge.

Crosslin wasn’t super-rich, though he did own and rent a lot of properties. He always had the rentals as assets and they provided income that could help him make improvements and additions to the farm. Maintaining those properties was often an annoyance and Crosslin hoped to make a living off the farm.

Ideology

When Crosslin purchased the land he envisioned a libertarian paradise. While not completely a libertarian himself, Crosslin’s beliefs came down to freedom of choice. People should be able to do with their bodies as they pleased which for Crosslin and Rohm meant the right to smoke weed.

Like millions of other Americans, Crosslin and Rohm believed that the prohibition of marijuana needed to end, not just for people who liked to smoke, but also because of the many uses provided by hemp. Being a farm boy himself, Crosslin knew about the industrial and environmental benefits of hemp cultivation.

Aside from the choices of free will, Crosslin strongly believed in property rights and how the government shouldn’t impede on a citizen’s private property.

From Dean Kuipers’ book Burning Rainbow Farm: How A Stoner Utopia Went Up In Smoke, on the day the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed in Oklahoma City; Crosslin, Rohm, and Robert went to get burgers at a nearby bar. Crosslin was in a bad mood. Then he started drinking and was going to let his opinion be known. He was horrified that the attack was a result of the government assaults on Ruby Ridge and Waco.

“Fuck the government…long live David Koresh! They ought to know better than to come down on citizens of this country that way. When people are pissed, they’re gonna fight back. This Oklahoma shit is just the beginning. You wait. The people are gonna rebel against the government!”-Tom Crosslin from Burning Rainbow Farm

Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City-Source: Wiki Commons

Revenge against the government is exactly what Timothy McVeigh sought when he parked a rented Ryder truck in front of the Murrah Federal Building. In the back of the truck was 5,000 pounds of explosives that he detonated early in the morning of April 19, 1995. The blast killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured 684 others.

Tom Crosslin’s intuition about the motive behind the bombing had been correct.

McVeigh’s radicalization began after the Ruby Ridge siege in 1992, where federal marshalls attempted to apprehend the property’s owner Randy Weaver after he failed to appear in court on firearms charges. Weaver believed there was a government conspiracy against him and wouldn’t surrender.

His immediate family and a friend also refused and an 11-day siege took place. Weaver’s 14-year old son and wife were shot dead during the standoff. A U.S. Marshall also died. At the end of the 11 days; Weaver, his friend, and Weaver’s three daughters all surrendered to authorities.

Then there was the government’s siege of the Branch Davidians compound in Waco, Texas in 1993. The ATF suspected the group of hoarding and selling illegal weapons and attempted to serve a search warrant for the compound and to arrest the sect’s leader David Koresh. A shootout erupted where four ATF agents were killed as well as six Branch Davidians.

The result was a 51-day siege. On the final day, the FBI launched a tear gas assault in an attempt to force the members out of the ranch. Moments later, the entire building went up in flames killing 76 Branch Davidians, 25 of them children.

Branch Davidians’ compound-Source: Wiki Commons

The events that took place in Waco were disputed by many. The Justice Department determined that the fire was started by the group members, but some believed that the government agents were responsible for setting the building on fire and ultimately killing 76 people.

Spectators had gathered outside the Branch Davidians compound during the standoff to protest the government’s motive for the intervention. Timothy McVeigh happened to be one of them, passing out pro-gun rights literature and bumper stickers.

Tom Crosslin was by no means in support of McVeigh’s terrorism but knew that more of these atrocities could happen if incidents like Ruby Ridge and Waco became commonplace.

The Beginning

Crosslin’s views of private property rights strengthened after he bought the farm. Ideas swirled around his head on the potential of the land.

The thought of holding a festival initially came to Crosslin during that first cookout at the farm when he underestimated the number of attendees. Yes, Crosslin was a businessman, but he also had his hippy beliefs of community. A big part of Crosslin’s community was the pro-marijuana faction.

Kuipers details in his book how events like Weedstock often had problems with law enforcement and patrons getting busted. One instance of this was in 1996 when 3,000 people were in attendance at a Weedstock in Sparta, Wisconsin, and 100 were arrested for either possession or sales. Crosslin recognized the issues with festivals like this and consulted a lawyer on how they could ensure their events weren’t filled with arrests.

The festivals at Rainbow Farm would be on private property and all drug sales were strictly forbidden. Crosslin and Rohm knew that any sales that could be tied to them could possibly result in them losing the farm. Growing and selling weed are felonies, but smoking was only a misdemeanor.

There was still the risk of a possession charge as festival-goers could be pulled over by police on the way to the property. But once they were inside the gates, they would be fine as law enforcement couldn’t come onto the property to give out misdemeanor smoking tickets.

