The following is the class schedule for 2018. There will also be additional classes added for children and youth that may not be finalized until the event starts. The classes are subject to change as needed. Sign up each morning to claim your spot. Please note class size and age suggestions by the instructors.
Thurs AM
Beginning Wet Felting – Beginning wet felting. Class limit 8 students, ages 10 and up, materials fee $10. Learn to manipulate loose wool roving around a resist to create a seamless felted pouch. Learn this primitive textile skill that uses hot water, soap, and “elbow grease” to turn loose fibers into a sturdy, solid fabric.
Instructor: Colleen Hewlett
Cordage clinic – Drop by and learn the basics of hand twisting natural fibers to make strong, beautiful and useful string or rope. You never know when you will need some! No limit, no fee, ages 12 and up
Instructor: Jeff Gottlieb
Friction fire free for all – This class is for anyone interested in the bow and drill, hand drill or fire plow methods of friction fire. We will discuss, demonstrate and practice the components of a friction fire kit, materials best suited for each piece, the “”socket and notch”” relationship, individual body mechanics, natural tinders and ultimately how to put this mess together to produce a coal and fire. Stay for the whole session or stop by and work on something specific.
No class limit no material fee
Instructor: Jason Drevenak
herb/tree walk – Come discover plant friends old & new on this wild & weedy walk through the woods. We’ll learn how to correctly identify plants, talk about sustainable foraging practices, and discuss how to bring these plants more into your home kitchens and medicine cabinets.
Instructor: Anna Alexandre
Hide Tanning (all week) – Turn a hide into supple buckskin using traditional methods. Class size 5 to 6, Fee $50 for the hide
Instructor: Matt Hansen
intro to blacksmithing (beginners) – beginning blacksmithing – age limit 12 and up. This class will concentrate on beginning techniques in blacksmithing to show the steps that will be needed in later classes.
Instructor: Bob Orcutt
Kudzu random freeform Basket – Limit no limit
Age : 8 and above
What you will need:
all materials provided
What you will learn: kudzu uses for baskets, paper, buildings, food, and cloth! Free form a small bird nest basket that holds jelly beans.
Instructor: Nancy Basket
Making and flying the hunting boomerang – Class size limited to 4. sticks, Rabbitsticks, Kylies, or whatever other name given them are meant to
fly in a nearly straight line. This is an adult class and some
experience and proficiency in use of hand woodworking tools is required. The length of
time necessary to complete the project depends on the participant skill and capacity. Typically,
one might be completed in one day or up to three days. Instruction on final sanding,
tuning (tweaking the flight characteristics to modify how it flies), painting or decorating,
and suggestions for protective finish, will be given so it can be completed at home.
Materials cost vary from $15 for plywood blank to $30 for hardwood knee. (you may
bring your own blank)
Class size– no more than 4 per day.
Instructor: Denton Bragg
Pottery – Keith offers an in depth introduction to the hands-on process of primitive pottery from forming wild clay to decoration and firing pots in the central fire.
Instructor: Keith Grenoble
spoon carving – No material Fee: carve a wooden spoon from green wood
12 students
under 10 years old parent needed at all times
bring a sharp knife
Instructor: Lilly Harlin and Nicolas Wentworth
Tipi Living Skills – We’ll be putting up a Cheyenne/Sioux style tipi and discussing canvas sewing techniques, details of tipi construction, and skills needed to stay in the tipi. What’s a smoke flap and how do you control it? How do you use the lacing pins? Where does the fire go? Do you get wet when it rains? Where do you put your bed? – unlimited
Instructor: Joan Candalino
Thurs PM
Flint and Steel fire set – We will forge a working Flint striker. The student will then make a complete set for fire making with a container, char cloth, Flint and striker. Age limit 16 and up.
Instructor: Bob Orcutt
Zen and the art of Wood Splitting – Age limit 16 and up. Learn the techniques and skills to be successful at securing a good supply of wood for the winter. Impress yourself with your ability to turn a log into fuel. Instructor: Fuz Sanderson
Flintknapping -Basic to Intermediate – Class Size: This class is open to a maximum of 10 students. This is intended to be a 4 hour class.
