This is an ongoing, drop in class that needs your help! Tanning a bison in a week is no easy task and it takes a village to do it! At anytime during the gathering come and help us tan this beautiful beast and learn the process of brain tanning large hides with the dry scrape technique. In 4 days we will tan the entire bison hide and then after the hide has been imbue with all of our hard-work and magic, it will be put up as an item in our 50/50 raffle! Come and lend your energy and let us gather around this project! All are welcome! We need your help! The schedule for the project will look something like this: Day 1: Making the Frame, framing the hide, fleshing the hide (full day) TUESDAY Day 2: Thinning the hide and Dressing #1 (full day) Day 3: Dressing #2 and #3 and softening (full day) Day 4: Smoking the hide (Full day) Bison and other large, now extinct, megafauna used to roam the landscape of North America alongside humans. With stone tools in hand and prayers of gratitude in heart, humans formed deep relation with the Bison that lasted tens of thousands of years. With the few Bison that remain, we can again learn to connect with them by tanning their hides for clothes, blankets, shelter, and hundreds of other uses. Come and remember what it feels like to be in awe of such a large beast.

We will make a Springtime Tea to support our body during the spring and allergy season. We will use dry herbs to blend the tea and bag it into individual tea bags. Some of the tea will be available for everyone at breakfast during the event. You will also take some tea bags home with you.

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Class is ongoing. Drop in and stay a while. If you want to fire a pot on Saturday, you need to finish it early Friday.

Make a Native American flute out of rivercane or a blowgun - your choice! Class open to ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

In these times, stress is a huge issue. We will discuss how to heal ourselves by using food as medicine (mostly preventative). We will also look at how nervines will help our frayed nerves and how adaptogenic herbs can heal our adrenals. We will discuss which of these grow in this region. We will make and sample some of the remedies we discuss.

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Class is ongoing. Drop in and stay a while. If you want to fire a pot on Saturday, you need to finish it early Friday.

Make a Native American flute out of rivercane or a blowgun - your choice! Open to ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent our guardian).

Learn the art of moving on landscapes in the silence of the mind. We will tie together the skills of stalking and quite mind, and practice the various ways you can silence the mind to still the body... Having learned the skill set for how to achieve silence of the mind and heart we will put our skills to the test in stalking games. We will review the basic movements of the fox walk and the stalking step, crawl and slither. Then we will have fun playing against each other. Age 13 and Up

Learn to manipulate loose wool roving around a resist to create a seamless felted pouch. An introduction to this primitive textile skill that uses hot water, soap, and “elbow grease” to turn loose fibers into a sturdy, solid fabric. Ages 12+ Limit 8 students $15

This is an ongoing, drop in class that needs your help! Tanning a bison in a week is no easy task and it takes a village to do it! At anytime during the gathering come and help us tan this beautiful beast and learn the process of brain tanning large hides with the dry scrape technique. In 4 days we will tan the entire bison hide and then after the hide has been imbue with all of our hard-work and magic, it will be put up as an item in our 50/50 raffle! Come and lend your energy and let us gather around this project! All are welcome! We need your help! The schedule for the project will look something like this: Day 1: Making the Frame, framing the hide, fleshing the hide (full day) Day 2: Thinning the hide and Dressing #1 (full day) WEDNESDAY Day 3: Dressing #2 and #3 and softening (full day) Day 4: Smoking the hide (Full day) Bison and other large, now extinct, megafauna used to roam the landscape of North America alongside humans. With stone tools in hand and prayers of gratitude in heart, humans formed deep relation with the Bison that lasted tens of thousands of years. With the few Bison that remain, we can again learn to connect with them by tanning their hides for clothes, blankets, shelter, and hundreds of other uses. Come and remember what it feels like to be in awe of such a large beast.

Learn the ins and outs of making herbal skin salves. You will also learn how to create herbal oil infusions and creating your own recipes with a handy worksheet. If there is time, we will discuss how making a cream is different than making a salve. Everyone will take some salve home.

We will be making medicines with vinegar including Fire Cider, Garlic Elixir and Vitamin Vinegars. You can take home some fire cider decanted from the class last spring!

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Class is ongoing. Drop in and stay a while. If you want to fire a pot on Saturday, you need to finish it early Friday.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish.

Make a rivercane blowgun or flute - your choice! Class open to ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

Continuation of morning class

Learn to coil with the basic stitch unless you’ve taken the class before, then you can fancify your design. Size and shape depends on your prowess. :} Hear stories, ask questions.

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Class is ongoing. Drop in and stay a while. If you want to fire a pot on Saturday, you need to finish it early Friday.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish.

