https://jakeeshelman.com/Commissions-1 2023-03-13T18:25:15+00:00 always 0.5 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/264f7d8d79f3dc0603e1c0a6785f13833fdc88c8524f117723dab15e1fc2018f/Jake-Eshelman_Erika-Blumenfeld-Island-Press_Tracing-Luminaries_8.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/851fe70c8ccd50adb6c6091ed295882b731816a8557758aa11d92c9b359d575b/Jake-Eshelman_Dept-LLC_Remnant-Nursery_017.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0515db1069c6a9e4af03ba14690b48c40ac209061e4db804e791d58ea83f6217/Jake-Eshelman_Magical-Herbalism_24.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7a7a62c2040fd5af2f11391271c8ec23f7f224286d0e93e6039b2fe9744d9587/Jake-Eshelman_Dept-LLC_Remnant-Nursery_011.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9a383f4da5411d4b700070e2e9241cf3cc28c4bf99d6dda9e28cb83cb3dd9c76/Jake-Eshelman_Erika-Blumenfeld-Island-Press_Tracing-Luminaries_19.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7670f0fd8100416a562a53f71b591f7dcdcdeaaa9aba977b723f24612ee0e0c4/Jake-Eshelman_Erika-Blumenfeld-Island-Press_Tracing-Luminaries_5.jpg https://jakeeshelman.com/Bio-Diversity-Bonds 2024-03-13T15:59:34+00:00 always 0.5 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/13236295ee76d33d5f68c08404d4b17e09f93671e49c9994c57dd57e35b3e713/BioDIversity-Bonds_Installation_1.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a179a589fee7f17ecf14ec49a689f53b940c35cd39810e10d70eabf7bc232432/BioDIversity-Bonds_Installation_2.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/08d327ef1bc8187e66a2b3bd20b17f93a0707417c54f3cd847e482e7f8ae7f04/BioDIversity-Bonds_Native-Bee-BioBlitz_7.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6438d763ba4226757613ac227f5b951882c7dad05d1897f689a8a9660ec19ac9/BioDIversity-Bonds_Installation_5.jpg One of thirteen pollinator portraits on display throughout the Houston Arboretum. May 20—June 4, 2023 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8a5de5c23dcd59e9412ba232b0b02e77deecdbe61b45384ac0df1b0b30876d3e/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Abrupt-Digger-Bee-_-Anthophora-abrupta-female.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f6aa6a1c6bfea6df6664c5a45138a1460f54cbd9cdadadb2f307db90910f0580/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Brown-winged-Striped-Sweat-bee-_-Agapostemon-splendens.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d95f4c66f128a9efa1550648fddfb48500843e2fadbfa3c9402e6c7180f1980f/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Carpenter-mimic-Leafcutter-bee-_-Megachile-xylocopoides-female.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2c9f368e9d92bd38b55e74f404e3b8c2da3030442f16a984071eabc958f80c1e/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Eastern-Carpenter-bee-_-Xylocopa-virginica-male.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2fa7bfe9d538834f8ce8497b70c96ff63d9db3bd8048f62222ab41cde3187441/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Flat-tailed-Leafcutter-_-Megachile-genitilis.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/90eaeb37cf1b705169f06cdbe3847dfc768029bd2d3c04d83247c008a06442fb/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Furrow-bee-_-Halictus-ligatus-female.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f31363c4f81f307763609a1ed55423830a01c6013c696c7e6a7a65fa5da0a3e5/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Leafcutter-_-Megachile-sp..jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d4aa44c09b91c1436ed2bb160532f95f18bf44927dde9df933215c32035a6d23/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Long-horned-Sunflower-bee-_-Svastra-obliqua-male.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/40bb3eb063cefacd2d056bdf96a148c53ed981a8cc0eaece293274f7bba463e8/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Lunate-Longhorn-Cuckoo-bee-_-Triepeolus-lunatus-male.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/df2a3f0de1d3360070fd986bbee78a88e7c537013dc6d5b6377fe20e85616711/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Small-carpenter-bees-_-Ceratina-sp.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1259d293aa77a70eabc7b8ed57d95ecb1c7f1663dea480c0a55e369927934447/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Southern-Carpenter-bee-_-Xylocopa-micans-female.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/69bd04f86827d2d97fd553dcca34a1d24207942d1362a55755638710d619c727/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Sweat-bee-_-Augochloropsis-metallica.jpg Green metallic sweat bee https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6c2e4a2a0fda67ff07f6ea03395c27869069d12b590d507090f2b9b2cb17d0b6/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Sweat-bee-_-Lasioglossum-Dialictus-sp.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/27eb77d2677330b4c8aa2f96e21ba398ffcdf852c1715b3ea388db04d60d48ef/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Two-spotted-Longhorn-bee-_-Melissodes-bimaculatus-female.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b4680adc69a558c496a6503fd8477d1a774b1b9e62250d9dd2e00783c662b831/Eshelman_BioDiversity-Bonds_Two-spotted-Longhorn-bee-_-Melissodes-bimaculatus-male.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/639b30fb914b943ef02be7799da9d783f21aa8ded47a196249e00379052d3946/BioDIversity-Bonds_Native-Bee-BioBlitz_5.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b006342abf7e2af2c2e6b6807b55610d6838038bb6a4bf87ae8db1a0a8496a44/BioDIversity-Bonds_Native-Bee-BioBlitz_8.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3ab2c78d13fd46ee3c5869e28cb77556a0974e22390097613378a43ff201f14e/BioDIversity-Bonds_Native-Bee-BioBlitz_11.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/44adce808ff2cf7badeddd0f9a4e0171ad9dff7bbd6bc6e859ce6c25f4c820a0/BioDIversity-Bonds_Native-Bee-BioBlitz_10.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8f7e94bc6687e74d8afc35fcbdc216f298c7169dbb742043bd6e495faa751359/BioDiversity-Bonds_Jake-Eshelman_Banner.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9ee6d375d01a3c07e25f9cc95ab03c6cb8013ee4a86eca190251f0c120ae0395/BioDiversity-Bonds_iNaturalist.gif https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a884414af5ae4f786f290f4ef4402e1ebd5355cb6c26bd147de72c944e086c87/BioDIversity-Bonds_Community-Walk_1.jpg https://jakeeshelman.com/Luciforms 2024-03-04T16:48:33+00:00 always 0.5 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/de8f0ac90bd6c4b08fdbeabc88629c04b99b6336881b24c2fb48ebded4a787a5/jake-eshelman-luciforms-2.jpg A strange, subterranean night skyscape created by throngs of bioluminescent glowworms (Arachnocampa Luminosa) on the ceiling of river caves in New Zealand. To enter a cave itself is to experience the peripheral—the liminality between earth and sky; interior and exterior; light and dark. It’s in this interstitial space where glowworms shine. Residing just beyond the boundary where sunlight fades into blackness, these insects begin to glow immediately upon hatching all the way through their “imago”—also called the imaginal stage—where they reach full maturity. The stunning starscapes they create are as alluring as they are deadly. During their larval stage, each glowworm spins up to 30 silk threads, each punctuated by small sticky droplets, which dangle downward from the cave ceiling. As other insects instinctually ascend to the ‘stars’, they become ensnared. The glowworms then reel in their prey, devouring them alive. As we aren’t meant to see in the dark, these images are made through long-term exposure without a tripod—embracing the disorientation and lack of focus we experience as we fumble through the darkness. