🍄 Mushrooms & Migration
This week, the woods gifted us with honey mushrooms and a young chicken-of-the-woods—a family favorite when fried up. These fungi are not only delicious but also symbolic of the hidden networks that sustain life beneath the surface.
Meanwhile, Canada geese have begun their migration south, and white-tailed bucks are becoming more active as the rut approaches. These seasonal shifts remind us of our place in nature’s cycles.
📸 Creative Support for our Community
Aaron Brown has been supporting gig artists with filming and photography, capturing performances and workshops around the farm. This new offering helps artists showcase their work while highlighting Longview as a creative hub. More information will be up on the Get Involved tab of visitlongviewfarm.com soon.
🌱 State of the Farm Reflections
Continuing with the State of the Farm reflections from last week, we have a few more quotes from Ricky Eller from last year’s land consultation with Tyler K from Reviving Wisdom.
September 2024
The parallels between Tyler's work and our vision for Longview were striking. We shared ideas on tackling invasive species, such as wisteria and mugwort, using organic methods like cutting and smothering, and discussed the potential benefits of controlled burns to manage invasive species and promote native plant growth. We also explored water management techniques like permeable driveways and rock gardens to optimize water usage on the farm.
State of the Farm | Ricky Eller
Last year’s visit with Tyler K laid the groundwork for many of our current initiatives. We explored:
Organic methods for managing wisteria, mugwort, and wintercreeper
Controlled burns to promote native growth
Permeable driveways and rock gardens for water management
Hedgerows for privacy and aesthetics
A designated composting area
Planting drought-tolerant species
Addressing deer impact on vegetation
Exploring hickory nut propagation as a revenue stream
September 2024
Privacy and landscaping improvements were another focus, with Tyler suggesting planting hedgerows and shrubs to enhance the property's aesthetic appeal. We recognized the necessity of a designated composting area to manage plant waste effectively and discussed environmental changes impacting native plants.
State of the Farm | Ricky Eller
Throughout the rest of September, we’ll continue weaving in quotes from his visit to Longview Farm.
🛡️Our Core Principles
This week marked the first team challenge of our Longview Farm ‘25 House Cup. Our Longview Farm team has been sorted into houses to collaborate on weekly challenges that reflect our core principles of Human, Art, and Earth. In Challenge #1 each team had to make a House Crest that included a house name, motto, mascot, and color palette. Here’s were the final crest ideas:
Human: “Live, Laugh, Love,” obviously—with a duck mascot rocking an “I ❤️ Mom” tattoo.
Art: All about love, expression, imagination, and connection, fluttering together link their mascot: a butterfly.
Earth: Their crest featured a mushroom, oak leaf, and their mascot - a stag - in a peace sign and their moto focused on “Harmony and Restoration.”
Earth House even went so far as to rename themselves House Mycora, after mycorrhizal networks—the underground fungal systems that connect and nourish forests. Their motto? “Forma, Usus, Terra” - meaning, In Harmony, Restoration.
💬 Team Reflections
“The Earth is full of beauty and so much more. The spirit of caring for the Earth, understanding the Earth, and being faithful stewards of the Earth has both deep personal and community importance.”
— Ron Bergdoll'“The principle of ‘Earth’ resonates with me as a call to care for our home—literally and collectively. It’s about stewardship, responsibility, and connection.”
— Richard Eller
And just like that, the Longview Alive! series officially finds its home in the care of Earth House. Every weekly post, nature walk reflection, and seasonal update is part of the Earth pillar—rooted in stewardship, observation, and connection to the land.
🧘Visit Us & Get Involved
Dragonflies United Wellness Workshop – TONIGHT Sept 20
Guided nature walk & meditation in the galleryDragonflies Unite | September 20 at 6PM
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Patrick Seyler will be guiding the attendees on the trails winding through a mixed wood forest, providing able time to engage with Nature and participate in open dialogue. The hike will conclude in a large field where we can observe the setting sun, taking in its final rays before slipping below the distant horizon. To conclude this event, participants …
Celestial Celebration Fest – Sept 27 RSVP HERE
Live music, potluck, tree planting ceremony, byo, & bon fireComing soon: Trail Cleanup & Planting Day – October TBD
Help prep trails and plant native speciesExplore Nature with Us on our Longview Farm page on iNaturalist
Partner With Us Find out how
Support Us by buying our merch:
Thank you! to all of our Longview Alivers! -those of you who are following along with this series, commenting and engaging with our posts, attending our outdoor workshops, and supporting us when you buy merch from the gallery shop.
Until next time, stay alive and visit Longview Farm!
Produced by Longview Farm for visitlongviewfarm.com
Written by Jessi Stead
Photos by Aaron Brown
State of the Farm quote provided by Ricky Eller