Sticks and Stones Wilderness School

The Miracle of Tracking

2011-01-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

Tracking is a skill that has been around since the dawn of time. It’s not even a strictly human phenomenon. The origin of tracking represents interpretation of life, in the form of story and adventure. The human ability to track, to understand cause and effect within the environment and ourselves, is perhaps what our large brains developed for, and what makes us human. The San Bushmen of the Kalahari are a culture that epitomizes what it means to be master trackers, and interpreters of a landbase – they know the tracks of their Cheetah friends as well as they know the wrinkles on their own faces.

At Sticks and Stones Wilderness School, we consider tracking to be part of the miracle of life. There is truly no better way to understand yourself and your place in the natural world around you. To track, you must become the animal you are following... you must move like they move, see the food that they see and the shelter that they seek, and hear and smell the animals around them that peak their interest. Some say that you can’t know somebody else until you walk a mile in their shoes. And tracking is exactly that empathetic ability.

I came up for a Winter Wildlife Tracking course at the school to better understand tracking. Having grown up in the city, it was difficult for me to realize the importance of tracking in the modern world. Unfortunately, most of our modern lives do not enable us to interact positively with the animals around us. It took me a while to get past the cultural barrier that prevents many of us today from becoming passionate about tracking.

The Bushmen are an example of a culture that has lived in tune with the natural world for thousands of years, and they have done that using tracking as an integral part of their way of life. They track because it feeds them – whether it’s hunting or fueling their souls with natural wonder and curiosity. Their stories are about the beauty of the savannah, their heroes are the great rains that fuel their ecosystem, and their neighbours are the animals that feed them. Asking a child of their culture why they track would be akin to asking a Kudu why it eats grass.

When I really got my face in the snow, I came to a few realizations. Firstly, when you adopt the attitude that everything you need to know is right in front of you, you come to know that you are able to solve any mystery, natural or otherwise. I was never good at math or physics, but I am relieved in knowing that tracking is just as hard, and that if you can track, you can really do anything humans are capable of. If Einstein was indigenous, he undoubtedly would have been a master tracker.

When I first started tracking, I felt dumb. As a city boy, I am not used to questioning and discerning things for myself (the TTC is over there, marked by a flashing sign, great... and oh, the sidewalk is there, with a road with cars on it – all is crystal clear). Skeet and I trailed two deer over the course of the weekend, though I didn’t know the tracks were being made as we followed them. Every once in a while we would come across tracks that showed them stopping to sniff and look at something in the direction we were coming from. Skeet kept asking me what they were doing, and I have to admit it took me quite some time before I came to the obvious (well, maybe in hindsight) conclusion that they were watching us the whole time. It took me a while to build confidence in my deductive abilities, and I suppose that makes sense, because like any muscle, the questioning mind requires exercise.

A white-tailed deer pauses to track us as we drive by

I plan to track coyotes at home in Toronto. I am truly learning how to question things in the wild, and how to read the answers that are always written on the landscape. I’ve also learned that to be a sustainable, Earth-based culture, we need to apply all our smarts usually reserved for physics, engineering, and complex mathematics to the natural world – which is what tracking does. And if you ever take up tracking, you may find it feels a lot more natural than other academic pursuits, perhaps because our brains have evolved to analyze nature.

Why does tracking in the modern world have to be any different for us than it is to the San Bushmen? Do we not all crave connection with the magnificent animals around us? Are we not in desperate need today of cultures that live in tune with their landbases? Does tracking not fuel our natural curiosity, and pattern our brains in a healthy way? Is hunting not a viable way to put food on the table? At Sticks and Stones, tracking is no less sacred to us than it is to the thousands of indigenous cultures in the past who have included tracking in their way of being. The tracks of our animal neighbours are invitations for us to come back to the natural world we have tried to leave behind.

York Region Planning and Development and Survival!

2010-12-10T07:38:00.000-08:00

Wilderness skills aren't just about the wilderness. Survival skills aren't just something you use when you wander too far into the woods. The York Region Planning and Development Department learned these things this week, as Sticks and Stones was invited to provide a day of out of the ordinary activities for their annual Christmas celebration.

It was not your usual corporate gathering. Lunch was served before the city staff received their real treat. It was a cold day, with some flurries... most were shocked to learn that they would be spending it outside, learning survival skills. Skeet's introductory talk definitely sparked excitement. The students would be rotated through four stations, learning fire by friction, archery, tracking, and the basics of outdoor clothing (shelter) and water purification. It was a team building exercise, and a competition to see who could learn the most. And all did learn!

The most important lesson of the day was that life in the wild isn't all that different from life in the city. The deer spend their days foraging, hanging out in social spots, mating, looking for good shelter for the winter and keeping track of the health of their community. We spend our days working in departments like that of York Region to pay the bills for food, clothing, and entertainment. We make city plans and developments so that our community may be strong for the future generations. As living creatures, we're not so different than the deer, engaged in our own circle of life that provides for ourselves and those who will follow and continue the cycle. Survival is really just life, and we're all in it together.

A Year of Intern Life

2010-12-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

It's the start of the winter, and many things have changed. A blizzard has piled the snow around the doors, and the air is chilly. Interns Dave, Drasko and Mike have packed up and shipped themselves home. The workshop, for once, is still and empty... but Kate's stomach is full, and she and Skeet are anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child.

