Sorry to announce that the Bushcraft 101 class scheduled for June 25th has been cancelled. The teacher was called away to work with the floods. He is a fireman/ Search and Rescue (water related)position. We will reschedule as soon as possible.
Thanks
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Showing posts with label Bushcraft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bushcraft. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Camping this weekend
I got to go camping at a beautiful spot in Iowa. Most people will tell you there is no places to "back country camp" or primitive camp in Iowa. We all believe the camp grounds are the only option. This weekend I went up to Chain of Lakes Wildlife Management area. Part of the area is County ran and part is State Run. The State run portions can be camped with out a camp site with the philosophy of "leave no trace". We set up camp in a stand of timber. Very sweet spot. We were bushcrafting it so we had tarp set ups no tents. The place had ample dead fall to use as fire wood. It was mostly smalled stuff though. We had pine needle tea, that was yummy. Yesterday morning we got hit with the storm. I heard later that a woman was killed at Lake Macbride camp ground from the high winds. I heard this through a friend but have not read the news yet. The storm was intense but we weathered it and broke camp in the wind.
It was a beautiful place by Palo, Iowa. We only saw one other person while we were there. We saw a couple of deer. In fact one came into camp early in the morning and woke us with grunting noises. We heard coyote, fox, and many many birds. Over all a great time. I almost got an ember using a bow drill but not completely so I lit the fire with natural tinder and a fire steel. Blessings to the family of the lady who lost her life.
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It was a beautiful place by Palo, Iowa. We only saw one other person while we were there. We saw a couple of deer. In fact one came into camp early in the morning and woke us with grunting noises. We heard coyote, fox, and many many birds. Over all a great time. I almost got an ember using a bow drill but not completely so I lit the fire with natural tinder and a fire steel. Blessings to the family of the lady who lost her life.
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Thursday, April 7, 2011
Practicing Skills
I have been working on my Bushcraft skills as you all know. I had the opportunity this weekend to get out and practice some stuff. I went camping with some friends in Vinton Iowa. It was a great 140 acres camp ground right on the river. We had a group of teenagers and a couple of good teachers helping us out. I got there late, just as the sun was going down. I got my tarp set up (with help from some of those awesome teachers) and was ready for the night. In the morning one corner of my tarp came loose and was whiping around like crazy. The wind had picked up a lot and we had gusts up to 45 mph. Lesson learned there is never assume the wind/ weather will stay the say all night. Take the extra time to secure your tent or tarp tightly.
In the morning I got the chance to practice some fire starting techniques. You should practice starting a fire at least five different ways. We also practice using 5 different man made tinders (jute twine, cotton ball, dryer lent etc) and five different natural tinders (dried grass, cat tails, dry leaves etc). On this occassion I practiced the bow drill method. I was not successful but I was starting to get the hang of it and get smoke. I also tried the fire steel method. I did get that one going.
Things to remember.......Practice- Just because you have it in your kit or bag does not mean you will be able to use it if and when the time arrives. It is important to get out there and try things out. Try out your pack. Test drive your GOOD route, and practice purifying water. The time to try and fail is before you really need it. That way you become comfortable with it. Have back ups- In Bushcraft I love the saying "One is none and two is one". Don't just have one way of starting a fire, have a few. Have a couple of different methods of purifying water available (even if it is just the knowledge in your head). Remain Calm-- No matter what you are doing it will go much more smoothly if you stay calm. This will help you think and allows you to flow with the situation more easily.
