Always subject to change!!
May 31 to June 2
Thursday
6pm Campers may register and set up camp.
Friday
9:00am Registration begins
9:30am Opening Circle
10:00am to Noon First Workshop Block
Bird Time
Spending time with birds has been proven to calm our minds and our hearts. There is a mesmerizing quality to the complex chords and to the layered melodies of their voices.
Calm your mind and spirit as you expand your awareness to encompass the surrounding woodland. Join Storm as we traverse the forests and fields, searching out our feathered friends. Learn their songs, colors, flight patterns, and habits.
Bring your found feathers (or found feather photos) for Storm to ID!
Storm F. Songe has eternally been pulled towards the chorus proceeding the dawn. The birds, in their brilliant colors and intricate songs, drew Storm into their mystery and they have never left. In their spare hours and idle moments, they quiet their mind to fully indulge in the music of our feathered friends.
Frequently, you will find Storm writing poetry, crocheting creatures of the woodlands, seeking the owners of the birdsong, traversing the forest on four limbs, preserving animals that have passed on, and singing to the plants in their garden.
Storm has a Master’s in Conservation Biology and Biodiversity, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Prior to Two Coyotes, Storm worked as a park ranger, where they rehabilitated wildlife and worked with rescued wild animals. Today, Storm spends their days at, Two Coyotes Wilderness School, connecting the next generation to nature, each other, and themselves.
Community Lantern Workshop
We will make individual lanterns using sticks, paper, leaves and other natural materials. Lanterns made during this morning session will take time to dry and then in the evening they will accompany a giant fish lantern puppet in a procession during the evening campfire around the land.
Andrew Kim is a puppet maker, performer, teacher and co-director of Thingumajig Theatre based in West Yorkshire, England. He specializes in giant street puppets and lantern puppets.
Andrew Kim creates touring giant puppet and street theatre acts, builds puppets for commissions and teaches giant puppet making and performing. Andrew was born in Korea, raised and educated in the USA emigrated to the UK in 2006. He started as a puppeteer with with In the Heart of the Beast Theatre, Bread & Puppet Theater and Horse and Bamboo before starting Thingumajig Theatre with is wife Kathy. Andrew has created and performed puppets and performances for 30 years in 21 countries throughout Europe, Asia and North America, in several television shows and a Disney feature film.
Flint Knapping
Expert guidance in the skills of chipping stone into useful tools as Stone Age people did and still do. A fee of $3 or $4 per pound of flint will be asked to cover the cost (New England has little usable stone for this purpose). This class will continue for most of the day.
Bob Burg of Thunderbird Atlatl, the world’s for-most outfitter of atlatls, is a renaissance man in the truest sense. He has many decades of experience practicing and teaching primitive skills of all kinds, regularly hunts and fishes with his atlatls, speaks German as a second language, has made several violins just for fun and is a terrific raconteur.
1:00 to 3:00 Second Workshop Block
Nеlbinding: Weaving Like It’s 6500 BC.
Nеlbinding is an ancient fiber art that predates knitting, one so durable that the oldest known fragments of it are dated over 8,000 years old. While we can’t guarantee that all your nеlbinding will last quite that long, we can teach you this ancient form of pre-knitting that can be applied to make bags, hats, blankets, shoes, sweaters and just about anything else you can think of. In this class, we will teach the Oslo stitch, a quick, versatile and durable stitch that can be used for anything you feel like making. Unlike knitting, nеlbinding doesn’t unravel when cut or left partially finished, and it’s frankly both useful and just fun.
Maximum Participants: 6 per session. Age: 12+
Please sign up for a session at main tent.
Scott M. Baker was trained since birth (or slightly after) at Two Coyotes (and other places), Scott now enjoys such things as: Nature! Fire! Plants! Parkour! Being Awesome! Writing in third person! Mentoring people! And, most importantly, helping folks BE AWESOME!
