Wilderness & Survival Skills
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Backwoods Hygiene & Improvised First Aid
Good hygiene is even more important when you are out in the woods than it
is when you are at home and the importance of proper
sanitation in a backwoods or survival situation can not be overstated
— more people become sick from a "casual" attitude toward
hygiene and sanitation than from almost anything else!
This new workshop will
teach you how and where to dig a latrine, ways to keep your perishables
safe, plants that can be used as soaps and several other simple rules that
will help you keep your food, your camp and your self in a state
of safe cleanliness.
But what if you're out in the back country and
something DOES go wrong? Learn how to improvise
bandages, deal with cuts and wounds using some "must-know"
medicinal plants, and amazing alternative uses for common bathroom
items that should always be in your backpack or GO Bag.
NOTE: The improvised first aid techniques taught in
this workshop have been used and proven effective
by our good friend Mark Wright throughout his 20 year career as an Independant
Duty Corpsman with the US Navy. As with all of our workshops, we only teach
what we KNOW!
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THIS OUT!
The
Photos: See the pictures that we took during this workshop
at our Texas location in June '09
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered. ‹‹
Braintanning
We will be focusing on the Wet Scrape method of naturally tanning hides, and after three hard days of work you will leave with your very own piece of freshly completed braintan! We'll walk you through the entire process step-by-step, from fleshing to final smoking of the hide. As you'll see, the Wet Scrape method produces a finished product that is superior to traditional dry scrape (which will be briefly reviewed) in many ways, and far more luxurious than commercial, chemically tanned, buckskin.
›› For information on current Braintanning classes, please check out the schedule from our good friends at Two Wolves. ‹‹
Bone Working
Anyone who has spent time in the woods knows the value of a simple pair of tweezers, whether for slivers or for ticks. But if your handy Swiss Army set went missing, would you know how to make an easy replacement pair? Bone has be used in many different ways for many different tools. Learn how to make bone knives, arrow points, fish hooks, awls, tweezers and much more. You will also learn which bones work best for what tools, as well as how to sharpen and maintain those handy bone implements.
| January 17 | Toms River, NJ | $85 | ›› Sorry, this workshop is now full ‹‹ |
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NEW! Natural Glues & Adhesives
Being able to stick things together became very important very quickly to our ancestors. Where would the atlatl dart or the arrow have been without the ability to properly haft a point onto the shaft and have it stay right where you put it?! This workshop will focus on all things sticky, and you will learn how to find, harvest process and store pitch, how to render down birch tar (our new favorite glue!), how to make hide glue, and more. You'll also learn some suprising uses for these natural glues and adhesives, and what types of things they can be used for "in a pinch".
| February 13 | Toms River, NJ | $85 | Register Now! (Only 2 spaces left!) |
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Making Fire
Creating fire without the use of matches, flint and steel, or magnesium strips is not only possible, but the basic methods are easy to learn. Discover how you can create fire using the Bow drill and Hand drill, as well as the Fire Saw and other methods.
Those with previous experience in this art will learn new variations on the basic techniques and find new challenges that come with real world scenarios, including the use of natural cordage. You will build your own bow drill kit to take home with you, learn how to build the proper fire structures for different uses and varying situations, and discover more about the vital roles that tinder and coal extenders can play.
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The
Video: Don't believe friction fire can be easy?
Our instructional video on Proper
Bowdrill Form will guide you step-by-step to make Bowdrill
fast, effortless, and consistent
Skill
of the Month: A Perfect Notch is
key to effortless bowdrill. Follow these Skill of the Month instructions from
our February 2009 newsletter to make notch-making easy.
| January 16 | Toms River, NJ | $85 | ›› Sorry, this workshop is now full ‹‹ |
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Front-yard Foraging — An Introduction to Common Edibles
There are sooooo many plants out there that the idea of "Foraging" can
become overwhelming. So take a day to begin your education with a few
tasty choices that can be found right outside your own front door.
Believe
it or not, every year people spend thousands of dollars spraying poisons
on their lawns to get rid of healthy, delicious, nutritionally-packed edible
plants for the simple reason that they are not grass. But with the rising
cost of grocery bills and the more and more common
news stories on salmonella and e. coli in our "fresh" food system,
perhaps the time has come to learn what our grandparents always knew —
the best food comes from our own front yards.
This workshop will focus on several common and easily identifiable edible
plants, many of which are no doubt growing in your own yard or local
park. You will learn how to identify and harvest these tasty edibles, as
well as several different ways to prepare each one.
Some, like dandelions, you
may already know without having an understanding that these "unsightly
weeds" actually have more nutritional content that anything you can
pay top dollar for in at Organic Foods market!