Crosslin was hoping that by abiding by these rules they could reduce tensions between their attendees and the police. They wanted to avoid the in-your-face tactics of other marijuana events and display the peaceful nature of the plant.

The vibe of Rainbow Farm-Source: screenshot from Steven Hager on YouTube

Crosslin established the farm as a campground. People who lived alternative lifestyles, people who were gay, and people who loved to smoke pot could set up a tent and feel safe on the property. It was also very family-oriented and community-friendly.

Once they had the campground set to go, Crosslin and his crew built the infrastructure of their festivals. What they did was impressive and progressive.

They hired local workers and small family-owned businesses for almost everything. For food, they had vendors who sold locally raised pork and also had vegan stands. They kept the familial atmosphere by having Robert driving around on a golf cart and helping out when needed.

Crosslin had a shower room built, a general store, a head-shop, a coffee shop, and also a stand for hemp made items. One of the more interesting features was a coin laundry that was said to be the best in town.

A stage was built that was supplied with professional sound and lighting equipment for the musical acts. They of course wanted bands to perform, but they also targeted prominent figures in the marijuana movement.

Rainbow Farm-Source: screenshot from therealjamesbud on YouTube

With promises of appearance fees, plane tickets, and other amenities being paid for, Crosslin was able to get acts that would give Rainbow Farm notoriety.

Festivals

Their two main events were Hemp Aid held on Memorial Day weekend and Roach Roast on Labor Day weekend with smaller gatherings in between. Before the festivals got off the ground the state police made sure that Crosslin and Rohm knew they were being closely watched, often through intimidation.

“I can’t believe they haven’t killed you boys already”-Merle Haggard from Burning Rainbow Farm

Undeterred, the Rainbow Farm crew reminded the police of their rights on private property, and the initial festivals went on without too many problems.

The attraction of one of the first events was Jack Herer, a prominent marijuana rights activist and author of The Emperor Wears No Clothes, a popular book about the history and uses of cannabis.

Editor of High Times magazine Steve Hager also made an appearance and subsequently started writing about the crusaders of Rainbow Farm. This type of publicity in the largest marijuana publication helped make the farm one of High Times' top marijuana destinations in the world.

After a couple of years of hard work by everyone involved, they landed the king of stoners. Tommy Chong’s appearance was another giant step towards national notoriety. Chong performed with his family band and loved the farm for what it was trying to achieve.

Tommy Chong-Source: Wiki Commons

“Rainbow Farm was what I envisioned America to be, a lot of tents with people selling headbands and tie-dyed stuff and pipes. Nomads and gypsies traveling. Bands playing on the stages. And people camping out. It was Utopia.”-Tommy Chong from Burning Rainbow Farm

But as the new Millenium came, the number of problems that Crosslin, Rohm, and their crew faced steadily grew. They were spending tons of money doing things like adding bathroom facilities and mounting large video screens to the stage. They also booked the most famous musician that would ever perform at Rainbow Farm.

According to Kuipers, when Merle Haggard stepped off his tour bus to meet Crosslin and Rohm he shook their hands and said, “I can’t believe they haven’t killed you boys already.”

Unfortunately by then, there was so much heat from law enforcement that only 500 people showed. Haggard and his band still gave the crowd a great performance then hung around afterward drinking with the farm crew. Haggard’s comment to Crosslin and Rohm was becoming more of a possibility with the police doing everything they could to shut the place down.

The Opposition

Timing is everything and the opening of Rainbow Farm happened to coincide with their biggest nemesis, Scott Teter, being elected as Cass County prosecutor. Teter was your typical law and order official who didn’t operate in any grey areas, everything was black and white, legal or illegal.

Nobody could argue against his stance, he was hired to uphold the law and keep Cass County safe, but Teter was overzealous when it came to dealing with Rainbow Farm. He allowed some grey areas for finding evidence to support his cause and wasn’t going to play fair.

In the beginning, police would show up to the farm and act like they had free rein over the place. Crosslin would remind them that they were impeding on private property and needed to leave.

While the events continued, law enforcement would park on the roads that led to Rainbow Farm to make sure that everyone associated with the farm knew they were being watched. When Crosslin and Rohm were in the community cops would make intimidating statements or gestures towards them.

Teter and law enforcement sent informants and undercover cops to the farm during their events. Some of the farm staff told Kuipers in interviews that they were aware of who the narcs were and tried to reiterate to employees and attendees that all drug sales were strictly forbidden. They couldn’t have complete control over thousands of people though.

The Incident

Teter claimed that during Rainbow Farm events, his agents were able to score any drug they wanted except heroin. He insisted that at one festival, Crosslin was driving in a golf cart yelling out to the crowd where to buy their dope from. There never seemed to be concrete evidence of this and none of the sales could be directly traced back to Crosslin or Rohm.