Grant Norton was raised by humans in their natural habitat of Tellus, Orion Arm, Milky Way. At the age of 16, they learned nеlbinding at Roots Rendezvous. Since then, they have trained at this ancient fiber art and its many applications to bring it to you today.
Wildlife Tracking
There are always clues created by wildlife for us to decipher, telling a story of their habits and lives. By learning the language of track and sign we gain insight into Nature’s mysteries. Who left this track? How did this feather get here? Why are the birds all calling from over there? Beginner students will learn a new way to look at the world and experienced trackers will be challenged toward a greater understanding of Nature.
Andy Dobos is an artist, naturalist and is certified in Wildlife Track and Sign identification Has been mentoring students of all ages in nature connection skills for 20 years. He teaches a variety of classes through his Forest Wolf Programs.
Riversong Circle: Songs of Waterways
Join us for Riversong Circle, a musical gathering where we celebrate the beauty of rivers, fish, and waterways through song. This workshop is open to everyone, whether you play an instrument, sing, or just love music. We’ll enjoy a mix of traditional and modern songs inspired by water. Come connect with fellow music lovers and dive into the soothing world of water-themed melodies!
Meet Alexandra ‘Teja’ Kinney – an Artist and Community Leader in Brattleboro, VT. She teaches Vedic Astrology and community singing for clarity, liberation, and empowerment. Her workshops unravel the mysteries of Vedic Astrology and harness the transformative power of voice, sharing Vedic tools and wisdom for life purpose.
Flint Knapping
Expert guidance in the skills of chipping stone into useful tools as Stone Age people did and still do. A fee of $3 or $4 per pound of flint will be asked to cover the cost (New England has little usable stone for this purpose). This class will continue for most of the day.
Bob Burg of Thunderbird Atlatl, the world’s for-most outfitter of atlatls, is a renaissance man in the truest sense. He has many decades of experience practicing and teaching primitive skills of all kinds, regularly hunts and fishes with his atlatls, speaks German as a second language, has made several violins just for fun and is a terrific raconteur.
3:00 to 5:00 Third Workshop Block
Chainmail Mania
We will be learning how to make different chainmail crafts such any where from entire chain shirt to little chain fidgets or just a giant chainmail blanket. Bring your own pliers if you can but we should have some amount to lend people if needed. There will be plenty of chain links to work with as well.
Fennec has been a part of Two Coyote’s wilderness school for about six years and an instructor for one. They use any pronouns.
Mindful Drawing
The world feels like it moves very fast. It can be hard to find time for yourself and take a moment to relax. Come join me as we take that moment together and draw. We will practice breathing, and mindfulness as we create small patterns. No previous drawing skill required. Just bring yourself, and an open mind. 12 years old an up please.
Elizabeth “Bee” Squires (she/her) has a natural curiosity, and a knack for trying new and many things. She has a BS in Robotics and Film Production from Plymouth State University. She has also studied film at Maine Media Workshop + College. She has taken classes on meditative drawing, and practices it in her everyday as a form of relaxation, and meditation. Other activities she enjoys are a variety of crafts and outdoor activities, as well as always being on the hunt for her next adventure, big or small.
Flint Knapping
Expert guidance in the skills of chipping stone into useful tools as Stone Age people did and still do. A fee of $3 or $4 per pound of flint will be asked to cover the cost (New England has little usable stone for this purpose). This class will continue for most of the day.
Bob Burg of Thunderbird Atlatl, the world’s for-most outfitter of atlatls, is a renaissance man in the truest sense. He has many decades of experience practicing and teaching primitive skills of all kinds, regularly hunts and fishes with his atlatls, speaks German as a second language, has made several violins just for fun and is a terrific raconteur.
7:30pm Lantern Puppet Procession
Giant fish puppets will light up the atmosphere with a parade of community lanterns set to live music!
