Thursday, December 17, 2009

Colony Farm Orchard on DVD

If you're looking for that special gift for your environmentally minded friends, might I recommend The Colony Farm Orchard: Here We Go Again on DVD for $10.00.  

They're packaged in a jewel-case, as opposed to a regular DVD case, and consequently make good stocking stuffers.

Although the program is available online, watching it on a TV screen does much more justice to the image quality and overall story. Having a DVD is also a convenient way to pass it along to others who might be interested in the issue.

You can purchase one by making a check payable and sending to:

HorsePower Pictures
579 Nazareth Road
Kalamazoo, MI  49048

(NOTE: HorsePower Pictures is not a 501(c)3; donations are unfortunately not tax deductible)

Saturday, December 5, 2009

RALLY FOR THE ORCHARD

This Tuesday, Dec. 8th, ALPA (Asylum Lake Preservation Association) is holding a public meeting at the Kalamazoo Public Library to educate and mobilize people around the situation facing the Colony Farm Orchard.

As part of the program, they'll be screening my recent documentary, The Colony Farm Orchard: Here We Go Again (see Oct. 2nd Post). It's an honor to finally screen the video in front of a live audience as well as on the big screen.

I highly encourage people to attend the event. It's a really important matter for the citizens of Kalamazoo, WMU, and the environmental community. Check out the flyer for details.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Turkey Ballet

Photo taken at the Colony Farm Orchard, August 2009.



Thanks for the Turkey

Thanksgiving and Christmas both have substantial sacrifices: for Christmas, it's the tree, and of course for Thanksgiving, it's the turkey.

Taking life is no small matter and for that reason I give thanks for the turkey, a bird in a class of it's own and indigenous to North America. Although most people eat the domesticated variety, they're descendants of the more attractive and now plentiful wild turkey. And when it comes to the bounty of the autumn harvest, there is no bigger bird around. We are very fortunate.

Bird books, when identifying a bird, will reference other birds that are similar, to help you narrow your sighting down to the specific bird. Well, in one of my bird books (National Geographic?) they say for the turkey that "there is no other bird like it". And that's true, they're unmistakable.

Thanks to State reintroduction programs, the turkey has rebounded amazingly well, and like a great deal of wildlife, is penetrating our urban cores. I was astonished when I discovered this turkey on my trailcam over next to the Michigan Center for the Blind. Taken in 2005, I had no idea at the time that we had these big birds roaming our woods. Now, they're relatively common, but need good habitat with good cover and most importantly, privacy.

To date, I've yet to photograph, let alone witness a Tom (adult male turkey) in full display, fanning it's tail feathers and strutting it's stuff. Yet another natural wonder awaits me.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

If You're Gonna Shop...

With Black Friday fast approaching, and in some ways eclipsing Thanksgiving, I urge you to counter the impulse to shop, or consume, and instead, make your way out into the wild. Walk off the caloric intake and give thanks for the turkey's sacrifice and the bounty of the harvest with a walk in nature. This is where all our sustenance comes from originally anyway.

Not to contradict myself, but let me offer a counter balance to my plea for less consumerism. If you're going to buy a Christmas present, either this coming weekend or in the coming weeks, buy one from ME! But seriously, my wildlife documentary, ANIMALS AMONG US is a great Christmas present. It's physically small, affordable, created locally, and most importantly, celebrates local wildlife and wild spaces. It can also be an excellent way to bring the family together, gathering around the electronic fireplace. 

To that end, I'll be at the Kalamazoo Nature Center's Local Art & Gift Fair, December 12th, selling DVD's and various prints of my photographic art. Come check it out; admission to the Nature Center is FREE, and you'll be supporting a local economy. So, don't forget December 12th. That way you can avoid Black Friday as well as procrastinate on your Christmas shopping with little worry. 

Monday, November 16, 2009

Haunted or Enchanted Forest?








It took this photo last year at the Colony Farm Orchard in the section I believe the WMU students call the Enchanted Forest. I've always seen this area as haunted because of it's history with the Asylum, ruins from an old cistern, huge, ancient, dying maples with massive limbs falling off, and an eerie kind of vacancy. 