Cost: Material and tool cost for this class will be $10.00 per student which will cover the knappable stone, all percussion and pressure tools, and hand pad. Note: Students must bring safety glasses and Notebook is suggested..
What you will learn: Participants will learn the basics of fracture mechanics, bipolar techniques, and blade and flake core production. Once blades and flakes have been produced by the students, they will in turn manufacture cutting tools, dinticulates (saws), borers (drills), gravers, and a host of other tools that will be made from the blade and flake cores. We will also go over hafting techniques for the tools.
Instructor: James Parker
Animal protein glue making and pine pitch glue making – Class Size: Adult class, but a mature teenager is welcome. This class is open to a maximum of 10 students.
Cost: Material and tool cost for this class Free. Notebook is suggested..
What you will learn: In this class we will be recreating an age old method of making glue from animal protein using hide and sinew. We will also make a waterproof pine pitch glue that has been used for waterproofing drinking vessels and canoes for centuries. ” Note: This class is in preparation for the arrow making class offered on Friday. You are not required to take Friday’s class, but you are definitely welcome!.
Instructor: James Clinkscales
Friction Fire- Hand drill – Learn to start a fire without a match!
Instructor: Luke McLaughlin
Hide Tanning (all week) – Turn a hide into supple buckskin using traditional methods. Class size 5 to 6, Fee $50 for the hide
Instructor: Matt Hansen
Making and flying the hunting boomerang – Class size limited to 4. sticks, Rabbitsticks, Kylies, or whatever other name given them are meant to
fly in a nearly straight line. This is an adult class and some
experience and proficiency in use of hand woodworking tools is required. The length of
time necessary to complete the project depends on the participant skill and capacity. Typically,
one might be completed in one day or up to three days. Instruction on final sanding,
tuning (tweaking the flight characteristics to modify how it flies), painting or decorating,
and suggestions for protective finish, will be given so it can be completed at home.
Materials cost vary from $15 for plywood blank to $30 for hardwood knee. (you may
bring your own blank)
Class size– no more than 4 per day.
Instructor: Denton Bragg
Mushroom Culture and spore prints –
Instructor: Nicholas Parker
Native American-style Flute Making – Materials Fee: $10 / Max – 8 people (age 10 and up) Learn to make your own 5 & 6-hole, end blown, pentatonic scale flute.
Instructor: Hawk Hurst
Needle Felting Three-Dimensional Characters – Size limit: 10
Materials fee: sliding scale, $10-$30 depending on your project
Age limit: 8 and up
Description: This intuitive and accessible craft is a fun way to make small, wool woodland creatures for young ones to play with, and they make great additions to your nature table. Mystical creatures are also great to have around, such as gnomes, fairies, and mermaids. We will be working with needles with sharp barbs on them, so this is a craft for adults and children who are competent with edge tools.
Instructor: Sarah Henry
Pottery – an in depth introduction to the hands-on process of primitive pottery from forming wild clay to decoration and firing pots in the central fire.
Instructor: Keith Grenoble
Riveting 101: Hands-on instruction of how to “handle” full tang knife with rivet set – Come and participate in a hands-on instructional class that will lead you on a riveting journey through one of the many dimensions of knife handling, during our “”time”” together we shall be riveting together a full tang knife into a handle with a copper/brass rivet set. You will leave with a handled knife and a little more knowledge of life.
Thurs-Sat PM
CLASS size 3-4
0-25 greenbacks/trade/barter
Instructor: Gray Taylor
WILD SPRING WALKABOUT with Leif Diamant – Nature in the Spring is wild beauty, abundance, magic, and transforms all who enter and connect. We’ll wander from Shakori Hills with neighbor Leif Diamant (organic farmer, naturalist, psychotherapist, and interfaith minister)(wildearthconsulting.com) to his Box Turtle Road homestead and farm, identifying, discussing, experiencing, and sampling various edible, medicinal, and beneficial plants. Enhance your abilities to survive and thrive and deepen your relationship with the wild side. We may see wild animals, meet some asses, and tour the organic garden. Please join us to experience more intimacy with and knowledge of Nature.
