The Whole Field • Volume 5 • No. 13 • New Moon • July 15, 2026
How It Unfolds • Acrylic and tea toned cyanotype on watercolor paper • 12” x 16”
In Waves of Weather • Acrylic and gouache on watercolor paper • 16” x 20”
Roam • Acrylic and spray paint on hand shaped wood • 15” x 28”
Despite the title, I propose now that some level of rootedness in place is beneficial. I want to practice ecological responsiveness, and committing time and intention to a location seems to build the necessary depth and breadth of awareness to do so. If ties to place are often only as strong as educational and employment opportunities, new places largely look like blank slates. Unfortunately, then, long-term outlooks make less and less sense to abide by, which can lead to wanton extraction, intentional or not. As any survey of forgotten towns reminds, this process isn’t conducive to any form of well-being. So, if you’ll allow this angle on rootedness and place, I'll take a sharp turn and ask an entirely new question: does recommitment to place, in whatever form that might take, leave one vulnerable to lack of exposure?
A good spot to start, I suppose, is to clarify what I mean by exposure. I’ll illustrate...
The Warp — Ideas and Inspiration
|| 1 || We're so glad to announce that Rosebud Bear Schneider will be presenting the keynote address at the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference (downtown Bellaire, Oct. 4th-6th). I first met Rosebud while recording Food Sovereignty in an Urban Context: Keep Growing Detroit, but knew of her name from her previous involvement in farming here in Northwest Michigan. If you'd like a teaser of the uniquely varied skills, stories, and experiences she carries with her, here are a few clips Rosebud features in to choose from:
-this Spirit Plate podcast on self-determination,
-this kitchen-centric storytelling session from Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS),
-or this One Detroit interview on food sovereignty and Michigan's indigenous history.
|| 2 || In Local to a Fault, I shy away from specifics and anything too prescriptive. The Institute of Natural Law's interview-based piece The Radical Act of Staying: Defying Nomadism with Ben Falk does not. Check it out if you'd like more detailed insights into the sorts of broad visions the excerpt below brings to mind.
The instances in which human groups have sustained themselves in specific places for millennia occur where cultural and economic (resource) systems were organized not to maximize wealth for the individual but to grow and transfer value across human generations. Not moving to the next place has been the only way we’ve built wealth enduringly. This kind of value takes decades and centuries to develop: barns spilling over with the autumn harvest, apples stacked high to last through a winter, disease-resistant crops from hedgerow to hedgerow, towering groves of nut trees, abundant herds of game, lush pasture and sturdy animals, vigorous people mastering their work, and vibrant cultural memory. Human culture can create all of these conditions—even thriving ecosystems. But it takes generations of people skillfully committed to each other, and to a place, to do so.
The Weft — News and Events
We’re heartened by a wide-range of expressions of resilient communities and gatherings. Here’s a smattering of regional events and happenings that reflect that diversity, collected for your consideration. Choose your own adventure!
|| 1 || Livestock Show and Tell Tour: Pigs and Poultry on Pasture - Monday, July 20th, 6-8pm at Danu Hof Farm, Mancelona. Join Crosshatch at Danu Hof Farm for a pigs and poultry-focused tour, along with peer-learning, story sharing, and a potluck. Find more details and registration here.
|| 2 || The Traverse City Dance Project Summer Tour visits Bellaire. July 26th, 6:30-9pm, at the Short's Brewing Company Beer Garden. Featuring seven professional dancers from across the country, multiple premieres, live music from the Charlie Millard Band, and more. Find more details here.
|| 3 || From Pasture to Plate: Learn to Process Your Own Chicken—Sunday, August 16th, 10am-3pm, Danu Hof Farm, Mancelona. "This experience is about more than just learning a skill — it's about getting to know where your food comes from, supporting a farm that's doing things the right way, and feeling more confident and connected in the kitchen and beyond." Click here for more info and registration.
|| 4 || Northwest Michigan TOPP Field Day: Farming for People, Purpose, and Profit. Tuesday, August 18th, 8:30am-3:30pm. Begins at Bear Creek Organic Farm in Petoskey, and continues at Lakeside Farm in Boyne City. Tours, discussions, and more. Click here for the full schedule and more details. This event is organized by Michigan TOPP in partnership with the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference (presented by Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology).
|| 5 || The Writing Room — A Creative Writing Workshop with Author Dirk Ruff. Saturday, August 22nd, 10am-3pm, at Grass River Natural Area (Bellaire). "Join author Dirk Ruff for an immersive afternoon writing workshop... Bring something you've been working on, be it an idea outline, a started piece, or a rough draft. Be ready to share and collaborate on the creative process with others, and to receive feedback on your work. By the end of the workshop, you should have direction, if not a completed piece." More details and tickets here.
|| 6 || The Antrim Writers Series is pleased to welcome Chad V. Broughman.
-Reading & Book Signing, Wednesday, August 26th, 7-8:30pm, at Bos Winery in Elk Rapids.
-Fiction Writing Workshop, Thursday, August 27th, 1-3pm, Grass River Natural Area in Bellaire.
Click the respective links above for more information on the gatherings and registration, as well as more on Chad and his work.
|| 7 || Bees!
-Little Traverse Bay Beekeepers Guild. Overwintering in Northern Climates, Tuesday, August 18th, 6-8pm, Bear Creek Township Hall in Petoskey. "Dr. Adam Ingrao will explore the key factors that impact winter survival and share proven strategies used at Bee Wise Farms to successfully overwinter bees in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including a step-by-step hive setup process." Find more here.
-Benzie Bee Guild. Bee Yard Work Sessions at Grow Benzie: Wednesday, July 15th, at 10am, and Saturday, July 18th, at 10am. Find more details on Benzie Bee Guild happenings here.
|| 8 || Mark your Calendars! The 2026 Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference is coming to downtown Bellaire, Oct. 4th-6th. Find more on the theme, Culture Keepers, and the conference here.
|| 9 || Happenings at The Alluvion Between Now and the Next Whole Field include: Nathan Graham with special guest Audrey Mason, Funky Uncle + DJ Ras Marco, BUNKERMAN & Scott Pellegrom, Mandolin Carnival feat Don Julin, Brian Oberlin, Don Stiernberg & Carlo Aonzo, and Big Fun + DJ Ras Marco.
Find more information at thealluvion.org.
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