Workshop Information & Frequently Asked Questions
About Our Workshops, Our Schedule and General Workshop Information
About Our Workshops
Q. What time do workshops begin and end?
A. Our workshops begin at 9am and finish
up around 5pm in the Fall and Winter, and around 6pm in the Spring & Summer.
Q. What if it's a multi-day workshop?
A. For workshops that are more than
one day we still begin at 9am on the first day and finish up around
5pm or 6pm on the final day. Depending on the workshop, we may be working
during the evenings, usually finishing up between 8pm and 9pm.
Q. Where can I stay during a multi-day workshop, or if I am attending
two or three workshops in a row?
A. You are more than welcome to stay here on site overnight!
There is plenty of room on the property to pitch a tent or hang a hammock,
but if you do not have a tent, or if the weather turns cold or nasty, you
may bring a sleeping bag/pad/pillow and crash inside the house.
Q. Is there an age limit?
A. Yes, our workshops are designed
for adults and you must be at least 18 years old to attend. If a parent
is also attending the workshop we may go down to 16, but that is decided
on a case-by-case basis. If you are 16 or 17 and wish to attend
with a parent, please contact Julie directly
for further information. No students under 16 (or under 18 without a parent)
are permitted to attend.
Q. Where do the workshops take place?
A. Unless otherwise indicated, all
workshops take place at our main location near Great Meadows, NJ. Texas
workshops and Skills 2 You workshops in other locations are clearly marked
with their location on the schedule.
Q. Do I need to bring my own food?
A. As a courtesy, we offer meals during
workshop hours. This allows us all to stay on location and keeps our schedule
on better track than if everyone scattered for an hour in
the middle of the day. You
are, of course, more than welcome to bring whatever snacks or drinks you
would like for the workshop. (If you have special dietary restrictions
you must let us know at least a week in advance so we can make arrangements.
We do our best to accommodate when possible.)
PLEASE NOTE: If you are staying
for 2 or 3 one-day workshops please be aware that meals are provided
during the workshop only. You
will be on your own for any between workshop dinner/breakfast meals and
we will be happy to direct you to local food establishments. If you wish
to bring food for dinner/breakfast we can not promise there will be fridge
space available, but we will do our best to find room.
"That was a really great class
today. In a five minute walk with the dog in the dark I found at
least five of the plants we talked about. I can see the door into the
plant world opening up... Thanks again for a great day!"
— Louis Q.
Q. When do you post your workshop schedule for the coming months?
A. We do our best to post our schedule
for the coming season before the end of the current one. For instance,
our Fall/Winter workshops are posted during the Summer, our Spring/Summer
workshops are posted during the Winter, etc.
Q. Do you hold workshop in other locations?
A. Yes, we hold Skills
2 You workshops
in places all across the U.S. and Canada. Past Skills 2 You workshops
have taken place in Chicago, Nova Scotia, California, Oregon, Arkansas,
Toronto, Boston and several other cities and towns around the Northeastern
U.S. and Ontario. If you are interested in hosting a Skills 2
You workshop let us know! We generally book them a minimum of 4 months
in advance.
"Eddie and Julie - we had
a fantastic time there. You are excellent teachers! I hope to be
able to come many more times."
— Laurie S.
Q. Who teaches your workshops?
A. Eddie
Starnater is the Chief
Instructor for all Practical Primitive workshops. Eddie has been teaching
Tracking, Flintknapping, Nature Awareness and all aspects of Primitive
Skills for almost 20 years, and has had the good fortune
to pass along has decades of skills experience to thousands of students
from across North America and around the world.
Julie Martin acts as both an
Instructor and Assistant Instructor for workshops, depending on her
level of experience in the skills being taught.
We feel that having both male and female instructors brings a balance to
the teaching that is often lacking in the primitive skills world, and always
strive to make all of our students feel comfortable and welcome at every
workshop.
Q. What if I have to cancel my registration
for a workshop?
A. If you must cancel your registration
for a workshop your deposit may or may not be refundable, depending
on the time and circumstances.
The workshop is still open and
we are still accepting registrations:
If it is more than
2 weeks in advance of the workshop we will either refund the
deposit or transfer it to a future workshop.
If
it is less than two weeks in advance of the workshop we will
hold the deposit and allow it to be transferred to any other workshop
within a 6 month time.
If it is less than 48 hrs in advance of the workshop the deposit
will not be transferred or refunded.
The workshop is full and has been closed
(we have stopped accepting registrations):
Once a workshop has been closed the deposit will only be refunded or
transferred if we are able to fill the space with another student from
the waiting list or through re-opened registration, no matter if it
is more or less than two weeks prior to the workshop date.
Deposits are only transferable once. If you cancel your transfered
registration the deposit becomes forfeit.
We will be continually adding Questions & Answers to this page as they arise. If you have a question you think should be addressed in our FAQs let us know!
If you have any questions about the program feel free to give us a call,
or send an e-mail to info@practicalprimitive.com.