Loveland, Ohio – I met local singer/songwriter Javan Pourvakil last Saturday while I was trying to find Joe Timmerman so I could interview him about the river cleanup he had organized. ([Interview] Joe Timmerman Founder of “A Neighborhood Cleanup”)
In that interview, I mentioned how popular the Little Miami River had become for young people this Spring.
Javan and several friends were on Cones Road on the East bank of the river – hanging!
I was rushed trying to find Joe, so Javan and I barely had a chance to introduce ourselves, but I just couldn’t resist asking if I could record him singing and playing. He shared one of his songs he has been working on.
David Miller is the Editor and Publisher of Loveland Magazine
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – Joe Timmerman seems to be awfully young to be so old-school, but he’s both. I got reacquainted with him underneath the home-team basket at a winter basketball game in the Chuck Schmidt Gymnasium at Loveland High School. A Senior at the time, Joe had also been taking photos of the action and he came over and sat down on the floor with me and introduced himself,
He wanted to know if I would publish some of his photographs in Loveland Magazine.
His old-schoolness was when he described his approach to using film cameras and in very creative ways.
‘Liiife’ is within the borders of this black and white double exposure. I used Ilford HP5 Plus film when shooting these two photos — Laine’s face and a tree in my backyard — which share a single exposure. When I put the roll of film in my camera, I wanted to capture 24 portraits, underexposed in studio lighting, to fill the roll. Then, I chose to reel it back in to the point where the first exposure returned to the beginning, and capture 24 nature/lifestyle photos to randomly share a place on the film with the original portraits. The overarching risk factor of losing some personal pictures was left behind after developing the film and seeing what had come to life in the process. – Joseph Timmerman
I was fascinated by his love of negative film and how sometimes he would be very deliberate in shooting a roll of 35 mm negatives in a way that each captured portrait could be used as the foreground for another image. The second image, a double exposure, involved Joe re-loading the already exposed roll of negatives back into his camera and then exposing a second image over the top of each of the portraits he shot on the first go-around.
The results Joe showed me were a wonderful experiment in photography because of the hit/miss nature of composing a second image over the first. There is also the mastery of the correct exposure for each frame. Many of the double-exposures were taken of his girlfriend on their walks into Historic Downtown Loveland from his home. The final products have a rather ghost-like quality.
I had given up film as soon as I purchased my first digital camera to use for Loveland Magazine reporting. It was out of the necessity to cut costs and be able to have the results almost instantly on my laptop and into a story. From my perspective after so many years of traveling to a camera store to buy the film, traveling back again to have the film developed and prints made, and back again for pick-up – Joe is old-school.
Joe Timmerman smiles outside the Cintas Center after he graduated from Loveland High School in 2019. Timmerman is studying photojournalism at Ohio University
I also discovered that night under the basketball hoop that I had known Joe since he was very little but didn’t recognize him. We once attended the same church. I was inspired by Joe that night and did some of my own experiments.
Joe’s old-schoolness even involved making his own paper from scratch for a photo project during his first year at Ohio University.
Joe’s old-schoolness is also how he will credit the way his parents raised him for his concern for the immediate environment around him. I think it more than just that though and appreciate another old-school quality he possesses – Joe is very humble always giving credit to others and he is generous with a “Thank you.”
Joe founded “A Neighborhood Cleanup” in 2019. The inspiration was walking in the East Loveland Nature Preserve with his mother and seeing so much trash left by other visitors. He says that growing up his father taught him to always pick up trash when he sees it, especially in his own neighborhood and the places he loves. Last August A Neighborhood Cleanup cleaned the nature preserve and another spot he loved, the rope swing on the bank of the Little Miami just north of Nisbet Park in Historic Downtown.
Joe has been back to cleaning the rope swing area this spring and last Saturday expanded the cleanup to include the river from Nisbet Park to the rope swing on the opposite river bank – along Cones Road.
An interesting note is that Loveland’s most famous old-school photographer Nancy Ford Cones once lived at the Roads Inn Farm on Cones Road when she took her famous Loveland photos, Her favorite subjects were family and friends she posed on those same river banks that Joe and friends are now restoring to their intended beauty. The Loveland Musem Center has a nice collection of Cone’s photos and many of them have an ethereal, ghost-like quality similar to Joe Timmerman’s double exposures.