Then on April 21, 2001, a 17-year-old high school student named Konrad Hornack ran a stop sign and crashed into a bus. The impact killed Hornack and also tipped the bus over, injuring the driver and six kids.

Hornack was wearing a Rainbow Farm wristband indicating he was possibly at the farm’s event the night before. His friend told detectives that they had smoked weed and took LSD at Rainbow Farm.

Teter had enough and began working on a warrant for Rainbow Farm. Oddly, Teter decided to go after the farm for their taxes, working on a tip from an informant who said all employees were paid under the table. Kuipers reports that they would never find anything wrong with the taxes. The property to be seized was all financial and payroll records, there was no mention of marijuana anywhere in the document.

He also put together a case for forfeiture of the property with nothing to do with taxes or any campground business. It solely revolved around drugs. As Kuipers states;

Teter needed just one score from that house. Not too many prosecutors are going to have a massive forfeiture document ready just in case they find drugs on a tax case. Nor is a tax case usually resolved by a massive tactical raid. He already knew what he would find there.

State authorities rolled into Rainbow Farm and took over with an unnecessary amount of tactical force to execute a tax warrant. With guns drawn, the police rounded up campers and employees demanding to know where the drugs were. They dragged Crosslin and Rohm out of the house. Crosslin couldn’t contain his contempt and let his feelings be known for what was being done to him. Rohm remained quiet as he was led to a squad car.

The police found a joint in one of the buildings and proudly declared the impending arrests to farm staff. What they would discover in the basement was far more damaging to Crosslin and Rohm.

They uncovered a fairly sophisticated grow room and around 300 plants, all for personal use. It was the biggest mistake Crosslin and Rohm could make as they knew they were putting their farm on the line. This gamble would be their undoing.

The End

The authorities were able to secure a drug warrant. They gathered as much evidence as possible while Crosslin and Rohm sat in the back of a cop car. Teter and attorney general at the time, Jennifer Granholm, who would later become governor of Michigan, pulled into the farm to gloat from the comfort of their vehicle.

Besides the marijuana, cops found a couple of shotguns and a pistol, fairly standard stuff for a rural Michigan household, but it was an issue for Tom as he was a convicted felon. Crosslin was charged with manufacturing marijuana, felony firearm possession, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and maintaining a drug house. Rohm received the same except for the gun charges.

Robert was taken into custody by child protective services. Days after the bust, Crosslin, and Rohm posted bail and returned home. When they realized how much money it would cost to mount a proper defense they ran out of hope. They felt defeated but weren’t going to let the government take their farm.

Crosslin had become defiant while Rohm seemed scared that he would lose custody of Robert permanently. Late in August 2001, the pair were scheduled to be in court and failed to show. Teter ordered their arrest and had police ready to go to Rainbow Farm to apprehend Crosslin and Rohm.

The men weren’t going anywhere. On August 31, 2001, Crosslin started to tell employees, campers, and neighbors that they needed to leave and stay away from the farm. They gave away many of their possessions and made a last-minute will leaving everything else to Robert.

Crosslin and Rohm filled their buildings with straw and began setting them on fire. Neighbors called 911 after the first blaze. News cameras descended onto the farm and helicopters hovered above. Thinking that they were law enforcement, Crosslin shot at the helicopters. He would later have a middleman apologize for him.

On Monday, September 3, Crosslin and a farm supporter walked over to a neighbor’s house to gather some supplies. When they got back and realized they forgot to grab a coffee pot, the two of them made another trip. Carrying a gun, Crosslin heard rustling in the woods, stopped walking, and raised his gun. The agents promptly shot him dead. The farm supporter walking with Crosslin was not killed.

Early in the morning on Tuesday, September 4, Rohm demanded to speak to Robert in person and then he would surrender. Hours before that meeting was supposed to happen, Rohm set the house on fire. He hid behind a tree on the property and when he saw a couple of police officers approaching he reportedly raised his gun and was killed.

Aftermath

The news coverage during the siege was short-lived because it happened a week before 9/11, leaving most of America unaware of the Rainbow Farm story.

Source: screenshot from therealjamesbud on YouTube

Scott Teter now works for the attorney general in their financial crimes division.

Robert has a family of his own and works as a pastor for his local church. The campground stayed open for a couple of years but now belongs to private owners.

In 2008, Michigan became the 13th state in the U.S. to legalize medical marijuana. Ten years later, recreational use was legalized. Tom Crosslin, Rollie Rohm, and Rainbow Farm were crucial figures in the movement to change the laws in the state of Michigan.

Through their activism, they found themselves in the government’s crosshairs and once that happens there is not much a person can do. The search warrant for their house was bogus, but it allowed the police to find what they were looking for. The threats and actions of law enforcement left these two men desperate. Their deaths should have been avoided instead of them becoming another casualty in the war on drugs.