After taking this photo, I have to ask the question: haunted or enchanted? 
Enchanted.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

The Rush of the Rut & Sex and Death in November

Beginning this morning at first light, the cracks of gun-fire rang throughout the state, in an erratic, percussive number, not unlike the popping of popcorn, until the veil of night brought the opening day of gun-season in Michigan to a close.

Hundreds, if not thousands of deer were killed today in this highly organized, ritualized, and commercialized tradition of gun hunting in America. As a hunter myself (preferably bow) I'm not writing to condemn the act (believe me, I have my criticisms - that's another post), but rather highlight the alluring and profound timing of hunting season with the ancient, genetic phenomena of the rut. This is no coincidence.

Every year, like clockwork, increasing amounts of hormones, beginning in October, trigger and orchestrate an elaborate, sexual dance for does and bucks that lasts through the end of December. This is what we call the rut. Unlike humans (and cougars), deer procreate only during this time of year. The crescendo for this animal drama is basically the middle of November.

When hunters sneak into the wild with gun or bow, they're essentially sabotaging sex crazed deer who've thrown much of their caution to the wind because of a burning desire to procreate. 

Whether hunting for meat or for trophy racks, this sure makes it a lot easier for the hunter. Normally elusive bucks are suddenly found trotting through the woods, fields, streets and backyards, hot on the trail of a doe in estrus. It's a primal ritual, rife with funky, musky scents, ritual displays of power with bucks rubbing trees with their antlers, fighting each other often to the death, and courtship behavior that's not all that different from our own.

Being out in the woods during this time can be an absolute rush. Although it's actually quite rare to witness much if any of the more dramatic behavior, ie. copulation, fighting, chasing, once in a while you get a glimpse of it and it's a real gift. The following video is from the original version of ANIMALS AMONG US. It was unfortunately deleted from the TV version because I felt another, earlier scene succinctly captured the intensity of the chase. I love this scene though because it captures a different kind of intensity.



In that scene I was trying to capture the drama on tape, with no consequence to the deer, save but a slight intrusion on their private lives. Now imagine a hunter, with a gun or bow, stopping a deer in it's tracks while it's caught up in it's own primal struggle to procreate, to perpetuate it's genetic material, to fulfill it's own destiny; at the height of that passion, it slams up against it's own demise. It's a tragic convergence of sorts, but many survive the gauntlet and keep the herd alive.

It's important to mention that not all deer are shot while in the middle of a chase, a fight, or "the act". Most are harvested simply walking home to bed or making their way to a food source. It's not an epic struggle. Having said that, there's still perhaps no greater rush in life than the simple sound of leaves crunching under the hooves of an approaching deer. Amplifying that rush is the excitement and intensity in getting a shot, whether with a weapon or a camera. If it's for a kill (in my case for meat) I always temper my enthusiasm with the sober truth of the animals death. Hunting for me is a necessary mix of celebration and reverence, always remembering to give thanks.

Another Autumnal phenomena, Halloween, fits nicely into this theme of sex and death, life and renewal. For the ancient Celts, Halloween (formerly known as Samhain [pronounced sah-wen]) was the Celtic new year, a time of transition with the death of the old year and the beginning of a new cycle. This calendrical marker poignantly reflects the our lives sustained from the meat of the harvest as well as the conception of a fawn that survives the season and lives to see the spring of life six months later.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Interviewer Interviewed

If you want to learn a little more about the seemingly invisible person behind this blog, check out the recent article on me in Encore Magazine. Of course I knew the article was coming out, but those sneaky little elves down at Encore kept the fact that I was on the cover a secret, eluding to it with snickering hints. I got wind of it from a subcontracted graphic artist who worked on the layout. Quite a surprise. Big thanks to Encore for the Christmas Present.

One of the more profound experiences to come out of the article was having the camera and microphone turned on me: the interviewer being interviewed.

Shortly following the premiere of my recent video, "The COLONY FARM ORCHARD", which features interviews with a half dozen or so people, it was only appropriate that I became the subject of someone else's journalistic creation. 

And although by no means an investigative report, it sure did give me a poignant glimpse into what it feels like to have your words, your story, in the hands of another person. It immediately heightened my understanding and appreciation for the subjects of my documentary work. 

