Earth Skills Education Programs
Background Information
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"I highly recommend the ESSP to anyone interested in living more fully. The instructors and the material covered not only broadened my awareness of the natural world, but also taught me to begin to perceive life, with all its subtleties, in a much deeper way. All the skills taught during the ESSP, from primitive fire-making to brain-tanning to mukluk sewing, were presented in a useful and enjoyable manner. I am so grateful for all the lessons I learned in the ESSP and know I will reference them time and time again throughout my life."
- Aiyana Booth-Athenian, ESSP Winter 2003
While on trips all meals are provided and we eat as a group. When not in the field students are provided with nutritious staple foods listed below. Students may supplement these with foods purchased at local grocery and health food stores, as well as with wild foods. We encourage students to eat together in order to save fuel and resources. With this in mind students have traditionally made one-pot meals with the staples provided being the main ingredients. Students should bring enough money to purchase any desired or required food items.
Staple Foods Provided
- Organic Brown Rice
- Organic Rolled Oats
- Organic Beans
- Pasta
- Flour (white, unbleached)
- Sourdough Starter
- Onions
- Raisins
- Sunflower Seeds
- Vegetable Oil
- Brown Sugar
- Coffee
- Black Tea
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Pepper
Cooking takes place in our outdoor kitchen over an open fire or a propane stove. Food is stored next to the outdoor kitchen in bins and critter-proof containers. We occasionally have porcupines, raccoons and skunks in camp, so we make sure that everything is cleaned up and put away before dark.
During our spring, summer and fall courses students stay in one of our small, individual shelters or their own tent. They also build a variety of different shelters and stay in them for several days. For more information on our facilities, go to our Location and Facilities page. During the Earth Skills Winter Program, students stay in woodstove-heated shelters while at our home base, and in woodstove-heated wall tents in the bush.
Students are expected to maintain acceptable levels of hygiene throughout the course. This is accomplished by swimming in the river (without soap or shampoo), our outdoor shower (with soap and shampoo) and sweats in our sauna.
Before their course begins, each student is encouraged to read The Humanure Handbook. This introduces the composting toilet system we use, and will answer any questions the student might have about procedures, pathogens and safety. We've been using this system since 1996, and have experienced no problems with it. It's simple, odorless and very low cost, and is the basis of our thermophylic composting system.
Laundry is done at the laundromat in town or by hand.
We don't have a phone for students to use, but payphones are available nearby in Ashland. Past students who wanted to be in constant telephone contact have used cell phones to do so.
Although not specific guide training courses, our Earth Skills Education Programs are unparalleled educational experiences for those wishing to go into the guiding profession. Guides are licensed by the state(s) where guiding will take place. If you're interested in testing for a guide license, you should contact the state or province in which you want to guide and find out how to proceed.
Since we're a small business and not a large institution we aren't able to offer financial aid or scholarships directly. However, past students have been successful at tracking down financial assistance, one of whom was able to locate a scholarship to cover all of his tuition. The place to begin looking is your local library. Ask the librarian to see a list of all grants and scholarships that might be applicable, then spend some time reading through them.
During each semester, summer, and winter Earth skills course we have two teaching assistant positions available to Earth skills program alumni free of charge. TA's live on site and help facilitate the program by participating in the daily instruction and taking an active role on trips. For more information on this visit the Teaching Assistant page.
Gear and required reading lists are available on the web in the Earth Skills Education Programs Student Packet.
Not included in the tuition are any meals eaten on the road or out, food to supplement the staple foods provided, entertainment, appropriate licenses (ex. fishing), equipment purchases, medical insurance for students, spending money, etc. Please contact us if there are any questions on this matter.
Throughout our courses students live and learn in a low impact, ecologically sustainable manner. We compost all organic refuse using a simple, efficient, and odorless thermophyllic composting system. We purchase paper products made from recycled, unbleached paper. We eat organically grown food when possible, emphasizing products that have been locally or regionally grown.
For more specific information on our Earth Skills Education Programs view the Earth Skills Education Programs Student Packet.
If you have any questions don't hesitate to email, call, or write with them.
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