Below is the information from the 2009 Rendezvous, 2010 information avaible this summer!

 

The Roots Rendezvous is a several day primitive skills gathering that begins on Friday morning at 10:00 AM on September 25, and goes all day Saturday and ends on Sunday, September 27, at 5 PM. Throughout the course of the weekend participants will be able to choose from a wide variety of workshops. The schedule is posted below, but is always subject to change.

 

Friday: 10 – 12 Welcome! Open Flint knapping Pit with Brad Salon of Roots School

Games! with Gifford Walsh All Ages Stalking and Body Movement with Nick Neddo of Roots School

Archery course is open 12-1 Lunch time 1-3

Wattle and Daub with David Ludt This building technique dates back to at least 6,000 years, where it incorporates the structure of a woven lattice to then be daubed with a combination of natural elements. This workshop would be the beginning to a process that would continue through the weekend. This is a good time to see the structure begin with the basic framework being laid.

Tracking Introduction with Brad Salon of Roots School

Ninjutsu with Ben Goodrich

Cattail Mats with Nick Neddo of Roots School Learn how to use a simple, easy to make, three bear loom to weave beautiful and functional cattail mats. This workshop is for all ages.

Archery Course is open 3:30-5:30

Hide Tanning Techniques with Nick Neddo of Roots School Stretching hides thoroughly and efficiently or Working rawhide into a finished creation. *What technique we work on will be weather dependent.

Cordage and Beeswax Candles with Gifford Walsh Come learn and make a two or three ply cord to then use to dip in beeswax. This workshop is for all ages.

Archery Course is open 5:30-7 Dinner

Post Dinner Fireside Chat: This is where a number of topics will be presented that relate to our current times. This will be facilitated, guided if needed, but not led. Our time has important issues to discuss, and we want to provide a forum where a number of people can dialogue. Bring something to roast over the coals if you like a bit of food with your talk.

8:45-9:30 Cattail Mats with Nick Neddo of Roots School Learn how to use a simple, easy to make, three bear loom to weave beautiful and functional cattail mats. This workshop is for all ages. 10 – 12

Naturalist Walk; Moving through the Northern Wetlands and Uplands with Dan Farrell An introduction to the ecology and plants of wetland and upland natural communities. We will visit a beaver marsh, a mixed forested swamp, and several upland communities. We will identify plant species and discuss where they like to grow.

Fiber Technology with Sarah of Roots School We will be looking at both protein and cellulose based fibers, processing, twisting, and get you started on a twined bag project.

Camouflage; Primitive and Modern with Jeff Deforge Take a look at primitive camouflage, and then use those concepts to make your own camouflaged t-shirt. This is for all ages, will be done with modern dyes while looking at different resists by tying.

Bird Awareness with Amy Butler Winter or spring, city or rural countryside, the voice of a bird can be within our reach. Come experience deep listening and keys to better awareness of the natural world and ourselves through the study of bird language.

Archery Course is closed. 12-1 Lunch time 1-3

Food Preservation; Fermentation with Graham Unangst Rufinacht Learn this simple method of fermenting food that dates back thousands of years. The workshop will look at a few variations of making good old tasty sauerkraut or kim chee. All ages are welcome.

Flint knapping Basics with Brad Salon of Roots School

Rabbit Skinning Demonstration with Nick Neddo of Roots School

Flexibility and Joint Mobility with Mujib of North Country Kettlebells

Introduction Mushroom Cultivation with Alissa White In addition to demonstrating some of the basic backyard mushroom gardening methods I'm familiar with, I want to encourage folks to try to identify and propagate the edible and medicinal fungal allies we find in our landscape... there are a few simple things we can do to encourage wild mushrooms, and ways to bring them from the forest a little closer to our door.

Archery Course is open 3:30-5:30

Mushroom Walk led by Alan LePage Alan has years of experience met by a relationship of long time appreciation to the fungi world. Herb Walk with Annie McCleary and George Lisi of Wisdom of the Herbs School and representing Transition Town Montpelier

Ninjutsu with Ben Goodrich

Primitive Pottery with Charlie Paquin This workshop will include a talk about all sorts of aspects of primitive pottery technology with the second half where hand building techniques will be introduced.

Awareness Games With Jessica Rubin All Ages

Archery Course is closed. 5:30-7 Dinner …with primitive cooking demonstration… Post Dinner

Trade Blanket! led by Nick Neddo of Roots School This is a time of simple bargaining, with high spirits, and a great deal of hooting and hollering. If you would like to participate, bring any item of interest that you are willing to lay down on the blanket to then trade for items others place down, that you find of equal value.

Sunday: Morning body movement 10 – 12

Throwing knives, Spikes, and Hatchets with Brad Salon of Roots School

Fire By Friction with Nick Neddo of Roots School co-instructing with Sarah Shapiro Learn the basics of coaxing fire from wood, or improve your skills with these age old techniques. The workshop will focus on the bow drill and hand drill methods, with a few other variations for the more experienced or curious. All experience levels.

Advanced Primitive Pottery with Charlie Paquin This presentation on primitive pottery that has to do with the study of ceramics, ceramics and the archaeological record, and primitive ceramics as a useful industry (cooking and survival skills). During this people can continue to work on their Saturday afternoon projects, listen and participate in the discussion.

Archery course is open 12-1 Lunch time 1-3

How to help teach Tracking to Yourself and Others with Brad Salon of Roots School

Herbal First Aid with Betzy Bancroft of Vermont Center of Integrative Herbalism A hands-on, experiential approach to learning some 'barefoot' first aid remedies with common local plants. We'll cover a few basics of plant medicine, and demonstrate applying without the kitchen.

Health, Stress Reduction, and Massage with Sarah Shapiro

Ninjutsu with Ben Goodrich

Advanced Primitive Pottery with Charlie Paquin In this final pottery workshop, we will try to get everybody to finished up on the piece, with an overview for how to do a wood firing.

Archery Course is closed. 3:30-5:00

Birch Bark Plaiting with Sarah Corrigan of Roots School Learn how to manage long strips on the diagonal that are used to make baskets, mats, shoes, hats and more. We will focus on a small knife sheath or mat.

Throwing Stick Range with Nick Neddo of Roots School This is a time where you will be utilizing various specific throws with sticks, stones, and boleadoras.

Stalking and Body Movement with Mujib of North Country Kettlebells

Archery course is open Group clean-up and farewell.

3D Archery Shoot and Projectile Range Bring your traditional bow and arrows and shoot the 20 3D target course located in the woods along the archery trail. To those that shoot, we are all familiar with the backyard target, this is an opportunity to move through the woods and test your skill with turkey, deer, and even a flying grouse. Note that there will be times when the course is open, and when it is closed. Bring your throwing sticks, atl-atls, slings, spears, bolas, and bows for our projectile range. We will also have different weapons available for you to try your hand at. This is for all experience levels. For the Youth! We will be offering several workshops and adventures for children of all ages such as: Awareness Games, Tracking, Throwing sticks, and ancient games of skill.

 

All Ages and experience levels are welcome! Children under 16 must be accompanied by and adult. Please do not leave your children unattended. Children under 12 are Free!