In wilderness survival or in the case of a natural disaster it will be crucial that you build a shelter to survival hash climates or conditions. Understanding how to create effective survival shelters is one of the most important skills you will learn. From keeping you protected from the elements to providing a place to rest, survival shelters serve a key role in survival situations. We will discuss many types of shelters depending on factors that include ‘what materials are available, environmental conditions, choice of heat source, and whether it will be a personal or group shelter’. We will team build a shelter with the class to demonstrate effective shelter building techniques and philosophy in action.

This class will discuss primitive tool making such as stone axes, primitive footwear, burn bowls, primitive water filtration units, and bow and arrow making. Surviving weeks or even months without the bare essentials can make surviving additionally hard. Learning how to make something as simple as shoes in the wilderness can make even the simplest tasks more tolerable in a survival situation. Creating tools from the wilderness will allow you to “thrive in the wilderness rather than attempting to survive in the wilderness”. Many primitive tools will be built from the local wilderness area we will be teaching from. This class will open your mind to the unlimited opportunities nature lends us in times of need.

This class will teach you true self-reliance; the ability to make fire anywhere, and anytime with no tools. You will be taught two methods, the Hand Drill and the Bow Drill. The Hand Drill method is the most primitive and thus requires tremendous focus and energy. You spin a wooden stick against a wood board with your bare hands and make a small ember which is then blown into a flame. This method has had one of the widest distributions on earth, and is now nearly a forgotten skill due to inventions like the match, or lighter. The hand drill method is a thing of beauty and art. Second you will learn about the Bow Drill method. Historically Bow drills were used between the 4th and 5th millennium BC. Similar drills were found in other parts of the Indus Valley Civilization and Iran one millennium later. This method is a lot easier to master, and can also be used to bore holes into wood or stone. After learning and practicing both of these methods you will have the ability to create fire in any circumstance that may present itself.

This class will teach you about the native plants on the property that are edible and medicinal. The instructor will take you on a plant tour where you will interact with each plant first hand, offering an amazing learning experience. Bring a note book so that you can take notes along the way. All other materials will be provided. Learning about the plants in your area is a fantastic way to connect with nature. This class will dive into the names, uses, and medicinal qualities of each plant we encounter. We may also talk about its historical usage over time by different cultures if applicable. This is a great learning experience and a lot of fun!

Post disaster or in a survival situation, traps can capture animals that provide you precious calories from meat and fat. Traps can work for you while you are off accomplishing other tasks, if they are set correctly. You will be taught how to build various traps to target small to large game animals. All of these traps will be built primitively using resources that lend themselves to us while in the field. Understanding how to build primitive traps will allow you to provide for yourself and others if you are cut off from civilized food sources. Here is a picture from our trip to Pakistan. Here we are teaching participants how to set a primitive snare.

After a natural disaster people may be caught for weeks or months without pure drinkable water. Even in a wilderness survival situation it is important to purify water to protect yourself from bacteria and viruses that may be in the water. This class will discuss and demonstrate everything you need to know about water purification, and filtering. You will be taught how to purify water without a container in the field, and how to filter it so that it is clear and safe to drink. Various methods will be discussed and demonstrated starting with the most primitive, and ending with modern techniques you can use in a post disaster situation. After this class you will leave with the essential knowledge you need to maintain pure hydration for yourself and others in any situation.

The knowledge of how to transform clay into pottery signifies a major leap forward for prehistoric cultures. Our ancient ancestors had a deep connection with the earth, and this workshop will reconnect you with their skills. Here you will pound residual clay chunks down with stones, and refine it into clay. Then you will be taught how to properly hydrate it, and begin working on your pottery piece. You will be showed multiple methods used around the world, and will gain the knowledge to create your own pottery from the earth. If you are interested in pottery, primitive skills, or sustainable living this workshop is a great 1 hour adventure back in time. No experience is necessary and all are invited to reconnect with nature.