Make a rivercane blowgun or flute - your choice! Class open to ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

I will share some of my experiences with questing and its impact in my life. Why I think everyone could benefit from at least one Quest experience. My first Quest was in 1997. I learned the Art of Quest through the Tom Brown Wilderness Survival School and have participated in Quests in Ontario Canada, the Pine Barrens, NJ, Shelter Island, NY, Yellow Springs, OH, and near Earthaven Eco-village, NC. I care deeply about questing and love to facilitate and support them. If you have experience with Vision Questing you are invited to come and share in the conversation. If you have always wanted to learn more about Vision Quests and have questions you would like to ask - now would be a good moment. Ages 14 and up

Learn to manipulate loose wool roving around a resist to create a seamless felted pouch. This is an introduction to this primitive textile skill that uses hot water, soap, and “elbow grease” to turn loose fibers into a sturdy, solid fabric. Ages 12+ 8 students $15

This is an ongoing, drop in class that needs your help! Tanning a bison in a week is no easy task and it takes a village to do it! At anytime during the gathering come and help us tan this beautiful beast and learn the process of brain tanning large hides with the dry scrape technique. In 4 days we will tan the entire bison hide and then after the hide has been imbue with all of our hard-work and magic, it will be put up as an item in our 50/50 raffle! Come and lend your energy and let us gather around this project! All are welcome! We need your help! The schedule for the project will look something like this: Day 1: Making the Frame, framing the hide, fleshing the hide (full day) Day 2: Thinning the hide and Dressing #1 (full day) Day 3: Dressing #2 and #3 and softening (full day) THURSDAY Day 4: Smoking the hide (full day) Bison and other large, now extinct, megafauna used to roam the landscape of North America alongside humans. With stone tools in hand and prayers of gratitude in heart, humans formed deep relation with the Bison that lasted tens of thousands of years. With the few Bison that remain, we can again learn to connect with them by tanning their hides for clothes, blankets, shelter, and hundreds of other uses. Come and remember what it feels like to be in awe of such a large beast.

Gathering our own vines, we’ll identify what works, what splits and what doesn’t. Ages 12 and up.

Remedies for pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and newborns in the wise woman way.

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Class is ongoing. Drop in and stay a while. If you want to fire a pot on Saturday, you need to finish it early Friday.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish.

Make a rivercane blowgun or flute -your choice! Class open to ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

Continuation of morning class

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Class is ongoing. Drop in and stay a while. If you want to fire a pot on Saturday, you need to finish it early Friday.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish.

Make a Native American flute out of rivercane or make a blowgun - your choice! Ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

Learn the fundamentals of Appalachian and Southern Folk medicine as a living practice. What makes our region and folk healing practices unique? Things like the broad cultural influences from Indigenous medicine, European humoral models to West African spiritual traditions. Key plant species used and classic remedies will be covered and we'll sample a few ourselves. Come ready to taste, mix, touch and smell barks, powders, teas and syrups. We will taste and try a variety of classic medicines from this bioregion's history.

This is an ongoing, drop in class that needs your help! Tanning a bison in a week is no easy task and it takes a village to do it! At anytime during the gathering come and help us tan this beautiful beast and learn the process of brain tanning large hides with the dry scrape technique. In 4 days we will tan the entire bison hide and then after the hide has been imbue with all of our hard-work and magic, it will be put up as an item in our 50/50 raffle! Come and lend your energy and let us gather around this project! All are welcome! We need your help! The schedule for the project will look something like this: Day 1: Making the Frame, framing the hide, fleshing the hide (full day) Day 2: Thinning the hide and Dressing #1 (full day) Day 3: Dressing #2 and #3 and softening (full day) Day 4: Smoking the hide (full day) FRIDAY Bison and other large, now extinct, megafauna used to roam the landscape of North America alongside humans. With stone tools in hand and prayers of gratitude in heart, humans formed deep relation with the Bison that lasted tens of thousands of years. With the few Bison that remain, we can again learn to connect with them by tanning their hides for clothes, blankets, shelter, and hundreds of other uses. Come and remember what it feels like to be in awe of such a large beast.

Learning all about the notorious vine, split a small section of kudzu, sew kudzu pieces together in a basket shape of your choosing. Ages 12 and up.

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Class is ongoing. Drop in and stay a while. If you want to fire a pot on Saturday, you need to finish it early Friday.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish.

Make a Native American flute from rivercane or make a blowgun - your choice! Ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

We will be making an aphrodisiac elixer. Our focus will be an in depth look at aphrodisiacs and how they work on deep levels as well as in the moment. We will consider creating blends to suit particular needs and even talk a bit about other forms of aphrodisiacs. You may take some home with you . . . if you don't drink it all in the class!

How can you forage in an ethical and realistic way today? Join Becky Beyer of the Sassafras School to learn the basics of foraging in Spring and how foraging can be a real way to nourish yourself from the land. We'll discus sustainability, ethics, land access and history, and how to even plan meals around wild foods in our region while meeting some common Springtime edibles and medicinals. We'll cook up a little dish at the end of class with our bounty.

