Plant Resources of the Northern Forests, Shores, and Fields - George Hedgepeth


Another favorite for years, George leads the group on a resource oriented wild plant foraging adventure that will take you to unique and pristine plant communities on the Island where you will learn fascinating facts about how the plants of the Northern Forests can be used for food, tools, and medicine - and that is just the beginning. George will delight you with his extensive knowledge and experiences and interesting flora facts. We recommend this adventure highly!

Fire (Symposium)

Fire is essential to human life. It is a fundamental aspect of cultures worldwide, and we have some of the most skilled fire technicians in the world at GLTAG. From ignition with friction, spark, or compression to managing fires for cooking, light, heat, and as a tool, to locating and gathering fuels in various ecosystems and every aspect of fire technologies, our instructors have all the bases covered and we guarantee that no matter what your experience or background you will take valuable lessons from this symposium.

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Hunting and Trapping Tools and Technologies (Symposium)

Animals are core resources for cultures worldwide, and there is a huge variety of cultural and technological aspects that have been employed through the ages to harvest animals and the resources they provide. From theory to tools and techniques, primitive to modern, several of our instructors have specialized knowledge related to effectively and respectfully harvesting animals in different ecosystems and situations. This is a perennial favorite symposium that is sure to change how you understand ancient and modern use of animals.

Bushcraft

Wilderness Navigation and Weather Prediction - Bob Love


Bob will be sharing his techniques, tips, and rules-of-thumb gleaned from years of study and training. From analyzing spider webs to predicting the weather to finding ones way by the stars, there is something for every level of adventurer. Weather prediction will be a fireside evening presentation, while navigation will be a daytime regular session class. If you often visit the backcountry or travel off the path, this is one you won’t want to miss!

Intro. to Twining and Net Bags - Mike Miller


Mike’s twined and netted bags and textiles are among the finest. In this workshop, he will introduce you to the techniques and show you the tricks of making beautiful and functional twined bags with wild harvested fibers. This is a rare opportunity to work with a very skilled fiber artist, and Mike’s twining and netting classes have been another annual favorite at past gatherings.

$5 Material Fee per net bag

Introduction to Fiber and Cordage - Amy Schmidt


Amy will teach you the basics of making string, rope, and lashings from wild plant fibers including bark, plant stems, and leaves. Cordage is one of the fundamental skills of human technology, and string can be made quickly with no tools. Learn the basics with various fibers, from harvesting and preparing to making string and rope and thread, this is a skill you do not want to be without.. This is also a great introduction for those who want to do  more advanced fiber arts with Mike Miller at his twining and netting class.

Herbal Preparations - George Hedgepeth


Learn how to take herbs from the field, forest, or even your yard and make a variety of useful items. Current literature on the subject will be examined. The process for producing salves, oils, balms, tinctures, decoctions, infusions, and more will be explained, demonstrated, and put into practice in this hands-on class. Students will leave with a printed set of basic instructions for making a variety of useful preparations. This will include products with medicinal, culinary, and household uses. Everyone will take home samples of several preparations we will manufacture in class.

Improvised and Survival Hunting Techniques - Chris Oberg


Chris will teach you how to build and use simple and effective tools of the hunt, many of which can be made with minimal tools and expedient materials in minutes. You will have the opportunity to make and use slings and throwing sticks, and Chris also brings a sampling of specialized hunting tools from around the world.

Up to $5 material fee.

Setting Up a Wilderness Camp - Ben Piersma


Ben is an expert at the tools and techniques of wilderness camping, and in this workshop you will work with him to set up a basic wilderness camp with accommodations like a raised bough bed, tarp shelter, and crane system for hanging pots and cooking. Nuances like camp site selection, fire maintenance, and other often neglected but important considerations will aslo be covered.

Fundamentals of Making and Using Stone Tools - Bob Berg


If you are interested in making and using stone tools, this is a learning opportunity not to be missed! Bob has travelled the world to bring us these practical techniques for crafting tools like stone draw-shaves, flint chopping tools, sickles, garnet drills (for drilliing stone!), and gravers. Bob will show you how to make effective handles that are the key to making these primitive tools perform when working with wood, bone, fiber and other natural raw materials -and the key to attaching the handles is knowledge of the types and properties of natural glues and bindings - once again Bob’s is a foremost expert when it comes to using pine pitch, birch tar, hide glue, and fiber bindings.

Pitches and Birch Tar - Keith Knecht and Bob Berg


Pitches and birch tar are incredibly valuable resources that can act as waterproofing, hot melt glue, wood finish, fire starting aids, medicines, and much more! Keith will have raw materials and equipment for making and applying the various formulations from local resources. After you make a mkek with Keith, bring it to this class and seal it with pitch to make it watertight, or haft dart points and stone tools with Bob...

$10 - $20 material fee depending on container size

Flintknapping - Larry Kinsella


Larry will be conducting ongoing, informal knapping instruction. If you have ever wanted to try your hand at this ancient art for the first time, we will have plenty of tools to loan for those in need, or if you would like more advanced instruction, bring your own tool kit for a chance to learn from one of the most skilled knapping instructors in the region.