In a documentary or video, people tell their intimate life stories, challenge authority, and subject their face and person to all the scrutiny and attention of the screen, whether it's a credit-card size picture on the internet or a huge screen at the Little Theater. Not only do they put themselves out there, they trust me to edit and shape their story into something true to their intention as well as the larger story. When I think about it, it's a daunting responsibility - very humbling.

I labored hard and long on "The COLONY FARM ORCHARD" video, being very careful to present everyone fairly and accurately, constantly curbing sensationalism or personal bias. I trust I didn't misrepresent anyone. 

On the flipside, I can say that Bob Weir and Encore Magazine did not misrepresent me; they celebrated me. For that I'm eternally grateful.


Coyote in the fog

You know an animal isn't aware of you when it's looking the other way.

(picture taken 11/8/09)


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Chick-a-dee-dee-dee

As I march through the fields, doggedly tracking deer, and the applause assured by a handsome rack, I trample countless plants, with absolutely no regard - not unlike a rutting buck thrashing a sapling or bush. These are the casualties of obsession.

But when the bucks outwit me on home turf, I find myself turning to the subtle frequency of a "chick-a-dee-dee-dee", harvesting breakfast from a plant I could have felled with a single step. Suddenly, the world beneath my feet is now the kingdom at hand.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Update on the Colony Farm Orchard

If you've seen my recent video on the Colony Farm Orchard controversy (posted Friday, October 2, 2009), you'll remember that House Bill 5207, the bill that would effectively erase the open space restrictions on the property, was on it's way to the Michigan Senate for deliberation. Well, it's still in the Senate waiting for a vote. It's been on hold now for a couple weeks as the Senate wrestles with a burdensome state budget.

This pause in the process offers an opportunity for some much needed dialogue, one of the reasons I produced the video. To that end, now is a perfect time to contact Senator Tom George, State Senator for the 20th district, and express your support or opposition to House Bill 5207 and WMU's intentions to expand the BTR Park onto the Orchard. I've also provided links to other key players in the process and debate. In addition to Senator George, they're also worth contacting.
 
With election day tomorrow, it's important that we participate in the political process either with our vote or our voices. There's no better time than right now.

George represents the 20th District which includes all of Kalamazoo County. He has expressed his support of HB 5207 and WMU's plans to expand the BTR Park onto the Orchard.

As the Majority Leader, Bishop is in charge of the Senate agenda and is conducting a straw poll on the Orchard, based on phone calls, letters and e-mails received either in opposition or in favor of HB 5207.

Most of the dialogue over the Orchard has been through the Gazette, in articles, Viewpoints and Letters to the Editor. You can either write to be published or even comment on existing content through the comment forum online.

This is a Facebook page started by WMU students in opposition to development of the Orchard. 

President of Western Michigan University. The Gazette published Dunn's Viewpoint in September 2009: WMU remains committed to jobs & green space.

The most vocal neighborhood association in opposition to expanding the BTR Park onto the Orchard. The Gazette published a Viewpoint by the co-presidents of ODWNA: Business park is wrong use for orchard

Representative Jones introduced HB 5207, which was passed by the Michigan House in September 2009.

Richard Brewer, a former WMU professor, biological scientist, and author, has vocally opposed WMU's intentions through his website (the link above) and a Gazette viewpoint: CFO supposed to be used for public, not private, purpose.

Friday, October 2, 2009

"The COLONY FARM ORCHARD: Here We Go Again"

Here is a short video essay I recently produced on the 
Colony Farm Orchard controversy. It's 20 minutes long, 
in two 10 minute parts. Please feel free to comment on 
the situation as well as the video. I created the video 
because I think there hasn't been enough dialogue 
concerning the appropriate use of the property.




I would like to make special mention of a credit that was not
adequately listed in the credits for the video. Much of the
historical material was gleaned from Mark Hoffman's masters
thesis for his degree at Western Michigan University. 
The paper was called:
"Asylum Lake Preserve and Colony Farm Orchard: The History,
Legislative intent, and Analysis of their Conveyances from the
Michigan Department of Mental Health to Western Michigan
University.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The First Two Minutes...