The term started with Mike's arrival in May. From the get go, it was an experiential learning experience for the interns and Skeet. The Residential Program will be in full swing in 2011 -- the interns of 2010 all signed up early to act as guinea pigs for the program, and in return were provided with the opportunity ahead of time.

After taking the Empowering Ancient Ways course at the school in April, Mike was passionate enough about what he'd learned to make Skeet the offer of helping to establish a baseline for future interns, in return for his mentoring. And so arrived the first intern, full of excitement and ready for the challenges that would come.

Mike came to the school with a military background, and was eager to expand his worldview. He began his internship with a passion for all things primitive, and "Back-to-the-Earth" living, learning about wild edibles, sleeping outside in debris huts, making bow drill fires, and studying the animals that lived in the forest with him. He made his own bow and arrows, helped harvest a local steer, and pushed his outdoor living skills from the get go in May up until the end of November.

The depth of growth that would come from Mike's experience was past what he had expected. In living simply, in touch with all the realities of life, he developed a sense of everyday meaning and focus. He began to understand the complexities of the modern world that had so troubled him. He's since realized that you do not have to sleep in a debris hut to attune yourself to the natural world, as everything is, in essence, natural. He plans to apply his learned, wilderness work ethic to studies at the University of Toronto in Environmental Studies. He dreams of making sustainability in the city a serious reality by localizing everything he can and limiting our energy consumption.

Drasko arrived as an intern in August, after having already been to school, freshly graduated from the University of Western Ontario with an undergraduate degree in psychology. He has taken courses at the Tracker School in New Jersey, taught by Tom Brown Jr., who was also Skeet's mentor.

Drasko's internship began with more experience under his belt, and upon showing up with a tipi to camp out in, he was ready to test himself. His internship differed from Mike's by nature of having already had some of the experiences he had had, and Drasko made it his personal goal to cook during the classes and help out as much as he could with the school. He came to the school to connect with like-minds, and to receive mentoring he was longing for through Skeet.

He began by diving into the "core routines" of nature connection, focusing on journaling and going to a sit spot, with the Kamana Naturalist Training Program (http://kamana.org/) as a guide. He experienced outdoor life in his tipi right up until the colder months, but began to experience unexpected challenges with eczema, and joined the other interns to sleep by the wood stove in the barn. He's learned that there will always be obstacles to overcome in life, and that the only way to get to the other side is by jumping the hurdle, no matter how big. He plans to continue his routines at home in London, Ontario, studying with a tested zest and running workshops through his organization, Track My Back. Future plans include travel, and playing in a local band.

Dave came to the school from Algonquin park, and isn't a musician -- yet. Learning to play the guitar was one of the many pastimes he picked up during his internship. Dave showed up in August, and was already used to the outdoors, having worked as an Interior Ranger for several seasons. Like Drasko, Dave's passion for primitive skills comes with experience, and perhaps the best kind. As a youngster, he struggled to teach himself how to make a bow drill fire in his basement for months. Now, he "pops coals" in 20 seconds or less. He's taken courses with Outward Bound, and at Sticks and Stones before his internship, and knows Skeet as a friend. He couldn't say no to the opportunity to practice his naturalist skills and help out around the school.

Having been tempered by the wilderness already, Dave's challenges were different from the other interns. He has learned about mentoring and community, and was pushed from the beginning of his time at the school when he signed up for the Art of Mentoring class run through the P.I.N.E. Project of Toronto. Expressing himself openly and participating in a culture of growth is something that he's come to appreciate, as he gets older and thinks about settling down.

As well as being mentored by Skeet, Dave had the chance to practice his own mentoring skills with Mike and Drasko, constantly quizzing them both on their knowledge of birds, something he is continually passionate about. He has honed those skills even further, having had the chance to be surrounded by a group interested in learning from him. He has done much the same thing by teaching Mike how to handle tools and split wood, and they are both the better for it.

Individual growth is a stepping stone to community growth, but it's definitely a two-way street. As the interns have poured themselves into their own goals, they have also poured themselves into the school. After six months of focus, the program is it a point where there is little difference between the growth of the interns and the the growth of the school, for they are truly two roots of the same tree. All interns contribute community hours throughout the week and have more than enough free time to pursue their own goals. A healthy trunk has given way to young branches, and there is little doubt that more will grow, thanks to the thriving network of life that is working hard to make it so.

The "official" Residential Program is in the works for next season. Babies are soon to be born in this one. What has been accomplished is testament to the miracle of life itself, and there is deep gratitude all around. Who knows what growth will continue, but it is for certain that the seeds of life and energy have been planted deeply and firmly in the foundations of the school (and in Kate's belly). Thank you to all the students who have joined us on our journey so far, and we look forward to making new tracks with old and new friends in the future.

The White-tailed Deer of Southern Ontario

2010-12-03T02:19:00.000-08:00

For the past week at the school, white-tailed deer have been quite the neighbours. Very quiet, elusive, and reserved neighbours... and all interactions with them have produced a sense of majestic awe in their viewers.