Join rock hound Keith Grenoble for a romp down the creek making various tools from the local rocks. We'll make scrapers, burins, saws and slicers with added awareness of the mineralology in that region. Bring your magnifying glasses or hand lens if you have one for looking at minerals.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish.

Learn how to gather this tough and durable plant no one wants. Sew it into a rustic bowl or handled vessel. Learn about coil size and alternate materials for making functional baskets “quickly”. Ages 12 and up.

Whether you are a clinician or just seeking better control of your own health, this workshop will empower you with practical knowledge and tools: 1)The latest from Anti-aging research and Biohacking movement, Cellular/mitochondria optimization. These are super active fields and bringing out the next level of healing, and changing our illness focus to a mentality of Thriving; 2)Order your own lab tests, including When to do genetic testing and what’s the deal with MTHFR; 3)"The Body Never Forgets How to Repair itself". So long as we recognize many hidden epidemics are the root cause of chronic illness, such as mercury from amalgam and how to test them; 4)Demystify digestive disorders such as IBS/Leaky Guts/SIBO/Candida/Parasite/Biofilm; 5)Common medications and Herb-drug interaction. Hands on demo of cheap home devices, such as Blood Pressure, Glucose monitors, Oura ring for sleep tracking. Bring a pen!

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Fire is an essential element in finishing your pots! Bring your pots to the fire and come learn how to properly fire them in an open fire pit. Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Just so you know, anything you make today will probably not be dry enough to fire tonight.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish.

Make a Native American flute out of rivercane or a blowgun - your choice! Ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

Already tried wet felting and feel ready to move on to a larger project? Want to make a hat or bigger bag? This all-day class will build on what you learned about wool and water and give you the opportunity to really cement your skills. Age limit 15 yrs. 6 students $25+ depending on size of project

Before avocado oil and olive oil were available, how did people make salves? We'll use plant medicines from the local land and animal fat ethically obtained to create a traditional salve that melds into the skin like no other while we learn the history of this art. In a world without global shipping, how can we care for our skin? We'll cover the basics of infused oils and salves and make one together that you can take home.

A Medicine Making overview: covering the range of common medicine making - potent teas (also known as infusions), decoctions, vinegars, tinctures, oils/salves. We will actually make a tincture, an infusion and a salve (which you may take home with you).

Pottery! Pottery! Pottery! Fire is an essential element in finishing your pots! Bring your pots to the fire and come learn how to properly fire them in an open fire pit. Come work with rotted rock. We'll be making bowls, cups, beads, shakers, small oil lamps, figurines - whatever your imagination desires. Pinch pots, coiling, paddling, burnishing - learn the many methods and techniques with master primitive potter Keith. Just so you know, anything you make today will probably not be dry enough to fire tonight.

Class consists of reducing freshly cut white ash log sections into 'splints' by pounding with billets and sledge hammers to release individual growth rings into full length strips. Participants are required to process their own splints for making their baskets. Further processing requires 'riving' the growth ring strips (dividing them by thickness) into the finished splints using a 'river' (pronounced rYver), a wood device the splints are pulled through. This is an on-going, progressive class where participants may start on different days, produce their splints, and then begin weaving whatever basket they decide to make. Projected production time to make splints ready for weaving: approx. 1 full day. Basket making portion of class could take 1-3 days depending on size and complexity of basket design. Need to bring a sharp knife, some kind of heavy 'pounder' (2 lb sledge, camp hatchet with sheath, or heavy wood billet), chair, clothes pins, and any basketmaking tools you wish. Saturday class will be devoted to finishing and refining the baskets each participant has made during the week. Each person may leave with any or all the extra splints they have produced.

Make a Native American flute out of rivercane or a blowgun - your choice! Ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

Continuation from the morning session

Whether you are a clinician or just seeking better control of your own health, this workshop will empower you with practical knowledge and tools: 1)The latest from Anti-aging research and Biohacking movement, Cellular/mitochondria optimization. These are super active fields and bringing out the next level of healing, and changing our illness focus to a mentality of Thriving; 2)Order your own lab tests, including When to do genetic testing and what’s the deal with MTHFR; 3)"The Body Never Forgets How to Repair itself". So long as we recognize many hidden epidemics are the root cause of chronic illness, such as mercury from amalgam and how to test them; 4)Demystify digestive disorders such as IBS/Leaky Guts/SIBO/Candida/Parasite/Biofilm; 5)Common medications and Herb-drug interaction. Hands on demo of cheap home devices, such as Blood Pressure, Glucose monitors, Oura ring for sleep tracking. Bring a pen!

Make a rivercane blowgun or flutes - your choice! Class open to ages 8 and up (or younger with a parent or guardian).

Tour my studio, gallery and kudzu bale barn. Car pool 15 min away. See 8 ft sculptures. Hear stories, get back for closing ceremony. All ages welcome!