7:30pm to 10:00pm Campfire, Stories and Music
Saturday
9:30am Opening Circle
10:00am to Noon First Workshop Block
Introduction to Forest Bathing
Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, has become quite popular and is well integrated into Japanese healthcare to help improve mental and physical wellbeing. Time in nature has been shown repeatedly to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, improve immune response, and much more. This course will introduce a series of nature connection and meditative exercises that you can take home with you and practice while spending time in nature. We’ll focus on awareness and nature connection exercises, breath work, and some basic movements and postural exercises. All ages and fitness levels are welcome.
Erik Assadourian is a sustainability researcher, writer, and educator. For 17 years, Erik served as senior fellow and researcher with the Worldwatch Institute. There he directed two editions of Vital Signs, and five editions of State of the World, including the 2017 edition (EarthEd: Rethinking Education on a Changing Planet); the 2013 edition (Is Sustainability Still Possible?); and the 2010 edition (Transforming Cultures: From Consumerism to Sustainability). He also designed Catan: Oil Springs, an eco-educational scenario for the popular board game The Settlers of Catan. Recognizing that a sustainable future requires transformative cultural change, Erik founded a new eco-philosophy and community of practice in 2019 called the Gaian Way (gaianway.org). He leads a monthly forest bathing class in Middletown, Connecticut as a way to help participants reconnect with their bodies, breath, and nature.
A Sonic Meditation
“Teach Yourself to Fly” is a sonic meditation composed by the renowned experimental musician Pauline Oliveros. The piece invites its performers to engage in what Oliveros calls “deep listening,” the idea that every sound in an environment has meaning and value to the listening experience. In performing this piece, my hope is that we can practice attuning to the soundwebs of the White memorial land and our own relation to it. No musical ability is required. Only a pair of ears, a voice, and a willingness to try something new.
Sage Liotta is an alumni of the Two Coyotes Wilderness School and a current Junior at Bard College studying Environmental and Indigenous studies. Sage has a passion for artistic and academic projects that incorporate writing, sound, sculpture, and other mediums. His current work includes a sound dialogue project with the Mahicantuck river and a tree remapping project at the Montgomery Place estate. In his free time, Sage can be found playing electric guitar, rock climbing, and hiking in the Catskill mountains.
Cooking and eating wild edible plants
The world around us is full of delicious wild things we can eat. Maybe you have even started nibbling a bit by adding dandelions to your salads. In this class we will up our wild plant gourmet cooking by learning how to prepare delicious dishes that are primarily sourced from nature. In this class we will be focusing mostly on preparing and cooking wild foods so if you want to learn how to ID the plants, be sure to go on the wild plant walk. Some of the dishes will contain meat or animal fats while others will be vegan or vegetarian.
Justin Pegnataro is dedicated to helping people live vibrant healthy lives filled with connection and purpose. Justin is an ecotherapist, nature mentor and writer. Over the course of his career, Justin directed Two Coyotes Wilderness School and has mentored hundreds of adults and teens in discovering who they are, claiming their personal power and in finding a deep sense of belonging within their own communities and the more-than-human world. Justinwildheart.com
Bow Drill
In this workshop you will get a brief history of fire making followed by a demonstration of several friction fire methods. Participants will then have a chance to make a fire kit of their own, practice their skill, and receive instruction.
Ponyboy Avery has been involved in all things nature from a young age. He is a natural naturalist and especially loves birds, wild ones, and the ones he keeps at home. Most of all his duck Ivy and his chicken Ladybird. Pony was homeschooled until the age of 17 and recently received his associates degree in general studies. He spends his free time fishing, hiking, gaming, working out and reading. Pony became interested in bow drill when we he was 10, at the Vermont Wilderness School, after seeing a young boy who had all but mastered the skill. He has since developed his own mastery and shared the skill many times over with children and adults.
1:00 to 3:00 Second Workshop Block
Wool Felting
Felting is one of the oldest ways to make sturdy fabric from wool and other hair. While ‘dry’ felting is a newer technique, it has countless uses–from 2D art and clothing, to sculptures.
