Wild Brew 101 -- NEW CLASS

A Brand Spanking New Class that introduces the art of home brewing wine, mead, and beer. We do this classic class our own way using wild plants for the flavoring. Come and learn the basics of fermentation and create your own special brew. At the end of the day, students will go home with a few brewski's they truly can call their own. (21 and older only!)

For those who cannot wait:

Nettle Beer Recipe

Ingredients:

• a mess of nettle tops
• 2 1/2 gallons of water
• 3 lbs of sugar (or equivalent in Honey)
• 50g cream of tartar
• 15g of beer yeast or brewer's yeast (you can chance a harvest your own at your "own risk")

Procedure:
Bring Nettles and water to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
strain Nettles and bring liquid back to boil... add sugar and cream of tartar.
simmer and stir until it is all dissolved.
let cool to warm... add yeast, stirring well.
fill your bottles with vapor lock and let brew for a few week to three months.
when bubbles of CO2 slow to a minimum, cap or cork bottle.
let age for a while and enjoy fruits of your labor.

You can learn so much more at the class. See you there.
Dont Drink and Do Primitive Skills!

Wolf Moon Camp Was a Howling Success

Our first seasonal moon camp was a success!

Three days of winter skills and crafts; including, Flint knapping and Pottery Making/firing with special guest instructor Keith Grenoble, Brain tanning, making things from buckskin and Mead making with special guest instructor Natalie Bogwalker, Bow Drill Friction Fire and Grass Coil Basketry with Tim MacWelch, and Wilderness Self Defense with Hue.

Take a look at the Happy pics!!

Pam stayed the night in the wicciup.

Keith warms the pottery by the fire before firing...

Fire Keeps them warm between classes.

The finished product.

Natalie stirs the wort.

Wolf Moon Camp - Jan 16-18

Earth Connection is very pleased to announce a series of primitive skills gatherings hosted by the Earth Connection Family of schools. The events will be run at our Virginia camp near Fredericksburg, VA. The events will happen each season and be closely tied to the traditional skills and activities of that time of year.

Wolf Moon Camp, this first of these events is our Winter Primitive Skills Gathering - Jan 16-18

The Wolf Moon is the season when our ancestors would draw close together as the hungry wolves howled around the edges of their camp. Join us as we make use of this cold season with our theme of "Winter Skills and Crafts". This event is for ages 18 and up.

Lessons currently being planned include Flint knapping, Pottery Making and Pottery Firing with special guest instructor Keith Grenoble - Brain tanning and making things from buckskin with special guest instructor Natalie Bogwalker - Wilderness Self Defense with Earth Connection North Carolina - Winter wild edible plants with Hue Hueston - Friction Fire with the Bow Drill and Grass Coil Basketry from Tim MacWelch - Primitive Winter shelters, Coal burning wood bowls, String and fiber arts, Primitive jewelry and more.

Happy Holidays

The Earth Connection family wishes everyone who attended our classes in 2008 a wonderful and happy holiday. Those of you who could not make it to an EC class this past year... well, we wish you the best too!!

Survive Smarter, Not Harder!

Why learn primitive skills from the not-so-in-touch with their primitive self? Learn from the best... Earth Connection. 250, 000 years of hunter-gatherer skills in one school. Now that is cool.

You choose!

Tim, Hue, Wes, Hardee and Todd -- the original cavemen.

Fire Palooza in a Family Basket

EC recently held thefirst triple deluxe set of classes contained by one entire weekend at Earth Connection school in VA--Fire Palooza, Primitive Basket Making and a EC family friendly class with Kate's family.

Wes Massey, a Fire Plow Boy, conducted Fire Palooza, Earth Connection's friction fire making extravaganza, with Hue's help. Tim taught the basket making class with the help from Jamey's dextrous fingers.

Despite the cooler weather and some moisture in the air the Palooza class actually make fire the island way--fire plow. Wes was a proud fire father coaching the crew on to a coal and nuturing into full flame. Hand drill was more challenging that day than the fire plow, but Wes pushed one out anyway. He's a stud when it comes to hand drill technique.

