Volume 3 • No. 22 • Full Moon • November 15, 2024
Bone Art (Deer, Coyote, Beaver, and Cattle) • Acrylic Paint, Found Materials, Wire, and More • 2024
A Cedar and Hemlock Grove, Kalkaska, MI
[Content warning—this essay is about hunting. It isn’t graphic, but it does reflect on a rightfully sensitive subject.]
I didn’t grow up in a hunting household. But I did grow up appreciating the woodlands.
My grandparent’s West Michigan forest was a never-ending source of fun. We’d make days of scaling upturned roots and caverns of windthrow, losing shoes in the insatiable muck, wading the creek in search of the ends, and peering for salamanders under just about anything. Of all the enticements, deer encounters meant most to me, even as I grew older. To stumble across one and for it to sense your presence, to lock eyes — stillness and connection, respect, empathy, and compassion all bundled into one intense but soft moment, only interrupted by the brief flick of its tail. And then for the doe or the buck or the fawn, whatever it was that instance, to stay; that seemed like a pinnacle, an apex. These weren’t brazen deer, used to the tourist’s hand. I liked to think that there was an element of trust when they stayed put. Communion. So, how did I move from there to having a venison-freezer in the basement? Did I abandon standing in wonder and care to pursue something more violent?
I didn’t grow up in a hunting household, but I did grow up in a household attuned to virtue and ethics. Compassion for the other, restraint in not taking more than you need, an appreciation for the outdoors, and the encouragement of curiosity for the myriad and complex ways the world works. As my brother and I would leave elementary school, we’d saunter, aimlessly and slowly. Heads down, we’d kick at biota, following whatever creature paths we might uncover. Dad would wait in the parking lot, sitting in the Plymouth with the faux-woodgrain-paneling we so enjoyed peeling away, watching, waiting, never rushing us, never honking, never complaining.
To an extent, because of this environment, and perhaps to an extent also due to my presumptions and personality, the core idea of hunting, taking a life, repulsed me. To look through a scope, behold a deer, and then pull a trigger seemed unnecessary and something through which I’d take no pleasure. It seemed to be a valid option only within the circumstances of legitimate hunger and need for food. And I wasn’t excessively hungry. My needs were met. My disinterest in hunting stemmed from a personal connection to the spry four-legged woodlanders and an inclination to avoid unnecessary harm. Eventually, this connection and inclination would play a role in bringing me full circle…
The Warp — Ideas and Inspiration
|| 1 || It’s opening day. I won’t say too much more than I already have.
Here’s an episode of The Daily Yonder’s Pickle Shelf Radio Hour, an immersive soundscape of a rural-focused podcast: Bigos, Big Does, and Hunting While Black. It’s a talk through the hunting experience with Jonathan Hall, who you might know from Notes from an Angry Black Hunter: Guns, Genocide, and the Stolen Ground You ‘Own’:
The good news is there are millions of people of color ready to work with you on building a truly just society—when we know you can be trusted to not do us harm.
But until the day comes when the majority of white people take justice seriously, I’m going to avoid public land hunts, wear double the blaze orange that’s needed, and drive below the speed limit when my firearm is in the car.
I wish everyone happy, safe, and successful hunting this year—especially the Black hunters.
Full disclosure: I haven’t listened to this related podcast yet. Based on Jonathan’s words on the interviewee, Dr. Carolyn Finney, as well as positive words from others on the MeatEater platform as a whole (the hosts of the conversation), I think it’ll be well worth the listen for learning more about hunting while black and questioning cultural competency.
|| 2 || Speaking of MeatEater, I’ve been recommended this chili-cook-off winning recipe. It features venison, as well as flexibility for tailoring to your tastes. I’m curious to know if it holds a candle to my current favorite dish with deer: Peruvian anticuchos, which brought back strong sensory memories of marinated meat grilled and served on bicycle-spoke skewers along with a spicy peanut sauce in South America.
Granted, if you harvest one deer, you don’t have much to work with in terms of making anticuchos (a heart-based dish) more than once. Korean-style venison over rice is a simple and quick option that works great with ground meat.