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/08a0bd9cfc0abb3955f129c415005f4450a984042c7b477e685cddbf9bfa386c/jake-eshelman-luciforms-4.jpg A strange, subterranean night skyscape created by throngs of bioluminescent glowworms (Arachnocampa Luminosa) on the ceiling of river caves in New Zealand. To enter a cave itself is to experience the peripheral—the liminality between earth and sky; interior and exterior; light and dark. It’s in this interstitial space where glowworms shine. Residing just beyond the boundary where sunlight fades into blackness, these insects begin to glow immediately upon hatching all the way through their “imago”—also called the imaginal stage—where they reach full maturity. The stunning starscapes they create are as alluring as they are deadly. During their larval stage, each glowworm spins up to 30 silk threads, each punctuated by small sticky droplets, which dangle downward from the cave ceiling. As other insects instinctually ascend to the ‘stars’, they become ensnared. The glowworms then reel in their prey, devouring them alive. As we aren’t meant to see in the dark, these images are made through long-term exposure without a tripod—embracing the disorientation and lack of focus we experience as we fumble through the darkness. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2d5ec491fc84e2420c141e9b200d67ff8435035e25f464dc9e6c48b97d4b09a2/jake-eshelman-luciforms-5.jpg A strange, subterranean night skyscape created by throngs of bioluminescent glowworms (Arachnocampa Luminosa) on the ceiling of river caves in New Zealand. To enter a cave itself is to experience the peripheral—the liminality between earth and sky; interior and exterior; light and dark. It’s in this interstitial space where glowworms shine. Residing just beyond the boundary where sunlight fades into blackness, these insects begin to glow immediately upon hatching all the way through their “imago”—also called the imaginal stage—where they reach full maturity. The stunning starscapes they create are as alluring as they are deadly. During their larval stage, each glowworm spins up to 30 silk threads, each punctuated by small sticky droplets, which dangle downward from the cave ceiling. As other insects instinctually ascend to the ‘stars’, they become ensnared. The glowworms then reel in their prey, devouring them alive. As we aren’t meant to see in the dark, these images are made through long-term exposure without a tripod—embracing the disorientation and lack of focus we experience as we fumble through the darkness. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6239a7ff70baf805fdf30507b9f5780deabe57927a8a3fb5d5a94b6ccb456b90/jake-eshelman-luciforms-6.jpg A blurry night skyscape depicting phosphenes in all the colors of the stars. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/73f131e341688b371074ac692dda16616fac62c1797049cfbf85f6b7295650a6/jake-eshelman-luciforms-10.jpg A strange, subterranean night skyscape created by throngs of bioluminescent glowworms (Arachnocampa Luminosa) on the ceiling of river caves in New Zealand. To enter a cave itself is to experience the peripheral—the liminality between earth and sky; interior and exterior; light and dark. It’s in this interstitial space where glowworms shine. Residing just beyond the boundary where sunlight fades into blackness, these insects begin to glow immediately upon hatching all the way through their “imago”—also called the imaginal stage—where they reach full maturity. The stunning starscapes they create are as alluring as they are deadly. During their larval stage, each glowworm spins up to 30 silk threads, each punctuated by small sticky droplets, which dangle downward from the cave ceiling. As other insects instinctually ascend to the ‘stars’, they become ensnared. The glowworms then reel in their prey, devouring them alive. As we aren’t meant to see in the dark, these images are made through long-term exposure without a tripod—embracing the disorientation and lack of focus we experience as we fumble through the darkness. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8d12548b7641d791b9821ca7d09b39369d53b092446e3787157a634b38baa3c0/Jake-Eshelman-Luciforms-7-1.jpg A strange, subterranean night skyscape created by throngs of bioluminescent glowworms (Arachnocampa Luminosa) on the ceiling of river caves in New Zealand. To enter a cave itself is to experience the peripheral—the liminality between earth and sky; interior and exterior; light and dark. It’s in this interstitial space where glowworms shine. Residing just beyond the boundary where sunlight fades into blackness, these insects begin to glow immediately upon hatching all the way through their “imago”—also called the imaginal stage—where they reach full maturity. The stunning starscapes they create are as alluring as they are deadly. During their larval stage, each glowworm spins up to 30 silk threads, each punctuated by small sticky droplets, which dangle downward from the cave ceiling. As other insects instinctually ascend to the ‘stars’, they become ensnared. The glowworms then reel in their prey, devouring them alive. As we aren’t meant to see in the dark, these images are made through long-term exposure without a tripod—embracing the disorientation and lack of focus we experience as we fumble through the darkness. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ea7de494203516277e262b105c706f9468cfb2f099d750615ca7205215aac691/Jake-Eshelman_Luciforms_2.jpg https://jakeeshelman.com/Echoes-of-the-Witch 2024-11-13T21:37:05+00:00 always 0.5 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dc3eda2ed6d119551c50cd098419d448a65b12b4b72460aee51ab146bfbf86ee/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_01.jpg An overgrown bush on the grounds of the abandoned Westbrook Village. The exact location of the gallows where Alse Young (1647), Mary Johnson (1648), Joan & John Carrington (1651), Lydia Gilbert (1654), Mary Barnes (1663), Nathanial & Rebecca Greensmith (1663), and Mary Sanford (1662) were hanged is unknown. This is one of the possible execution sites. Hartford, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a9f79aab4374a1f58bc92f12773e7a106674561c455c65c2129d9ac8d07265c6/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_02.jpg A placard designates a meeting room in the Windsor City Hall building. This is one of several small overtures acknowledging the executions of Alse Young (1647) and Lydia Gilbert (1654), who were posthumously pardoned by Windsor’s Town Council in 2017—largely due to the efforts of local activists. Windsor, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d7ec8ab37eac09eadfc3172302a36be0b6641c619984d2a2f0a8ea350985c085/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_03.jpg A tree with hammock chairs on the present-day campus center lawn of St. Mary’s College of Maryland overlooks the small hill that is the likely execution site where Rebecca Fowler was hanged in 1685. St. Mary's, MD. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/351aa8be51f5d42d0e4ca5a00e45486197f56456470f2d90f4382d06210e957e/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_04.jpg A man walks down the aisle to pray at The Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, which sits atop the location of the former Boston Neck Gallows—one of three possible execution sites where Ann Glover (1688), Margaret Jones (1648), Alice Lake (1650), Mrs. Kendall (1651), and Ann Hibbins (1656) were hanged. Boston, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3b9fa9435bf1b61289f8a79884c63b31c17fdf6eab0a573597a77f802ecfe3a1/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_05.jpg Two dumpsters behind a gas station at the old Gallows Brook execution site where local tradition holds Goody Bassett was hanged for witchcraft in 1651. The brook officially disappeared from view in 1848 and is said to be buried beneath the railroad track. Stratford, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ccc52a69abfa01ffa06664a1cae5d1608627a4016a78f71ace08741419564dc3/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_06.jpg The interior of a local ice cream parlor named after Goody Bassett, who was tried and executed for witchcraft in 1651. Stratford, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f4060182dca1b596f3e621664fe626c18bffeb42105e4a2c7397001fcbc03aee/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_07.jpg Years after opening Goody Bassett’s Ice Cream parlor, the proprietor learned that an unassuming drainage ditch running directly beneath the building is the remains of Gallows Brook, where tradition holds Goody Bassett was executed for witchcraft in 1651. Stratford, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4ef89938556736c4edb0787e78d2b295cdcf18c3f8dcaaaf2ca288a92c988267/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_08.jpg Mary Lee was found guilty of witchcraft and hanged aboard the Charity of London in 1654 somewhere en route between England and the Province of Maryland. In 1658, Elizabeth Richardson and Katherine Grady were also accused and hanged for witchcraft aboard similar vessels respectively bound for present-day Maryland and Virginia. Atlantic Ocean. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/81b744a00e447c78c658cdc4b9c86e94f6a1b6109be10a1be6d2cad9ba30c46c/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_09.jpg Researchers at the Fairfield Museum and History Center examine old town homestead maps of the families involved in the trial and execution of Goody Knapp in 1653. Fairfield, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a52da48127ddf043ea386f51e111a198468ff72018d974a13934410e5cecaa44/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_10.jpg A community garden on what was formerly known as Try’s Field, where Goodwife Knapp was hanged in 1653. Her memorial is dedicated here as of August 2019. Fairfield, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8ebc8793ef376d8698cd94fa26cbcf3398c1281b78bd8688ca675f9091aa2ddf/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_11.jpg The corner of Albany Ave. and Vine St. in Hartford’s North End. The exact location of the gallows where Alse Young (1647), Mary Johnson (1648), Joan & John Carrington (1651), Lydia Gilbert (1654), Mary Barnes (1663), Nathanial & Rebecca Greensmith (1663), and Mary Sanford (1662) is unknown. This is one of the possible execution sites. Hartford, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c6051060f36bd017792836b161c6ee667a581c28660cda14b25f6fd1bc66ebe8/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_12.jpg An inscribed brick serves as a memorial for Mary Barnes, who was executed for witchcraft in 1663. Her brick is laid at the feet of a life-sized, bronze statue of Rev. Samuel Stone, who was involved in her trial. Hartford, CT. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/87618e280da7963c53a826740c1910d85318c7cc605346ace4b36954314e78dd/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_13.jpg The current church at Abiquiu stands on the site of the original Spanish mission church. This was the epicenter of the decade long Abiquiu witchcraft outbreak. Abiquiu, NM. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/018ae98cce58eb1ef367d74d8023f24df0a1fd1a03be82718294758cddd365fb/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_14.jpg Sunlight shines into the western most room of the Governor’s Palace in downtown Santa Fe. Next to the window, a didactic display explains the history of the missing jail cells, which would have been just beyond this wall on what is now Lincoln Avenue. This is the most likely location where Agustin Tagle, Diego Tagle, Juan Tagle, Antonio Ulibarri, and Antonio Chimayo died in custody after being accused of practicing witchcraft in 1766. Santa Fe, NM. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2b05162b1a9edacc652581f50e3af6f1a81b5bbc9811c2ead7ac6f9788dc044f/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_15.jpg A pedestrian walks past one of the many storefronts in Salem selling witch-themed products primarily to tourists. Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3beec17dd8a31afc7ac62aa654922060c29a47293483ea95fdbd3559e4870d1d/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_16.jpg Five members of the History Alive theater company alternate playing the role of Bridget Bishop during interactive productions of her historic arraignment, in which she stands accused of witchcraft. In these productions of “Cry Innocent: The People vs. Bridget Bishop”, the audience participates by cross examining witnesses, reviewing historical evidence, and ultimately deciding whether she should be released or stand trial. Today, Bridget's acquittal rate hovers around 50%, with results often correlating with the weather, the time of day (e.g. before or after lunch), and which member of the company plays the character of Bridget Bishop. Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/794e1a2477c64c0bb8c93f4e61c042bbe38c04720db2da8489a0d6f98741487a/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_17.jpg An apotropaic mark carved into the stairway of the Corwin house, now known as The Witch House. Marks like this were understood as an acceptable form of magic intended to protect the home from witches. Judge Jonathan Corwin was involved with the Salem witch trials. Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6a6e15d00d9795c1d87d7b532c66c77f57bcf03340b2511519cb81e9329d7357/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_18.jpg After leading the Haunted Happenings parade, the Honor Guard of the Salem Police Department furl their flags, which feature their departmental crest of a flying witch silhouetted against a crescent moon. Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/49b0444a805f5364bf07cd396664139268a995ff3305115e5ace3bddd5632c17/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_19.jpg The nighttime window display of an occult-themed portrait studio in downtown Salem, where customers choose witch costumes and pose for fantasy photo sessions. Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b01bb1d20dca4e742ac9c28a4de058abfcaa43a1fa929c6e3edab87fc3c650ea/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_20.jpg A life-size diorama in The Witch History Museum imagines the apocryphal scene of young women dancing in the woods, where they were thought to commune with the Devil (pictured in the background). Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/840cd2d313a838cf9b7a0aeb768173cec5d05e6bfe1f5a46390017b592efca30/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_21.jpg Onlookers regard the facade of The Salem Witch Museum. Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4ef442c8c60db3588d5a6ebb9b0f71a5901469f9a66664a223c975566f492e22/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_22.jpg A personalized card left by a descendant of Susannah Martin (hanged in 1692) at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial reads: "Proudly remembered by your eighth great-granddaughter." Salem, MA. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/66c7afb435c62caedd35064e004ab468a3e3a499721ba0a40aff4931801b819d/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_27.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d3448d249e691cdf3167bde341ac26559ed895dc95255ec5ba44021157ed0dc/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_26.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0eaa9f3b443773197eb9967dcaeab5c6fad6e299c0ca9f30f3b7a2e179feacc2/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_25.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dfd1aed78d0fe811c59cf96368108d600b49dda1086f0529ea42b2f71a60ba7f/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_23.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2c79e1bd62a54c2ddac42c75da13439c3cad20c67f46090672f23ac6a0766db3/Jake-Eshelman_Margaux-Crump_Echoes-of-the-Witch_24.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e5dae2f79267a727905d03c1a2975981d18d1963dc239174e2cb17a1e827823d/EOTW_site-banner.jpg https://jakeeshelman.com/Telling-of-the-Bees 2024-01-04T04:26:36+00:00 always 0.5 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d26dee45d77b17bb56b747dcd4040720aab5918835d3101b0b9c3e202db2aa10/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_001.jpg An offering. As part of a pollinator population field study, a researcher attracts orchid bees (Euglossini) to her wrist using a custom fragrance comprised of essential oils derived from local, fragrant plants. These bees are aesthetically and conceptually fascinating because they—like us—adorn their body with scent to attract mates. Furthermore, each individual insect concocts its own signature scent. For researchers, this behavior enables deep insights into the local rainforest ecology. Using these scent-based population studies, entomologists, botanists, and ecologists can study the distribution of pollinators—and their plant partner species—throughout the rainforest. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/69f07637e172e8ca956ba67e621a8757f15e9cb7028ca5fcfb31c74225a42709/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_002.jpg Solitary longhorn bee in the prairie. A lone, male Longhorn bee slowly awakens in the dedicated native prairie and pollinator plot planted at the Meredith Community Garden in the heart of Houston, TX. Due to the growing adverse impact of monocropping and pesticide use in rural areas, urban centers like Houston are increasingly becoming refuges for insect biodiversity. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/53e02c19a2af4939385ba920e54b8b93f536c76cc524184c4e20b8028e2ba8bc/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_003.jpg Melissodes bidentis. A researcher in the Texas A&M University entomology department positions a specimen (Melissodes bidentis) under the digital microscope to study the species’ behavior, distribution, and ecological interactions. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/467bec36eb273ed3eeed819d21cd6db8140253c7023d816862f23098e8ab1fe7/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_004.jpg Identifying bee specimens. The curator of the entomology collection at Texas A&M positions a specimen (Melissodes bidentis) under the digital microscope to study the species’ behavior, distribution, and ecological interactions. In particular, this study analyzes the pollen found still clinging to specialized collection hairs on its legs in order to identify the plants it frequents for food. Once those plants are identified, the researchers then study the bee’s morphology in relation to that of its favored plants to better understand the extent to which bees and plants co-evolve—as well as how they might continue to adapt to changing environmental and ecological circumstances into the future. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fcbaa9288bd2f99afff2e4e74946dffb1a833b9d54c31d6336953c2ec660dd86/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_005.jpg Cataloging fresh bee specimens. The curator of the entomology collection at Texas A&M conducts morphological and taxonomic research of newly arrived bee specimens from the American Southwest. This work is essential in developing a more thorough understanding of bee species diversity as well as their respective distribution and population densities across various geographic and climatic regions. Naturally, this research also seeks to identify any new and otherwise undiscovered bee species that may emerge to better understand how bees evolve and adapt to their environment. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d0019e198ae7399849c895c32b67fbd7d32d5a8a895a5bd0fb7f56c2b231d423/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_006.jpg Bee specimen drawer. A small sample of the millions of bee specimens contained in the entomology collection at Texas A&M University. In addition to supporting ongoing entomological, botanical, and ecological research, this comprehensive library also provides an increasingly rare opportunity to study threatened and endangered species, many of whom are experiencing incredible population decline due to the unfolding impacts of climate change, habitat loss, pesticides (particularly neonicotinoids), and other challenges. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d96faf3c5cde1e47c0af787a0c2f5ecd3ed250cfa0b1ce260d0743fd822a6299/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_007.jpg Smoking the hive. A commercial beekeeper uses smoke to calm a 'spicy' beehive during a honey harvest. As a practice that dates back to antiquity, smoking the hive serves to suppress the defensive instincts of the honey bees, ideally allowing beekeepers to open, look over, and intervene in the hive without being attacked. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e3412c5e5caf9dde0d46d21ca0c1a1e8390c08874b9035ea820ad48ab4cc4dd9/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_008.jpg Parasite test. Two honey bees crawl upward following a mite test administered in order to monitor the presence and population of parasites that can adversely affect the health of the hive. During this process, a beekeeper submerges a sample of 200–300 honey bees into a lethal alcohol solution that kills the bees as well as any parasites that might be attached to them. Even if the bees survive the initial dip during this procedure, the dunk into the alcohol is always terminal. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2f3defbcf00bae4994fe76d703d88dd3c5f810bbca3d6addc03a2e4bd3edf0c1/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_009.jpg Teeming hive. A beekeeper works to gently replace a box on top of a teeming honey bee hive, but with so much activity, not all bees are able to successfully get out of the way. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5a9b3075f1293b463db318ea27b8b729ad1b2a431e01978c569deb61cf651faa/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_010.jpg Calming a spicy hive. Using smoke, a beekeeper works to calm and check on the health of a backyard honey bee hive. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0768c98d146676bde0e416c5ed2e119df235476563991973f69f540bdd20e8ed/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_011.jpg Beehive smoker. Smoke billows from a smoker sitting on top of a backyard beehive in an apiary. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a8aa81790176a7a01b64c444416906efcc765704dc64c9a75ed21ad001b5238a/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_012.jpg The bunker. An original protest poster hangs an underground bunker where Petro Shaliyevskiy—beekeeper, activist, and Head of the Kyiv Oblast Natural Beekeeping Association—coordinates anti-pesticide demonstrations, environmental policy initiatives, and community education events throughout Ukraine to encourage more ecologically oriented farming practices. In the next room, a large and cavernous space awaits dozens of honey bee hives, which he brings in each winter to ‘hibernate’ in an effort to reduce the impact of the seasonal ‘dearth’ (or die off) of bees due to the cold temperatures and lack of flowering plants during the cold season. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e9ec9c0231fb76ff8b585f1555e71e4f3e38b471d26dfd5b877908637cfba4da/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_013.jpg Petro with his bees. Petro Shaliyevskiy, head of the Kyiv Oblast Natural Beekeeping Association, takes a breath while checking on the health of some of his many hives throughout the region. A staunch critic of the ecological impact of monocropping and pesticide use, he advocates to encourage farmers and policymakers throughout Ukraine to adopt more environmentally friendly practices, from in-person demonstrations to organized protests around the country. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f101654b7776ce196c13cea1f90b1fd84c070d24062bd836f877b58c1492a55b/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_015.jpg Homemade honey wine. Friends share homemade honey wine (similar to mead) during a summer picnic in a village beekeeper’s orchard and apiary. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3192644c333dbbfc6950a77fedbdc47cf3f76d2c0231d383c76a4db621a0aa5c/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_016.jpg Bee venom therapy (BVT). A patient looks on as her therapist works to secure a honey bee during an apitherapy treatment. Bee Venom Therapy (BVT), the patient is injected with apitoxin (honey bee venom) through live bee stings or lab-extracted solutions that are delivered by syringe. In this practice, apitoxin is understood to treat inflammation, and as such is used as a treatment for the symptoms associated with Lyme disease, hypertension, and other conditions. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/198b1b2142eb96e96447f52ad7b2d0ef0e2f0597efc7e04120ef24ec3b450598/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_017.jpg Manually extracting a honey bee stinger. An apitherapist uses tweezers to harvest the stinger from an uncooperative honey bee during a Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) session. As honey bee stingers are attached to their vital internal organs, all methods of extracting venom are lethal to the bee, which is eviscerated (disemboweled) alive during the process. While Bee Venom Therapy is the only type of apitherapy that utilizes apitoxin, other expressions of this practice rely on various other substances produced by honey bees (e.g., propolis, honey, etc.) to treat various medical conditions in humans. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/55fb2f3c335a7458e2a532df7e5e0e8823fb04d0e93029bd16038c21e4bbe0de/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_018.jpg Public pollinator garden. A placard at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft educates visitors about their pollinator garden, specifically planted to include local plant species and habitat for native, solitary bees. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2a42e99acd8f57cffc3042ff2c4f97dcef414f38dfae8c6851d86245fee0c4d7/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_019.jpg Travel check. A commercial beekeeper looks over his hives shortly before they are loaded onto an 18-wheeler and shipped across the country to monoculture farms throughout Central Valley, CA for the largest orchestrated pollination event in the world. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5dda9d6b4a0136052cd61e8945b60eaa7944905e4a017d2864c481643c4fa3a7/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_020.jpg Dead drone. A dead drone lies beneath the apparatus used to harvest his semen for a genetic experiment at the Honey Bee Lab at Texas A&M University. In order to extract semen from a drone, researchers “pop” him by crushing his thorax between the thumb and pointer finger to forcefully expel his genitals from his abdomen. His semen is then collected using a pipette. After harvesting semen from multiple drones, the same device is used to anesthetize and artificially inseminate queens. In addition to being a standard practice for genetic research in honey bees—as is the case here—this process is also used to commercially breed queens for beekeepers seeking hives with specific genetic traits and behavioral characteristics. More specifically, this genetic experiment seeks to determine how crossbreeding domesticated and wild honey bees might improve hive characteristics, behaviors, and honey production for commercial beekeepers and their clients, which often includes industrial agricultural operations that rely on honey bee colonies to pollinate their crops. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/17dac09ea8dea06b49d331895d46fc44bbb7e269f015aa0125a8bd6222c323ad/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_021.jpg A honey bee alights on a poppy. A honey bee alights on a flowering poppy, which was planted in a dedicated section of a community garden devoted to supporting pollinators. Primarily composed of native and endemic plant varieties—many of which are threatened throughout the Gulf Coast Prairie—gardens like these provide vital food and shelter for pollinators such as solitary bees, who are currently struggling due to ongoing habitat loss and land use change associated with human development. Due in large part to the degradation of landscapes due to industrialized agriculture operations and the associated proliferation of pesticide use in rural areas, cities are emerging as unlikely biodiversity havens for insect pollinators who are more likely to find the nutrients, habitat, and breeding grounds they need in gardens and public greenspaces. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5bfde0447c21abbd51a90fcf7bbc93bbabc69bab2f18a46609b07649e9fe6658/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_022.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/852dd7fad73fe08f662ff24a1dab246e6b2119c9933f17e1f67a1316b6a06435/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_An-Offering_1_web.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d139a02c844386d680969a247d8d5553423cffcba6787d0ec991c84e2278155c/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_An-Offering_2_web.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/35a8e9e7ec912e060e6a009efc20b7d73a5d495f8386e2c67196b27b26c0ea40/Jake-Eshelman_Telling-of-the-Bees_An-Offering_3_web.jpg https://jakeeshelman.com/Coming-of-Age 2024-04-03T12:58:24+00:00 always 0.5 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/39ccf459246b1ea47ce13492a3397ad105efb5c4b2784fa8eb7309c26b3527fb/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_1.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 06 | 3 Sept, 2021. Subject: Lone Feather. A lone turkey tail feather stands tall in the mid-summer grass. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2880ee044a3d0ea9fb34584bce1aa9625e0d3740fa1062344ec314e69cab2dfc/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_2.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 07 | 3 Sept, 2021 Subject: Turkey Hutch. A rancher crouches down to greet young turkeys who are kept in a protected hutch for the first weeks of their lives to protect them against the elements and predators that they will soon encounter when they are released into the open prairie. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/916618d2c3b02f517dd9b64226d30fbf611ae3bc191a04dfb2422fd30f2f6bdc/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_3.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 11 | 13 Sept, 2021. Subject: Open Field. After being released from their protective roosting hutch, young turkeys frolic in the fields for the first time—talking to one another, darting through the grass, playing hide-and-seek, and feasting on copious amounts of seeds, roots, forbs, grasses, and insects (with grasshoppers being a common favorite). https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f4b4c8c51b82d9ec07c2096acc956c3f36504d173db3ab40b75f706c5b9f1ec5/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_4.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 10 | 13 Sept, 2021. Subject: Flocking home. After a day of free ranging through the prairie, young turkeys trickle back to find a spot in one of several roosts for the evening. While adult turkeys generally roost in trees overnight, young turkeys aren’t yet able to command or secure a spot on the branches. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/db4809f28a5af754820391d28ff01ca44f3d7450188438dd8b266792dba2a7d6/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_5.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 13 | 30 Sept, 2021. Subject: Dead Jake. The decapitated head of a 'Jake’—or a juvenile male turkey—rests on the native prairie grass of his former hunting grounds where he stalked grasshoppers and other insects. Game camera footage reveals that his fate was likely sealed by a Great Horned Owl, who frequented the ranch while the turkeys were small—and perhaps even naive—enough to be manageable prey. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9e55059db962144d638008cf5a9b277bcc9a23dbce55e5353b48d69c6e26391a/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_6.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 12 | 14 Sept, 2021. Subject: Grain bowl. In addition to foraging for insects throughout the property, the turkeys also enjoy a supplemental diet of organic grains. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d5d041ed67d9847ec7ffaf3bbe32e6e5404fe76de57c0de90ce6e37b37b5471f/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_7.