Baskets materials were provided for the first coil basket. Later in the day the group collected local wisteria vines to make their own wild baskets. If it was spring all would have been annoyed with the constant pounding for the production of oak splints. But, the pounding always produces a fine burden basket.

The family class took place in the new wicciup Tim made for Kate and family. Stories and tales punctuated the clay bowl making and other skills that were presented. The kiddies had fun even though the cold was a little uncomfortable.

North Carolina Games and More

On Saturday, EC-NC hosted its first survival workshop. The participants used a few pieces of equipment they might have with them in a survival situation to create shelter, build a fire, boil water, and even do a bit of fishing and trapping (everyone escaped their own traps unscathed).

As always, Wes Massey impressed the group with his ability to make fire seem to appear out of nothing. He also showed courage by demonstrating his faith in iodine tablets for water purification by drinking the water Hardee Merritt obtained "from somewhere." We expect him to make a full recovery.

The group came away with a greater appreciation for the elements needed to survive in the wilderness, and the reassurance that the necessary resources are available to them, if they just know how to look.

On Sunday the intrepid band of EC-NC instructors took on twenty-two even-more-intrepid young warriors. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta squads raced through the woods, swinging over a perilous chasm, walking a rope bridge, and encountering numerous obstacles in their path to be the first groups to return to base.

Later, armed with swords and armored for battle, these promising fighters defended their group's flag to the death on the field of glory. Returning to camp after a bloody afternoon, they had the opportunity to improve themselves with lessons in fire safety and other wilderness skills.


The highlight of the afternoon was an unusual repast of copperhead snake (minus the head), roasted over the fire by chef Massey.


Everyone had a great time, and returned home to tell their valiant tales.

Earth Connection - North Carolina's First Fire

EC-NC, the newest addition to the Earth Connection family, held their very first classes on 23-24 Aug, Emergency Fire Skills (half-day) and a youth survival class.

The inaugural Emergency Fire Skills class enjoyed a beautiful afternoon on Saturday. Wes Massey led the class through a wide assortment of fire skills from identifying and locating good tinder to appropriate location and construction, to the proper use of modern and primitive fire starting tools.

Walking around the woods, Wes showed everyone how to identify trees such as tulip poplar, cedar and birch, and how to harvest resources from each. Discussing the best way to get a fire started in the rain, Wes gave an impressive illustration of the value of "fat wood" from a dead pine.

By the end of the day, everyone had tried their hand at using a bow drill, had given a lot more thought to carrying fire tools, and had enjoyed a few hours in good company appreciating the variety of natural resources available if they need them.

On Sunday, the youth class had an exciting time exploring the woods. The group built a sturdy shelter out of readily-available materials that would have protected them from the elements easily in an emergency survival situation. Throughout the class, the instructors emphasized ways of avoiding becoming lost, staying safe, and enjoying the outdoors.


There was one interesting character visiting the school that provided the band of survivors with some excitement and laughs.


Our wily crew easily caught a fish from the pond, and learned how some primitive fishermen might have done that work. This valiant band of young woodsmen had a great time, and are looking forward to seeing more wildlife at the next EC-NC class.

All of the attendees were present and accounted-for at the end of the class, and in mostly the same condition in which they arrived.

This weekend will go down in Earth Connection history!!

EC @ Ninjutsu Mountain Quest

Tim MacWelch, An-shu Steven K. Hayes, Rick Hueston

This past weekend Earth Connection participated at North Carolina Quest Center's request in their annual Mountain Quest seminar. Mountain Quest seminar, unique to the North Carolina Quest Center, consists of a three-day event in the North Carolina Mountains at a location reminiscent of the original Togakure mountain training ground of the ninja warriors of the past. It is here they learn new skills and promote their newest black belts.

The founder of the To-Shin Do Ninjutsu An-shu Steven K. Hayes provided seminars in special martial arts skills that were not only impressive, but also inspiring. Earth Connection staff provided friction fire demonstrations and participated in the seminars.

