Earth Steward Apprenticeship
"Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons. It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth." Walt Whitman
Pre-requisite for enrolment: A Trackways school camp or Trackways wild craft camp, or our initial open day in October/November 2010 held for the course, to meet the staff, previous students and introduction into ESA.
Aims
• Develop a variety of skills to help students to be able to survive in the natural environment
• Discover their role as integrated members and care givers of in the natural world
• Gain a greater depth of appreciation and understanding for the outdoors
• Become self-reliant and able to adapt to an ever-changing world
• Develop strategies for sustainable practices
Staff
Phil Howard: Course Leader and Instructor
Self-employed bush-craft instructor working with Trackways.
Project Leader for food security in the 21st century
Outreach Consultant.
Qualified first-aider.
At times other instrustors/camp staff and specialist teachers
Susan Kelly: Instructor
Teacher, Qualified first-aider,
Karen Kent: Camp Co-ordinator
Organiser, co-ordinator, scientist, writer, horsewoman, naturalist, animal communicator, craftswoman, gardener, complementary practitioner and mother
At times other instructors/ camp staff and specialist teachers will be on site to assist. All instructors are FA trained and CRB checked.
DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS FOR COMPLETION
Year 1 Objectives – Building the Relationships
Principles of life skills
Shelter – Establish survival camps making various forms of shelter.
Fire – Engage in a variety of methods of fire making and learn basic fire skills.
Water – Water preservation, sourcing and storing.
Food – The art of the hunter-gatherer: foraging, archery skills, food preparation, cooking on open fires.
Core routines
Sit Spot
Fox walking
Bird language
Tree lore
Story Telling
Art of thanksgiving/ Gratitude
Journaling
Understanding the ecological web of life
Nature awareness: games, methods and techniques.
Ancient technologies
Art of wild-crafting – cordage, baskets, bowls, flint knapping, wood crafts, etc.
Introduction to the Purification Lodge
Building the Lodge
Sweat Lodge Ceremony
4-5 day camp
Survival camp / rites of passage
Year 2 Objectives – Strategies for Sustainable Living
Biodynamic methods – Introduction to principles and methods. Farm Organism, soil and plant vitality, compost preparations, relationships between the animals, plants, soils, atmosphere and humans, working with cosmic and earthly forces.
Permaculture – Introduction to principles and methods, e.g. observation and design, working with natural systems, integration rather than segregation, renewable resources, diversity, margins, producing no waste, catching and storing energy, responding to change, self-regulation and small and slow solutions.
Forest gardening – when, how and what to plant.
The art of living with the earth – building on the earth skills learned in Year 1. Plant, Tree and animal identification, knowledge and uses, phenomenology.
The art of the hunter-gatherer
Deepening the experience by building on teachings from Year 1: trapping, tracking, bow work, and wyld foods.
Working with the four elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water) in a sustainable way:
Clay / earth ovens
Solar stills
Rain catchments
Wind power
Art of composting.
Deepening craft knowledge
Hide tanning
Bark work
Advanced flint knapping with Will Lord.
Year 3 Objectives
Deepening the Journey
Development of spiritual skills to complement the physical journey
Introduction to the Community Council
Deepening sensory awareness
How to become more aware of what we see, hear, smell, taste, feel, and sense.
Introduction to navigation of the spiritual worlds
Guided meditation working with the drum and rattle.
Caretaking
Learning to heal the earth and return it to balance
Wilderness spirit philosophy
Advanced methods of relaxation, insight, healing and communication with nature and spiritual forces.
Vision Quest
Exploration of the guidance given when we spend time alone in nature, joys of self-discovery, and the power of personal vision for our lives.
Art of mentoring
How to empower others in a nurturing way to help them realise their full potential.
Age & Cost
Age group: 14-18
Cost: 800.00GBP
Concessions
Some concessions for low income/single parent available, please write and give circumstances, your application will be considered.
Duration of each session: Saturday 9am to Sunday 2pm
Meals provided: Lunch and dinner on Saturday, breakfast and lunch on Sunday.
Essential equipment: Sleeping bag, bivvy bag, rollmat, themal clothing, survival tin, knife, water bottle, strong outdoor clothing, waterproofs, strong boots/footwear, warm hat, notebook, pen, knife, fork, spoon, cup, personal bivvy/tarp and cord.
Provisional dates for Year 1
Proposed dates
Activities
Feb 19/20
Coming together as a tribe
Set the intention for the year
Establish survival camp – shelter, fire, water, food and core routines
March 19/20
Improve survival camp – shelter, fire, water, food and core routines
April 18- 22
5 DAY CAMP
Nature awareness, bird language, tracking and crafts, field and target archery, wild foods and camp cooking
May 14/15
Nature awareness and sensory development
June 18/19
Ancient technologies, nature awareness, skills practice
July 16/17
Way of the Apache Scout
Aug
Summer holiday break, personal skill development in readiness for survival quest
Sept 16/17/18
Continuation of personal skill development in readiness for survival quest. Sweatlodge
Oct 17- 21
October half term with a survival quest / rights of passage
Nov 5/6
Celebrating our journey, closing weekend
Summary of current year course: January - November 2010
With 19 students signing up this year, our camp site has been a source of endless activity, fun, challenges and learning. The first two weekends in January and February were bitterly cold and tested all our resourcefulness, giving us the opportunity to thrive in adverse conditions. Most of us still opted for tarps and bush shelters.
During the following sessions the growth spurts came thick and fast. We have learnt and engaged in all principles and skills of bush craft, the sensory and awareness building work has given the students new informed and precise skills, many of which are lacking in our current education systems. We have seen impressive and rapid development in most, if not all our students. Four of the students chose to leave the course at different times for various reasons from exam commitments and personal or family situations. However the remaining students have developed an amazing cooperativeness and are well on there way towards there final sessions, culminating in the survival quest in October, a three day, two nights quest either singly or in a clan group.