Bushcraft demonstrations

[pumbaa]

Hi ,
I have recently been asked to do a couple of bushcraft demonstrations/workshops at a pagan moot in august . They should be about an hour and a half . My problem is what to do !! The way i see it , Bushcraft is an umbrela term for a vast range of subjects , but what can be taught to a group of maybe 30 people in an hour and a half ? I thought about fire by friction , but figure i could be there all week to get everyone through the lesson !!! I also wanted to steer clear of knife/axe work as i really couldnt afford legal procedings .
Any ideas ?
Pumbaa

 

[Matt Weir]

I suppose it depends on your knowledge and strengths really but best wishes with whatever you teach.

 

[pumbaa]

Most of my bushcraft skills were military taught so involves fire , shelter , water and trapping . Although i also do leatherwork and forging. Trapping and game prep probably wouldnt go down well as there are a high percentage of veggitaians and veggans !!
Pumbaa

 

[Matt Weir]

Trapping and game prep probably wouldnt go down well as there are a high percentage of veggitaians and veggans !!
Pumbaa

How is it a pagan will not eat meat?

 

[Toddy]

Fire making, from bowdrill to flint and steel and gather some fire fungus to take along too, maybe talk a bit about the trees we find them growing on.

Make nettle string and show how to roast acorns to make coffee..........all easily hands on stuff they'll love.

Beltane fires are supposed to be made without using iron so that's relevant to your audience, as are the tree uses.

If we can help with resources, let us know ? I can send fomes fomentaria if you need some.

Best of luck with it all.

Toddy

p.s. August is Lugh's harvest festival, he was supposed to be the god of light and harvest and master of all crafts, so anything along those lines ought to be very appropriate.
M

 

[Chance]

Nets ? No knives required, and they all get to take a tangle of knots (sorry, reusable shopping bag) home with them. You can use parcel string or twine if they get bored with nettle cordage.
Carving a bowl using an ember ? Keeps them away from the worst of the flames.

 

[bear knights]

types of water purification/ collection may be good. all bushcrafters (and pagans) need to drink but not all know how to collect it safely? Saw Smarty give a great demonstration once that took about an hour and half but he did have various gadgets that you'd need to get hold of. I guess thats more about 'survival' than 'bushcraft' but as you say, bushcraft has become an umbrella term so I guess it depends on what the organisers were after. Maybe include simple ways in which to hang a pot over a fire to boil water?

ooooo - knots. Maybe its because I have a rubbish memory, but it doesn't seem to matter how many times i'm shown a knot, I always forget how to do it so plump for the good old granny or whatever seems to hold fast. That leading into nets as suggested by Chance sounds a great idea to me.

Good luck with it all.

 

[ANDYRAF]

Perhaps you could include a portion on camp site selection, types of ground to avoid for fire lighting, root usage,etc.
Take them back to total basics.

 

[Mang]

Possible one to consider is the Elder whistle (a tutorial that appeared on here). I think Elder is also Saxon for fire-Apparently they used hollowed out branches for blowing fires so there's a nice crossover. They are easy and having cracked them I'm making some for the six that gets the most points by Christmas...take that home and annoy your parents kids Mwahaha!