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 29 | 26 Oct, 2021. Subject: Turkey hoard. These heritage breed turkeys are incredibly curious and precocious creatures who will come running in large groups to investigate anything that they might consider new, strange, or different. With other animals, it can be challenging to get close enough to make their image. With these turkeys, they see me and run across the field right up to the lens—so close that I can’t focus on them. I’m perpetually surrounded by them, as they peck curiously at any-thing that shines or dangles—my keys looped around my belt, the laces on my boots, my wedding ring... https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/73ad80004146323880be26f563c667f207ca06dfa6f6a7e545859ad28d03850f/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_8.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 41 | 27 Oct, 2021. Subject: Reflecting puddle. Turkeys gather at a fresh puddle created by relatively rare morning rain to drink, bathe, and socialize. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b20849821dd2632967a0d3e4356b096e7814147766df3964f070b57fa31ff76b/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_9.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 24 | 1 Oct, 2021. Subject: Bird's eye view. Our collective conception of a bird’s eye view is vastly too narrow—privileging the perspective from the sky rather than considering their experience down in the earth. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/de49ff5f5ec88869e734e41daf25799566c54f082caf7d271df68eaba4604446/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_10.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 34 | 26 Oct, 2021. Subject: Lazy morning. Adolescent turkeys slowly wake and stir, sleeping in until shortly after sunrise. As a median step between the open-air metal coops and roosting in The Turkey Tree, these birds spend the night (and some of their day) in the “Goobly-Gobbler”—the name given to this dedicated wooden roost by the ranch proprietors. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0eae3f2c6143c8b2e48479540a874e6ff72bad1c6c420c65105901973dcc1ad5/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_11.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 16 | 26 Oct, 2021. Subject: The Turkey Tree. At dusk, adult turkeys secure a spot on “The Turkey Tree”—a favorite safe spot to spend the night on the ranch. Though not everyone can fit on this tree, virtually all of the turkeys will sleep in trees to evade nocturnal ground dwelling predators and these birds go to the same trees each and every evening. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8bf09ab6d91205271feee42128e02a5812d72e7bf85527643d81540c8a633173/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_12.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 19 | 30 Sept, 2021. Subject: Distant thunder. Lighting illuminates the contours of a far-off thunderstorm, which rolls through the Hill Country well beyond the ranch. However, the native prairie ecosystem thrives despite relatively little rainfall. By strategically tapping into and honoring this ecology through animal husbandry and other regenerative agriculture principles, the ranch flourishes in-step with natural rhythms. By contrast, many of the surrounding farms relying on extractive, industrialized approaches (e.g., mono-cropping, synthetic fertilizer, pesticide use, etc.) are vastly more susceptible to soil erosion, run-off, and nutrient depletion. It’s a stark contrast made possible—in part—by the presence of wild and heritage breed turkeys throughout the property. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/703d6d72ed53a04af0c5dbdd498dd5f0ebde38274413509caed473a057d502a9/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_13.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 46 | 19 Nov, 2021. Subject: Iridescence. Like many other bird species, turkey feathers create color without necessarily relying on pigmentation. Known as structural color, the micro- or nano-structures in the individual fibers of each feather work together to refract light in such a way that produces the vibrant, highly saturated colorations that give turkey feathers—and tails—their distinct and celebrated beauty. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/81c52e770357f44ff96afaac9a4d65845e279d729eb608e0de256603d1414d3f/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_14.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 45 | 19 Nov, 2021. Subject: Wild Rio Grande Tom. A wild Rio Grande Tom joins the flock of heritage breed turkeys. This intermingling of wild and ‘domesticated’ breeds is a meaningful occurrence for the ranchers, who interpret it as an indicator that they are successfully raising their turkeys in nature’s image. The say it’s “the greatest compliment at our ranch when native, wild Rio Grande turkeys struts around with our hens.” https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d90253f216e08715ae95f569e767cdb85ac90181c074d1a2959fafe02055cc54/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_15.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 27 | 26 Oct, 2021. Subject: Quizzical. Amidst the commotion of grazing and courting, a turkey paused to look at me—or perhaps check himself in the reflection of my lens. I’ll never be sure. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/823a580a1fb08cc612fb172c46176fbd0a9578dfc605ef84a15922a3881ed8d9/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_16.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 31 | 26 Oct, 2021. Subject: Taken flight. A turkey perched on one of many protected coops available to them for nesting on the ranch gets startled and flies out of frame in such a way that alludes to its probable fate during the upcoming Turkey Harvest events held at the ranch in the weeks to follow. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/304a3e55bcb026fe6b5fc644eeff555de8dcb674e291d7dc2d8741816621a785/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_17.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 9 | 13 Sept, 2021. Subject: Floating. A single feather floats downward to the earth in the dense underbrush of endemic plants covering the ranch where wild and heritage breed turkeys spend their days foraging, frolicking, chasing snakes, and avoiding predators. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0fe25ebf0e57ef047132b444da46480cc592ea9fe678437fc5efedabb80d3e27/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_18.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 43 | 18 Nov, 2021. Subject: Blood Moon rising. Two roosting turkeys split their gaze between me and the full moon rising over the horizon the night before a turkey harvest. The clouds would later part as the moon ascends higher into the night sky, turning crimson red in the wee hours of the morning during a deep partial lunar eclipse in Taurus. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/404440706679892dfa366f231c701d9b3745d72aa44e01dfa89beb0bc43cade7/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_19.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 22 | 1 Oct, 2021. Subject: A disagreement. As these turkeys mature, both males and females are increasingly prone to fighting. In many cases, this comes to a head during mating season as male turkeys vie for dominance and the eye of onlooking mates. Here, two adolescents kick up considerable dust during breakfast. About what exactly, I’m not certain. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d526ece16bbbeec8fc67d37c1a392a2565d60c2707e65fe62cc3e1f2737f52e8/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_20.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 38 | 26 Oct, 2021. Subject: Nighttime turkey nab. Working under the cloak of darkness—and behind the disorientating beam of a high-output flashlight—a ranch worker nabs turkeys off low-hanging branches of the 'turkey tree’, where many flock to roost at night to avoid ground predators. The turkey pictured here will join others in a holding trailer for the night and will be slaughtered and processed the following morning. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e0095d40163808b11963119bbe943d2e201d31890d17de70a71880328fe70f7e/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_21.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 40 | 27 Oct, 2021. Subject: Morning alarm. After one turkey sounds the alarm, the entire group all look alert and in the in the same direction. It doesn’t seem all that interesting on paper, but witnessing their collectively ability to concentrate their attention on a single shared point is profound. I had spent many months with them already ‘speaking’ turkey, which consisted of me saying “turkeys” and them all gobbling back in unison. Almost like it was an impulse. And while I can’t describe how, I slowly began to glean more information from nuances in their language. While making this image, I noticed them sound the alarm and knew that there was a winged predator—in this case a circling caracara high up to my left—searching for food just after sunrise. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/53653e3f9512420fc77ef9176634a4e8700f479524aefad646811da5a972e4b2/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_22.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 47 | 19 Nov, 2021. Subject: Iris. One of the most surprising and fulfilling aspects of this body of work was the close proximity I was able to have with the turkeys. They accepted me right from the start, likely because they knew me from their childhood (though they are also just really social). As I became closer to them, I began to notice how beautiful their eyes are. At once young and ancient, their irises feel rather mercurial. Perhaps this is because despite our bond, I understand that they are among the most dangerous animals on the ranch—more so than the bison, I’m told. The ranchers shared that the turkeys are relatively quick to approach anyone who’s fainted to peck at their eyes, perhaps even taking them out. Are they teasing me? Is this apocryphal? Am I going to find out? https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fb4d483a5aa6d813a49380e774ccf61f99f47b6cd88f49579b7c813c1cffd222/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_23.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 54 | 19 Nov, 2021. Subject: Catching turkeys. Husband and wife work together to catch enough birds in preparation for the community turkey harvest event the following day. This process is decidedly more difficult for free ranging, heritage breed turkeys who are more than capable of evading predators and defending themselves. But, they’re also subject to their own nature. Once a rancher grabs a turkey, they hold it by the feet so it lays flat on the ground. Not able to help themselves, some surrounding turkeys then approach—perhaps out of curiosity or because they are prone to attacking others while they are down. Either way, once they are also in arm’s length, the rancher lunges out to grab another by the leg, and the process repeats. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9a16241518b5709549b1c535a40e761e02ce4056c203f2a51170a1e273c6793d/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_24.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 55 | 19 Nov, 2021. Subject: Final count. Two ranchers count the number of turkeys they’ve gathered to ensure there are enough for the community harvest event the following day. Throughout the seasons, the ranch hosts several Turkey Harvest events where people purchase tickets to come to the land to select, slaughter, and process a turkey to take home. While there is often a fine line between entertainment and meaningfully connecting to our local ecology, these events often mark the first-time participants have had a hand in procuring their own food. Similarly, many participants shared that these events provide a rare—and often inaugural—opportunity to visit a farm. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/90fd00f14688dc5dc81046ee157666a54cc8e67567235a37bd9a99e9d6c268ba/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_25.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 4 | 2 Sept, 2021. Subject: First light. A lone turkey lingers in The Turkey Tree to groom and stretch their legs shortly after sunrise. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ef26b7483232088c96713e4bd8da1be7a34f617a11c3133637b510b75cc46469/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_26.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 58 | 20 Nov, 2021. Subject: Draining. A woman holds the head of a turkey she just slaughtered to allow the blood to drain from its body before processing it. From here, the turkey will be submerged in boiling water, defeathered, eviscerated, rinsed, and tied off in a plastic bag to take home. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/31352159cc67819dc06c0a5a9f76ccd1799155c755833bfc2cb30d1229d39375/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_27.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 51 | 19 Nov, 2021. Subject: Processing turkeys. During a brief pause in processing, a carving knife rests on the table next to vital organs that were removed from a freshly slaughtered turkey, which was killed just steps away under the same oak tree. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3a160d3024c367bc6ac59b516ae21c98f66402e371b899013b7dc90dfd1e64ee/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_28.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 61 | 20 Nov, 2021. Subject: Gut bucket. Discarded portions (including intestines, gizzards, and other organs) of various turkey carcasses rest in blood within a collection bucket. These viscera will ultimately be eaten by other animals on the ranch, such as pigs, dogs, cats, and chickens, among others. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e7c3f5e50d6479f0fcb019990263f485f68620f0960609f785ed04f84f041e20/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_29.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 01 | 2 Sept, 2022. Subject: A feather apiece. Throughout the seasons, the ranch hosts several Turkey Harvest events where people purchase tickets to come to the land to select, slaughter, and process a turkey to take home. While there is often a fine line between entertainment and meaningfully connecting to our local ecology, these events often mark the first-time participants have had a hand in procuring their own food. Similarly, many participants shared that these events provide a rare—if not their first—opportunity to visit a farm or ranch. For each turkey slaughtered, the ranchers ask that participants leave one tail feather per bird to remember them by. The feathers pictured are a handful of many turkeys that have lived and died on the ranch over the years. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/16f50d1af0d5c04612e36896be64a6757a76447bd76cde22800298964da5fe0e/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_30.jpg Field Notes | Entry No. 03 | 2 Sept, 2021. Subject: Tom. A mature male turkey (also called a Tom) emerges from the brush to size up a well-meaning photographer. The adolescent and adult turkeys who survive the harvest season enjoy a slight reprieve from human appetites for another year, during which time they frolic, fight, mate, explore, and stir up mischief. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/67cda840559eef44ed48b5b756022f4f0a9ca5148321b7c6fc8f35ea35535f2b/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_Field-Notes_2.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/db12366a86fe79d9a3d2412b0ac15fd688e622d07e0ff96a975ac8a92445e864/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_Field-Notes_3.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4013086862f55661156a24d849b64ea0b57cde8d5688ded7f454434a5e7cba74/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_Field-Notes_4.