I can't even begin to express my frustration. 

Public Media Network messed up and broadcast absolute black for about the first two minutes of "The Colony Farm Orchard" premiere. After working tirelessly on the video for the past month or so, spending hour upon hour just on the first two minutes, human and/or machine error whacks off the face of the program. 

Thank goodness for reruns and repeats. For those of you who saw, and consequently missed, the beginning of the video, please try again to see the set-up for the rest of the video. It's really critical to the experience.

The video will broadcast again:

Thursday, Oct. 1st @ 11am on channel 20
Friday, Oct. 2nd @ 6pm on channel 19
Sunday, Oct. 4th @ 11:30am on channel 20

I also plan to post the video on this blog and on YouTube in the near future, so stay tuned.
Thanks for your interest and support.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Greetings everyone,


Please join me this Tuesday at 9pm on channel 19 for the premiere broadcast of  The Colony Farm Orchard, a video essay I recently produced on a 54 acre piece of property many people don’t even know about. 


The video is the first part in a series examining major issues surrounding Western Michigan University’s intentions to expand the Business, Technology and Research Park onto the Colony Farm Orchard. Part 1 explores the tumultuous history of the property, previous attempts to develop it, and an earlier attempt to remove the restrictions on the land. Interviews with representatives from Western Michigan University, the Asylum Lake Preservation Association, and the Oakland Drive/Winchell Neighborhood Association, as well as former State Senator Jack Welborn and current State Representative Robert Jones, shed light on the inner workings behind this controversial, community debate.


I’m producing the video independently and calling it an “Environmental Report”. Part II is in the works and will address the intrinsic character of the land as well as the implications of development. 


See the attached flyer for repeat broadcast information. 


Enjoy the show! And go visit the Orchard!


Matt Clysdale

HorsePower Pictures


Thursday, August 6, 2009

ASYLUM IN RUINS


Over the past two years I’ve been photographing the land and wildlife in the Old Colony Orchard, across the street from Asylum Lake Preserve, sandwiched between Drake Road and US 131. 


My fascination rests in the decay, ruin and regeneration of the property, both ecologically and archeologically, and particularly the way wildlife adapts and even thrives in this environment. I've always seen the orchard as the orphaned child of Asylum Lake Preserve, separated at birth by Drake Road and an unclear future. 

 

The title for this body of work is “Asylum in Ruins”, a double entendre that plays on the idea of asylums, both human and animal, in a state of decay or neglect, as well as the capacity for wildlife (and humans) to find asylum or sanctuary in the ruins of old and discarded properties.







Saturday, July 25, 2009

HURT BIRDS


Above is a recent brood of three young osprey who were residing at a rather unlikely, yet hopeful place: on a telephone pole in the former Georgia Pacific Paper Mill sight on Kings Highway in Kalamazoo, right on the Kalamazoo River. The irony rests in the fact that the paper plant was a huge source of the very contaminants that were killing the osprey. It's a sweet, complete circle.

Well, I'm planning on doing some kind of "reporting" or documenting of this auspicious nesting. Mainly because it's a symbol of hope, given the decline of successful breeding by both osprey and eagle on the Kalamazoo river due to concentrations of PCB's in the food chain. The accumulation of toxins through the food chain, beginning with the aquatic link and working up into the big birds, consequently weakens the shell of the Osprey's eggs such that they collapse and never hatch. 

This trend, however, has subsided somewhat(?) with a gradual clean up and settling of contaminants in the Kalamazoo River. To what extent I'm not entirely sure, but the osprey seem to be bouncing back, as well as the eagle. The Georgia Pacific nest is testament to a degree of recovery, and a measure of hope.

There's been a setback though, in the death of two chicks. There's no definitive cause at this point, but speculation includes first time parenting skills (or lack there of), attacks from an aggressive bald eagle, disease, or perhaps contaminant related illness. I'll be following up on this story soon with a more in-depth piece. 

This story also highlights the fragility of life in the animal kingdom, not at all unlike our own susceptibility to illness, disease or death. It also touches upon the intervention of medical care, even for our animal brethren, which happened with the young osprey as well as during the making of ANIMALS AMONG US. 

