About the U.P. Project

OVERVIEW:
We are a small collective who has ownership of five acres of land in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We plan to develop this land in a way that challenges our current ideas about land value, ownership, community, necessity and survival. We will live on the land for a period of time every summer, starting in July, 2008. This blog functions in two ways: first, as a forum for the exchange of thoughts and ideas within the collective. Second, it will serve as a database (see the column on the right-hand side) of individuals, communities and organizations that have influenced the way this project takes its shape. We encourage suggestions and comments from the public. To leave a comment, click the comment link at the end of any blog post.

WHEN?
Saturday, July 26-Friday, August 8, 2008

WHERE?
Ewen, MI (Upper Penisula)

WHO?
Organizers: Margaret Coleman, Monica Johnson, Deborah Sosower
Approximately 15-20 participants (by invitation only)

WHY?
The urban environments from which we intend to retreat are highly unstable from an ecological perspective and can leave us feeling disconnected or ungrounded. It is our hope to construct a micro-community in a rural setting where natural environmental cycles are more apparent. Our focus is that we adapt our lifestyle to the needs of the land, rather than the opposite. As a collaborative team, we will be able to redefine ourselves through redefining what is necessary to our survival. Thought will be given to many definitions of survival, from physical and emotional to spiritual and even financial survival. In addition, we will reconsider what gives land its value, whether it is cost of real estate or the land's ability to produce commodities or simply its ability to protect us.

HOW?
The first summer we will build living quarters and establish relationships with the Ewen community. We will consider ourselves hunters and gatherers of information about the land from environmental, historical and cultural viewpoints. Each participant is required to engage with and learn from the Ewen community through participating in activities such as, fishing, hunting, quilting, nature hikes, volunteering, etc. A requisite number of hours will be established.
Overall, we will use our time in Ewen to create projects that acknowledge the value of the land.

WE HAVE:
  1. Five acres of land
  2. One cabin (approx. 12’ x 12’)
  3. One empty chicken coop
WHAT WE OFFER THE COMMUNITY:
We will buy all building equipment & materials locally. We will give our respect to their way(s) of life even where it conflicts with our own.

WHAT WE OFFER PARTICIPANTS
  1. Stipend (amount to be determined)
  2. Room & board
  3. Opportunity to experiment with new living strategies
  4. A page on our website to document the residency
  5. A quiet space to live and work


Friday, March 7, 2008

Earthships (part I and II)


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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

See & Hear the U.P.

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Sunday, February 24, 2008

Species of Trees in Ontonagon County, MI

ONTONAGON COUNTY - 752,500 acres of forest
1. Sugar Maple
(Acer saccharum)		 8. Black Ash
(Fraxinus nigra)		 15. Musclewood
(Carpinus caroliniana)		 22. Red Oak
(Quercus rubra)		 29. Pin Cherry
(Prunus pensylvanica)
2. Quaking Aspen
(Populus tremuloides)		 9. White Spruce
(Picea glauca)		 16. Black Spruce
(Picea mariana)		 23. Mountain Maple
(Acer spicatum)		 30. Tamarack
(Larix laricina)
3. Red Maple
(Acer rubrum)		 10. Hemlock
(Tsuga canadensis)		 17. American Elm
(Ulmus americana)		 24. Choke Cherry
(Prunus virginiana)		 31. Balm-of-Gilead
(Populus balsamifera)
4. Balsam Fir
(Abies balsamea)		 11. White Ash
(Fraxinus americana)		 18. Red Pine
(Pinus resinosa)		 25. Hawthorne
(Crataegus spp.)		 32. Striped Maple
(Acer pensylvanicum)
5. Ironwood
(Ostrya virginiana)		 12. Paper Birch
(Betula papyrifera)		 19. Bigtooth Aspen
(Populus grandidentata)		 26. Others
 33. Silver Maple
(Acer saccharinum)
6. Yellow Birch
(Betula alleghaniensis)		 13. Black Cherry
(Prunus serotina)		 20. Green Ash
(Fraxinus pennsylvanica)		 27. Boxelder
(Acer negundo)		 34. Slippery Elm
(Ulmus rubra)
7. Basswood
(Tilia americana)		 14. Cedar
(Thuja occidentalis)		 21. White Pine
(Pinus strobus)		 28. Jack Pine
(Pinus banksiana)		 35. Rock Elm
(Ulmus thomasii)
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Friday, February 22, 2008