This interview took place along the riverbank Joe and volunteers were cleaning last Saturday afternoon.
Joe inspires his own generation, those to come, and those beyond.
“Like” and “follow” A Neighborhood Cleanup on FaceBook and you will be able to support the efforts and know when the next group cleanup is planned. You might also contact Joe and offer to donate garbage bags and gloves as a way of helping.
Here is a link to Joe’s photography website where you can read more about him and see some of his inspiring art.
This is the rope swing seen from the opposite side of the river that A Neighborhood Cleanup worked on last Saturday. As you can see, the river has become a very popular spot that many young people call home. Joe Timmerman and his supporters cleared the robe swing area of trash on June 2.
David Miller is the Editor and Publisher of Loveland Magazine
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – This is an interview with Loveland resident Matt Baker just before he departed to join one of the Prayer Peace Walks that have been organized by Desmon Gault all this week.
The walks through Loveland neighborhoods were in response to the murder of George Floyd who died in police custody on May 25 in the Powderhorn community of Minneapolis, Minnesota. While Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on a city street during an arrest, Derek Chauvin, a white American Minneapolis police officer, kept his knee on the right side of Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds; according to the criminal complaint against Chauvin, 2 minutes and 53 seconds of that time occurred after Floyd became unresponsive.
Inwood Park, Cincinnati OH – Sunday, March 31st, 2020 After a handful of changes in location, the Facebook-organized rally labeled as “Be Heard, Be Safe;…
David Miller is the Editor and Publisher of Loveland Magazine
In the photo above are Jensine, Joe, and June Mackzum who attended the prayer walk on Tuesday.
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – The Unity Prayer Walk through Loveland Neighborhoods has grown by 200%. What started as one man walking alone on a soul-searching quest to turn around and re-direct his anger over the death of George Floyd, his walk grew to around 200 people Tuesday night when about 170 more Loveland citizens joined him.
After Tuesday’s walk from the corner of West Loveland and Lebanon Road to Loveland High School, Desmond Gault described the feeling as, “The POWER of unity! Prayer Walk for UNITY, LOVE, JUSTICE, STRENGTH, PEACE, and HEALING” on his personal FaceBook page.
Photo provided by Desmon Gault
He told Loveland Magazine later in the evening, “Yes sir, It was truly amazing.”
Concerned over the death of George Floyd and wanting to be a symbol of healing and prayer-filled hope to the Loveland community, Gault has been organizing evening prayer walks since last Saturday.
Floyd died in police custody on May 25 in the Powderhorn community of Minneapolis, Minnesota. While Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on a city street during an arrest, Derek Chauvin, a white American Minneapolis police officer, kept his knee on the right side of Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds; according to the criminal complaint against Chauvin, 2 minutes and 53 seconds of that time occurred after Floyd became unresponsive.
Last night hey walked down West Loveland Avenue, turned onto Rich Road towards the High School. Then stopped at the High School and prayed as a group for the school – with their arms stretched towards the school.
“It was truly an amazing sight to see people from all different backgrounds, cultures and walks of life stepping out on faith for the cause of unity. My heart was overjoyed by the response of the people,” Gault told Loveland Magazine after he got home.
Jensine, Joe, and June Mackzum attended the prayer walk on Tuesday(Provided photo by Jensine Mackzum)
Gault said he had no expectation of the number of people that would show up Tuesday but he had every bit of expectation for the unity of prayer. “Hats off to everyone who attended and showed their support,” he said,
Gault, a deeply religious man was in constant prayer since the news of Floyd’s death. He added Tuesday night, speaking about his fellow walkers, “I pray that Christ Jesus enriches their lives with prosperity, unity, love, and hope. All Glory goes to our Lord Jesus Christ. I am proud of my Loveland Community tonight.”
Jensine Mackzum told Loveland Magazine that she, her husband Joe, and their daughter June attended the peace walk. She said, “Many people we walked past along the street waved and said, “Hello”. “Lots of cars passed honking and waving too.”
Mackzum sent these photos of Tuesday’s:
Jensine Mackzum said that when her daughter (in pink shirt) met the other little girl in the photo she said “aw cute” and gave her a high five. (Provided photo by Jensine Mackzum)(Provided photo by Jensine Mackzum)(Provided photo by Jensine Mackzum)(Provided photo by Jensine Mackzum)
The “Day 5 Prayer Walk” begins Wednesday at 5:45 PM. They meet in the parking lot of the Prince of Peace Church at the corner of Lebanon Road and West Loveland Avenue.