A fun, educational and delicious day, this is another great workshop for
teachers, parents, Scout leaders and others who work with kids.
And a great way to get connected back to the outdoors!
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered. ‹‹
Foraging & Gathering: Edible, Medicinal & Otherwise Useful Plants
The world of plants is vast and requires that you spend time learning — there are no short cuts.
Luckily it is also a world of tasty, nutritious, helpful and exceedingly useful
brothers and sisters! Though the study of plants may appear intimidating at first,
the hands-on experience you'll receive in this workshop will make things
much easier. We'll cover how to discover the most common plants in your home
environment, and the best way to use them in each season. We will collect, process,
and prepare plants that will provide you with the best nutritional "punch" for
that time of year (and are very tasty too!)
Learn to view the landscape from an entirely new perspective and develop an appreciation for the power and variety of all you will find when you learn to "Go Slow and Look Low".
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THIS OUT!
Student
Comments: Read what past students of this workshop have
to say
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered. ‹‹
Spring Foraging
The Spring Green-up is one of the most exciting times of the year! Winter stores are all but gone, root vegetable are soft and woody, and even the most highly acidic of acorns have disappeared from the ground. When those first green shoots begin to appear it is cause for celebration in the two- and four-legged foraging communities alike!
Come spend the day learning to find and identify those tiny, flowerless bits of green that come with the opening weeks of spring. Discover the world of chickweed, the wonders of violets, how to eat pokeweed safely, and just how delicious a dandelion can be.
(And the perfect day to break in your new Gathering Basket!)
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THIS OUT!
The
Photos: We held our first Spring Foraging workshop in
April '09 at our main location in New Jersey — here are just some of the photos from that beautiful spring day!
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered. ‹‹
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The "GO" Bag
GO Bag — Bug-out Bag — GOOD Bag (Get Out
Of Dodge) — Emergency Survival Kit — Whatever you choose
to call it, this is the one piece of indespensible equipement that EVERYONE
must have. There is no excuse for being unprepared in an emergency
situation, whatever it may be. The ability to move quickly and easily,
knowing everything you need is ready to be picked up on a moment's notice,
can make all the difference. Self-reliance is about
knowing that you are prepared for virtually any type of emergency situation,
and while a thorough knowledge of survival strategies is indispensable,
a well-prepared emergency kit can make the unexpected far less dangerous,
and increase your odds of safety and survival exponentially.
We each have our own Bug-out Bags that GO everywhere
we do, and so should you and each member of your family (including pets!)
This workshop will teach you how to put together your own emergency
kit, of which the GOOD Bag is the main portable module. You will
learn what to put in your kit, how to use each item in various survival
and emergency scenarios, and methods of packing your bag that will keep
the items inside in a safe and useable condition over the long term.
While
the odds of having to use your GO Bag
are (hopefully!) slim, never forget the old saying: “Failure to Plan is
Planning to Fail.”
| February 14 | Toms River, NJ | $85 | Register Now! (Only 1 space left!) |
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Making & Using Natural Cordage
Whether you call it cordage, rope, string or twine, it's all made from something, but "from what?" is not a question that many people think to ask. More often than not the strongest, the finest, and the most utilitarian types of cordage can be made from some inauspicious plant or grass that is growing right nearby. In this workshop you'll get out into the field and discover how to identify, harvest and process a variety of different cordage plants and materials. When it comes to making cordage we'll go much farther than just your basic reverse wrap. 3-ply cordage, thigh rolling, plaited loops, bowstrings and more will all be covered, along cordage options from animal parts such as sinew and rawhide. Lastly, we'll go over how cordage materials can be used as clothing and you'll make your own fiber sandal to take home. You'll never look at that roll of string the same way again!
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THIS OUT!
Student Comments: Read
what past students of this workshop have to say
Skill
of the Month: The June '08 issue of our monthly
newsletter featured one of our most unexpectedly popular Skill of
the Month features: The Plaited Loop.
| February 12 | Toms River, NJ | $85 | Register Now! (Only 1 space left!) |
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Medicinal Plants
Begin your journey into unlocking the powerful medicines that the plant kingdom has to offer as you prepare your own tinctures, salves, decoctions and infusions to take home with you. We'll cover all the basics, including where to find your ingredients (both in nature and online), the materials you'll need for your preparations, and some of the indispensable resources that will assist you as you continue on this new and exciting path. Open yourself up to a whole new world as you develop a deeper understanding of the ways in which we all can learn the language of our plant brothers and sisters.
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THIS OUT!
The
Photos: Our Medicinal Plants workshop
in Texas this past June was a great day of discovery and fun! Everyone
left with the beginnings of their own "natural medicinals
kit", and the knowledge to keep adding to it! Check out some
of the photos to see for yourself.