Stephen K. Hayes was the first martial artist in the western world to be taught the secrets of Ninjutsu by the 34th generation Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan. Mr. Hayes organized these teachings into an easily understandable curriculum called To Shin Do.

The North Carolina Quest Center is the first to open in North Carolina. It was founded by cardiologist and martial artist Richard S. Stack, M.D. Dr. Stack practices Cardiology at Duke and and has lived in Chapel Hill/Durham for the past 20 years. He is a fifth degree black belt and a Master Instructor in Ninjutsu. He is the personal student of both Stephen K. Hayes and Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi, with whom he has trained extensively in the United States and in Japan for the past 14 years.

Tim and Hue were honored to be gifted this unprecedented experience. We met so many wonderful people that will hold special memories in us both. We are also looking forward to offering our brand of survival and wilderness skills training to more of their students. In a way, we compliment each others goals of self-development and self-sufficiency.

Other links of interest:
Steven K. Hayes Dayton Ohio Quest Center

Earth Connection - North Carolina Ribbon Cutting

Tim MacWelch, EC founder, and Wes Massey, EC-NC head instructor

It is official, the Earth Connection branch near Raleigh/durham North Carolina (EC-NC) is open for training.

Welcome to the family!

This new Earth Connection affiliate is run by Wes Massey, Hardee Merritt & Todd Magers; along with the help from many of their colleagues at the North Carolina Quest Center.

Tim and Hue visited the property EC-NC purchased to train Earth Connection's newest students recently for the ribbon cutting. It has so many possibilities. The site has a pond with fish (hmmm... primitive fishing skills), access to a large stream that feeds into a larger lake (hmmm... kayaking survival adventures), 10+ acres of trees (hmmm... area for a ropes course) and many, many resources for primitive skills classes.

Attend a class and experience the difference that EC-NC is making.

BTW, these guys are good. We are not telling you this because we have to, but because we know they are. We trained them. In particular, their friction fire skills are impeccable. We expect this affiliate to grow beyond all expectations. Sign up for a class soon!

Earth Connection - North Carolina 2008 Class Schedule

August 23rd – Emergency Fire Skills - Half Day

A well constructed fire can dry your clothes; increase your core temperature, cook your food, purify your water, and light your way. This course will cover skills including fire safety, proper fire materials, fire lay construction, and many methods of starting and maintaining fires, both modern and primitive.

September 20th – Survival Strategies I - Full Day

Do you know what constitutes a survival situation and how to properly navigate it? In this course we go over both modern and primitive skills necessary in any survival situation. Topics of instruction include: priorities of survival, survival kit construction, fire strategies, and building and using tarp shelters.

October 11th – Friction Fire - Full Day

This course will focus on the Bow Drill and the Hand Drill methods of Friction Fire. Proper construction and implementation of fire making equipment will be emphasized along with fire safety, tinder and firewood selection, and the construction of a primitive fireplace.

November 1 – Survival Strategies II - Full Day

Like Survival Strategies I, this course covers crucial skills to ensure your safety and well-being in any survival situation. You do not have to attend Survival Strategies I to attend Survival Strategies II. Topics include: Priorities of Survival, leaf hut shelter construction, tracking, stalking, primitive fishing, trapping skills, primitive cooking, using fire to make wooden dishes and making string using plants and bark.


Here is Earth Connection - North Carolina's Staff:

EC T-Shirt/Bag/Thong Sale

Beginning on July 28, 2008 CAFEPRESS will be implementing Base Price increases to some of EC products.

With the rising cost of goods and labor modest, price increases became a necessary business decision for CAFEPRESS.

HOWEVER...

We at EC will not raise the price for EC products until 1 January 2009. We'll take it in the pants for you. Helping you survive the economic downturn with a price hold. Think of it as a SALE.

Visit the EC CAFEPRESS Store to get your T-shirts, mugs and hats. Even the EC thong is on price hold.