In this class, we will use needle felting and basic sewing to create small, colorful, woolen pouches, wallets, or similar. Bring a chair if you have one. Come with design ideas and learn a fun fiber art with endless possibilities.
Materials fee: $20; includes a small felting pad, finger guards, and needles to take home with you ($10 if you don’t wish to keep your supplies). Larger felting pads are available for purchase, as well. Trades are acceptable.
Class limit: 18 (more can join if you bring your own wool)
Euni “The Mushroom Witch” Morrow is the owner and guide for the Forest Lore Tour in Salem, MA. They’re a practicing herbalist, artist, wildcrafter, and nomad who frequents Earthskills gatherings around the country. They fell in love with plant identification, archery, and various arts & crafts at an early age, spending hours alone in the woods at a time. Originally from rural New Hampshire, they grew up in northern Florida, lived in China, and now spend winters in the South painting, foraging, weaving baskets, felting, making herbal remedies, teaching classes, hosting plant walks, DIY upgrading their RV, and visiting intentional communities.
Kids Nature Games!
Fun games for kids (under 7 should be accompanied by and adult). One or more of our favorite games such as Run Rabbit Run!, Bear Salmon Mosquito, and/or Fire in the Forest will be facilitated in the nearby lawn area. Each game has a little lesson about the Natural world hidden in it.
Gabby Dobos, is life long participant in Nature skills gatherings, and leader of our kids games for the last 6 (or maybe more) years. She is a singer, performer and gentle soul.
Not Your Average Plant Walk
Think not about what plants can do for you, but what you can do for the plants. We will venture off on a walk, find plants we admire and find what arises inside of us to give as an offering to these plants. Be it an art installation, a drawing, a poem, dance, song or bouquet of flowers, we will express our love and adoration of the plants using our imagination and creativity. All ages welcome and no artistic or outdoor experience is necessary.
Jackie “Rainbow” Ryan is an artist, wilderness instructor and yoga teacher who is dedicated to using creativity to help cultivate relationships between people, their bodies, and the magical earth they come from. She has been teaching Hatha Yoga for 10 years and also loves facilitating ecstatic dance and contact improvisation. Jackie started teaching wilderness skills 7 years ago and opened Rainbow’s Nature School in 2021. Jackie has a BA in Studio Art from the University of Vermont. Her paintings are an abstract world of color and serve to transform energy and emotion. Jackie’s teaching style embodies a combination of calm presence, silliness, improvisation, and curiosity.
You can find Jackie’s artwork at visionfaerie.com and her nature school at rainbowsnatureschool.com.
Make an Atlatl
Atlatls are a form of spear throwing device used by ancient people throughout the world, and still used by some for subsisting or sport. In this workshop you will learn how to make an atlatl either from a purchased kit or a raw branch. If you made a stone tool on Friday this is a good opportunity to put it to use. This class will continue through till dinner break.
Bob Burg of Thunderbird Atlatl, the world’s for-most outfitter of atlatls, is a renaissance man in the truest sense. He has many decades of experience practicing and teaching primitive skills of all kinds, regularly hunts and fishes with his atlatls, speaks German as a second language, has made several violins just for fun and is a terrific raconteur.
3:00 to 5:00 Third Workshop Block
Acorn processing
Workshop Description: Humans and oaks have been in relationship for thousands of years, enjoying – among many gifts – the nutrient-dense nuts this tree provides. I invite you to enter into this relationship as well, and learn about the nuts and bolts, as it were, of acorn harvesting, processing, and cooking. We’ll start the day cracking nuts, and end with a taste of some acorn goodies.
Bio: Lydia (she/they) is a dabbler in many realms – farming, herbalism, beekeeping, foraging, hide tanning and outdoor education, to name a few. She has been excited about wild foods for ~7 years, and loves filling up her living space with drying racks of herbs and acorns. Lydia enjoys creating containers to cultivate connections between people and plants, and aims to continue that work in the future as a therapist. She has spent most of her life on Abenaki land, and is currently living and working on a horse-powered farm.