Instructor: Leif Diamant
Fri AM
Bark Tanned Leather Knife Sheaths – Size limit: 5
Materials fee: $40-60, depending on size
Age limit: Teens and up
Description: Make a beautiful, all natural sheath for your knife with deer rawhide on the inside and bark tanned deer leather on the outside. Learn about sewing with leather and wet forming.
What you’ll need: A knife to make a sheath for, awl, sharp scissors, and some enthusiasm. I will have hand forged knives and awls for sale as well as some tools to share.
Instructor: Sarah Henry
Beginning Wet Felting – Beginning wet felting. Class limit 8 students, ages 12 & up, materials fee $10. Learn to manipulate loose wool roving around a resist to create a seamless felted pouch. Learn this primitive textile skill that uses hot water, soap, and “elbow grease” to turn loose fibers into a sturdy, solid fabric.
Instructor: Colleen Hewlett
Eastern native American style arrow making (all day class) – Class limit 10 students, ages 12 and up (with an adult attending), materials fee $10. In this class we will be practicing an eastern North American aboriginal method of fletching. This two feather method can also be used for atlatl construction. We will be straightening rivercane arrows and atlatl darts by using an open flame and fletching with turkey feather and sinew. In the PM: Friday afternoon is a continuation of the morning arrow making class where we will be hafting stone points to our arrows and finishing the morning project. ** safety glasses are recommended
Instructor: James Clinkscales
Buffalo Shoulder bags – Learn how to When your buckskin pouches are all full of stuff, it’s time to upgrade your carrying ability. This class will teach you to design, lay out and lace up a large or extra large Buffalo leather shoulder bag capable of carrying all your primitive stuff. Check out Drev at his camp to see examples of what a finished bag will look like.
All materials including Buffalo leather provided $25 for large bag $40 for X large bag
Instructor: Jason Drevenak
Cast Iron Cooking – one of the best cooking mediums for a campfire is the cast Iron set. Learn some cooking skills. You foraged for it, hunted for it.. now cook it up and make it taste good!
Instructor: Sharlene Sanderson
Hide Tanning (all week) – Turn a hide into supple buckskin using traditional methods. Class size 5 to 6, Fee $50 for the hide
Instructor: Matt Hansen
Intro to blacksmithing – beginning blacksmithing – age limit 12 and up. This class will concentrate on beginning techniques in blacksmithing to show the steps that will be needed in later classes
Instructor: Bob Orcutt
Making and flying the hunting boomerang – Sticks, Rabbitsticks, Kylies, or whatever other name given them are meant to fly in a nearly straight line. This is an adult class and some
experience and proficiency in use of hand woodworking tools is required. The length of time necessary to complete the project depends on the participant skill and capacity. Typically, one might be completed in one day or up to three days. Instruction on final sanding, tuning (tweaking the flight characteristics to modify how it flies), painting or decorating, and suggestions for protective finish, will be given so it can be completed at home.
Materials cost vary from $15 for plywood blank to $30 for hardwood knee. (you may bring your own blank)
Class size- no more than 4 per day.
Instructor: Denton Bragg
Mushroom Culture and Identification –
Instructor: Nicholas Parker
Native American style beadwork 101 (techniques) – Beads applied to fabric – focus on techniques the first offering. Applique, Lazy/Lane Stitch, & Edging – in styles done by the Native American peoples. Adornment for your buckskin, moccasins, leggings, bags, etc. – class size 6
Instructor: Joan Candalino
Pottery – an in depth introduction to the hands-on process of primitive pottery from forming wild clay to decoration and firing pots in the central fire.
Instructor: Keith Grenoble
Animal Harvesting – No age limit or participant limit and no cost. Please use discretion before sending children.
Instructor: Grant Atkinson
River Cane Whistles – No age limit or participant limit and no cost.
Participants will make a whistle out of river cane and a corded dog bane lanyard to hang it from.
Instructor: Doug Meyer
Weeds and wild Woodslore – A nature walk and a bit more. Wisdom Stories, Songs and Lore Celebrating Animals, Plants and People. No size limit, all ages welcome.