Two New Week-Long Classes @ EC

We have just added 2 new classes to our summer class schedule. They are jam packed full of smart and realistic skills.

We have combined several very practical and popular classes to offer a 5-day Primitive Skills Week and a 5-day Ultimate Survival Week.

PRIMITIVE SKILLS WEEK - July 21-25, 2008

This course is a 5-day immersion in the Primitive Skills world, living much like our ancestors have lived before you or I. Get ready to see if you can leave the modern world behind!

Students will learn how to build a leaf hut shelter, without tools or cord. We will spend an entire day learning and practicing our vital fire making skills, including the ways to collect and prepare tinder and kindling and how to do friction fire making with the bow drill and hand drill.

We will learn the following skills: primitive tool making, primitive water gathering and purification, four primitive traps, how to make a rabbit hunting stick, primitive fishing, primitive cooking, food preservation and storage, wicker basketry from vines, plant and tree bark string, and burning out wooden bowls and spoons. Finally, an entire day will be devoted to Wild Edible Plants, the food source that can't run away.

ULTIMATE SURVIVAL WEEK - August 11-15, 2008

This is a brilliant 5-day combination of our Primitive Skills and Wilderness Survival classes. If you're not ready for the outdoors after this one, you weren't paying attention in class.

Our information packed class will cover modern wilderness survival skills with primitive skills as the ultimate back up plan. You may not have any modern survival supplies in an emergency, but you've always got sticks and stones (and we'll give you the knowledge of how to use them).

The curriculum includes: The Priorities of Survival, how not to get lost in the first place, how to signal for rescue, what to put in survival kits, building and camping out in one of the many tarp shelters to be covered, collecting and purifying water with several modern methods, and basics of making and utilizing fire (including flint & steel, batteries, magnifying lens, waterproofing matches and tinder). Food gathering instruction will include collecting and preparing nutritious edible plants, four different traps unique to this course, how to make a rabbit hunting stick and survival fishing. How to sharpen a knife with a stone, knots and string making will also be covered.

Students will learn how to build a leaf hut shelter, without tools or cord, how to collect and prepare tinder and kindling, how to make a friction fire with the bow drill, primitive tool making, primitive water gathering and purification. Primitive cooking, food preservation and storage, wicker basketry from vines, plant and tree bark string, and burning out wooden bowls and spoons will also be covered.

Please call or email for more details and availability.

Primitive Trapping - New Class

EC held their first Primitive Trapping class this past weekend. We learned how to work with simple traps; like the basic wire/cordage snare, simple bent sapling trigger, Graves trigger, and Paiute deadfall. Each student was able to practice the selected primitive traps before we continued instruction that included local trapping regulations, animal behavior and habits, baiting, trapping safety, non-lethal practice trapping and trap descenting.

We taught as much information as we could, limited by the one day class, that would give the basic skills need to understand the art of trapping primitively. Although these skills are mainly for survival, there is much to learn from practicing trapping skills; like animal behavior and tacking.

Vickie sets her paiute deadfall

EC highly recommends obtaining a state trapping license to practice modern trapping for all the lessons we could not teach in our one day class.

Attention EC Locavores - Organic Gardening Class is Coming 18 May

Eating locally and the 100-mile diet are becoming familiar and vogue concepts in recent times. rising food prices and the burgeoning food shortages worldwide, mostly due to ill-advised political decision to support plant based fuel production and Weather induced crops loss (possibly attributed to global warming trends) leave many of us one trucker strike (probably from the fast rising cost of fuel) away from helplessness and hunger.

A locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles (your own backyard). "Locavore" was coined by Jessica Prentice from San Francisco Bay Area on the occasion of World Environment Day 2005. The locavore movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to produce their own food, with the argument that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Local grown food is an environmentally friendly means of obtaining food, since supermarkets that import their food use more fossil fuels and non-renewable resources.

The New Oxford American Dictionary chose locavore as its word of the year 2007. Some locavores draw inspiration from the 100-Mile Diet or from advocates of local eating like Barbara Kingsolver whose book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" chronicles her family's attempts to eat locally. Barbara is quoted, "...if every American citizen would eat just one local and organically-grown meal a week, the savings in fuel [alone] would amount to 1.1 million barrels of oil every week."