David Miller is the Editor and Publisher of Loveland Magazine
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – Last Thursday was the last day of school for children and staff at the Loveland Primary School and the traditional goodbye was much like any other year because of the cheering and tearing.
Usually the teachers and staff line up as buses and parents drive the children away to begin their summer break, but on Thursday afternoon parents drove their children to the school campus and to the back parking lot where teachers and staff had formed a chute to be driven through so everyone could wave and shout their goodbyes. One family even rode bicycles through the middle.
One young man navigated the waves in a speed boat.
There were many homemade signs and decorations, bubbles blowing, and music blasting.
Click on any picture to see a larger view or click on the first one and keep on clicking to see them all.
I apologize that it was just not possible to capture the faces of every child that was there that day.
David Miller is the Publisher of Loveland Magazine and a Vietnam Combat Veteran
COVID-or-not – it felt imperative to somehow have a Memorial Day Service in Loveland
by David Miller
Monday marks the nation’s most significant holiday, so it should not go without remembrance. For many, it’s quite sobering and you may want to think twice about saying, “Happy Memorial Day” if you want to avoid blank awkward stares.
Traditionally the area has annual gatherings with speeches given on the stage of the Loveland Veterans’ Memorial or at the monument at Veterans’ Memorial Plaza in Home of the Brave Park, however because of COVID 19 and an Ohio ban of large gatherings the annual Memorial Day ceremonies were canceled this year. Before the Loveland Memorial was built in the West Loveland Historic District the event was held on the lawn in front of the Loveland Elementary School.
Given the National Holiday’s significance, because without the ultimate, life-giving sacrifice of young men and women there would be no other holidays celebrated in this country, including Independence Day, Christmas, Easter, or Labor Day, it felt imperative to somehow have a Memorial Day observance non-the-less, COVID-or-not.
I didn’t do too much head-scratching before I remembered Ryan Linday’s Memorial Day address in 2017 because it was a very good one – the best one of my recollection. Ryan is a “third-generation Veteran” and his uncle died in Vietnam. Ryan quickly agreed to record a message and brought Steve Bow to play taps.
I also remembered young Paul Laufersweiler the eighth-grade student from St. Columban School who read a speech at last November’s Veterans Day service in Loveland, The service is put on by students who walk from their school to the Veterans’ Memorial each fall to lay wreaths and honor current and past veterans. So, I contacted his mom Stephanie who I also met that day and asked her if Paul would like to record a speech for this year’s Memorial Day. Almost immediately she responded, “Just tell us where to meet you.”
Much of the morning that Ryan, Steve, and I spent while at the Chapel at Union Cemetery in Symmes Township centered around a conversation about how many more Veterans in recent years have died by suicide than in battlefield combat. Truthfully, it was Steve and Ryan doing the lamenting with me just listening. They remembered those lives with sobriety and respect for their pain and suffering, their endless dark days, and the families in these recent years who lost their Veteran but never received a Gold Star to put in the home’s window.
To those numerous families in Loveland I want you to know that the loss of these young souls and your pain was memorialized with quiet somber reflection at our three-person Memorial Day service at the cemetery yesterday.
Monday, Ryan and Steve will visit other local cemeteries and return to Union Cemetery to lay wreaths and Steve will play Taps to honor the greatest of our community’s heroes – including yours.
When I was with Paul and his mom on Friday to record Paul’s speech we didn’t chat about such somber subjects – I don’t have those things in common with the young man. Our conversation was about Paul’s promising future and his dreams. I believe we all have a responsibility to Paul to turn them into reality. Thank you Paul for recognizing at such a young age who it was that came before you who allows the possibility of your aspirations.
Let’s make a mission statement after hearing Paul’s last sentence of his speech – to make it so for him and all of our children. To make is so for all the Gold Star Families and those who did not receive the Gold Star but deserve it as much as anyone.
We really must make Paul a promise that we will make this country and community live up to the promise now laid at our feet, by so many lost lives who held the same dreams and potential as he has.