Instructor: Doug Elliott
Fri PM
Awakening Intuition – Explore core routines for deep nature connection. These are routine practices that support sensory awareness and mindfulness in nature. We will also expand upon these core routines through games, blindfold experiences and partner exercises that stimulate intuition through quiet mind, body radar, sensing presence, the minds eye and more. Bring a blindfold or bandanna if you have one. Ages 15 and up. No limit.
Instructor: Sarah Haggerty
Bark Tanned Leather Knife Sheaths(cont.) – Size limit: 5
Materials fee: $40-60, depending on size
Age limit: Teens and up
Description: Make a beautiful, all natural sheath for your knife with deer rawhide on the inside and bark tanned deer leather on the outside. Learn about sewing with leather and wet forming.
What you’ll need: A knife to make a sheath for, awl, sharp scissors, and some enthusiasm. I will have hand forged knives and awls for sale as well as some tools to share.
Instructor: Sarah Henry
Buffalo Shoulder Bags cont. – Learn how to When your buckskin pouches are all full of stuff, it’s time to upgrade your carrying ability. This class will teach you to design, lay out and lace up a large or extra large Buffalo leather shoulder bag capable of carrying all your primitive stuff. Check out Drev at his camp to see examples of what a finished bag will look like.
All materials including Buffalo leather provided $25 for large bag $40 for X large bag
Instructor: Jason Drevenak
European & Asian-style Flute Making – Materials Fee: $15 / Max – 8 people (age 14 and up). 6 & 7 hole, end and side blown, diatonic scale.
Instructor: Hawk Hurst
Flintknapping -Intermediate to Advanced – Class Size: This class is open to all, no size limit.
Cost: 0 , each student is expected to bring their own tools Note: Students must bring safety glasses and Notebook is suggested..
What you will learn: This class is for students that have already been knapping and that are already in an intermediate level. This class will cover advanced bi-facing strategies, acquiring and maintaining cross-sections through the bi-facial stages, percussion and pressure-flaking strategies, and flaking patterns. Students must have their own tools and knapping stone and examples of their work and problematic pieces. There is no charge for tools, since students will be bringing their own. This class will be taught all-traditional. No copper bopper tools can be used at this class.
Instructor: James Parker
Friction Fire. Note: May combine this with the “one match fire”, with Jeff Gotlieb – Start a fire and keep it going!
Instructor: Luke McLaughlin
Hide Tanning (all week) – Turn a hide into supple buckskin using traditional methods. Class size 5 to 6, Fee $50 for the hide
Instructor: Matt Hansen
Kudzu random freeform Basket – no limit
Adult
All materials provided Learn all about kudzu uses for, baskets, paper, buildings, food and cloth
Learn to sew/coil split kudzu vines for a small basket
Instructor: Nancy Basket
MAKING AND FLYING THE HUNTING BOOMERANG – Sticks, Rabbitsticks, Kylies, or whatever other name given them are meant to fly in a nearly straight line. This is an adult class and some
experience and proficiency in use of hand woodworking tools is required. The length of time necessary to complete the project depends on the participant skill and capacity. Typically, one might be completed in one day or up to three days. Instruction on final sanding, tuning (tweaking the flight characteristics to modify how it flies), painting or decorating, and suggestions for protective finish, will be given so it can be completed at home.
Materials cost vary from $15 for plywood blank to $30 for hardwood knee. (you may bring your own blank)
Class size– no more than 4 per day.
Instructor: Denton Bragg
Medicine Making 101 – Learn how to expand your medicine cabinet and concoct healing herbal teas, tinctures, infused oils, and more with this hands-on exploration! We will be making, tasting, and sampling different herbal preparations and we’ll talk about the uses, dosages, and applications of each one.
Students will come away with an homemade herbal vinegar and/or syrup of their own.
Materials fee: $5 What to bring: Bring your own mug! We will be drinking our medicine.
Instructor: Anna Alexandre
Porcupine Quillwork Class – Material fee for the class is $5.00 and will cover pre-sorted and dyed porcupine quills and the rawhide strip. Class limit 10 students. Ages 12 and up.