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/49749d99922caa7ad59fc58f6001039a9006579427b7182a8507e622843f0369/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_Field-Notes_5.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b64eeb3f1a02de5f24409df0269fdc59f940f64560e68fbd88217f6653a3b6aa/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_Field-Notes_6.jpg 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https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c7f3889a1cc0e3566c5d52866349ac7e929f1e5b436cce8a615f4ce7091ec994/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_Field-Notes_1.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b9bcac63314cccf6139b1983262b165e9e167456ca800ac192cce1ba61f62414/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_Field-Notes_16.jpg https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/28b9c2b76e44d62e26d88a9c2018c81fb7c401138c9a644605d3ebc4327ba93e/Jake-Eshelman_Coming-of-Age_31.jpg https://jakeeshelman.com/Heisykha 2025-03-03T05:17:35+00:00 always 0.5 https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d10a39e238e016f01ec69c446cc9a11d1f35d6c42d213c70d8c482558df93715/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_001.jpg Lada, with willows. A red lada sits enveloped by enormous willow trees. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b15f04630a03785deff85a68dc59e92358dfef7415979d83be1395bf6339e908/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_002.jpg Sophia, picking wild berries. Foraging is a common and enjoyable practice throughout the village, especially during berry and mushroom season. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/07031a38f6e21248ae3b63cf549658781181b1a82e644947052ef94d3e47a465/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_003.jpg Vasya with chicken viscera. One of the family’s cats, Vasya, enjoys the viscera as Halya processes a chicken for dinner. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a7684f413c2525d426a96bed74f396a2b760b7ded551332a9c7a9ceffb7a8d30/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_004.jpg Fallen pears and chopping block. Fallen pears collect in front of the chopping block and outdoor kitchen the family uses to store surplus produce and prepare feed for their pigs. With the exception of select grains and condiments, the family grows, raises, and forages almost everything they eat. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/19d7c538977aef0a4c56a85bf56194921b0a7272825134a3418339087ac873be/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_005.jpg Sasha, cooking lunch. Sasha boils a freshly slaughtered and processed chicken for lunch. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b019db65f6fd671545a358b9f59bc826ef0e054ff785bad3ccc366144cd545f7/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_006.jpg Herb garden at sunrise. The sun rises behind the family’s herb garden where they grow a variety of culinary and medicinal plants. Throughout the year, they dry what cannot grow out of season and store everything in the cellar. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3507d970df07e88ec18d398ba518149ec48120cea0ae0c4ea005cefe7c9588ff/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_007.jpg Serhii digging potatoes. Everyone in the family helps in the fields. Here, the father uses his foot to unearth a potato that wasn’t captured by his mechanized push harvester. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/eaa881f0753b3b76835c8ac723420cb51f87e6c8dbbd76864c7a399817de40dc/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_008.jpg Ducks rush from their enclosure for dinner. Ducks rush from their enclosures to feast on grains, insects, and plants. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/55569e376db46d50e84a3fc6ce7816dd1e21ac805ba343870d5391ed08e4371a/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_009.jpg Defeathering chickens. The family works together to slaughter, defeather, and process a couple of the dozens of free-range chickens they raise. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7e7a000883afb95470aeb63c7e596b3e74a0ff39561f2a6b2808c9eefa8a3649/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_010.jpg Sasha waits on dinner. Sasha waits for the rest of her family to sit down at the table for dinner after a long day of digging potatoes—some of which are mashed and included in the spread. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9331f39b711763c8846de81a5a49ce1218c42b937d2b4c1745647b2da6680f67/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_011.jpg Garden flowers in midsummer. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/81d689b64394c3401923d3a31bdc8cc875a8bf6467136ff696c67d0ef9e4b683/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_012.jpg Pig jaw in midwinter. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3d89cf71d46d11ebcd7998271c36b245bc3286adb534ebf43c2d64c28b66aa77/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_013.jpg Yulia departs for Kyiv. The family gathers on Christmas Day to see Yulia off to Kyiv. Like many young adults in Ukraine, Yulia would prefer to live in the village but as there are few career opportunities, she lives in Kyiv for work. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5cafeca2a2eff50dd1df73ffcf87dee9918e74b30f5ca93d5774fc30455a928b/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_014.jpg Myrka in her trumpet vine. As the great feline matriarch, Myrka takes her prized perch in the entangled branches of a trumpet vine in midwinter. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1c488a7c77e5fd53d32053f5d4c429d333c5e6818822e988db13cf769dc58a93/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_015.jpg Baba Nadia's embroidery adorning her sitting room. Like many traditional sitting rooms, Baba (grandmother) Tania’s is embellished with a rich variety of her hand embroidered towels, pillows, and textiles. Despite being a core and signature expression of Ukrainian culture, fewer young people are carrying on this tradition that has permeated throughout family lines and individual regions for centuries. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4c4b833166dafdca2b0a68523a7c2202c0fcd9f6673fe80c5d6dcdf5a5a20892/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_016.jpg Baba Nadia, in her sitting room. Baba Nadia sits pensively in her sitting room in midwinter. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d07df9e8d802a874b2a6d4d0182456ddf2d8aa1b392c0b3793367eaab99ad21f/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_017.jpg Feeding the pigs. Grandfather Metro feeds his pigs shortly before the slaughter. Like most in the village, the family keeps anywhere from 1–3 pigs throughout the year. In winter, one is slaughtered and processed to provide food for the family throughout the coming months, perhaps even the entire year. Heisykha, Ukraine https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ff7b834b5ff8e519d4f7395ff0267449d707fd5c4102cb97fb66402a64291933/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_018.jpg Serhii grills pork over the fire. Serhii grills pork in January, as Vasya (the family’s most precocious cat) warms himself underneath. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d7c0e6f047ff15b912a9239d7bb782d9fef37812f535a3574cfc632b09bea879/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_019.jpg Christmas Day Dinner. A table set for the entire family on Christmas Day in the Baba (Grandmother) Nadia’s sitting room. With the exception of select grains and condiments, the family grows, raises, and forages all the food on the table. Heisykha, Ukraine. https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b292adfe57725444ec8bada181cc7661ef66ad2fb3e2347a8da295c73fbbe5f7/Jake-Eshelman_Heisykha_020.jpg Baba Nadia, on Christmas. Baba Nadia looks on as the family departs after Christmas Day dinner to begin a long night of caroling around the village. 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