The entire week was dedicated to their pursuit, either with bow or camera. The world of stalking and still hunting empowered students in awareness of the moment, and all were blessed by the beauty of the animals they saw, heard, and tracked.

Students began the course practicing the ancient skill of the sit spot. Finding a spot to sit in the woods, to watch, listen and observe the life around you, is a core routine for not only hunting, but for practicing awareness as well.

The start of the week was focused on sitting in its purest form. Students were taught to slow down with no other motive, and to pay attention to the details of their surroundings, and when they came back in, to relive their experiences in the form of stories and journals.

The quest for deer would take the class to several properties in the Orangeville area. Many of the landowners are members of the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Plan, and provide the school with the opportunity to explore their healthy forests.

Students learned that the areas most populated by deer always have cover (evergreens, valleys, corn fields), food (apples, acorns, beech nuts, shrubs), good hiding spots for socializing, and water. Upon arriving at a new property, it was the job of the students to discover, map and examine how these four ingredients fit together, and to choose a sit spot based on their own predictions.

Most hunters go out before sunrise so the birds and squirrels aren't put on edge, return midday for lunch and siesta time, and head out again late afternoon. For traditional bow hunters, siesta time is a bit of a misnomer. There are always arrows to make and targets to shoot.

Doug Getgood, a student this year, used his siesta time to train his arm to shoot without his compound bow. He decided to switch to his traditional recurve halfway through the week. Intern Mike used his time to finish his self-made hickory longbow, and to learn how to shoot it. There is something about traditional archery that honours the hunt, perhaps simply because of the hard work that goes into it.

But the biggest lesson of the week was in learning how to be invisible. It is one thing to be a successful deer hunter or photographer. It is quite another to do so without the deer knowing, using stealth, camouflage, and awareness.

It is a great pleasure to observe wild deer. Being invisible in the woods returns that honour by disturbing them as little as possible -- much as we take our shoes off and leave our noisy voices outside our own homes, we can do the same in the forest by slowing down and being grateful for all the gifts the deer give us, and by respecting their space.

Thank you to the white-tailed deer for the wonder and lessons that you have given us.

Wastelessness and Reverence

2010-11-26T08:49:00.000-08:00

Hunting is a sacred event that brings food and many other gifts to the table. When harvesting an animal, we feel it is both respectful and energy efficient to use the entirety of the animal, not wasting any part.

Students arrived on last Saturday to take part in "Using the Whole Animal", a course that provided many real time lessons including; skinning, hide preparation, butchering, food safety and preservation, and feasting.

The day began early and ended late. A steer from a local ranch was harvested in a good way. At the end of the day tears were shed, prayers were said as gratitude was expressed to the animal that was offered.

Later that evening, students were brought out to field dress the animal which was a visceral experience. A fire kept everyone warm as the work carried on well into the night.
The following day was spent studying the anatomy of the animal in a very hands-on manner. Harvesting your own animal is a long, but satisfying process. Students put their minds, hearts, and knives to the test and were gifted with choice cuts of beef as they left for home. There is something about the intimacy of local food that leaves you with a sense of deep appreciation and involvement in the cycle of life.

Natural Fibers and Us

2010-11-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

Before winter set in, the community of Sticks and Stones was blessed with a balmy week of clear skies and sunshine. It couldn't have come at a better time as the Hide Tanning Class was in full swing. Students and interns squatted and bent over deer hides as they learned to dry and wet scrape, the former of which was a labour of love shared by all. There's nothing like working hides in a tee shirt and bare feet. Thank you sunshine!

The past few days we held the Cordage, Fiber and Traditional Containers class which was quite the success. Using all sorts of natural fibers we learned about and made baskets, cordage, berry pouches, knife sheathes, bowls and more! This was done around the wood stove as the chillier weather returned. It was quite the social event. The newly installed hay door kept the heat in the barn and the Westerly wind out.

Both activities brought out the best in the community. There is something naturally bonding about working both animal and plant fibers... almost as if by doing it as a group, you end up woven together like the fibers you with craft.

Thank you to everyone for coming out to keep our hands and hearts all busy, together.

Why do we hunt?

2010-11-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Spending so much time in preparation for the hunt, it becomes more apparent how harvesting animals for food is a very sacred act. There is a recognition that we would not be where we are today had our ancestors not perfected the art of hunting. We don't consider animals game, and we don't take trophies... the lives of the animals we take are as precious as are own. It is a blessing for us to be able to take part in the cycle of life and to connect ourselves with the lives of the animals around us.

For us, hunting goes hand in hand with compassion. When you rely on an animal for sustenance, there is a natural gratitude that comes from taking its life with your own hands to fuel your own.
There is recognition that another being has sacrificed itself so that you may grow. It is an intimate aspect of life that can't be viewed at the grocery store. The way we are learning to hunt breeds compassion, and an appreciation for life and all its beauty. Randall L. Eaton talks about the transformation young men go through when they hunt, in his book From Boys to Men of Heart, Hunting as Rite of Passage, with excerpts from Jon Young. It's well worth a read.

For those with self-sufficiency in mind, hunting is a great way to put meat in your diet. Wild animals eat wild plants, meaning that no cultivation or energy-intensive labour is required to feed them. With the environmental problems we are facing today, hunting is a good option for the planet and for us.