Porcupine Quillwork Class: The Quill Wrapping Technique
This class will introduce students to a technique of quillwork that requires little use of a needle and thread. In the class, participants will learn the quill-wrapping technique to wrap strips of rawhide. This is the same technique used traditionally to make medicine wheels. Although, just about anything that will hold still can be wrapped with porcupine quills. Quill wrapping does not require any sewing; therefore it is a good place for quillworkers to begin. Porcupine quill acquirement, plucking, sorting, dying, and preparation will also be discussed in the class.
Instructor: Rebecca Parker
Pottery – Come, drop in, paddle out some clay, object or vessel to be fired in our campfire kiln!
Instructor: Keith Grenoble
Riveting 101: Hands-on instruction of how to “handle” full tang knife with rivet set – Come and participate in a hands-on instructional class that will lead you on a riveting journey through one of the many dimensions of knife handling, during our “”time”” together we shall be riveting together a full tang knife into a handle with a copper/brass rivet set. You will leave with a handled knife and a little more knowledge of life.
Thurs-Sat PM
CLASS size 3-4
0-25 greenbacks/trade/barter
Instructor: Gray Taylor
Small Neck knives – Forge a small neck knife from a piece of high carbon steel.I will demonstrate the steps involved in making and heat treating a knife blade. Then the students will harden their knife, and temper it. They will sharpen the knife on their own. $3.00 material fee
Instructor: Bob Orcutt
Spoon Carving – carve a wooden spoon from green wood
12 students. 12 students
under 10 years old parent needed at all times
bring a sharp knife
Instructor: Lilly Harlin and Nicolas Wentworth
Thinking and Living on Land Like a Hunter/Gatherer – All land gives off energy. That energy can be positive, negative, or positive for certain activities and negative for other activities, and many nuances in between. Larger tracts of land will have multiple energetic spots on them with very different energies suggesting different appropriate uses for those parts of the property. Using old and new techniques, learn how to notice and evaluate land energies to better understand land and match it with its appropriate and best use.
Open to all ages. No tools required. Does require an open mind. Learn about the Small House Movement and about legal options for building simple, affordable, small houses. Learn where and how to get skills and knowledge to build houses oneself for local, sustainable, debt-free living.
Instructor: Harvey Harman
Wild Basketry – Material Fee: $5.00 Use wild collected and found materials to make a one-of-a-kind spoke style basket. There are no such things as weeds, just resources and opportunities!
Instructor: Jeff Gottlieb
Cast Iron Cooking – Material Fee: ? One of the best cooking mediums for a campfire is the cast Iron set. Learn som cooking skills. You foraged for it, hunted for it.. now cook it up and make it taste great.
Instructor: Sharlene Sanderson
(Continuation from AM) Eastern native American style arrow making (all day class) – Class limit 10 students, ages 12 and up (with an adult attending), materials fee $10. In this class we will be practicing an eastern North American aboriginal method of fletching. This two feather method can also be used for atlatl construction. We will be straightening rivercane arrows and atlatl darts by using an open flame and fletching with turkey feather and sinew. In the PM: Friday afternoon is a continuation of the morning arrow making class where we will be hafting stone points to our arrows and finishing the morning project. ** safety glasses are recommended
Instructor: James Clinkscales
Sat AM
Bone Hair Pin – 15 yrs and up, limit 12 and $3 material fee.
Participants will make a hairpin out of bone to put your hair in a bun.
Instructor: Doug Meyer
Charcutierie, butchering – No age limit: but use your discretion. In this class you will learn how to approach the task of preparing an animal that was harvested for preservation and or cooking. After the animal is prepared we will be using a smoker to cook with.
Instructor: Grant Atkinson
Buffalo Shoulder bags – Learn how to When your buckskin pouches are all full of stuff, it’s time to upgrade your carrying ability. This class will teach you to design, lay out and lace up a large or extra large Buffalo leather shoulder bag capable of carrying all your primitive stuff. Check out Drev at his camp to see examples of what a finished bag will look like.
