Origins

Tools are made to be used. Limits are made to be pushed.
 
One thousand years ago the people of Vermont lived with the land in a way we cannot begin to deeply understand, unless we live it. 9,000-11,000 years ago Paleo people came to Vermont and 100 generations later, the people lived on in health and prosperity.
 
This is a nine month program devoted to studying, making, and using primitive weapons, tools, and technologies. The program will be focused on hunter gatherers of the Woodland Period in Vermont although not limited to that place or age because we do not have the same landscape to work with as they did. At the end of the program we will all put our tools to the test.

 

The program will begin with an introduction weekend January 28th-29th, where students will reintegrate with the basic understandings and skills that are covered throughout the course,  lay out the rest of the program and help students to personalize their course of study.  Materials, skills, and resources will be introduced and then we will get to work, starting projects to be continued throughout the course.

The program then strings together a series of Roots Classes, one a month:

 
2013 Dates
Intro Weekend- Feb 2-3
Bow Making, Flint Knapping, and Arrow Making- March 2nd-10th
Ancient Living Skills- April 6th-9th
Tracking and Awareness (Begins two days early for Origins Students to cover hunting and gathering) May 2nd-5th
Celts, Axes, Adzes, and Chisels- June 20th-23
Wet Felting- Aug 3-4              
Origins Weekend- September 13-15 - Animal processing and pelt tanning, Pemmican and Jerky Making, Gathering and Storing Wild Edibles, Shelter
Origins Primitive Living Trip- October 6th-12th
 

Curriculum

 
When you add all of these classes up, plus homework assignments each student will have made: 
  • A handmade wooden bow as heavy in draw as they can shoot well.
  • Flint Knapped knives, scrapers, drills, saws and more.
  • Bone knives, arrowheads, and awls.
  • A collection of small game arrows and quiver.
  • Gourd canteen and bark kettle.
  • Soap stone cooking vessel or oil lamp.
  • Pecked and Ground Adzes or Axes from Green Stone or local basalt.
  • Rawhide and willow pack baskets.
  • Advanced natural cordage.
  • A drop spindle.
  • A tanned pelt.
  • A hand felted blanket or article of clothing.
  • A grass sleeping pad.
  • A friction fire kit.
  • And of course odds and ends too multiple to list.
These are the items, and any other primitive tools that students have made, that will be brought on the primitive living trip, this and the clothing on our backs. Our trip will take place the first week of October and we will use our tools to create shelter, carry water, cook our meals, harvest and process wild edibles, work on projects of our choice with all stone tools, and hunt. Students who have a Vermont State Hunting License and Archery Tags will be able to hunt for rabbit and hare, ruffed grouse, gray squirrel, wild turkey, and if they are ready, white tailed deer.

 

After ten months of creating and practicing with these tools we can then go out and put them to the test keeping ourselves alive and fed as people did here 1000 years ago and ten thousand years before that.

In the time between each class students will be given homework assignments that must be completed before the next class attended. These assignments will focus on building the skills in application, and on basic research for the next project and class.

 

Tuition Info

Requirements for Students
This is by far the most rigorous program we offer at Roots. It will require more dedication , time commitment, hard work and personal growth than any of our other programs. In order to step into this program you must be willing to make obvious life style changes in order to include primitive skills and the natural world into your day to day existence. All students must be willing to commit to being at all courses, completing all home study, practice, and projects, and to be fully invested in the arc of the program.
 
We highly recommend that students take the Core Skills or Wilderness Surivival Immersion Project before this Origins, although it is not required. Students who are going to come into this fresh will be assigned reading and projects due at the start of the program.
 
Each student will be required to fill out a normal Roots Program Registration as well as have a personal or phone interview with at least one of the Roots Staff.  With the level of commitment expected of students it is important that we open a dialog with each student personally before they decide to register and we decide to accept said registration.
 
 

There are 12 spaces left in Origins 2014

 

Tuition and Registration
 
If you add of these classes together the price would be $3500, we are offering it at $3100 or if you register and deposit before the early registration deadline for $2900.
 
In order to register for this program please contact us by phone or email.
 
Early Registration Discounted Tuition: To receive the early registration discounted tuition of $2750, a deposit of $500 must be received and fully paid by October 1st, 2012.
Tuition: After October 1st, 2011 tuition is $3100. Enclose $500.00 non-refundable deposit with your registration which is due no later than December 1st, 2012.  If we have not received 6 applicants by this time we will not run the program. Full payment of the balance is expected on the first day of class unless arrangements for a Payment Plan or Grant have been made at the time of registration.

Trimester Payment Method: If you need to work out a long term payment method with Roots School we offer a trimester payment method in which three payments of $866 are due on Jan 29, April 9, June 25. The deposit of $500.00 is due by December 1st 2012. If we have not received 6 applicants by this time we will not run the program. If you start the program and are on a payment program we expect you to meet your entire financial commitment even if you choose to drop out of the program unless you choose to drop out from serious personal injury.

Grants: Qualifying Vermont residents may apply for Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, (VSAC) non-degree grants. Origins Program is divided into two terms, and two applications to VSAC are necessary if you desire a grant for each term. We suggest that you apply well before the end of 2011 for the first term Origins Program, which begins in Febuary 2013. You must apply in June 2012 for a grant for the second term. Be aware that VSAC begins its funding cycle in June and January of each year and awards grants on a first-come-first-serve basis while funds last. Please apply early!
Students who apply for VSAC grants are asked to submit $500.00 non-refundable deposit with your registration form. When the grant is issued in August and your tuition is fully paid, we will refund whatever amount of your deposit is in excess of the tuition. Students who receive a grant for the first term are responsible for the entire tuition regardless of attendance and regardless of the availability of a second-term grant. VSAC application forms may be obtained from Vermont Student Assistance Corporation: 1-800-882-4166 or write P.O. Box 2000, Champlain Mill, Winooski, VT 05404-2601.
Refund Policy: Tuition minus the deposit is refundable up to one month before the beginning of the program.

Primitive Skills Photo Galleries:
Ancient Living Skills, Basketry, Bows and Arrows, Fibers, Flint Knapping, Hide Tanning, Pecking and Grinding, Pottery, Survival skills, Tracking

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Saturday, February 2, 2013 - 9:00am
through
Sunday, February 3, 2013 - 5:00pm

Origins

Step 1: Pay the deposit or full price.
Price: $3100

Step 2: Download this Registration form, fill it out and email it back to us.

or

To Register Offline: Download and fill out your registration form and mail it back to us with a deposit check made out to Roots School. Mail to PO Box 932 Montpelier VT 05601

Enrollment: Open
Ages 18 and up.
Daily Duration: Overnight
Daily courses do not include meals, camping is available upon request.
Overnight courses include meals and camping.

Logisitcs

Logistical information about what to bring for your class, camping during overnight courses, directions and so forth can be found here.