This photo was taken when Paul read a speech last November on Veterans Day
Meet Paul Laufersweiler
Paul just graduated from eighth grade at St. Columban school and will be attending Loveland High School in the Fall. He has already successfully auditioned to be in the marching and symphonic bands. He has two sisters, Emily still attending St. Columban as a sixth-grader and Amy who will be a junior at LHS who is in the Show Choir.
Paul said he is interested in studying science, however, he is also really interested in learning more about communicating so he might be taking those courses as well.
“When I was really little I wanted to be a pizza pilot where I would fly around in a plane and drop down pizzas to people.” I asked him if he would throw them like frisbees and he said, “Yes, I’ll get a thin crust, real crispy, so they won’t flop around.”
Paul was the student council President at St. Columban this year. Annually they raise money for school supplies for St. Julie School in Uganda, but because of COVID 19 they were not able to complete all of their fundraising activities. At the urging of his little sister Emily, they decided the canceled Walk-A-Thon should still take place, but by the students walking in their own neighborhoods. This photo (right) provided by his mom is Paul opening donations and notes from St. Columban families who contributed to the “Virtual” Walk-A-Thon. In the end, they raised $1,000.
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Meet Ryan Lindsay
Ryan is a lifelong Loveland resident and 1994 Graduate of LSH. He enlisted the Army right out os high school and served until 1998. Since, he has been a self-described “civilian-slave for the system.” Ryan told me, “Im proud to be a resident and citizen of the City.” For the past 15 years he has been an office manager for a heating and cooling company.
When I asked Ryan what he plans on doing with the rest of his life he said, ”Work, and then do lots of fun things when we are again allowed to do them. I go to Indy car races, sport car races, and concerts.”
I asked him if he ever raced and he said laughing, “No, that’s a rich man’s sport and I want to keep my money for when I retire. I know I would like it so much but I know how much it costs so I would probably bankrupt myself. It’s funner to watch somebody else spend that money so I’d rather watch ‘em do it. do it and that way if there’s a wreck I won’t have a bill to pay or anything like that.” He said he would probably try out a “Driving School” in a professional setting just to try it out to see how his skills stack up. “I would love to race cars, but then you see the price tag.”
He did race bicycles from the late nineties until 2012. “I kinda got too old and too busy with work to keep doing that. I did travel all over the country and would still like to do it but there isn’t enough time now to train and keep fit.”
Ryan will spend his Memorial Day with other veterans making their annual pilgrimage to local cemeteries, praying, and laying wreaths.
Meet Steve Bow
Steve has lived in Loveland since 2012 and has played the trumpet for 41 years. He is a technical specialist with a German company and works from home doing quality control and business and sales development. He does travel to South Carolina and Tennessee to consult with large companies such as Volvo and Volkswagen about quality and technical problems.
Steve was born in 1967 and grew up in Texas. His dad was an engineer for Dow Chemical for “the better part of 40 years.” The family moved to Columbus in 1980. He graduated from Ohio State in 1990 with a degree in metallurgical engineering and he’s been in the steel industry for a little going on 21 years. Steve’s father, Kenneth E. Bow, is a retired Army, Lt Col.
“I consider myself an Ohioan because I was in seventh grade when I first lived here,” Steve said. He attended OSU for five years and was in the marching band for four playing trumpet and in the “S Row” on the field.
Steve is the Assistant State Director, SW/NW Ohio District of Bugles Across America, an all-volunteer Taps organization. Bugles Across America (BAA) offers live/real bugle/trumpet players to sound Taps at Veterans funerals and events so the electronic device can be avoided. Steve has sounded Taps for around 300 “Missions” despite having a full-time job.
Recently, Steve has sounded Taps in Normandy in 2015, Arlington National Cemetery in 2013 and 2016, the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA, and various other Veterans events, including participating in a Full Honors funeral with the US Army and last year he played at Dayton National Cemetery.
In 2018, Steve and his daughter Claudia, a Music Ed major at NKU, sounded echo taps at the Normandy American Cemetery. They have also sounded Taps on Omaha Beach.
Steve said, “In addition to my full-time job and the BAA, I also own an art business on the side where I paint Military aircraft nose art from WW2 and aircraft insignia art on aluminum panels to replicate the originals.” He has shipped his artwork to clients around the world. “I also do leather jackets and I have been painting since 2012. My company is STB Aviation Art LLC.”