During production for ANIMALS AMONG US, I got wind of a wounded hawk in our vicinity and successfully located the person who found the wounded bird as well as the facility that housed it. I documented the story and wanted to include it in the film but ultimately the scene never made the cut because we could never verify that the wounded bird was indeed one of our juvenile hawks. 

Here's the deleted scene in rough cut form, without music. It's particularly profound to me because of the interaction of humans in the life and welfare of such a beautiful bird. People really cared about this hawk.

My biggest regret in the filming of this scene was spending the entire time documenting the bird, and never putting the camera down to check the bird out in the flesh. I had a rare opportunity to see, and touch(!) a live hawk right in front of my face. What a thrill that would have been. Instead, I had a giant camera between me and such a magnificent bird. 
The sacrifices we make for our art.


Wednesday, July 22, 2009

IN SEARCH OF HOME




If you’ve seen ANIMALS AMONG US, you’re aware that Kleinstuck Preserve served as my baptism into the urban wild. Well, I can’t overstate the significance of finding that little apartment at the end of Stearns Avenue. It was literally and metaphorically the end of the road for me - it was where the city, an urban mentality, and really an older self subsided, and an environmental consciousness emerged.

It wasn't like I was living a block away or across the street from Kleinstuck; I was living right next to it. It was literally my backyard.

I could slip out my back door at odd hours, even routine hours, in full camouflage, and sidestep the rest of the city (and avoid the likely misperceptions of poacher or god knows what). I could even stay right at home and wildlife would come to me; deer meandering outside my kitchen window, sometimes grazing no more than 5 feet away - all because I was living in the shadows of the preserve. It was especially hard for me not to become more intrigued with the wild. I guess it’s like living next to Lake Michigan: it’s pretty hard not getting wet.

Well, after renting at 2007 Stearns for nearly 9 years (I told myself I would move in 2007), I was ready to build some equity and become the lord of my own land. The idea of owning my own property was exhilirating. I dreamed of acreage and trees, and fields, and more trees (in a later post I’ll talk about the idea of “owning” a tree). The idea of setting up a treestand in my own tree, without the fears of theft, lawsuits or nosy onlookers was pretty much akin to heaven on earth. The challenge though was to find a place that was as good as, if not better than, my little slice of heaven next to Kleinstuck. I would have to either find a house on it’s own micro preserve, big enough to create the feeling--and if necessary, illusion--that I was out in the wilderness, or find a place, like Stearns Avenue, that was adjacent to some serious and substantial wilderness; wilderness that was not in immediate jeopardy of being developed.



My parents kindly joined in the hunt. Particularly my Mom, scouring the home listings in the Gazette and finding some charming little houses with what she thought was the necessary “wilderness”. What that usually meant was a few trees in the yard or perhaps a tiny one acre lot next to the property or down the street. They were charming, and the peace and quiet quotient was higher than the average home, but it didn’t meet my criteria: my house (my backdoor), romantically speaking, had to be like the wardrobe from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It had to be the gateway to a magical wilderness, much like Kleinstuck Preserve. In more practical terms though, it meant living next to some serious acreage, with some fairly interesting environmental features. It could be some fields, meadows, native praire(!), mature woods, a lake, a marsh, fen - hell, maybe even a cave, but something ecologically interesting, and most importantly, big enough to house a community of wildlife. It would also have to be big enough that I could ditch the rest of the world every time I entered.

A rather tall order. But I had a new standard of living, a new quality of life that had to be fulfilled. I also viewed this new territory as a resource and inspiration for a new body of work, either still or motion pictures. Well, admittedly, I was a challenging client for any realtor, as well as my mom. 

The other "green" challenge in my hunt was money. Not having a lot of it, the idea of buying my own green get-away (a.k.a. acreage) was probably more fantasy than reality. I also had to come to terms with the idea of a small house. But that wasn't really a problem since I didn't desire a lot of space and plus I was planning to spend most of my time either outside or looking out the window anyways. Once again, it came down to proximity; if I could only piggyback on a preserve, I'd be just fine.