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 || Ecology and Economy Collaboration Cafe—A pop-up space for conversation and collaborative thinking. Thursday, November 21st, 8:30-10:30am and Thursday, December 19th, 9-11am at the Lively NeighborFood Market in Empire. Please register to come if you’re local or contact daniel@crosshatch.org to plan and promote your own community collaboration cafe.
|| 2 || Lavender Sings to Water—Spend a day with lavender to nourish our spirits and bodies, build our relationship with the human and non-human world, and protect the waters we love. A two-part event on Sunday, November 24th—a morning gathering at Maple City’s Full Circle Lavender Farm and an evening session at Commongrounds in Traverse City. Check out the flyer here for more details and register here.
|| 3 || Request for Proposals @ Hatchquarters. Crosshatch is seeking architectural design services for a stand-alone residential unit, which will serve as the anchor for a comprehensive campus (XH Campus) to follow. Find more details here, or click here for the full project vision.
|| 4 || NoBo Chef Residency—Join us for an extraordinary culinary weekend November 22-24 as NoBo proudly hosts two-time James Beard finalist for Best Chef-Great Lakes, Chef Omar Anani, the visionary behind Detroit's acclaimed Saffron De Twah. As a member of the World Central Kitchen's Chef Corps, he has provided meal relief internationally. Locally, his Saffron Community Kitchen initiative has served over 110,000 meals since 2020. Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience Chef Omar's innovative Moroccan-inspired cuisine, infused with his core values of hospitality, sustainability, community, and excellence.
|| 5 || The 2024-2025 Carbon Farming and Forestry Planning Cohort (taking place between November 2024 and June 2025) is recruiting now. Participation is recommended for all individuals and families seeking support for conservation and climate-smart activities on land they steward. The program provides connection opportunities with other land stewards, decision-making assistance, and guidance geared toward climate resilience. Find more information and sign up here.
|| 6 || The Maintainers Impact Fellowship—Do you have work in mind that “centers maintenance, repair, and care and the myriad forms of labor, expertise, and infrastructure that sustain our human built world?” The Maintainers is a global research and practice network focused on advancing maintenance, repair, and care, now accepting applications for the 2025 Impact Fellowship. Applications are due November 21st. Find out more about the $3,500 awards here.
|| 7 || Renewable Roots Convention: Biochar and Other Regenerative Practices. Lake City, November 18th-19th. Expect workshops, networking, meals, training, and more. Presented by the Missaukee Conservation District. Find more information and sign-up here or on Facebook.
|| 8 || Alluvion Arts: ”Under Pressure: A Printmaking Exhibition”—Curated by local printmakers Brad Kik and Kat Kline, this exhibition aims to educate viewers on this unique and ancient artform by highlighting different techniques with examples of work, process and history. Opening reception November 22nd from 5-7 pm, with prints for sale beginning at 3pm. The exhibition is located on both the first and second floors of Commongrounds and is on view until January 17th, 2025.
|| 9 || North Central SARE’s (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) Farmer Rancher Grant Program—Proposals are now being accepted for grants “for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects.” Find more information on deadlines, Q&A sessions for potential applicants, and other details here.
|| 10 || Greener Pastures Virtual Screening and Q&A—Greener Pastures is a documentary on perseverance within the farming industry in the heartland. Join the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network for a film streaming and discussion with two of the farmers featured in the doc on Thursday, November 21st, at 6pm. Register and find more info here.
|| 11 || Produce Safety Trainings, Virtual and In-Person—One-day training courses for produce safety certification from MSU Extension’s Agrifood Safety Department are coming up soon. Here’s a list of upcoming dates and opportunities, along with more details.
|| 12 || Happenings at The Alluvion Between Now and the Next Whole Field include: Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico: BABY BIRD, Interlochen in Town: Sea Shanties and Siren Songs, Big Fun, IPR presents: An Evening with Kenny Pheasant, Groundwork presents: Living the Blue Zone Life in Northern Michigan, The Jeff Haas Quintet featuring Marion Hayden, Anthony Stanco, & Tariq Gardner, with Lisa Flahive, Compton & Newberry, The North Carolines, Molly with full band & Amber Hasan, The Alluvion Big Band, Funky Uncle, and Ava DiSimone.
Find more information at www.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.
Many thanks to the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for their support of this work.
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