Traditional bow hunting is not only a way to pay respect to the animal, but a way to test your naturalist, tracking and stalking skills. Having to get close to an animal as aware as the white-tailed deer, a master of stealth and camouflage, is not easy. Working hard for something will make you ever more grateful.

If you are interested in hunting or even just increasing your awareness and invisibility out in the woods in order to get close to the White Tailed, to undertand them better, check out our Way of the Hunt class November 22-28, 2010.

Chilly Hunting

2010-11-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

The temperature has dropped and camp routine has changed again. For the first day this season snow has fallen and stayed on the ground. Skeet and the interns experienced this chill up north, a couple weeks back, while hunting moose. The frost has followed them home and so too has the desire to be out in the woods to stalk and, with a heart of gratitude, harvest a deer. Sitting in trees and bushes waiting to see them would also be enough.

Deer blinds were set up before the trip so that when everyone was gone the

deer, which likely moved from the area during the disturbance, would come back with the quiet. Upon returning, fresh scat, tracks and buck sightings in that area indicate that it was a wise choice. A few more days spent on last minute preparations and the interns will be out with Skeet for early morning and dusk sits (out in the woods). Precision is so important during the hunt and the seriousness with which the interns are taking this opportunity can be seen in the number of bull’s eyes that are being hit during target practice.

Internships for this year finish up here at Sticks and Stones at end of November. It’s the final stretch of a very educational term and the interns are still going strong! It’s the kind of month that would be celebrated well with a feast. Hopefully and thankfully with venison.

Above Picture: Intern Mike making arrows

Headwaters Gathering Fall 2010

2010-10-04T06:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend, the Greater Headwaters community hosted the biannual Headwaters Gathering, which happens every spring and fall. The gathering is a community event where families and friends from Southern Ontario and beyond come together to celebrate the seasons, share skills, stories, as well as goods and services at the renowned trading blanket. The gathering started out as a group of friends getting together to practice traditional, earth-based skills. As those friends have grown to create organizations that teach those skills (like Sticks and Stones Wilderness School, Earth Tracks, The P.I.N.E. Project and Earth Mentorship Programs), the event has evolved into a regional festivity where members of the greater community and travelers from even further connect to expand their earth wisdom. An important emphasis of the gathering is that it's community-run, with everyone participating as a volunteer to look after the group's needs. There's a goal of stewardship and the group takes it upon themselves to leave the land better than when they got there through individual acts of care taking and a project for the land. If you're interested in community and nature connection it's an event you don't want to miss.

The gathering started Friday but the keenest member of the group showed up Thursday, camping out with a makeshift tent in the form of a tarp stretched and tied over a pine log. He helped with splitting wood, arranging the barn, and general prep. The next batch showed up Friday morning. From there, things became community-based and all the routine tasks of organization fell into place with volunteer efforts. Kudos to community! The first fire of the weekend was lit by a group friction fire effort. It blazed strongly for the rest of the weekend to keep the October chill out of everyone's bones as well as to welcome newcomers.

The crowd was made up of families with children, hardcore barefooters who didn't seem to mind the brisk weather, couples of all ages, dogs, kittens, interns from Sticks and Stones, and community organizers like Skeet Sutherland, Alexis Burnett of Earth Tracks, Darian Bacon, and Andrew McMartin of The P.I.N.E. Project. A lot of first timers joined the fun, and the crowd numbered about 60. The workshops were led by many members of this community who wanted to share their skills and knowledge. Topics included fire by friction and coal-burned bowls, how to make your own bucksaws and knives (led by Doug Getgood who runs the Toronto Survivalism meetup group), a plant walk, an edible mushroom walk, archery and arrow making, casual flintknapping, and a children's program led by The P.I.N.E. Project. Everything flowed very smoothly and it's amazing how much easier things are with efforts evenly divided.

It was a scramble Saturday afternoon to secure a cooking spot at the fire for the evening's delicious weekend event, the potluck. With bellies full, the trading blanket opened by the fire, with organizer Darian as host. The trading was moved inside the barn with the rain. Some memorable trades included; certificates for stays at Wolf Den Nature Retreat and Hostel in Algonquin Park, traps from the indigenous Sami people of Scandinavia, a turkey oven, arrowheads, high quality stone for flintknapping, a hula hoop made out of plumbing tubing for body massage, books, and even live performances and songs. It was an enjoyable ceremony.

Mm, mm... campfire cooking

The results of campfire cooking, the weekend potluck

The Headwaters Gathering is an adventure. Participants never know what they're going to learn, what old friends they're going to bump into, or how many new friends they'll make. The location moves across Southern Ontario's beautifully diverse scenery, accommodations change, and the workshops and opportunities at the trading blanket are always different. In the past the stewardship project has involved tree planting, helping out local farmers, and making habitat for wildlife. It's a very dynamic, camp-like atmosphere. What is sure, is that there is a like-minded community for people of Ontario to be part of, and that twice a year there's a time and a space to celebrate it. It's an honour to host the Headwaters Gathering and Sticks and Stones is deeply grateful for the community effort it took to pull things together. Things have come a long way since the very first gathering of just a few friends.