All materials including Buffalo leather provided $25 for large bag $40 for X large bag
Instructor: Jason Drevenak
Felting 201- making bigger things – Class limit 6 students, ages 15 and up, materials fee *depends on the project* Already tried felting and feel ready to tackle a larger project like a hat, larger bag, or something else? This is the class for you! If you started a felting project earlier in the week and need to finish it up, this would be a great day to come by for any assistance.
Instructor: Colleen Hewlett
Continuing Rabbit Sticks –
Instructor: Denton Bragg
Flintknapping -Basic to Intermediate – Class Size: This class is open to a maximum of 10 students. This is intended to be a 4 hour class.
Cost: Material and tool cost for this class will be $10.00 per student which will cover the knappable stone, all percussion and pressure tools, and hand pad. Note: Students must bring safety glasses and Notebook is suggested..
What you will learn: Participants will learn the basics of fracture mechanics, bipolar techniques, and blade and flake core production. Once blades and flakes have been produced by the students, they will in turn manufacture cutting tools, dinticulates (saws), borers (drills), gravers, and a host of other tools that will be made from the blade and flake cores. We will also go over hafting techniques for the tools.
Instructor: James Parker
Hide Tanning (all week) – Turn a hide into supple buckskin using traditional methods. Class size 5 to 6, Fee $50 for the hide
Instructor: Matt Hansen
Make-up Session – during this class I will help any of the students in the earlier classes with any of the issues they may have with their projects. –
Instructor: Bob Orcutt
Making a sure fire campfire – Most everyone thinks they are good at making campfires. Learn techniques, tricks and materials that make fire possible even under difficult conditions!
Instructor: Jeff Gottlieb
Native American style beadwork 201 (project) – Beads applied to fabric – project that the class can do on the second offering .Applique, Lazy/Lane Stitch, & Edging – in styles done by the Native American peoples. Adornment for your buckskin, moccasins, leggings, bags, etc. – class size 6
Instructor: Joan Candalino
Pine Needle baskets – No limit (Adult)
All materials provided ($10 fee)
Using raffia, you will learn a simple stitch to sew long leaf pine needles together in a small basket.
Instructor: Nancy Basket
Pottery –
Instructor: Keith Grenoble
Weeds and wild Woodslore – A nature walk and a bit more. Wisdom Stories, Songs and Lore Celebrating Animals, Plants and People. No size limit, all ages welcome.
Instructor: Doug Elliott
Sat PM
Antler rings – 15 yrs and up, limit 12 and $5-$10 material fee depending on type of ring made.
Participants will make a ring out of antler and can leave plain or add a stone to accent the antler.
Instructor: Doug Meyer
Didgeridoo making and playing – All ages welcome, limit x and $ material fee
Participants will make a instrument out of bamboo, heat treat it and learn to play it.
Instructor: Fuz Sanderson
Buffalo Shoulder bags – Learn how to When your buckskin pouches are all full of stuff, it’s time to upgrade your carrying ability. This class will teach you to design, lay out and lace up a large or extra large Buffalo leather shoulder bag capable of carrying all your primitive stuff. Check out Drev at his camp to see examples of what a finished bag will look like.
All materials including Buffalo leather provided $25 for large bag $40 for X large bag
Instructor: Jason Drevenak
Continuation of project started Sat AM – Class limit 6 students, ages 15 and up, materials fee *depends on the project* Already tried felting and feel ready to tackle a larger project like a hat, larger bag, or something else? This is the class for you! If you started a felting project earlier in the week and need to finish it up, this would be a great day to come by for any assistance.
Instructor: Colleen Hewlett
Cordage College/Trade Blanket 4:30 PM – Everything you ever wanted to know about natural fibers and rope making! Learn to make handmade string using several methods, examine many plant and animal fiber specimens and try clever and effective tools for preparing and twisting fibers for cordage making. No material fee. Signed copy of book is available from instructor for $10 if desired
Instructor: Jeff Gottlieb
Flintknapping -Intermediate to Advanced – Class Size: This class is open to all, no size limit.