Here was my tarp set up
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Iowa Weather
Well slap my knee and call me pink Iowa, It's snowing. Yet again I woke up to snow blanketing the yard. It snowed Friday while I was in Des Moines and now it is snowing here two hours East. I am trying to recall if it is normal to have snow this late in the season. Being Iowa I am sure it is, but for some reason it is not sitting with me well. The weather report says it will be 46 degrees today so the snow will not linger long. I am getting nervous for my campout this weekend. Two weekends ago I drove 8 hours, hiked to miles to camp in Southern Illinois on The Trail of Tears down by the Shawnee National Forest. It was beautiful. This coming weekend I will kick off my camping/ hiking tour of Iowa. Let's see how the experience holds up. We had thunder and lightning and I slept in a tarp set up (no tent. Yeah I am a Bushcrafter). It will be interesting to see what the Iowa weather does this weekend. The forecast looks good, but then it does change it's mind moment by moment. When I first moved to Iowa I was told repeatedly, "If you don't like the weather in Iowa wait five minutes." I suppose it is nature's way of making sure all of the new growth has plenty of moisture to start us into Spring.
This is the first year that we are attempting a garden at my house. We have our seeds planted and they are starting to sprout. What a rush, right? We brought them in because of the weather last week. Looks like they will be stuck inside with us for a while. This is one thing to consider when prepping in Iowa. If your life depends on your garden, timing will be important for planting. Looks like I have a lot of learning to do. Gardening is not as easy as it looks on Youtube. :)
Well enjoy the white stuff today Iowa. Hopefully we won't see too much of it the rest of this season. I have the "Hiking Iowa Guide" which is going to be my starting point for hiking and backcountry camping in Iowa. If any of you Iowans know of some great spots to hike/ primitive camp give me a shout. I would love to explore this amazing state. I know we have more than corn fields here, can't wait to prove that fact.
Stay warm and Keep prepping, FreedomFox
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This is the first year that we are attempting a garden at my house. We have our seeds planted and they are starting to sprout. What a rush, right? We brought them in because of the weather last week. Looks like they will be stuck inside with us for a while. This is one thing to consider when prepping in Iowa. If your life depends on your garden, timing will be important for planting. Looks like I have a lot of learning to do. Gardening is not as easy as it looks on Youtube. :)
Well enjoy the white stuff today Iowa. Hopefully we won't see too much of it the rest of this season. I have the "Hiking Iowa Guide" which is going to be my starting point for hiking and backcountry camping in Iowa. If any of you Iowans know of some great spots to hike/ primitive camp give me a shout. I would love to explore this amazing state. I know we have more than corn fields here, can't wait to prove that fact.
Stay warm and Keep prepping, FreedomFox
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Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Hiking Iowa
“Let’s go hiking in Iowa.” “Really where?” That’s the reaction most people have to the suggestion they might enjoy walking around our presumably flat state. Their impression of Iowa is one founded on underestimation of its landscape. Taught to judge scenic beauty by the grandeur and enormity of landforms, they have no gauge to measure the subtle beauty of Iowa.
That is how Elizabeth Corcoran Hill starts out her book “Hiking Iowa: A guide to Iowa’s greatest hiking adventures.” The truth of the statement still rings in my ears. I was born and raised in San Diego California. When I moved to Iowa I was in mid-twenties. At first I was out of place. After a year of living here I had gone “Home” for a visit. I could not wait to get back. As I flew in to Iowa I remember saying, “My God it is beautiful.” I felt glad to be home.
One of the things I have been getting into recently is Bushcraft. I originally started because I wanted to improve my skill set and practice my survival skills. According to Wikipedia, “Bushcraft is about surviving and thriving in the natural environment, and the acquisition of ancient skills and knowledge to do so. Bushcraft skills include; firecraft, tracking, hunting, shelter building, the use of tools such as knives and axes, foraging, hand-carving wood, container construction from natural materials, rope and twine-making, and many others. These are the kinds of skills well known to our ancient predecessors, many of which are still practiced today as an everyday skill amongst aboriginal and native peoples around the world.” In looking for information on Bushcrfat I came across the Midwest School Of Bushcraft. http://www.midwestschoolofbushcraft.com/
Part of what I was looking into is where in Iowa to practice these skills. In my area if you want to camp you pay $11 and park it at the local county park next to 30 other campsites. I had heard about the Hiking Iowa book a while back. I got a copy for Christmas. It is a very well done book and breaks hiking spots down in a few different ways. One of the Exciting things the book talks about is what Hill calls “Back Country” camping. Terry Barney the instructor for the Midwest School of Bushcraft likes to take groups to the Loess Hills and Stephens State Forest. Hill points out that Iowa has “seventy state parks and four major forests.” Iowa’s landscape changes depending on where you are in the state. It occurred to me that it would be beneficial to learn more about the variety of resources Iowa has to offer.
