The soil of the West Coast of Michigan is quite unlike that in the centre of the Lower Peninsula, and the rest of the mid-west for that matter. Instead of rich, dark topsoil, it is mostly a loose, thin sandy substance, the result of wind, glacial residue and the ever-grinding action of Lake Michigan. In the Northwest of the state farmers are able to grow grapes for white wines and raisins; in the Southwest there are blueberries and apples. In Oceana County, where these photographs are from, the primary crops are cherries and asparagus. These crops in particular benefit from the (relatively) moderate temperatures and heavy rain and snowfall within a few kilometers of the lake. Once you are out of this “lake effect” area, agriculture shifts dramatically. Crops are catch what catch can, Christmas trees, marijuana, horse ranches, anything that can cover marginal cost and be passed down to the next generation. This is truly an impoverished area with 12.8% of the population living below the poverty level versus the state average of 9.9%. The median income of Oceana county is $34,100 in a state with an overall median of $44,667 (1999 statistics, State of Michigan Dept. of Census & Statistical Information) The schools are chronically under funded, and subsistence farming is still a practiced way of life for many.

Old farmers have a curious tendency of never throwing anything away. Barns and outlaying sheds often fill with parts and trinkets off decades-old tractors that no longer run, ford engine-blocks, bicycle handlebars, guns, buckets and broken down fishing tackle.

This creates something of a problem when the farmer eventually dies. A common scenario would be that a family member just takes over the farm and all that’s accrued at the fringes. Another possibility is that after the will is executed and all the delineated items have been distributed, that the family and friends just take what they want and call in an itinerate auctioneer.

The typical auctioneer starts with a team of people and goes through every item left in the home and barns. He or she unfolds long banquet tables in the front yard and spreads out the dead man’s belongings to be picked over by the general public. Then an ad is placed in the local papers, signs with pointing arrows are posted at every intersection for kilometers around and tents are erected in case of inclimate weather.

On the Saturday of the auction, finding the site is always easy as there have been dozens of pick-up trucks and station wagons parked to the side of the road since dawn. Walking up to the auction you are given a numbered paddle which you use to place your bids. At the larger auctions there will be a refreshment stand set up serving cans of soda and ice cream. No matter the weather, there will always be hot coffee with a can of powdered cream next to it. These auctions are typically all day affairs, families will arrive together and children will meet their friends to play in rusted-out, backyard cars. There can be two or three callers making their way up and down the tables and tool sheds. They pick up an item, call a starting bid to the silent crowd gathered around. A paddle goes up, then another, until eventually the auctioneer writes down the bidder’s number and final cost, in his own mind figuring out his own percentage.

In small communities most people know everyone else, at least by reputation. Yet at the auction, it is considered a faux pas to talk about the dead farmer.I once saw a handwritten diary for sale, starting bid $0.50, I was the only one to bid. This is microeconomics in action.

Technical Notes: The Photos in the first section are from Freesoil Michigan and were made with my Nikon and either a 17-35mm or 35-70mm zoom often with a red or yellow filter. The sunny day allowed me to go handheld for most shots and still maintain an acceptable f-stop. Film was Kodak Tmax 100, processed normally. Prints were made on Kodak or Oriental high gloss, 11x14 paper.