Cost: 0 , each student is expected to bring their own tools Note: Students must bring safety glasses and Notebook is suggested..
What you will learn: This class is for students that have already been knapping and that are already in an intermediate level. This class will cover advanced bi-facing strategies, acquiring and maintaining cross-sections through the bi-facial stages, percussion and pressure-flaking strategies, and flaking patterns. Students must have their own tools and knapping stone and examples of their work and problematic pieces. There is no charge for tools, since students will be bringing their own. This class will be taught all-traditional. No copper bopper tools can be used at this class.
Instructor: James Parker
Hide Tanning (all week) – Turn a hide into supple buckskin using traditional methods. Class size 5 to 6, Fee $50 for the hide
Instructor: Matt Hansen
Introduction to Dreamwork – One of the most ancient traditions in all cultures is the sharing and interpretation of dreams. Explore how to use dreams for healing, self awareness and community development. We will explore: Dream Recall, Dream Interpretation, Non-Interpretive Dreamwork, Identifying and working with different types of dreams. We will also explore the use of oneirogens (herbs that support dream vividness and recall). Ages 12 and up. No limit.
Instructor: Sarah Haggerty
Kombucha making – Fermentation principles and techniques for making a ‘great’ batch of this powerful healthy drink.
Instructor: Sharlene Sanderson
Medicine Making 101 – Learn how to expand your medicine cabinet and concoct healing herbal teas, tinctures, infused oils, and more with this hands-on exploration! We will be making, tasting, and sampling different herbal preparations and we’ll talk about the uses, dosages, and applications of each one.
Students will come away with an homemade herbal vinegar and/or syrup of their own.
Materials fee: $5
What to bring: Bring your own mug! We will be drinking our medicine.
Instructor: Anna Alexandre
Needle Felting Three-Dimensional Characters – Size limit: 10
Materials fee: sliding scale, $10-$30 depending on your project
Age limit: 8 and up
Description: This intuitive and accessible craft is a fun way to make small, wool woodland creatures for young ones to play with, and they make great additions to your nature table. Mystical creatures are also great to have around, such as gnomes, fairies, and mermaids. We will be working with needles with sharp barbs on them, so this is a craft for adults and children who are competent with edge tools.
Instructor: Sarah Henry
Pottery –
Instructor: Keith Grenoble
Riveting 101: Hands-on instruction of how to “”handle”” full tang knife with rivet set. – Come and participate in a hands-on instructional class that will lead you on a riveting journey through one of the many dimensions of knife handling, during our “”time”” together we shall be riveting together a full tang knife into a handle with a copper/brass rivet set. You will leave with a handled knife and a little more knowledge of life.
Thurs-Sat AM
CLASS size 3-4
0-25 greenbacks/trade/barter
Instructor: Gray Taylor
Spoon Carving – No material Fee: carve a wooden spoon from green wood
12 students
under 10 years old parent needed at all times
bring a sharp knife
Instructor: Lilly Harlin and Nicolas Wentworth
Beginning Finger Weaving – Adult, $3 materials fee, max 6
Weaving without a loom using the diagonals technique of fingerweaving. Hat band or strap project.
Instructor: Joan Candalino
WILD SPRING WALKABOUT with Leif Diamant – We’ll wander from Shakori Hills with neighbor Leif Diamant (organic farmer, naturalist, psychotherapist, and interfaith minister)(wildearthconsulting.com) to his Box Turtle Road homestead and farm, identifying, discussing, experiencing, and sampling various edible, medicinal, and beneficial plants. Enhance your abilities to survive and thrive and deepen your relationship with the wild side. We may see wild animals, meet some asses, and tour the organic garden. Please join us to experience more intimacy with and knowledge of Nature.
Instructor: Leif Diamant
Kombucha making- Fermentation principles and techniques for making a ‘great’ batch of this powerful healthy drink.
Instructor: Sharlene Sanderson
Native American-style Flute Making – Materials Fee: $10 / Max – 8 people (age 10 and up) Learn to make your own 5 & 6-hole, end blown, pentatonic scale flute.