The "Pasty"

A pasty is part of the regional cuisine of the U.P. and, take it from me, they are unbelievably scrumptious. Originally from Cornwall (UK), pasties were created to meet the needs of Cornish tin miners. Tradition claims that the pasty was originally made as lunch for Cornish miners who were unable to return to the surface to eat. The story goes that, covered in dirt from head to foot, they could hold the pasty by the folded crust and eat the rest of the pasty without touching it, discarding the dirty pastry. While there are no completely standard pasty ingredients, almost every traditional recipe includes diced steak, finely sliced onion, and potato. Other common ingredients include swede (rutabaga, called yellow turnip in Cornwall) and possibly parsley. Think: shephard's pie-meets-the burrito. Delicious.
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Inspiration: Vandana Shiva

If we really seriously look at the crisis we are facing, whether it’s climate change or it’s unemployment, or it’s the crisis of food........... the solution to so much of this comes from people being on the land as conservers of the seed, of the soil [and] of the water. Food production is a byproduct of ecosystem conservation and unless we have people back on the land we will not be able to protect the resources of this planet [and] we will not be able to respond to climate change. Cities are the worst guzzlers of energies, they are highly unstable units in periods of vulnerability. Rural areas [are] where we must create the cushions to deal with the new crisis humanity faces and putting people back on the land and defending those who are on the land are the two most important projects for our time. -Vandana Shiva

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Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Inspiration-Wangari Maathai

Indeed when we look at the world we live in and we look at the conflicts and the wars that we fight...and remove the superficial layers of religion and politics quite often it is a question of trying to access resources, trying to control those resources and trying to decide how those resources will be shared. Unfortunately for us, when we leave some people out, when some people feel marginalized, when some people feel like they don’t belong, when some people feel they are not recognized or their voice is not listened to, sooner or later they seek justice and sometimes they seek justice in a way that precipitates a crisis and a war…..and so, because we live on a planet where resources are limited, we must learn to share them, we must learn to manage them, we must learn to live in a system that allows for the greatest space, which, for lack of a better word, we’ll call democratic space. -Wangari Maathai
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Monday, February 18, 2008

Getting to Know Ewen: Brambleberry, Inc.

Brambleberry, Inc. is a quilting and tack (horse-riding) supply store right in Ewen.
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Getting to Know Michigan: Lake Gogebic

Lake Gogebic Facts:

  • It's the largest inland lake in Michigan
  • 13,380 acres of prime fishing water, full of walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, jumbo perch and whitefish

  • Deer, bear, small game and birds inhabit the surrounding forrest
  • Within the boundaries of Ontonagon and Gogebic counties are many beautiful and breathtaking waterfalls. In the Autumn, the waterfalls are framed by maple crimson and aspen gold. In the winter, they create strange ice formations.
  • Camping: Lake Gogebic State Park (a full service campground), Over I mile of lake frontage with 127 campsites and 200 picnic sites. Drinking water, sandy beach (no lifeguard), boat launch, fishing, flush toilets, shower building, sanitation station, electric hook-ups, playground, picnic shelter and hiking interpretive trail.
  • Biking: The Upper Peninsula has the most biking trails in the state of Michigan. There are thousands of miles of back roads, bike trails, logging roads, snowmobile trails, and cross-country ski trails open to bikers, plus national and state forest trails. Our state highways have very little traffic, making them suitable for biking as well.
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Getting to Know Michigan: Endangered Species

This link lists all the threatened and endangered species of both plants and animals in Michigan. Click on the link next to the animal or plant for more information.
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Map of Ewen, MI


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