Skill
of the Month: Our September '08 newsletter profiled
one of the easiest (and tastiest) natural cold remedies around. Pine
Needle Tea is super-high in vitamin C and the expectorant and decongestant
qualities can be very helpful when fighting a cough and cold. See these
step-by-step instructions to try it for yourself.
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered. ‹‹
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››NEW! Black & White Cooking: The Art of Cooking on Coals and Ash
Where did we get the idea that primitive cooking is all about bug soup and grasshopper-kabobs? Come join us for a proper primitive feast, and discover how delicious and easy it can be to cook over (and on) an open fire! Learn how to build the most effective fire structures for creating the perfect bed of coals and ash, and get your hands dirty as we prepare a full-on multi-course meal, including coal-roasted meats and vegetables, spit-cooked fish, kabobs and delicious ash cake deserts. This is a real experience, and the hands-on knowledge you take home will make you the hit of your next family camping trip or backyard Bar-B-Q!!
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THIS OUT!
Skill
of the Month: One of our favorite campfire treats is Ash
Cakes, and we shared the recipe and step-by-step instructions as our December
'07 Skill of the Month. We hope you'll enjoy them too!
| March 21 | Toms River, NJ | $95 | Register Now! |
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Immediate Need & Emergency Shelters
Staying warm (or cool) and dry when outdoors overnight can be the difference between getting home safe, or not. Exposure to the elements is one of the leading causes of hospitalization and death for those who find themselves lost, injured or stranded outside overnight. How to build an emergency shelter is something that everyone who spends time outdoors should know, and it's a simple skill to learn! During this one day workshop you will construct multiple "Immediate Need" shelters (including a much easier version of the debris hut, a body hollow, and others) and discover how to use practical options and variations to best suit your shelter to the season, situation and environment in which you find yourself. Learn to apply the important principals of shelter building that will allow you to survive comfortably in any temperature.
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered. ‹‹
Short-term & Small-Group Shelters
This workshop will focus on shelter styles that are suitable for smaller groups, which are less labor- and material-intensive than building several individual shelters, but not as large of a project as building a permanent or semi-permanent dwelling. These shelters will comfortably sleep 2–4 people, making them ideal for small groups, primitive camps and planned survival outings, or for extended individual stays, as they allow room for both sleep and work areas. Quick and easy to make (relatively speaking), they blend with the landscape and offer more spacious accomodations than the standard debris hut or body hollow.
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered. ‹‹
Long-term Living Shelters
Participate in the construction of a long term, semi-permanent shelter. We'll discuss a variety of advanced shelter types, and the pros and cons of each, depending on the weather and the materials that are most readily available. Each time we run this class a different style of shelter will be constructed.
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered.‹‹
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Survival Skills 101
"Why should I bother to learn survival skills? There's no wilderness left!" Whether it's a wrong turn down a closed road, an accidental separation when hiking, hunting or camping, or a natural disaster at home or abroad, too many people find themselves in situations that are unfamiliar and out of their control with no idea how to help themselves or their families. Unless you know how to stay warm and dry with no tent or sleeping bag, build a fire without matches, lighter, or flint, find safe drinking water, prepare an animal without a knife, or what plants are safe to eat, then you need this class! Learn how to build a proper shelter, make fire by friction, find and purify water, locate and harvest food, spin your own cordage and make your own stone tools. Open the door to a whole new relationship with the Earth as you prepare yourself for any possibility that you and your family may face.
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THIS OUT!
Student
Comments: Read what past students of this workshop have
to say
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered.‹‹
Working with Rawhide
One of nature's wonder materials, rawhide is useful for a so many different purposes! You will turn rawhide into cordage, containers, par fleches, and many other useful items.
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered.‹‹
Woods Wisdom: Bushcraft Basics
If you have looked at the other classes we offer with interest but don't feel ready to try them because you've never spend much time camping or in the woods, look no further. This is a class designed especially for those with limited or no outdoor experience. Learn the basics of camping and bushcraft, such as how to select a camp site and set up a tent, how to sharpen (and safely use) a knife and an ax, and how to prepare a fire for the purposes of cooking, light, and warmth. You will also get your hands in on cooking over an open fire, learn how to avoid outdoor hazards and what to do in case of an emergency. Then, to round out your outdoors knowledge and help you gain the confidence to venture out on those initial trips, you'll learn about basic navigation and gear selection — both what you need and don't need to have a great time in your price range and at your comfort level. If you have ever wanted to spend more time outdoors but didn't know where to start, then this is the course for you!
›› This workshop is not currently on the schedule, but we'll let you know the next time it's offered.‹‹