Nеlbinding: Weaving Like It’s 6500 BC.
Nеlbinding is an ancient fiber art that predates knitting, one so durable that the oldest known fragments of it are dated over 8,000 years old. While we can’t guarantee that all your nеlbinding will last quite that long, we can teach you this ancient form of pre-knitting that can be applied to make bags, hats, blankets, shoes, sweaters and just about anything else you can think of. In this class, we will teach the Oslo stitch, a quick, versatile and durable stitch that can be used for anything you feel like making. Unlike knitting, nеlbinding doesn’t unravel when cut or left partially finished, and it’s frankly both useful and just fun.
Maximum Participants: 6 per session. Age: 12+
Please sign up for a session at main tent.
Scott M. Baker was trained since birth (or slightly after) at Two Coyotes (and other places), Scott now enjoys such things as: Nature! Fire! Plants! Parkour! Being Awesome! Writing in third person! Mentoring people! And, most importantly, helping folks BE AWESOME!
Grant Norton was raised by humans in their natural habitat of Tellus, Orion Arm, Milky Way. At the age of 16, they learned nеlbinding at Roots Rendezvous. Since then, they have trained at this ancient fiber art and its many applications to bring it to you today.
Discover the Secrets of Our Forest Giants
Join us at the Cattail Gathering for an immersive journey into the heart of our woodlands. Led by Master Naturalist, Vince Lasorsa, our tree identification event promises an enlightening experience for nature enthusiasts of all ages.
- What to Expect:
- Learn to distinguish between native tree species and uncover their unique characteristics.
- Explore the intricate ecosystems supported by our majestic trees and their vital role in preserving biodiversity.
- Engage in hands-on activities, from bark and leaf rubbings to enhancing your connection with the natural world.
Why Trees Matter:
From providing oxygen to regulating climate, trees are the unsung heroes of our planet. Understanding their importance is key to fostering a sustainable future for generations to come.
Don’t miss this chance to deepen your bond with nature and become a steward of our precious forests. Let’s embark on this enlightening journey.
Vince Lasorsa is a writer, certified master naturalist, and woodland manager. His articles on ecological stewardship and wildlife conservation have been featured in CT Woodlands magazine. Vince also shares his expertise and passion for nature through his Earthmonk journal and blog at Earthmonk.substack.com. In his role at the State of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Vince focuses on stewardship initiatives at state parks, working hands-on to preserve and protect our natural heritage. His dedication to environmental advocacy inspires others to become stewards of the Earth, ensuring a sustainable future for all.
Cattail Dolls
Cattail dolls sit on a thin line between “toy” and “art piece.” Traditionally made by the Ojibwe and other Native American tribes, they are both simple and stunning, and an eco-friendly option for childrens’ toys. Learn how to work with cattail leaves in a fun way, by making a little person!
Izzy “Moose” Betts has been making stuff out of plants and rocks for several decades, and teaching children those skills professionally for the last 6 years. He compulsively learns how to make new and different things constantly, and even more compulsively shares that knowledge with others.
7:30 to 10:00pm Campfire, Stories and Music
Sunday
6:45am to 9:00 Special Earlybird Morning Block
9:35am Opening Circle
10:00am to 12:00 First Workshop Block
Dancing Fingers – Twined Basketry
Come let your fingers dance as you express your heart in shape and form weaving a twined basket! Twining is an ancient basket weaving technique that dates back to 7000 BCE and is found all around the world. If we go back far enough, many of our ancestors wove baskets for many uses; such as gathering foods, herbal medicines, and flowers, fishing, carrying a baby, cooking, eating, hats, and more. A basket however, is so much more than a useful container. Stories, cultural events, beliefs, and lots of symbolism were often woven into the designs in baskets. Weaving a basket and the baskets themselves also hold many metaphors that can guide us in our lives.!In this workshop we will be weaving with sisal twine which holds a shape nicely and is great for learning the twinning technique. Once you learn the basics you can twine with many different materials, both prepared man made, your own cordage, or material gifts from the Earth herself. !Along with teaching how to weave a twined basket, I will offer some information about the variety of materials you can use for twining. There will be a small fee for covering the cost of basic materials.!