Steve will spend his Memorial Day with other veterans making their annual pilgrimage to local cemeteries, praying, and laying wreaths, and of course Steve will sound Taps.
David Miller is the Publisher and Editor of Loveland Magazine
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio– I’ve always called it the South Island because just north of Nisbet Park there is a similar island I call the North Island. During dry spells, you can walk across dry creek beds formed by erosion to get onto the islands, but during higher river levels the water channels merge into one wider, Little Miami River.
Both channels of water may someday form into permanent and complete oxbow ponds, but for now, they only occasionally do.
Both islands are one of nature’s ways to prevent downstream and localized flooding. Because of their unique soil composition, they can absorb rainfall from the hills high above and hold water when the Little Miami rises. River floodplains are low, flat areas that periodically flood, collecting water that would otherwise rush downstream, threatening people and property. They temper the river flow.
According to American Rivers: “A single acre of wetland, saturated to a depth of one foot, will retain 330,000 gallons of water – enough to flood thirteen average-sized homes thigh-deep. Wetlands also help provide clean rivers and drinking water by naturally filtering out run-off pollution.”
The channel of water flowing through the east side of the South Island.
The topography of the approximately 12 acres South Island benefits from both the erosion caused by the flow of the Little Miami and the deposits of silt left during flooding. It’s an ever-changing physical environment, but the flora and fauna remain pretty consistent. The emerging spring-time growth and the natural decay of the ancient tree trunks, including those trees that fall prey to the eroding effects of spring rains and fast river current are the seasonal changes you will notice.
The South Island is the City of Loveland owned property just south of the Linda Cox Parking lot on Broadway in Historic Downtown. When you enter the lot, head to the last parking spaces and walk south between the Loveland Bike Trail and the Little Miami River. The path you begin on is the abandoned section of Lower River Road. You will be walking towards Branch Hill.
This is a remarkable spot in the City and perfect for solitary exploring, dog walking, or picnicking with friends or family. Use caution and good judgment during periods of rain or storms and waterproof boots are recommended although occasionally you will find that some fellow explorer has placed convenient river stones to keep you dry and less muddy.
You will enjoy the large lawn-like open spaces, however, it is not a place for throwing a ball or frisbee – beware of the hidden groundhog holes.
These photos have been taken over the past 14 years. Most of them in the springtime.
Perhaps because of the insane beauty of the South Islands, I always called the second set of mages below “Spring Rorschach Photos” because one day on one of my many treks I started noticing what I imagined stick-like animal figures entering my camera lens. A “wide-opened” telephoto lens that blurs the background can help you discover things you will not ordinarily notice. You have to look for eyeballs.
Some psychologists used to use the Rorschach Test to examine a person’s personality characteristics and emotional functioning. It was employed to detect underlying thought disorder, especially in cases where patients are reluctant to describe their thinking processes openly.*So there you go… I confess.
Feeling a little insane right now? This insane beauty might be your balm.
Another place to visit in our resort-like town is the Simpson Farm
From Publisher David Miller & Associate Editor Cassie Mattia
We are here to help YOU, Loveland! We have decided to open our newspaper pages in order to help all of the struggling small, local Loveland Businesses.
Over the past couple of weeks, it has saddened us to see both empty parking lots and closed shops around town. We also understand that there are several hundred more members of the community operating their business from home offices and quiet out of the way spots.
We want to know how we can help you and your local business, oh and by the way, our help is completely FREE! We will create a special landing page on our Front Page for this.
All you have to do is send us the message you would like us to communicate to the greater Loveland community! This message can include ways on how the community can help keep your business afloat. Below are some examples of what your message to the community could include.
• Can people and other businesses order or inquire about the products or services you sell on-line?
• What products or services do you offer that other small and local businesses can purchase from you instead of a large corporation or a box store?
• Do you need employees?
• What skills do you have that you would like to tell people about that may be outside your normal business expertise? This could be a side-job that could potentially help you feed your family during these tough times.
To take advantage of our offer, send us an email with the subject line “Local Business” and include Who, What, When, Where, Why, and When within the body of your message. You may also include any links you have that will easily lead people your way as well as attachments of any photos of yourself or your company logo.
