ROOTS Rendezvous

Dates: August 30-September 1, 2025

Hours: Saturday 10am – Monday 4pm

Tuition: $250

Early Bird Discount: $225 before 1-15-25

Ages: All Ages

Roots Rendezvous

A gathering of people. A huge variety of workshops and skills to choose from. Bring family and friends to come have a great time with others who share a passion for the natural world. Leave knowing more about the beautiful world which we inhabit.

This gathering is grounded in the idea that we as people can become more conscious, stronger, effective, and capable stewards of the land by learning new and old skills of interacting with the natural world. These three days have multiple workshop blocks, ongoing demonstrations, and night time celebration.

Three Days of Workshops

People of all skill levels are welcome to come and participate! Come learn, share in the good times with like-minded folks, and camp under the stars.

The Rendezvous features three days of workshops offered by a diverse group of experienced teachers from all over the country.

There are a wide array of topics.

This is an all ages event of primarily adult classes. There are multiple class offerings that happen at the same time so you get to choose your own adventure. Some classes are limited in size, to which people sign up at a designated time the day of if on Saturday and the day before for Sunday and Monday. You will put your name on a list, and I will generate the class list via a random number generator and post those names. If you don’t make it onto the list for the class you want, we see it as an opportunity for you to explore something else, perhaps new to you that you may discover interest in. Come learn, share in the good times with like minded folks, and camp under the stars!

Kids 12 and under come for free! We will have morning workshops for kids. Instructors will make it clear if kids are welcome to attend their workshop or not. Please exercise your best judgement and responsibility for their behavior so as to be a positive experience and not a distraction to the instructor or other students.

Limited attendance! We will have open rolling registration until we reach maximum capacity. Register soon! We won’t be selling single or two day tickets unless we don’t sell out two weeks prior.

Camping and Food

Camping

Camping is included in the cost of admission and is limited to tents and tarps. Please practice Leave No Trace Camping. There is a field and limited forested spots that are well marked and have plenty of space for you to lay out your tent/tarp/bivy. You are camping at your own responsibility and risk. The camping is five-to-ten-minute walk on a mostly flat logging road so pack accordingly. There is access to portable toilets and clean drinkable water in camp. There are no showers, but there is a private space to bring hot water and wash down and a river to dip into at your own risk. You are welcome to come the night before to camp (and we recommend it! get here before dark though) and camp the night after attending for ease of travel.

Please note that upon online registration you will receive an automatic reply that wrongly states that there is no camping, but rest assured there is.

Food

Meals are not included in the cost of the program. Students should bring their own food. The outdoor kitchen and fridge are limited to classes, instructors and volunteers. Folks will be slinging some delicious meals and/or treats during the weekend! Cash only. They will be available Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday breakfast and lunch. approximately $15 a plating with generous portions of local and organic fixings. Cash only

No Dogs. We love dogs! Please don’t bring yours though as it adds a layer of complexity that we need to avoid.

2024 Schedule

It is bound to change, with some great additions coming in, but check it out!

Saturday

Morning Circle 9:00

Morning 9:30-12:30

Youth! Fire Skills! Emma Markowitz (age 7 and up)

Skulls and Feathers (aka cool dead stuff!) Jonathan Shapiro (13 and up)

Mushroom Walk Dave Muska

Herb Walk Betzy Bancroft

Eco Print Betsy Kane

Butter and Ricotta Kalyn Campbell

Pottery, Hand building Conrad Simas

Acorn Processing Lydia Fox

Hands on Intro. To Buck Skin Tanning Coleen Butler

Songs for the Wild World Erica Martenson

Animal Forms Len Mackey

Fire Tim Swanson

Afternoon 2:00-5:00/6:00

Cheese Making; Tomme Kalyn Campbell

Pottery; Hand building Conrad Simas

Ninjutsu Ben Goodrich

Paint from Rocks Nick Neddo

Mead Making Caleb O’Conner Genereaux

Hand drills; Building and Technique Zach Fisher (10/age 16 and up)

Knife Sharpening Lucian Avery (8/Bring a blade)

Wooden Propellers Luke Boushee (15/ages 10 and up)

Tracking Jonathan Shapiro (16/13 and up)

Willow Bark Basket Penny Hewitt (10/$30/till 6)

Camp gadgets using knots and lashings Josh Zaloga (15/all ages, under 10 with a parent)

Buck skin pouches, sinew, antler button 4 hours Len Mackey (16/$40/Free if you bring your own materials)

Saturday Evening Activities

There will be a fire going, fireside chats, and music to celebrate! There will be a Home Brew Circle! Bring out your home-brewed concoctions and celebrate with others.

