North House Folk School - Courses, Classes, Workshops

Firestarting & Cordage: Primitive Skills Workshop

Outdoor Skills & Travel

Mike McCall

Matchless fires, finely flaked obsidian, spears, slings and the whole David and Goliath bit. This primitive skills workshop invites you to learn the basic skills of yesteryear, exploring the foundational skills required to flintknap, bow-drill firestarting as well as flint and steel, and making cordage rope from plants at hand. Students will have the opportunity to 'play for a day' and explore a pre-bow and arrow technology with an atlatl (pronounced "OT-LOTTL") - a simple spear-throwing device that uses mechanical leverage to increase the force of a thrown spear (more accurately a long dart) up to 2-1/2 times. Spend time with costumed character Flint Eastwood as we put the scouts in boy and girl scouts.

Dates

Fri, Aug 24, 2012

(Available for registration on 03/01/2012 after 08:00AM)

Fri, Aug 31, 2012

(Available for registration on 03/01/2012 after 08:00AM)

Course Details

Length in days:

1/2

Hours:

10am-3pm

Tuition:

$65.00 per student (May 1-Oct 31)
$65.00 per student (Nov 1 - Apr 30)

Materials:

Included

Levels:

Beginner to Advanced

Age with adult:

8+ (Review age guidelines/policy)

Making it happen:

When should I enroll?
We can't hold classes without students! Decisions regarding course cancellations (as related to minimum enrollment) are made three weeks before the class starts--so if you've got a course in mind, plan ahead and sign up at least three weeks in advance! That way we'll know you're coming, courses are more likely to meet minimum enrollment numbers, and then they'll actually take place.
Also watch for the words "nearly full" next to course dates. When that notation appears it means there are only one or two spots left--so sign up soon!
Do you take last minute registrations?
Of course! Although it's important that courses meet minimum enrollment three weeks before their scheduled start dates, we know that life doesn't always allow for prior planning. As long as there are still spots left in a course we're happy to accept your registration last minute.
When will new course dates be posted?
New course dates are posted both in the spring and fall to coordinate with our course catalog release dates. All the new dates are opened for enrollment on the same day and at the same time, so that everyone gets a fair crack at a spot in the courses they're interested in. As that time rolls around we announce when the new dates will "go live" in our e-newsletter. (sign up here!)

Firestarting & Cordage: Primitive Skills Workshop