The Whole Field • Volume 5 • No. 15 • New Moon • August 12, 2026
Left Out • 24" x 18" • 2025
Chestnut Crate • 16" x 20" • 2025-2026
A Long Shadow • 28" x 21" • 2025
Nik Burkhart • Oil on MDO Plywood
a still from an upcoming video
In July of 2025, the third iteration of the Long Memory Project began. The theme? Farmland. The project traversed MSU's Broad Art Museum, the 2025 Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference in Leelanau, and an exhibition at Traverse City's Commongrounds from April through June of 2026.
I've been working with footage from those locations, and will be sharing more in the future. For now, the quick glimpse above will have to do. Another preview—Brad's working on the next Whole Field, and if you know Brad, you know it'll be worth tuning in. Have a good one, y'all!
The Warp — Ideas and Inspiration
|| 1 || Eddie Vedder covered Indio's song Hard Sun for the 2007 Christopher McCandless flick Into the Wild. Perhaps because of the scene it accentuates, the tune carries a lot of weight, and I've found it rising to mind a number of times since watching the movie. Most of those instances have occurred around raw moments—more specifically, after taking the lives of what will be food and processing those animals. That part of the cycle of things, written about in this series on hunting deer, is sobering and powerful. While it might seem counterintuitive, involvement in the experience can be both difficult and incredibly grounding.
If you want to grok the depth of the connection you can (and maybe should) have with your place and with your food (and I mean know with your hands, your head, and your heart, rather than just theoretically understand), consider Sunday's poultry processing workshop. I assume you don't have a whole lot of money lying around or time to spare, so it might be tricky to make work, but I'll offer a reminder: as the session description says, this workshop is about more than just learning a skill. Among other things, it's an opportunity to support a small farmendeavoring to do its work with integrity. And as I waxed above, when approached respectfully, the work involved is powerful and might shift your perception well beyond what you'd expect.
|| 2 || I enjoyed hearing a bit more about the background of 2080, an intergenerational collaboration between Sam Franz (the "20") and Bob James (the "80"). The two have an upcoming show focused on the album at The Alluvion in late August. Maybe I was primed for the combination of electronic music and classic elements due to a classic trance on vinyl purchase last week, hard to say. At any rate, if it's your cup of tea too, there's more. Expect electronic music and live instrumentation, intergenerational as well, as John Shepherd will be accompanied by Will Thomas, along with live visuals from Super Nuclear, for a special performance in Elk Rapids in early October.
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 || 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.
|| 2 || Jordan River Arts Council presents Roots: A Cultural and Environmental Exhibition. Now open and available for viewing until August 29th. "From family legacies and cultural shifts to landscapes that leave a lasting imprint, Roots invites viewers to consider the many ways our backgrounds inform who we are and how we express ourselves. The exhibition features work across a wide range of artistic mediums, united by a shared exploration of origin, connection, and growth."
|| 3 || 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).
|| 4 || 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.
|| 5 || Perennial Farm Ecosystem Conference. Saturday, August 22nd, 8:30-5pm, TC. "The Perennial Farm Ecosystem Conference is a free, full-day learning event focused on regenerative agriculture strategies for orchard and vineyard systems. Hosted by the Grand Traverse Conservation District in partnership with the MSU Northwest Horticultural Research Station, this conference will help growers explore what “regenerative” means in the context of perennial crop production." Find more info and registration 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, August 5th, at 10am, and Wednesday, August 19th, at 10am. Find more details on Benzie Bee Guild happenings here.
|| 8 || Water is Life Festival, Saturday, September 5th, noon-9pm, Petoskey. A unique celebration of Water and our connection to it, with art, food, music, and more. Check out the website to learn more here.
|| 9 || 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.
|| 10 || Happenings at The Alluvion Between Now and the Next Whole Field include: Viridian Strings Presents: Undercurrents, The Adrianne Evans Quintet, Funky Uncle + DJ Ras Marco, The Mad Angler & The Mad Cellist, Pickle Party with The Pickle Mafia & DJ Ras Marco, and Big Fun + DJ Ras Marco.
Harmolodics, Funky Uncle + DJ Ras Marco, Garaj Mahal with Norside, Will Marsh, Big Fun + DJ Ras Marco, and Bob James and Sam Franz' 2080.
Find more information at thealluvion.org.
sponsored by:
Desmond Liggett Wealth Advisors is a mission-driven, fee-only wealth management company with a simple purpose: to generate exceptional value for the individuals, families, small business owners, and non-profit organizations they serve. Desmond Liggett Wealth Advisors believe in and adhere to triple-bottom-line analysis for portfolio investments, ensuring that they review how a company’s environmental and social values impact its long-term resilience and, consequently, value.
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