Sunday

Morning Circle 9:00

Morning 9:30-12:30

Youth! Craft it! Emma Markowitz (age 7 and up)

Plant Walk; Wild food and Medicine on the Edge Alex Klein

Fire Skills; Adult focused flint and steel, charcloth and tinder study Elliot Cluba

Plant ID and Ecology Dan Farrell

Acorn Processing Workshop Ellie Fuller and Owen Kahout

Natural Dying Heather Cornelius (12)

Cyanotype and Anthotype Ezra Distlier ($10/age 12 and up)

Balsam and Pine Resin Salve Making Grace Krupkowski (15/$15)

Basswood and Day lily Coiled Basketry Erica Martenson (12/$10)

Bike Tire Sandals Lydia Fox (15/$10 )

Tracking Jonathan Shapiro (16/13 and up)

Buck Skin Pouch Sewing Coleen Butler (15/$40)

Bark Baskets Justin Sutera (12/$10)

Beginner Black Ash Basket Penny Hewitt (10/$30)

Frame Drum Making Len Mackey All day (16/$85)

Cattail Hats Zach Fisher (10/two blocks)

Afternoon 2:00-5:00/6:00

Youth! Fire Skills! Elliot Cluba (age 7 and up)

Herbal Extraction Betzy Bancroft

Ninjutsu Ben Goodrich

Pine Bark Rattles John Hunt

Acorn Processing Workshop Ellie Fuller and Owen Kahout

Coal Burned Spoons Jamie Maloof ($5 for blank/free)

Build a Tower Josh Zaloga (10-15/12 and older)

Herbal First Aid from Kit and Field Alex Klein (20/all ages welcome, geared towards adults)

Learning the Land Jonathon Shapiro (16/13 and up)

Rawhide Pouch Hannah Rhea (10/$10)

Gourd Canteens Tim Swanson (10/$25)

Natural Dying Heather Cornelius (12)

Book Making Caleb O’Conner Genereaux (10/$15)

Bark Baskets Justin Sutera (12/$10)

Beginner Black Ash Basket Penny Hewitt (10/$30)

Frame Drum Making continued… Len Mackey All day

Cattail Hats continued… Zach Fisher (10/two blocks)

Monday

Morning Circle 9:00

Morning 9:30-12:30

Youth! Carving! Emma Markowitz (age 7 and up)

Cedar Bark Rope; Processing and Spinning Hannah Rhea

Herbal Alchemy Elliot Cluba

Plant ID and Ecology Dan Farrell

Fishing Handlines Tim Swanson

Pottery, Firing Conrad Simas

Tree Medicine Jamie Maloof

Pattern based Tree ID Jonathon Shapiro (16/13 and up)

Cyanotype and Anthotype Ezra Distlier ($10/ages 12 and up)

Wild Herbs for Inflammation and Pain Management: tincture making Grace Krupkowski (15/$15)

Bone Needles Erica Martenson (12)

Rawhide Containers Nick Neddo ($ per square ft.)

Jun Tea Making Lydia Carr (12/$5)

Felted Pouches Hannah Rhea

Afternoon 2:00- 4:00

Mending a wool sweater (Bring one!) Betsy Kane

Natural Voice Calling for Deer, Turkey, Coyote and Raven Len Mackey

Ninjutsu Ben Goodrich

Fire; Hand drill Nick Neddo

Fire; Bow Drill Brad Salon (all ages)

Hand Spinning Heather Cornelius (12)

Birch Bark Birds Penny Hewitt (10/$15)

Book Making Caleb O’Conner Genereaux (10/$15)

Clean up and fare well!

Sunday Evening Activities

The Trade. Bring a blanket and a few things to trade. There are no limitations here, just guidelines. Nothing is too big or too small, we have seen bags of acorns to canoes. Trade for something unexpected and great. This will be a time where you can put your goods out, walk around to check out other goods, and barter in a light-hearted natural manner. This is easiest working in small groups. Raw materials are wonderful, wild edibles and medicine are fantastic, baskets are a plus, hides are always desirable, and really anything handmade is stellar …but leave that scratched cd that you found on the way here under the car seat where it was discovered though. For youth there is a trade blanket in the block beforehand. For this evening’s trade we are going to limit kids to initiating a trade, but they are welcome to put something out in response to someone else’s trade offered.

There will be Music! FolkTree will be playing!

There will be Fire!