You are what you eat... but, what is at the end of your spork and how it got there is most important.

What's a family to do? I'll tell you what... take Earth Connection's organic gardening and wild edibles classes to find a partial solution to what might seem as a bleak future.

Besides the benefits to your dinner table there are added benefits to local sustainable growth including the encouragement and support of small local farmers. Learning wild edibles provides food for just the energy expended in finding and preparing, while planting your own small organic garden increases the size of your brain...

Yes, you have to learn a whole new skill, but it is good for you just like food from your organic garden or your backyard.



Ref: Local food. (2008, May 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:28, May 6, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Local_food&oldid=210122660

EC Primitive Trapping Class - 17 May

Trapping is an art. The most important thing an artist should know before applying his artful techniques is to see; in other words, the trapper must know the animal he/she intends to trap and I mean all of it's habits and traits in detail like you were the animal itself. This takes much study and observation, including tracking dirt time.

Tangently, and less important, you need to know how to create a trap that will capture your target animal.

Knowing where to put your trap to catch an animal is trapping.

Also, in this modern world of laws and regulations, knowing the local trapping laws that govern the art is important (like many primitive traps are illegal). In class we show non-lethal primitive traps so you can practice them without the jail time.

We advice students who are interested in learning how to trap primitively to obtain a state trapping license and practice the art of trapping with modern trapping techniques. There is not much difference from modern trapping and primitive trapping other than the style of trap.

In our class we teach only a few simple, but effective primitive traps for use in survival situations. The idea here is repetition learning three or four types of traps that can be modified to serve various purposes and situations. Learning the animal is a self-study homework assignment.

Knowing animal behavior and how to make and use one or two traps is so much better than knowing how to make all kinds of primitive traps and not knowing the animal.

See you in class

Spring Edibles @ Abram's Creek Lodge and Campground

It's early afternoon on 3 May and the sun is waining behind some ominous clouds coming over the mountains that are west of Abram's Creek Lodge and Campground. The Wild Edibles class will go rain or shine and RAIN it did. We didn't get too wet. But we identified and tasted many wild plants that day.

There were even some very knowledgeable students this time who contributed greatly to the class... especially Doc? Thanks for the hints and the 318 mb CD reference on useful wild plants.

We covered the usual edibles but we were all there for the Ramps (wild leeks). We collected enough for an awesome dinner feeding nine or so students and lodge residents. The favorite was the Tasty Ramp and Potato Soup.

Tasty Ramp/Potato Soup

• 4-6 slices of bacon (they make anything taste great, but in this case it was for the salty oil it leaves behind after cooking)
• 4 cups of chopped ramps (mostly greens)
• 4-5 cups diced potatoes (use your favorites... I like the Idahos)
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup of HEAVY cream (Yeah!!)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Prep: In a large skillet, dutch oven or deep pan, fry bacon until crispy; set aside. Add Ramps and potatoes; fry on medium-low heat until the ramps are tender. Sprinkle in the flour; stir until absorbed. Sir in Chicken broth; simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream and heat thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4-6.

Due to an unseasonable warm spring ramp season came early this year to Abram's Creek and we almost missed out. We were on the tail end of the harvest this year and they had already started to brown on the tips. This wild edible is one of the finest you will ever come across. Mountain people of the Southeast have honored these onion/garlic flavored plants for decades. They celebrate with festivals all around West Virginia. We just had our own small personal Ramp festival in the Abram's Creek kitchen.

EC will be conducting more classes at Abram's Creek in the future. They are growing into a thriving campground with so much to do and see. I recommend camping there.

Lost? Not EC Students... Land Navigation

On 26-27 April, EC conducted its first Land Navigation class with 11 eager to get lost students. I am proud to say, no one got lost. But, that is not to say that they didn't try. I won't even mention the student who demonstrated extremely well the tendency for everyone to circle when lost.