Instructor: Hawk Hurst
Sun AM
buckskin bag sewing – tobacco bag style with variations (welt, fringed welt, flap, single or double drawstring), discussion of techniques and tricks, bring your own buckskin or commercial buckskin available for $5 to $10 materials fee, depending on your project. max 6
Instructor: Joan Candalino
Story Telling Workshop – How to craft stories using nature as a source of inspiration. No size limit, all ages welcome.
Instructor: Doug Elliott
Friction Fire – This class is for anyone interested in the bow and drill, hand drill or fire plow methods of friction fire. We will discuss, demonstrate and practice the components of a friction fire kit, materials best suited for each piece, the “”socket and notch”” relationship, individual body mechanics, natural tinders and ultimately how to put this mess together to produce a coal and fire. Stay for the whole session or stop by and work on something specific.
No class limit no material fee
Instructor: Jason Drevenak
knife hardening demo –
Instructor: Gray Taylor
Legends ,Stories, Songs, and Games from Long Ago – No class size limit. No materials fee.
Instructor: Hawk Hurst
Natural Dye workshop – Materials fee: $10
Class limited to 10 people.Come discover how plants can be used to dye wool, silk, yarn, cotton- even buckskin! We’ll talk about different ways to extract color from plants, what mordants are and how to use them to fix color, and what plants are growing in your backyard that you can begin to dye with. You’ll come away with your own naturally dyed cloth, bandanna, or scarf.
Materials fee: $10
Instructor: Anna Alexandre
Nature Spirituality and Sacred Ecology for Healing, Growth and Awakening – Leif Diamant will lead this experiential class exploring Nature as Beloved, Inspiration, Healer, and Teacher. The original source of many religions and spiritualities, Nature is our home,: wildness is our roots. We are designed as human beings to Love Nature .We will discuss and practice ways to deepen and expand this primary resource in our daily lives for rejuvenation, healing, and happiness.
Instructor: Leif Diamant
Sami needle case – 15 yrs and up, limit 6 and $5 material fee
Participants will make a bone needle case that hangs from your belt like the Sami use in Northern Scandinavia.
Instructor: Doug Meyer
spoon carving – No material Fee: carve a wooden spoon from green wood
12 students
under 10 years old parent needed at all times
bring a sharp knife
Instructor: Lilly Harlin and Nicolas Wentworth
Wildflower and Plant Identification Walk – We will focus on basic tenants of plant identification to support the observation and identification of wildflowers, trees and shrubs of the area. Special emphasis is on plants for food, craft, medicine and folklore. No limit, all ages
Instructor: Sarah Haggerty
Sun PM
Edible Plant Walk – This will be a hands on plant identification walk where we harvest and prepare wild edibles. In depth look at edible plants on our area with a focus on field identification, harvest, preparation and tasting wild foods. No limit, all ages
Instructor: Sarah Haggerty
Friction Fire – Learn to start fires like our ancestors. Technique for making a coal and the proper nest the ensure the coal will catch fire.
Instructor: Luke McLaughlin
Kudzu random freeform Basket – no limit
Adult
All materials provided Learn all about kudzu uses for, baskets, paper, buildings, food and cloth.
Learn to sew/coil split kudzu vines for a small basket
Instructor: Nancy Basket
Mushroom Foraging – Learn to hunt and identify the fungi!
Instructor: Nicholas Parker
Tipi Living Skills II – We’ll be taking down a Cheyenne/Sioux style tipi and discussing canvas sewing techniques, details of tipi construction, and skills needed to stay in the tipi. What’s a smoke flap and how do you control it? How do you use the lacing pins? Where does the fire go? Do you get wet when it rains? Where do you put your bed? – unlimited
Instructor: Joan Candalino
Extra
Not a class: Perhaps meet for lunch or prior to Dinner: TBD: The adventures of Fatherhood: A journey through conception, pregnancy, birth, infancy and toddlerhood – This is meant to be a discussion/storytelling of the struggles and rewards of being a father in our society. So bring your thoughts, ideas and questions so that we can shed some light on how to overcome what problems us fathers face.
Instructor: Gray Taylor