Learning Primitive/Survival Skills

[hassysmacker]

i fucking hate how expensive these things are goddammit. especially because i'm holed up for the next 6 months just north of the bay in bolinas, ca at a permaculture internship with no income, so i dont know if i'd be able to do it.

 

[compass]

workshare program, I'll be hittin 'em up, the site says they need the help. Might be able to go for free.

This is the first year, but it looks like people involved with Echoes in Time and some other people in the primitive skills world are involved with this one, so it should be pretty cool.

From what I've heard about these gatherings, especially Rabbitstick/Wintercount, is that alot of people end up spending alot more money than they originally anticipated. I look at the price for registration, and compared to the schools, it's great, but the materials costs for the classes can add up quick ($100 to make a bow), and lunch isn't included, so you've got to acquire and pack in food, or buy it from the people that sell lunch there. I've been told to expect paying at least $500 for the whole event, and that's "minimal".

I still think it would be cool to go to the event for free or really cheap on the workshare program, and just hang out, meet cool people, and at least get to watch the classes, maybe spring for some of the cheaper ones. You could probably do the whole event, gain some valuable knowledge, make friends and have a good time for really cheap.

 

[tallhorseman]

I know this don't sound all cool -n- shit, but Boy Scouts. Enroll your kids or volunteer to teach, and learn from the other Scout Masters.

One of the most wilderness savvy men I know is an insurance salesman who teaches Scouting at a presbyterian church.

 

[coldsteelrail]

Does anyone know of any primitive skills group in montreal? someone said something about linking me to them once, but they didn't. I have been searching, found the email of some professor of some kind who ran a group, but the dude hasn't replied back to me...if anyone reads this post, and happens to know if this group is still ongoing, well you know what to do.

 

[hiveranno]

Is there anyone on here who can teach, or knows of a good person or place to learn primitive/survival skills hands on, for cheap or free?

It's a shame how many people with these skills talk about how neccessary it is for us to learn to be closer to nature and live off the land with the resources immediately available, but still have to live within the system, and charge a shitload of money for courses.

I'm willing to travel pretty much anywhere if I can learn a broad set of skills.

I've got alot of videos and books downloaded, and I know I can just go out and try using those on my own, but I think there is still no replacement for learning directly from a skilled person who can correct mistakes and provide direct feedback. Plus, the teacher/student, master/apprentice relationship is just part of the experience for me, makes it more human and closer to natural order.

Compass. Ive lived in the back country for 4yrs. im not some money grabber living in a nice home and teaching what i read form a book two days ago. ive traveled all over northern mn and lived where i ended up everyday. ive settled on a big piece of papermill land and have been here for who knows how long with no interuption, intervention or bulls trying to tell me i cant. minnesota has some harsh days in the winter but all in all its been great. im gearing up for some travels west then south then east to meet others that want to get back to the roots. fresh venison and wild onions, indian potatoes, gardens, fresh fish and all the treats the wilderness provides is going to be hard to let go of for awhile and hopefully will be found along the way. i do this because i enjoy it and want to pass it to others. i will be gone from april to july-ish and maybe link up with you along the way. :chug:

hiveranno

 

[compass]

Right on! I'm definitely down to meet up at some point. Keep us posted on your travels. Thank you!

 

[Tare]

Dank. Can i come?

 

[Riverbrooks]

Daaaamn Firefly gathering looks wicked! too bad it would cost ALL of my fuckin money... :/

 

[JonnyDrainpipe]

Compass. Ive lived in the back country for 4yrs. im not some money grabber living in a nice home and teaching what i read form a book two days ago. ive traveled all over northern mn and lived where i ended up everyday. ive settled on a big piece of papermill land and have been here for who knows how long with no interuption, intervention or bulls trying to tell me i cant. minnesota has some harsh days in the winter but all in all its been great. im gearing up for some travels west then south then east to meet others that want to get back to the roots. fresh venison and wild onions, indian potatoes, gardens, fresh fish and all the treats the wilderness provides is going to be hard to let go of for awhile and hopefully will be found along the way. i do this because i enjoy it and want to pass it to others. i will be gone from april to july-ish and maybe link up with you along the way. :chug:

hiveranno

Where in MN did you settle? I grew up in the woods near Duluth, Minnesota is definitely a great place to live off the land. City slickers don't know shit about the pure awesome of fresh venison.
As for books to check out, I had a U.S Army field survival manual (FM 21-76) that I got when I was young. Super cool thing to have along, the best part was the color picture section of edible and poisonous plants and their uses.