Land navigation requires the use of many tools; the more experienced the navigator, the more tools he will utilize. Obvious examples of the simpler tools available are the protractor, map, compass, and pace count. Less obvious examples, that will take experience to appreciate, are the terrain, sun, stars, the direction water flows, wildlife, etc. As with any skill, proficiency in land navigation is based upon a firm knowledge of basic "tools."

This two day class covered all the basics tools of land navigation, including introduction to topographical maps and map symbols, pace counts to find distance, compass with and without a map, expedient direction finding (sun, stars, watch... all the standards and a few more), and a hands-on exercise in Shenandoah Mountain bushwhacking near Old Rag Mountain. We went over time in the first day's instruction. Despite the rain on both days we all learned to use map and compass.

The instruction that offered the most difficulty was declination adjustment. We are modifying this for next year. The handout was the most comprehensive we have made to date (over 24 pages). This too will be modified for next year to make the class even better, though everyone admitted that the class was not only educational but fun too!

Earth Connection Private Classes

Earth Connection continues to offer a limited number of private classes (One-on-One or Small Group with Tim MacWelch) during weekdays, Monday thru Friday (9am to 4pm), but not weekends cause that is when we hold our regular classes. You pick your class from our website or customize your own, schedule the date with Tim MacWelch, and then attend the class at our camp near Somerville, Virginia. Prices remain the same as regular classes… mostly cause Tim likes to give bargains to supporters of Earth Connection.

One day classes are currently available at $80 per person, run from 9am to 4pm and include the following classes - Friction Fire Making - Winter Wild Edible Plants - Tracks and Sign - Basketry - Friction Fire Materials Identification - Or your own custom class!

Custom classes are available for a slight $20 per day price increase for extra planning. Two day classes with overnight campout are $200 per person, run from 9am on the first day to 4pm on the second day and include the following classes - Wilderness Survival - Primitive Skills (condensed 2 day version).

These Private classes are the only time that Teenagers accompanied by a parent can attend our classes… call or write for more info.

We also offer special professional grade classes for US Government, Military and Law Enforcement personnel. These courses are also open to The Department of Defense; Game Wardens; Wildlife Management personnel; State and private Search and Rescue teams; Professional guides and outfitters; High risk government and civilian employees; Instructors and staff for outdoor intervention programs... just to name a few.

Are You Missing the Friction Fire Articles?

The Mini Tinder Bundle

I know this is kind of random, but I was thinking fondly of some old friends the other day. I remembered a very fun little contest we used to have. It was the "Mini Tinder Bundle Contest". You probably have already gotten an idea of how it works. Who can produce a flame with the most tiny tinder bundle possible?? We all got quite good at working small bundles of premium tinder. It was typical to see one little spurt of flame that lasted about 3 seconds from a cotton ball sized tinder bundle.

What's the point of playing such a game?? Well, foremost is the practice of frugality. There are usually many fires contained in the wood of the average fire kit. But there are only so many fires in a bag full of tinder. We always had plenty of fire kits lying around, but we made so many fires that we were always running out of tinder. That's how the contest was born.

We made lots of coals, and couldn't bear to just crush them out or let them starve. So we always made a little flame somehow, before letting the coal go out. Call it an offering to the Creator if you need to qualify it. We rarely spoke of such lofty things. It just never seemed right to try too hard to explain the Chain of Fire Command. Which is, if you were wondering… More

The Arctic Mouth Drill

The Arctic Mouth Drill technique and accompanying fire kit are remarkable adaptations in extreme cold weather Friction Fire Making. They are also testaments to the creativity, toughness and artistry of our northernmost brothers and sisters. The Arctic fire kits in the Smithsonian Institute collection range from raw and elegantly simple utilitarian fire kits - to beautiful and yet functional pieces of art.

These kits were often made from a very limited supply of materials, like bone, leather and driftwood. Sometimes that driftwood was even Oak! A brutal wood for drills and boards! Some would say an impossible wood for friction fire. The kit in the drawing above was collected in the 1800's near the Anderson River in British Columbia by C.P. Gaudet, then added to the Smithsonian collection in Washington DC.