It is imperative that this information provided is complete so you don’t overburden us with questions back and forth. Please keep our editing to a minimum!
Lastly, and this is very important if you don’t include in the Subject Line the words “Local Business” you will make our task unnecessarily hard which may lead to your message getting lost amongst the hundreds of emails we receive each day. So please follow the instructions so that we can help you to the best of our ability!
From one small local business to another, let’s stay LOVELAND LOCAL!
Best regards,
David Miller and Cassie Mattia
Another resource for you – when looking for local services and products search in the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance Business Directory
The photo above was taken from a whiteboard I wrote on five years ago that I now keep at the entrance to Loveland Magazine to serve as a reminder of what is ahead and why we keep on keeping on.
Firebase 6 Vietnam 1968
An Editorial by Publisher David Miller
I‘ve accomplished much and am quite satisfied with my life so far, but I deserve my old age and maybe even retirement someday. I feel I’ve earned it. I grew up in a Fire Department Family, a volunteer Fire Department Family. Before I was in school I helped raise money to buy the community’s first ambulance through community-wide auctions, and pig roasts. My mom and dad were “Great Depression Era” folks and taught me good lessons. I was raised on potato soup and shoveled coal into the coal-fired furnace. I helped count the dimes when my mom collected for March of Dimes. I learned to spot and identify enemy aircraft in the early stages of the Cold War when my father was in the Civil Air Patrol. I served in a combat zone in Vietnam. I’ve raised two wonderful children with my wonderful wife of 49 years and we have three lovely grandchildren, two now mature enough to be the best example of living a servant life.
I can only remember being fearful of death twice in my life. The first time was my first night in Vietnam when they made the newbies like me guard the perimeter of the basecamp. I’d been taken to the perimeter way past dark. In the morning light, I discovered I had lobbed hand grenades throughout the night at paper snarled in the barbed wire that rustled noisily in the night wind. The second time was when our firebase was under attack and I was a “short-timer” with one day left on my tour. Both times it wasn’t so much as a fear of death, but because there was so much more ahead for me and I wanted it all.
I’m of the baby boomer generation, however now called the “Vulnerable Generation”, but I’ve more to do before I go.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t deserve any more “more” out of life than anyone else. Even the youngest of us deserve the “more”. Abundance was promised to all of us in the book of Genesis. But, I do want more days of celebrating with graduating high school seniors, more grandchildren’s birthdays, more quiet intimate conversations, and many many more days of dreaming and scheming – and teaching the Millennials and Generation Z’s how to do the same.
This is what I am asking you to do in return…
Let’s stick together while we ask each other to be apart.
I’m like Neil Diamond, neither of us are washing our hands of none of our responsibility, but we are washing our hands. I’m singing along with Neil and ask you to join us. We will sing Sweet Caroline from the football stands again. Until then let’s get this version earwormed.
I’m like Neil Young still searching for that heart of gold.
And, like Miu Miu, until I see you again – I wish you love.
Close your eyes and listen to this audio from two days ago on the Simpson Farm in the morning.
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio– The Simpson Farm is a 40-acre Conservation District in the heart of the West Loveland Historic District. The easiest way to locate it is through the entrance directly across the street from Kiwanis Park on Wall Street. Look for the large rock with the plaque honoring former Mayor and resident of the neighborhood, Cecil “Butch” Dale Bauer.
There is, of course, plenty of parking at Kiwanis, plus a small playset, basketball hoops, a ballfield for baseball or kicking a soccer ball.
If you park in Kiwanis Park be sure to look around for the buzzards perched in the trees in the mornings and evenings. This has in recent years become their annual gathering place. You will probably also see them perched and sunning in the trees in the morning as you enter the Farm.
But the Simpson Farm is the gem of this part of town. Most of the Farm is virtually untouched with large Ohio native trees and fauna. There is a trail that was illegally built through the farm, but we recommend getting off that trail to discover all it has to offer. There is abundant wildlife and following a deer path is the best way to explore, making your way to Phillips Park on Rich Road.
Have the children bring binoculars, magnifying glasses, cameras, and tree and bird books. It is an extraordinary place to spot birds, spring growth, and you might be amazed at their fossil finds. If you don’t have trail-books to help you identify birds, trees, and insect species you can use an app on your phone.