Ready for Harvest

2010-10-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Fall is a busy time. It’s the time for harvest when apples fall, salmon spawn, deer feast, and bears get fat for winter. The Sticks and Stones interns seem to act similarly, but their priorities are a bit different.

With hunting season fast approaching, Skeet and the residential students are in a hurry to get things ready. Arrowheads need to be knapped, greenwood shafts straightened, bows finished and hundreds of practice shots fired. Camouflage-compatible clothes, that are warm and quiet, need to be made or bought, properly de-scented and packed away. Tracking skills need to be practiced, and books read. On top of hunting, shelters need extra work for the rain and approaching cold. Then there was the Headwaters Gathering to get ready for, and all of the fall courses still to come. It’s a busy time, but a happy time.

Interns Mike and David prepare thunderboxes for the fall Headwaters Gathering

Intern Drasko takes a break to enjoy the hard work he's put into his bow, made of Osage Orange

The interns have grown more comfortable with one another in the time they’ve been around, and a routine of productiveness has been engrained. Skeet won’t admit it but the interns are sure that the cows sneaking onto the property from the adjacent fields are a team building exercises in disguise. There is something beautifully bonding about chasing cows back over a fence while trying to avoid all their scat.

David has also built Drasko a shelf out of pine for his tipi while the weather was dry. Skeet is putting a woodstove in the house, as well as in the workshop, and plenty of wood needs to be cut. Everybody spent some time caretaking the woods, cutting down dead elm trees and overcrowded pines, making room for the growing apple, maple, elderberry, dogwood and cherry trees. Most of the pines will be given to a neighbour and some will stay on the forest floor to turn into nutrients. The elms, which are a hardwood, will be good firewood. We had many hands to help harvest the wood. On top of the interns and other on site members of the Sticks and Stones community, other helpers included Stu, who is a friend of the school, as well as Skeet's Dad. The community looked like a hive of busy bees. The rain seemed to hit in the middle of busy times but we all managed to work through it in good humour.

The last day of summer started with a midnight thunderstorm, but through the day the sun poked her head out. It was a great day to enjoy. Sue went to the local Collingwood Market and bought vegetables from Bobby, who gardens on the property and sells at the local market. A nearby farm called the New Farm put on a Harvest Festival that evening. Drasko and Sue went to dance the night away with friendly strangers. Sticks and Stones isn’t the only community to be working and celebrating the seasonal shift and its bounty.

Meanwhile, the animals are arranging their own affairs. The Canadian geese and blue jays are flying south. Drasko, after choosing his sit spot, saw a big, old raccoon he nicknamed Grandpa Raccoon going about his hunting and gathering. A barred owl blessed Mike with his presence swooping over his head to look for shrews while Mike gathered debris for his shelter. Sue, Phil (both friends of the school) and Mike, visited the plants for some autumn harvesting, which took them on an adventure and allowed them to gather some wild ginger, golden rod, cranberry, yarrow, birch and cedar bark. Tucker tagged along and gathered porcupine quills in his paws which were later extracted.

Tucker, the Sticks and Stones mascot, retires after a long day

The buzz of the current schedule seems to be just the beginning. About a month ago, a fire in Drasko’s tipi was lit by the interns, and it seems it was built well. The passionate youngins are still on fire and ready to go. The learning that has come with community and rewarding work has been potent. It seems like the animals are rubbing off on everyone as a sphere of productivity has come to the school. Though it feels like the link between the busy schedule of the animals and the School has been subconscious, the community of Sticks and Stones is intent on making that connection very conscious. Everyone is fine tuning their awareness to make that happen. When it comes to mimicking the satisfying labour of harvest that the animals are so good at, the interns and school are learning a great deal.

Empowering Ancient Ways Autumn 2010

2010-09-20T08:05:00.001-07:00

Six days… how is it possible that we managed to build a community from strangers while simultaneously learning skills and gaining understandings that would enable us to provide for our basic needs in the wilderness?

From friction fire and water purification, to wild edible/medicinal plants and tracking. This is only the tip of the ice burg! The past week was so rich in knowledge, practical experience and sharing in community. We came away from the time feeling empowered to practice and use a variety of primitive skills that have served cultures around the world for thousands of years. All our senses were coaxed out of hiding as we were invited to see, feel, hear, taste, and sense the world around us in a new way. There is an excitement to go back to our homes and to practice these skills and routines to deepen our connection with the natural world for the well being of ourselves, communities and the entirety of the natural world.

Woven through the week was an understanding that we all make tracks on this earth regardless of how lightly we tread. The question that remained was will we leave tracks of degradation or regeneration? Quite simply put, “Our tracks echo our intention into the future.” After this week I feel even more inspired to leave tracks of regeneration.

Shelter and Community

2010-09-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

After Empowering Ancient Ways, life settled back to its usual swing... arrows started flying, bows were scraped, tracks were studied, journals were scribbled in, leftovers were eaten, and Skeet was bombarded with the usual questions. It was a time for celebration and reflection, which began with a drive to Orangeville for groceries and all-you-can-eat sushi dinner. Bellies full, everybody hunkered down for the evening. The night ended in front of a laptop with San Bushmen dancing across the screen. The Great Dance is an amazing film every man, woman, hunter-gatherer, farmer, and, well... everybody should watch.