The kit was later examined, drawn, described and possibly tested by Walter Hough. Mr. Hough then wrote a document called "Fire-Making Apparatus In The U.S. National Museum" which was published in a Smithsonian internal document in 1888. This rare document yielded jewels of information like… More

Visit Tim MacWelch's Field Guide to Friction Fire website for more friction fire articles.

Lashings Make Your Shelter Secure

We often get questions on how to build safe and secure shelters.

Well, building a tee-pee, a lean-to or any substantial sheltering structure requires a few simple knots and lashings, rope or cordage (lots of it) and of course the wood or poles. Knots are used to make loops, to connect rope together or to join rope to other objects.

Lashings, however, are used to bind two poles that cross each other at 45 to 90 degree angles, which usually occur in larger shelters. The square lashing is considered one of the most secure methods to lash poles that are relatively the same size.

Below is a lashing how-to and suggestions for safe and secure effort:

Position the poles at 90 degrees angles to each other.




A clove hitch is generally tied on the vertical or load-bearing pole at the bottom to support the horizontal or cross piece.




The end or tail of the clove hitch is twisted around and then tucked under the running end to lock the hitch and finish the knot neatly.




Wrap the rope in a square fashion three times around the poles: over the cross pole, the top of the vertical pole, the other side of the cross pole and the bottom of the vertical pole. Three neat revolutions will provide a solid and strong connection. Crossed turns 'pinch' and may damage the rope.




Make a frapping turn by wrapping the rope over the top of the vertical pole to point the rope in the opposite direction.



Now wrap the rope 3 times in the same square fashion in the other direction.



End the lashing with a final clove hitch or two half hitches on the vertical pole.



If extra rope remains, finished end with a half hitch or two.


Once complete you are on your way to constructing a safe and secure structure.

Happy shelter building. --Jamey

Field and Stream Columnist Learns Wild Edible Plants

Field and Stream’s columnist, Bill Heavey, is learning mid-Atlantic wild edibles jointly from our own Hue through Ancestral Knowledge and Earth Connection. Bill Heavey has come to learn from our hard gained wild edible knowledge to build on his own knowledge-base. Who knows, maybe Ancestral Knowledge and Earth Connection will give him some material for his column.

Bill Heavey’s Column

Bill Heavey has been a professional journalist for over 20 years and our favorite type of journalist too—full-time freelance outdoors writer (there are so few of them left these days).

Bill is currently an editor-at-large for Field & Stream, where he has written since 1993. He has also contributed to Modern Maturity, Readers Digest, National Geographic Traveler, Field and Stream, Men's Journal, Outside, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Best American Magazine Writing and Washingtonian Magazine. He has been recognized for his written work with two prestigious National Magazine Award nominations and awarded the American Pain Society’s (APS) first journalist award, the Kathleen M. Foley Journalist Award. I even hear he was nominated for president of the United States in 2008 by one of his fans. The only one I know personally besides him being nominated is my Grandmother (okay, so I nominated her in 2000).

Field and Stream has seen fit to bundle some of Heavey's best work into a single volume, If You Didn't Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat? (Atlantic Monthly Press, $23). Amazon’s note on his book states, “[Field and Stream’s] first collection of Heavey’s sidesplitting observations on life as a hardcore (but often hapless) outdoors man. Whether he’s hunting cougars in the southwest desert, scheming to make his five-year-old daughter fall in love with fishing, or chronicling his father’s slow decline through the lens of the numerous dogs he’s owned over seventy-five years, Heavey is a master at blending humor and pathos—and wide-ranging outdoor enthusiasms that run the gamut from elite to ordinary—into a poignant and potent cocktail. Funny, warmhearted, and supremely entertaining, this book is an uproarious addition to the literature of the outdoors.”

Funniest outdoor book we've read in a long time. Recommended.

Hue, the LoneNomadic.