Asylum Lake Preserve, McLinden Trails, The Kalamazoo Nature Center, Al Sabo, The Richman Preserve, Gourdneck Game Preserve, or even a house on Kleinstuck; these were my obvious choices. Finding a house for sale adjacent to one of them was another story. Plus, proximity to a preserve is an asset (duh), increasing the value of a home. Nature ain't exactly cheap.

Timing is everything and with real estate you often have to seize the day. You quickly realize you're not the only house hunter out there. There was a little bungalow situated right on Kleinstuck Preserve (in the only neighborhood I could afford) that later emerged as a missed opportunity. The guy was asking too much, but now I know the he knew that sometimes you have to pay more for that magical wardrobe. He wouldn't budge on his price and held out, and eventually, someone paid the price.

After searching incessantly for practically a year (virtually on my own since no realtor could figure me out), I was starting to burn out on the process and my internal desire to stop renting, and save money, was growing exponentially. Like a river winding it's way towards it's final destintaion, I was twisting and turning with constant compromise. The biggest compromise to emerge was the quality of habitat. Perhaps a slightly degraded piece of land, or perhaps an adjacent piece of property that wasn't exactly a designated preserve could satisfy my wilderness fix while keeping the price of a house sufficiently down. This is the bend in the river when the nuclear power plant starts to become kind of charming and picturesque.

Then a house came to my attention that was directly adjacent to a fairly large piece of property owned by the City of Kalamazoo. It wasn't exactly a preserve (although open to the public) but was substantial: 240 acres(?) with large wooded portions, a spring fed lake, some marshland that evolved out of old celery flats, and tons of wildlife.

I had heard about it from an artist friend, Brent Spink, a masterful painter who's work was generated from his outings into this little piece of urban wild. It's called Schipper's Crossing, and it's been his artistic muse for years. 

Before I could close on any house that rests on Schippers Crossing, I'd have to take a tour, and Brent kindly obliged. On an overcast day in November 2008, Brent introduced me to what not only has become my home, but to a classic american wilderness; not the awe inspiring parks that command preservation--and get it--but the environmentally challenged places that are constantly compromised by the human footprint and yet still manage to survive, 
adjust, rebound, and continue to support themselves and somehow thrive, ultimately offering up some, if not a lot, of that life sustaining natural essence human beings seek when they venture off into the wild. Certainly enough for me to sign a deed and call this place home.

To be continued...








Sunday, July 19, 2009

ANIMALS OF EASTWOOD


At the heart of ANIMALS AMONG US was Kleinstuck Preserve, and finding that "little apartment" at the end of Stearns Avenue, right next to Kleinstuck, was the beginning of a great journey for me. As they say: "location, location, location".

I've since moved from 2007 Stearns into a little house on the Eastside of Kalamazoo, a neighborhood known specifically as Eastwood. That's my new hood; and it's proving to be equally rich in wildlife, in ways I never expected. There's no doubt you'll be hearing more about it. In the meantime, these are a few of my new neighbors.



A rose breasted grosbeak feasting on some black oilers in my backyard

A mother coyote stopping to figure out what was making that peculiar, foreign sound. 
It was the shutter of my camera.

A father osprey bringing home a fish for a brood of three.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

In order to conform to the confines of a TV "hour", I had to cut ANIMALS AMONG US down from it's original 70 minutes. That was no easy feat and required some sacrifices, although I believe I've kept the heart and soul of the film. One section I had to seriously truncate was the ending credits. Not only that, I even compressed them in order to sneak in one last animal discovery, the gray fox, which I believe ends the film on a more positive note.

Well, websites and blogs are the perfect rest stops for television super-highways (we've all seen the movies or TV shows where the ending credits roll by like race cars). I'd like to take this time to recognize every person and every animal who contributed to the making of the film:

The ANIMALS AMONG US
in order of appearance:

Red Fox
Whitetail Deer
Red Tail Hawk
Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Moose
Red Squirrel
Black Bear
Water Spider
Turkey Vulture
White Breasted Nuthatch
Widow Skimmer Dragonfly
12 Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly
Chipmunk
Hermit Thrush
Golden Crowned Kinglet
Short-Tailed Weasel
Eastern Screech Owl
Southern Flying Squirrel
Crow
Vole
Killdeer
American Robin
Sora Rail
Bluejay
Wood Duck
Cedar Waxwing
Brown Thrasher
Catbird
Bullfrog
Eastern Box Turtle
Green Heron
Eastern Phoebe
Raccoon
Great Blue Heron
Kingfisher
Osprey
Fox Squirrel
Mourning Dove
Striped Skunk
Carolina Wren
Black Capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-winged Blackbird
Muskrat
Baltimore Oriole
Eastern Hognose Snake
Red Bellied Woodpecker
American Goldfinch
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Eastern Coyote
American Redstart



CAMERA
Matt Clysdale

ASSISTANT CAMERA
Anthony Arent
Larry Dorfenbach
John Paul Lohrstorfer
Alix Duggins

NARRATION
Matt Clysdale

SPOTLIGHT 
Jeff Walls
Jonathon Morgan
Colleen Huckendubler 
Earl Hall

DRIVERS
Anthony Arent
Larry Dorfenbach
Emily Searles
Michele McWilliams
John Paul Lohrstorfer
Earl Hall

EXTRAS 
Michele McWilliams
Jodi Meyers
Dan Dewitt
Nate Fuller
Ned Clysdale

MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS
Matthew Clysdale

AUDIO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Brown & Brown Recording Studios

LOCATIONS
Paul McNellis - Western Michigan University 
Melody Lindsey - Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center
Shari Glaser - Western Michigan University
David Anderson - Kalamazoo Community Mental Health
George Jarvis - Western Michigan University Power Plant
Alexander Lee - Kalamazoo Public Schools
Ron Wiser
Wayne and Jill Flipse
H.G. Piatkowski
Jose Campos
Bonnie Brown
Jane and Ken Schroder 
Heather and Jim Ratliff
Steve and Tera Robison 
Shane and Robert Plemmons 
Derek Strine
Michael Lopresto
Janice Russo
Geoffrey Clapp
Patricia Harter
Robert Brown 
Jeff Krueger 
Dan Scott
Steinagle Apartments


THANK YOUS
Ray Adams
Gene Clysdale
Ned Clysdale
Christena Smith
Nate & Erin Fuller
Sarah Kingery & Lee Doezema
Richard Saroni
Joe Johnson
Karen Charleston
Donna & Thomas Lambert 
Chris and Lynwood Bartley
Dick Leenihan
Deborah Ann Percy - Maple Street Magnet School
Kalamazoo County Sheriff
Van Buren County Sherriff's Department
The Whole Art Theater
Kara Haas
Kalamazoo Nature Center

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY
Ed Ihling
Dorothy Blankenburg
Mary Coon
Donna & Thomas Lambert
Sharon Carlson - 
Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History

FILM FOOTAGE PROVIDED BY
Hazel Rood - Kleinstuck Footage by Paul Rood 
Barbara and Gene Clysdale 

DONORS
Eric Boersma
Mary Brodbeck & John Schmit
Barb & Gene Clysdale
Patrick D. & Krista K. Crocker
Nate & Erin Fuller
Brett & Kristen Gronwis
Larry Hubbard
Lad Hanka
Keith & Janet Jones
Kathlene LaCour & Jeff Brazda
Pamela & Lee Larson
Jim & Anita McNamara
Ian Nielsen
Bob & Nancy Peterson
Heather & Jim Ratliff
Steve & Michele Roberts
Hazel Rood
Joan Rood
Josephine A. Rood
Kathy Schuch
Tom & Nancy Small
Ward H. Squires
Rick Stahlhut
Brian Suppes

FUNDERS
Arts Fund of Kalamazoo County through the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo

Irving S. Gilmore Foundation Emerging Artist Grant Program 
through the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo

Education for the Arts Artistic Development Grant



©2009 HorsePower Pictures

Thursday, July 16, 2009

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

My stream of consciousness in under construction. I'm planning to officially launch the blog the night of the premiere on WGVU this Sunday. Check back Sunday night for my first entry about my move from Kleinstuck Preserve to Schippers Crossing. Everything starts in our backyard.
Coming to a TV near you! ANIMALS AMONG US makes it's television premiere on WGVU-TV. Check it out.