The next morning was clear, cool, and a little cloudy. Geese flew by, and most of them went West. The day started with a group interview by James Irwin, a musician/writer, who plans to publish an article on Sticks and Stones. Then, Skeet called for a group meeting and discussed the recent Empowering Ancient Ways course, and future plans. With everything wrapped up like a nice tinder bundle, interns David and Mike tried to set a record for Most Bark Carried By Two Men. Nice try boys... you ain't got nothin' on ancient peoples. Regardless, it was quite a load (maybe 100 lbs?) They carried the heft like Sherpas, with it wrapped in a string that wrapped around their foreheads. Young ladies, if any had been around... would likely have been impressed by their brutishness. Collection of the bark was easy due to Dutch Elm Disease, the bark was already dead on the trees. It would make a nice addition to the waterproofing of Mike's shelter. Meanwhile, Drasko worked feverishly on his tipi. It was a day to start a new cycle, and to recover and internalize the last week.

Since his arrival in May, intern Mike from Toronto has been experimenting with different shelters. He didn't bring a knife when he first came for his internship, and he's a little ambitious about jumping into primitive living. Having done a little stint in the military before, he headed to Sticks and Stones for something different, but equally intense and adventurous. He made two debris huts before upgrading his comfort level to a wigwam, a type of shelter used by the ancient culture of this region. Flexible saplings over and under lap to form a dome shape, which is covered in bark to keep the wind and rain out. Debris, spruce boughs and extra layers of bark on top add extra insulation and waterproofing if the first layer isn't seamless. Mike has chosen a grove naturally sheltered by spruce for his wigwam and although his spot isn't windy, his main worry will be keeping a fire going all winter. Burning hardwood will minimize any fire hazard, and with a well built thatched door he's yet to make, the small area will heat up quickly. He calls his shelter "Little Spruce", and the other interns jokingly call it "Tinder Bundle", reminiscent of the dry fibers you put together to blow life into from a fire by friction coal.

Mike shows off his home with stored choke
cherries, apples, and jam made from the two

Intern Drasko, also from Toronto, arrived mid August, and brought with him some serious preparation. He's taken courses at the Tracker School in New Jersey, and freshly graduated from Western University with a degree in psychology. Among his luggage was a beautifully painted canvas tipi cover. With Mike's help, he quickly harvested 20 sixteen foot poles of white pine for the structure. They had to be meticulously debarked and after about a week they were stripped and seasoned. The next week, the tipi was put up on top of a nearby hill surrounded by pines and facing the setting sun. The canvas was the perfect fit for the poles, and the drawings on the side of it seem to glow in the sun. Since its erection, Drasko has added an ozone (a piece of material that catches any leaks that get through the smoke hole), carpets, and a shelf that fellow intern and handyman David made. Drasko doesn't have to worry about flammability, but has to fill up some gaps in the bottom of the tipi with logs rolled in blankets to keep the draft out for the winter. He's got more than enough room for a good supply of firewood inside the tipi, and Mike and David call his shelter "Hotel Drasko".

Drasko debarks his tipi poles, stakes them into the ground, and puts on the canvas

David arrived with tons of outdoor experience having recently worked in Algonquin Park as an interior ranger and having taken courses with Outward Bound before that. His shelter is in the works and his hardiness shows in the fact that he doesn't even plan to have a fire inside. He made his own design for his shelter, which is turning into a sort of debris tipi. Located in the pines, his shelter doesn't yet have a name but with the lack of light that will be getting in, something like the "Batcave" might be appropriate. Pine logs form the tipi structure and box style entrance. Tons of spruce boughs and debris piled on top will hopefully provide enough insulation for the winter and lots of blankets inside will make up the difference.

David reveals himself after camouflaging from students
and later joins Mike to watch a flintknapping demonstration,
both eager to make their own arrowheads for hunting season

Having worked on their shelters in the morning, the interns met up in the afternoon inside Drasko's tipi. It was time for ceremony and a hand drill coal was made by all. The fire was lit. The circle was open. Drasko began by thanking the directions and telling his fellow interns what he appreciated about them. He then told the story of his jam-packed, young life. The others followed suit with what they felt like sharing. It was a hozy, cozy, happy time and the festivities moved to Mike's shelter, a.k.a. the "Tinder Bundle". Another fire was lit, and the talking went on late. Having said what they wanted to say, the interns went their separate ways and back to work.

Community is one of the most important "primitive" skills. The ceremony taught the Three Little Interns about one another, and the importance of their bonding... they could feel the weight of it without being told. Community comes in many forms with shelter as the backbone of life, but not the whole of it. There is as much to learn about nature in one another as there is living in the woods all fall with the deer, coyotes, raccoons and skunks. The fire and passion to work is something that needs to be supported by a sound structure and it's worth spending time to build. It was a time to celebrate the work that's been put into physical shelter and to begin building the warmth of community that will last through the winter, regardless of the cold.

Trouble via Three Little Interns

2010-09-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone.

