Greetings to you all,
For our first blog, please take time to read this recent notification regarding our next public offering.....
I am writing to announce some good news regarding Nature Reliance School. If you were not aware the first inkling of a website is now up, just a basic homepage thus far. Also, we have determined that our slogan, motto, cool saying, etc will be Nature Reliance School, Where Practical Meets Natural. Pretty cool huh!
We will be offering our first in a series of free workshops, “Direction Finding”, this Sunday at 2:30pm in Jacobson Park in Lexington, KY. Topics to be covered will include the following:
On the practical side of things,
Topo maps and how to read them.
How to use a map and compass to find your way.
Trianglulating your position
Google Maps
GPS
Geocaching
On the natural side of things,
Using the sun as a direction finder.
Mythbusters: does moss really grow on only one side of trees?
Why knowing N-S-E-W is important? (ie how to setup a campsite etc.)
I am sure a few other topics and questions will come up, I hope we will have time to cover them. I would expect this to last about 2 hours. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND AND SEND US YOUR PHONE NUMBER!!!!! If the weather turns bad, we will call those who plan to attend and cancel.
Please also keep in mind our next Survival Weekend is planned for May 22,23,24. Our first night discussions will be held at Bluegrass Budokai headquarters in Winchester, KY. If you will be driving far or simply want to hang out, you are welcome to crash at our dojo. We will head out on Saturday morning to practice outdoor skills both practical and natural. A brief general outline:
Friday Night
Direction Finding, Map and Compass, GPS
If you are lost how to set up markers and what kind so that you can be found.
If you want to stay lost, how to do that too. J
Saturday
Using the markers skills, we discuss on Friday
Water purification, both natural and practical
Edibles and Medicinals, there should be enough available for us to make a decent salad for dinner.
Shelter setup, lean-to, both practical and natural (due to comfort levels and bugs, you will be welcome to bring your own tent and sleeping pad if you wish)
And always, firebuilding, both practical and natural.
Sunday
Camoflauging, both natural and practical for the purpose of hunting.
Stalking and woods walking for nature observation or hunting
We will then put these skills to use, in a “capture the flag” game, to test the skills we learn out.
Finalize with a discussion on woods ethics, stewardship and conservation.
I will be sending out a flyer with this information on it, our location is yet to be set due to state fire season requirements. We will notify you as soon as we can get some clarification, if we don’t have the ability to build fire, I have access to private lands where we will.
But again, take advantage of the free workshop this Sunday and look forward to having some of you for our weekend in May as well. Also, if you are not already join our Facebook Group called Nature Reliance School, we notify you of events there as well.
As for the future, we have penciled in as free workshops, water purification, paddling (flat and rough water), knife building, night directional finding, flint knapping, and the list goes on. If there is one topic you may be interested in, let us know, if we cannot teach it, we probably know someone who can.
Craig Caudill
Director
Nature Reliance School
PO Box 4093
Winchester, KY 40392-4093
info@naturereliance.org
859.771.8313