 

[AmandaLynn]

hey great primative community I visited about 45 min out of Asheville. Wild Roots. Learn primative skills by doing them every day, making it a complete lifestyle. Really great people, check em out. Wildroots Earthskills Homestead

 

[hassysmacker]

good to hear that wild roots is awesome, i really meant to check them out, but wound up skipping over asheville all together when i was in that area of the country.

 

[AmandaLynn]

yeah they're really awesome, 30 acres that backs up to the Pisgah national forest. Chip in each month for the phone bill. All food is either grown, wild harvested or dumpstered. Lots of primative building/brewing/fire-building and over all living.

 

[shwillyhaaa]

organic arbitralily placed farms are a great thing god has given us... along with a big group of hippys living off the land in the middle of the woods... by next big project

 

[rezmutts]

Wow! I truly want to pick back up our old ways of survival. Being A Dine(Navajo), We have to preserve our traditions of songs, chants, sweat lodge and gathering herbs before going out and hunting.

 

[AmandaLynn]

agreed, there are a lot of really great communities out there, and there could be so many more!! I've found that the community of primative skills people around Asheville is going really strong. They run the Earthskills Rendevous(rivercane and falling leaves) another group of them run Firefly. Most of GreenPaths camp at Rainbow is from Asheville.

Just learning to be aware of your enviorment, to know each plant, to know how to survive in your bio-region. Let's go back to the land before the apocalypse gets here.

 

[fordlover58401]

man am i sure glad i took the wilderness survival class at boy scout camp lol!!!

 

[Eatgarlic]

i'm glad this thread exists and glad that i am not the only one who gets pissed to tears when i see the prices of some of these damn primitive skills gatherings....nothing like payin' 100+ dollars to go hang out with rich white people who know how to tan a hide and know it because they could afford to pay for it to learn as a hobby (i'm totally exaggerating and making kind of a blanket statement here but you know what im talkin bout...)

my answer? I've been teaching myself shit for around 3 years now and trying to pick the brain of anyone i know who has the skills i want to learn. I've focused mostly of herbal medicine and foraging, but i really want to get good at lots of other stuff too.

i want to look into some of these cheaper gatherings this coming year though...

 

[Linda/Ziggy]

Hey,

There are alot of ways to learn these things WITHOUT MONEY or a teacher.
First I would say get to a library and study study study as many field guides as you can.
Just get outside and look at things, take samples etc.
I keep a wild edibles journal with descriptions and when poss, leaf samples.

I also share info with friends who are into this stuff,
I always make a note of wild edibles in the town where I live,
like a map, where it is, when it's available.
Maybe start a skillshare ? Primitive living skills group ?
DIY !

Alot of courses are super expensive and even these 'experts' get it wrong and die!!
One of those TV shows , the guy set his shelter/bedding on fire nearly died.

But saying that I am trying to go to Buckeye in Nor Cal this year.
Because it's not far from where I live (Ukiah) and it would be even more expensive
if I had to travel cross country to another gather. So it evens out the price.
It's $300 basic camping/food/instruction/total immersion/trade circle etc for a week (which is pretty darn good!)
but some teachers charge for materials,
(mainly bow making/leather work etc)
but if there is something I want to learn that they are charging extra for I
will ask to help out or just watch & not use materials.

I have done wilderness camping most of my life and was raised by a scout master (but rebelled and did
the Campfire Girl thing instead).
Now I am doing work/live trade on a ranch as the live in organic/permie gardener,
so can really focus on self taught survival skills. Which is awesome!

Good luck
Linda/Ziggy

 

[dharma bum]

As for books to check out, I had a U.S Army field survival manual (FM 21-76) that I got when I was young. Super cool thing to have along, the best part was the color picture section of edible and poisonous plants and their uses.

i agree. what i didn't learn in the boyscouts, i've found very useful in this manual (albeit mine doesn't have the color pages for edible plants... or anything else for that matter). you can learn so much survival info in that damned book, even when you have little to nothing with you. it's all about IMPROVISING!!! i think that's what the "I" in "S.U.R.V.I.V.E." means in the manual. lots of cool tricks... i.e., making a raft and getting across a strong current to the other side of an "unfordable" river. repelling down steep cliffs safely without a harness, just a rope, making traps for fish so you don't have to wait by your lines all day, etc. US ARMY Survival Manual/Field book. wise investment. other than that, it's just trial and error. if you kind of know what you're doing and fail the first time, you'll get it right the second time. otherwise, you didn't learn your lesson and weren't that miserable to begin with.
good luck with your learnings!