It's very exciting to tell you that this site is going to be Spruced (haha) up a bit. Sticks and Stones has grown, and old man Skeet has been joined by three young, rambunctious interns. David, Drasko and Mike are the Three Little Interns (like Bob Marley's Three Little Birds... don't worry, be happy now). Lovely Sue has also joined the team in an administrative role. We're all here to learn until November, and now that Skeet's got a few extra hands, there's going to be a new approach for this here blog. Stay tuned for the wild adventures of Sticks and Stones and the Three Little Interns.

2010 Schedule Launch

2009-12-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

2010 Class and Program Schedule

Check it out on our webpage http://sticksandstoneswildernessschool.com/Full_schedule/

The moment you've all been waiting for has finally arrived, as we unveil the many events scheduled for the Bright New Year!

Be sure to check out the NEW programs.

Traditional Hide-Tanning - March 25-28

Traditional Drum-Building - April 9-11

Empowering Ancient Ways - April 25- May 1

Kimbercote Stewardship Project - May 7-9

Traditional Bowmaking (at Lee Valley) - May 13 and 29

Traditional Bowmaking (at Sticks & Stones Workshop) - May 21-24

Arrow Workshop (at Lee Valley) - June 19

Wilderness Skills Intensive - June 11-13

Wildlife Tracking - June 24-27

*NEW!* Flint Knapping - July 8-11

Traditional Bowmaking (at Sticks & Stones Workshop) - July 28- Aug 2

Wilderness Skills Intensive (at the P.I.N.E. Project) - August 13-15

Empowering Ancient Ways - September 5-11

Traditional Bowmaking (at Sticks & Stones Workshop) - October 14-17

*NEW!* Cordage, Fibre & Containers - October 23-24

*NEW!* Ten-Day Survival Quest - October 29 - November 7

Traditional Hide Tanning - November 11-14

The Way of the Hunt - November 28 - December 4

*NEW!* Using the Whole Animal - December 10-12

Winter Wildlife Tracking - December 16-19

A little something for the Senses

2009-09-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School

2009-09-17T08:39:00.001-07:00

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School

Shared via AddThis

Contact Us

2009-09-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Preserving the Ways of the Wild

Welcome to the cooler weather of Autumn, this is our favorite time of the year and because we will be spending so much time out of doors over the next few months. We have taken the opportunity to update and switch around nearly everything on our website, and have even changed our email addresses to accommodate the growth of the school and make communications with you smooth and sound.

You will find that the old URL www.sticksandstoneswildernessschool.com still works though we are slowly shifting to www.wildernessschool.ca for many reasons; mainly because it is a Canadian site, and the URL is shorter.

Our email addresses have changed as well.

sswsinfo@gmail.com

sticksandstoneswilderness@gmail.com

Changing to:

Main-General accounts

sticksandstones@wildernessschool.ca

info@wildernessschool.ca

Specific accounts

Program Director:

Skeet@wildernessschool.ca

Communications Director:

Kate@wildernessschool.ca

IT/Marketing Director:

Darian@wildernessschool.ca

You may still receive emails from some of the older accounts for a few weeks still, but if you are trying to contact us it would be preferable to use one of the green labeled accounts.

We also have a new mailing address:

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School

75 First Street, Suite # 248

Orangeville ON

L9W 5B6

….We look forward to making tracks with you soon….

New Website

2008-12-10T09:54:00.000-08:00

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School website has moved

http://www.sticksandstoneswildernessschool.com/

Here you will find everything you need to know about the school, who we are, the skills we teach and what we offer the community and why.

Dont forgat to sign up for the email list and or the newsletter.

Please check it out and pass the smoke signal on, the skills have come back to Ontario once again.

Thanks and have a great snowy season.

Skeet Sutherland
Sticks and Stones Wilderness School
519-216-6842

Let Me Know

2008-05-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

This temporary Web Space is an experimental way of getting you folks the needed Program dates and registration information while the Sticks and Stones Wilderness School webpage is drafted and launched.
If something is unclear, then please don't hesitate to email me with any comments, questions or thoughts. skeetsutherland@hotmail.com

Thank you for your time and interests in preserving the skills.

Take Care,
Skeet Sutherland

Course Descriptions

2008-05-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon to the Archives will be full program descriptions and Pictures from past programs.
Maybe Ill see you this weekend at The Headwaters Gathering.
Skeet Sutehrland
Sticks and Stones Wilderness School

Directions to The Wolf Den

2008-05-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

Click on link below
http://www.wolfdenbunkhouse.com/location.htm

See you there
Skeet
SSWS

2008 Schedule

2008-05-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

It was a long, warm winter in my Shelter. A wet Spring with plentiful maple syrup. The return of song from the south among the budding, baby green foliage. The turkeys are roosting in the hardwoods again and the whip poor whil is calling from these woods for the first time since anyone can remember.

Empowering Ancient Ways was the perfect course to kick off this season.
April 27-May 2, 2008 at the Wolf Den Hostel, Check out pictures and comments through http://www.earthmentorship.com/

Below you will find the Schedule for the rest of this year.

Additional courses may be added by request if you or your group are looking for availibility to book custom programs or personnel intensives please request via email at skeetsutherland@hotmail.com or call Skeet Sutherland @ 1-519-216-6842.

Links for directions, contact information and registration can be found at the end of this message.

Full Course Discriptions can be found in Archives, found on the main page on the right hand side.

