What we’re about
This is a group for everyone who feels we've lost touch with our roots -- feeling lost that most urban dwellers no longer know how to grow and preserve food, find food, etc. We'll meet and discuss, and do hands-on workshops to get back to our fundamental skills of self-reliance. This is all about modern empowerment -- looking to the past to find meaning in the future. This is an opportunity to network with like-minded people and learn what they are doing, and to learn and practice new skills each time we meet.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- LUNCHTIME SHELTER WORKSHOPHahamonga Watershed County Park (formerly Oak Grove), La canada, CA
To attend and for exact location, register HERE
Thursday, September 11, Noon, LUNCHTIME SHELTER WORKSHOP
We need shelter not just from the cold, but from rain, wind, even the sun. The location and circumstances dictate what sort of shelter we build. And in an emergency, we have to be very creative about how to make a shelter, or to find something to adapt as a shelter.
You will learn about setting up a tent, and some simple shelter ideas from tarps.
Learn the most basic of wilderness shelters, and work on at least two primitive shelters. Bring gloves!
You will also learn about some of the useful plants of the area.
Meet at Location 2, Hahamongna Watershed Park. - LOCKSMITHING CLASSHahamonga Watershed County Park (formerly Oak Grove), La canada, CA
## September 13 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
$45.00 – $65.00
Basic Locksmithing Class taught by Keith Farrar and James RutherTo attend and for exact location, register HERE
You will gain a basic understanding of how locks work, and you will learn the art of opening a lock without a key.
Class Size Limited. Please RSVP for Class Location.
Class size limited due to need for personal instruction.
$5 of the $65 class fee is the cost of the tools you take home. (Additional tools available to purchase)
In this introduction to the art of lock-smithing, you will learn how a pin tumbler lock works, as well as how to pick a standard pin tumbler lock.
A pin tumbler lock is the most common lock found on homes. Understanding the inner-workings of a pin-tumbler lock, including how to re-key your lock and how to pick your lock are valuable pieces of knowledge while working toward self-reliance.
Our class will take you through the details of the pin tumbler lock and you will learn how pin tumbler locks are picked open. You will work through the process using locks that are super easy to pick through locks that are very difficult to pick. By class end you will understand exactly how this process works and you will find success opening several locks without keys, using only bypass tools.
You will work through various steps of difficulty from a single pin (to get the feel) to a 5 pin lock with a difficult pinning order.
We’ll look at high-security locks, pick guns, plug spinners, and other basic locksmith tools.
You will also learn how to proceed to more advanced studies in the field of lock-smithing. - HEALING with NATIVE PLANTS with ENRIQUE VILLASENORHahamonga Watershed County Park (formerly Oak Grove), La canada, CA
To attend and for location details, Register HERE
## September 20 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
$45.00 – $65.00
Saturday, September 20, 10 a.m.
HEALING WITH NATIVE PLANTS WITH ENRIQUE VILLASENOR
ETHNO-BOTANY SERIES: – part of our certification program.This is a rare opportunity to learn in the field with Enrique Villaseñor, associate of Dr. James Adams, and co-author of “Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West.”
In this Session, we focus upon MEDICINAL PLANTS.
Enrique Villaseñor, a co-author of the book “Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West”, will conduct today’s class on traditional medicinal plants. This class, as part of our Ethno-botanical series, will include a walk, and a workshop where students will learn how to make the healing medicines. Villaseñor will discuss the appropriate medicinal uses of elder, white sage, black sage, California sagebrush, mugwort, prickly pear cactus, and other plants that may be present on the trail. Students will learn specific recipes for making foot soaks, liniment, and other herbal medicines.Enrique Villaseñor is a multi-ethnic Healer, naturalist, cyclist and author with indigenous ancestry. Enrique learned traditional healing from his mother and Dr. James Adams, Professor Emeritus from USC. As part of this process, Enrique has researched and taught traditional healing, participated in field studies, has co-authored several papers with Dr. James Adams, and is a co-author of the fourth edition of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West.
In his 35 years as a teacher, he taught elementary, middle, and adult school, he was was an Instructional Advisor, where he focused on training teachers. Among his many other achievements, working with several agencies, he designed, built, and maintained the award-winning El Oro Way Habitat, a two-acre, outdoor classroom with primarily California native plants and trees.
NOTE: It is suggested that you bring a folding chair.
We’ll discuss some of the ideal literature about healing with herbs, and some of the herbs you can grow in your own yard.
Books will be available, as well as pre-made herbal linaments.
If you have special requests, let us know ahead of time.THIS IS A FIELD TRIP. Location given after registration.
Class fee $65. (Seniors/students $45)