Deer regularly come out of the Simpson Farm to rob a crushed corn backyard snack from a homeowner lucky enough to live adjacent to the Simpson Farm.
Speaking of phones, if you have the capability to identify GPS locations, and if you go during rain or after and discover the beautiful seasonal waterfall you can send us the geolocation and a photo so we can share it with our readers.
There are eighty-foot ravines with grand vistas looking toward Historic Downtown.
Keihoffer Run Creek runs through the Farm. This creek is the one people are familiar with because the headwaters are the creek running through Symmes Park and runs below the stone-walled bridge on Wall Street. The Farm has a total of 5 small streams cascading down the steep ravines from Phillips Park and the Fallis and Rich Road area that empty into the Little Miami, a State and National Scenic and Wild River.
If you go, the children could also take a trash bag with them to collect any litter they find along the way.
If you go early morning and follow deer paths you are likely to find matted grassy areas still warm from the deer bedding down the night before.
A pileated woodpecker on the Farm
Also, you or them could send any photos of yourselves or the plants and animals you find there and we will publish them in Loveland Magazine. We would love to hear about your adventure.
If you are lucky!
This wildlife abundant forty acres is as diverse in habitat as found anywhere in the Loveland area, with forested hillsides and many acres of bottom flood plain. This important flood plain has many of the plants and soil characteristics of a wetland and is vitally important in tempering the flow of rainfall from the developed land surrounding the Loveland High School and adjacent subdivisions. The floodplain collects and pools the rain in a natural detention basin, either slowly releasing the rain into the underlying aquifer or slowing its flow into the flood-prone Little Miami River. Despite all the development above the Simpson Farm watershed, the flow into the lower end of Keihoffer Run has not increased dramatically over the years. The flood plain grasses and plants also filter out contaminants and pollutants before they can enter the Little Miami River which has National and State Scenic River designation.
The view from atop the Simpson Farm looking east over the Little Miami River valley into Clermont County on a foggy morning is a breathtaking vista, reminiscent of the Smoky Mountains.
Photo from the Simpson Farm by David Miller
The protective Conservation District covenant, recorded on the deed of the Simpson Farm, is unique to the State of Ohio and perhaps the nation in that it permanently protects publicly owned land and vests the future of the parkland only at the ballot box, by future voters.
If there is a park around that truly belongs to the residents it is the Simpson Farm. Residents spent two years and more than $20,000 saving the land from the bulldozers and a proposed condo project. They circulated initiative petitions twice putting measures on the ballot and each time the vote was 65% in favor of protecting it in perpetuity.
The most amazing way to enjoy your adventure is to “get off that man-made” trail and blaze your own. Your children will discover the best way around a large fallen tree – over or under or going till they reach the end. They will discover that if they just follow one of the streams they will eventually find a dry way to get to the other side either by finding the nature-laid rocks mid-stream or the fallen tree nature built for you as your own bridge. They will discover that sometimes the hill is very steep and teach themselves to dig in sideways one step at a time. Off the path, they might sit under a large tree and discover the snowflake-like experience of a downy woodpecker’s shavings falling around them. They will discover things they cannot in a book, on TV or tablet or phone, or in an indoor classroom.
The Simpson Farm is the gem of this Staycation resort of Southwest Ohio.
![[Video] Listen to local singer/songwriter Javan Pourvakil](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/maxresdefault-8.jpg)
by David Miller
In that interview, I mentioned how popular the Little Miami River had become for young people this Spring.
![[Interview] Joe Timmerman Founder of “A Neighborhood Cleanup”](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/maxresdefault-6.jpg)
![[Interview] Matt Baker speaks about George Floyd and racial justice](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/maxresdefault-2.jpg)
![[2 Videos] We hope you will watch Loveland Magazine’s Memorial Day Service](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/feature-ryan-lindsay.jpg)
“When I was really little I wanted to be a pizza pilot where I would fly around in a plane and drop down pizzas to people.” I asked him if he would throw them like frisbees and he said, “Yes, I’ll get a thin crust, real crispy, so they won’t flop around.”
Meet 
Meet 
The South Island is the City of Loveland owned property just south of the 
locate it is through the entrance directly across the street from Kiwanis Park on Wall Street. Look for the large rock with the plaque honoring former Mayor and resident of the neighborhood, 