Karianna L. Rosenberg has always been drawn to weavings, textiles and basketry all her life and was influenced by her grandmother who was a weaver and painter. Karianna fell in love with twining ever since she learned the technique ten years ago. She continues to explore many other basket making methods and materials with which to weave. She feels a special magic when harvesting from the land and weaving a vessel of beauty and functionality. She sees it as a chance to personally express oneself and co-create something of beauty with Mother Nature.!Karianna is also a weaver of words, experiences, and woodland magic, who skillfully crafts#journeys for her participants in her programs through Earth Song Transformations. She passionately continues as a nature mentor at Two Coyotes Wilderness School, which she helped re-start 16 years ago. Karianna is a dancer, storyweaver, poet, healer, naturalist, and fiddler to be. She holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching English and Spanish as Second Languages and is a certified Wildlife Tracker.# Please feel free to reach out to her for information of her upcoming workshops and programs at earthsongtransformations@gmail.com!
FEATHER ID
Have you ever wondered who dropped the feather you found?
Storm will lead you through all of the “clues” you need to gather to discover the owner of your newly discovered bird leaf.
To test your skill, Storm will provide you with some feathers–and their backstories!–for you to ID.
Once we have learned what we need to keep track of, and feel a bit more confident with our deductive reasoning skills, we will go on a bird feather hunt and see if we can determined who left their plummage behind!
Storm F. Songe has eternally been pulled towards the chorus proceeding the dawn. The birds, in their brilliant colors and intricate songs, drew Storm into their mystery and they have never left. In their spare hours and idle moments, they quiet their mind to fully indulge in the music of our feathered friends.
Frequently, you will find Storm writing poetry, crocheting creatures of the woodlands, seeking the owners of the birdsong, traversing the forest on four limbs, preserving animals that have passed on, and singing to the plants in their garden.
Storm has a Master’s in Conservation Biology and Biodiversity, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Prior to Two Coyotes, Storm worked as a park ranger, where they rehabilitated wildlife and worked with rescued wild animals. Today, Storm spends their days at, Two Coyotes Wilderness School, connecting the next generation to nature, each other, and themselves.
Mushroom Medicine
Join Bear for a mushroom medicine class. In this class you will go for a mushroom walk looking for mushrooms to identify and harvest for medicine. After the walk participate in a workshop where Bear will show you how to turn mushrooms into medicine. To learn more about more educational opportunities follow Bear Crevier on Facebook or email him at bearcrevier@gmail.com.
Bear Crevier has been eating wild food and using wild medicine for more than 40 years. Bear is a wild food advocate, a forager, a wild medicine maker, a wild food chef, and educator.
Noon Lunch Break
1:00 to 2:00 Trade Blanket
Nature related items traded in a traditional format, including gear, materials, hand made crafts etc. No guns, or illegal substances please.
2:00 to 4:00pm Final Workshop Block
Fiber Fest: A Weaving Extravaganza
In the steps of Cattail’s famous Friction Fire Frenzy, we bring you the certainly equal (if not eclipsing) energy of the Fiber Fest. Anyone and everyone skilled in a fiber art (except those who are not at Cattail… or said no) are joining us to pass on their skills.
Grant and Scott are still teaching Nеlbinding (see Nеlbinding: Weaving Like It’s 6500 BC. above). However, many more experts (and hobbyists) in weaving will be instructing all who attend (see below).
Community Cordage
Come learn about a technique of twisting fibers into cords and eventually rope! We will be discussing how to gather & create with the fibers of many different plant materials.
Tom Varga and Tatiana Rivera enjoy being outdoors and growing awareness for what’s happening around them.
The Cattail Gathering 