June

Stewardship Project
June 15, 2008 Fathers Day
Orangeville area
Details coming soon
Free admission and maybe lunch too.
Keep watch for updates

Bending Stix - Throwing Stones
Bow Building Workshop
June 19, 20, 21, 22, 2008
Wolf Den Bunkhouse and Cabins, Algonquin area
Cost $400, $150 Deposit due by June 5, 2008
See details in Archives

Braintan Buckskin
Traditional Hide Tanning Workshop
June 26, 27, 28, 29, 2008
Orangeville Area
Cost $400, $150 Deposit due by June 12, 2008
Includes a place to set up your tent, dinner, workshop materials and tools.
See details in the Archives

July

Wilderness Skills Weekend
July 4-5-6, 2008
Orangeville Area
Cost $350, $150 Deposit due by June
Includes place to set up your tent, dinner, and course materials.
See details in the Archives

Wilderness Skills Weekend Workshops
All weekend workshops will be offered at the Wolf Den Bunkhouse and Cabins, Algonquin area.
Cost $350, Inlcudes dorm style accomadation, dinner and workshop materials.
See details in the Archives

Keeper of the Flame
July 11, 12, 13, 2008

Wilderness Food Skills
July 18, 19, 20, 2008

Wildlife Tracking Skills
July 25, 26, 27, 2008

August

Sacred Awareness
August 1, 2, 3, 2008

September

Empowering Ancient Ways
August 30, Sept. 6, 2008
Wolf Den Bunkhouse and Cabins, Algonquin area
Cost $750, $300 Deposit due by July 31, 2008
Includes 3 meals/day, dorm style accomadation and materials for course.
See details in Archives

Empowering Ancient Ways- Advanced Skills
September 7 - 13, 2008
Wolf Den Bunkhouse and Cabins, Algonquin Area
Cost $750, $300 Deposit due by August, 7, 2008
Includes 3 meals/day, dorm style accomadation and materials for course.
See details in Archives

California Bow Building Workshop
This one isn't etched into stone yet but Dates will be listed soon.
Hosted by Back2Earth with long time friends and fellow trackers Jeff and Allysa Barnes out of the Red Wood country of Cali.
See details in the Archives

October

Braintan Buckskin
Traditonal Hide Tanning Workshop
October 2, 3, 4, 5, 2008
Orangeville Area
Cost $400, $150 Deposit due by Aug. 31, 2008
Includes Dinner, place to set up your tent, dinner, materials and tools for workshop.

See details in Archives

Bending Stix - Throwing Stones
Bow Buildiong Workshop
October 30- November 2, 2008
Location: To be Announced
Cost: $400.00, $150.00 Deposit due by September 25, 2008
Includes dorm style accomadation, dinner, workshop materials and tools for workshop.
See details in Archives

November
To be Announced

December

Winter Tracking Workshop
December 11, 12, 13, 14, 2008
Orangeville Area
Cost $400, $150 deposit due by Nov. 3, 2008
Includes dorm style accomadation, dinner and materials for the workshop.
See details in Archives

Bending Stix - Throwing Stones

2008-05-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

Sticks & Stones Wilderness School
Presents
Bending Stix & Throwing Stones
Bow Building Workshop
When: June 19 – 22
Where: Wolf Den Hostel, Oxtongue ON(Hwy 60, just west of Algonquin Park)
Learn the Ancient Art of Bow Building; through this hands on workshop students will be shaping, tillering, bending and finally shooting their own bows. The journey from the forest to the hand tailored finished bow in 4 days.
Price: $400, includes
• All course materials, wood and tools (bring your own tools if you have them.)
• 3 nights cabin corm style accommodation at the Wolf Den Hostel.
• Dinner is provided on the 19th, 20th, & 21st,
• Bring your own Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks, Full Kitchen facilities available at the hostel, fridge/stove/wares.-Coffee/tea provided.
• $150 NON REFUNDEBLE deposit required with application by June 5th, 2008, space is limited to 10 students, apply soon.No Experience is Necessary!__________________________________________________________
For registration and further details please contact Skeet Sutherland via email at:
skeetsutherland@hotmail.com
or by phone at: 519-216-6842

Information relating to Events and Programs in Traditional Skills and Earth Mentoring can always be found through Chris Gilmour and his website at: http://www.chris.earthmentorship.com/

For Directions to the Wolf Den Hostel click on the link below:
www.wolfdenbunkhouse.com

Bending Stix - Throwing Stones

2008-05-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Please contact me if you are interested in the above mentioed

Bending Stix - Throwing Stones,

Only a limited # of students in this workshop.

To the rest of you

I am really looking forward to spending some serious time with many of you this summer, training in the ways of the wild.

The Wolf Den Hostel, outside Algonquins West Gate, has been a great spot to kick off this year with Empowering Ancient Ways.

Please find more Photos and comments about the course on the Earth Mentorship Webpage.

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School is currently creating a website and will be utilizing this blogspot until the launch date.

Keep in touch and hope to be working skills with you soon.

Keep on....

Skeet Sutherland

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School Has Rooted in the North

2008-04-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Winter the time of snow, purification, cleansing and introspection. In the North, the seeds have been sown.