Wild Food and Self-Reliance Discovery

Saturday, August 8, 10 a.m. MEDICINE AND FOOD FORAGING WALK
TO attend and for exact location, Register HERE

EAT TO YOUR HEALTH: Eat your Medicine. Learn about native and non-native Edible and Medicinal, and Utilitarian plants.

WITH DISCUSSION OF PLANT FAMILIES.
We’ll do a short walk along a trail in the Arroyo Seco to see and study the native, and introduced plants. We’ll be seeing chaparral plants, riparian plants, and exotics. We’ll see a good selection of plants, and you’ll get an understanding of what plants are found in the fall. You will also learn a bit about Plant Families, and families that are entirely safe.
We’ll explore and learn about the medicinal properties of many plants, and we’ll collect some of the wild edibles. Our goal will be to sample at least a wild soup, so be sure to bring your bowl.
Besides learning about the food and medicinal uses of the plants, you’ll learn a little about which plants are good for fire-making, and which are good for cordage/basketry.
Leisurely walk. Bring a canteen of water, a bowl, and a camera.
We’ll cook a few wild food dishes too, so bring your bowl.
$65 ($45 seniors/ students).
Location sent with registration.

To attend and for exact location, Register HERE
The location provided below may change, register to get exact location.

Learn to make traps, triggers, snares, deadfalls — learn by doing!
Thursday, August 13, noon
We recognize that hunting and fishing are long-established methods of putting food on the table, especially during times of hardship and emergency. Though I have never really been what you’d call a “hunter,” I always wanted to know how to capture and clean animals for food, if I had to. I learned originally how to clean animals by using roadkill, and fish that I caught. Later, I learned how to make and use primitive traps from various sources, such as Paul Campbell and Larry Dean Olsen. So if you’re like me, and just want to know how to make these devices “just in case,” please come to the class.
We’ll meet in the Arroyo Seco to learn which woods are best for traps and triggers. Then’ we’ll work on carving a deadfall trigger, a trigger for a quail trap, and more.
You’re learn by doing.

Bring your knife! (We have extras if you don’t have one)

We’ll see edible and medicinal plants. Bring your canteen.

To attend and for exact location, Register HERE
The location noted below may change, so register for exact location.

HANDS-ON FIRE-MAKING WORKSHOP — August 15, 10 a.m.

FIRE! Yes, it can be dangerous, and yet, it can save your life. Uncontrolled, fire can be devastating. Yet, once you learn how to make and control fire, it’s possibly one of your most important survival skills since you use fire to stay warm, to purify water, to cook food, to signal, to make tools, etc. etc.
Learn how to make fire by several primitive methods. You will learn the 4 Principles by which fire is generated: friction, the sun, chemicals, and electricity. You will practice several of these, and learn the best techniques for mastery.

You will use reflectors and magnifying glasses, batteries, flint and steel, the bow, the hand drill, the piston, magnesium and others.
You will learn by doing. You goal will be to create an ember, and “mother” it to a flame. You will learn which woods are best, and how to process your woods.
A short walk will be included to see which plants are best for your fire-making kit.

This class applies to our Bushcraft Certificate.
Location 2. Details sent with registration.
Copies of our books are available at all classes.

To attend and for exact location, Register HERE
The location noted below may change, please register for exact location.

August 20 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
$30.00 – $45.00
mid-day GOURD WORKSHOP
Thursday, August 20, noon.

Here’s another ancient skill that you’ll enjoy learning. Botanists know that the “ornamental gourds” came out of Africa, and somehow made it to the American south, and spread to the Southwest. How they got to the Americas is a matter of debate — some say they simply floated, but it’s very likely that they simply came on one of the many boats from Africa that came to the Americas in the pre-Columbian era.
You will get to choose a gourd, and learn all the steps necessary to clean, cut, sand, and create a funtional product.
Each person will work on turning an ornamental gourd into a bowl for eating, or perhaps a canteen, ladle, or plate.
There are several skill sets involved, and we’ll talk you through them so you’ll understand the mechanics of making a gourd that you’ll be happy to use.

We’ll bring tools, but if you have a good knife, hacksaw, fine files, bring them! Not a highly-complicated craft, but requires patience. You will select a gourd that we bring, and clean it, decide where to cut it — no two gourds are alike — and then clean the inside and smooth the sharp edges. You’ll end up with a new skill and a bowl or dish that you can use right away.
You’ll also get to take seeds home so you can grow your own if you have the space.

$45. [$30 for seniors/students] RSVP for this one so we bring enough gourds! Location given after you register.