My suggestion to readers is to start learning some Bushcraft skills and to also start getting to know the terrain. The first key to survival is mindset, the second key is practice. Don’t wait until SHTF to try and learn how to start a fire. Now is the time to start learning and practicing skills. Not only that but it is fun. I never thought I would be excited to be “in the Bush” but I can’t wait to get out there.
Thank you, FreedomFox
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That is how Elizabeth Corcoran Hill starts out her book “Hiking Iowa: A guide to Iowa’s greatest hiking adventures.” The truth of the statement still rings in my ears. I was born and raised in San Diego California. When I moved to Iowa I was in mid-twenties. At first I was out of place. After a year of living here I had gone “Home” for a visit. I could not wait to get back. As I flew in to Iowa I remember saying, “My God it is beautiful.” I felt glad to be home.
One of the things I have been getting into recently is Bushcraft. I originally started because I wanted to improve my skill set and practice my survival skills. According to Wikipedia, “Bushcraft is about surviving and thriving in the natural environment, and the acquisition of ancient skills and knowledge to do so. Bushcraft skills include; firecraft, tracking, hunting, shelter building, the use of tools such as knives and axes, foraging, hand-carving wood, container construction from natural materials, rope and twine-making, and many others. These are the kinds of skills well known to our ancient predecessors, many of which are still practiced today as an everyday skill amongst aboriginal and native peoples around the world.” In looking for information on Bushcrfat I came across the Midwest School Of Bushcraft. http://www.midwestschoolofbushcraft.com/
Part of what I was looking into is where in Iowa to practice these skills. In my area if you want to camp you pay $11 and park it at the local county park next to 30 other campsites. I had heard about the Hiking Iowa book a while back. I got a copy for Christmas. It is a very well done book and breaks hiking spots down in a few different ways. One of the Exciting things the book talks about is what Hill calls “Back Country” camping. Terry Barney the instructor for the Midwest School of Bushcraft likes to take groups to the Loess Hills and Stephens State Forest. Hill points out that Iowa has “seventy state parks and four major forests.” Iowa’s landscape changes depending on where you are in the state. It occurred to me that it would be beneficial to learn more about the variety of resources Iowa has to offer.
My suggestion to readers is to start learning some Bushcraft skills and to also start getting to know the terrain. The first key to survival is mindset, the second key is practice. Don’t wait until SHTF to try and learn how to start a fire. Now is the time to start learning and practicing skills. Not only that but it is fun. I never thought I would be excited to be “in the Bush” but I can’t wait to get out there.
Thank you, FreedomFox
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Sunday, December 12, 2010
Bushcraft Training in Iowa
Hello in Iowa.....well it looks like the Iowa Winter has finally made it to us. Just in time for the Holidays. Keep warm and keep safe everyone.
By Tabathaw1
I wanted to tell you about a great Iowa resource. The Midwest School of Bushcraft lead by "A former Air Force Survival Instructor." Terry Barney (a.k.a IAWoodsman) has an extensive background in Survival and training. His Bushcraft 101 training has met with rave reviews. He offers them a couple of times a year. He also offers advanced trainings. He has proven to be helpful and responsive. We are going to be setting up some trainings in the SE Iowa area. Let me know if you are interested and we can take into account locations etc. The prices for the Midwest School of Bushcraft are very reasonable. Over all Terry seems to have a heart towards service and helping his fellow man. I think we can say that Terry and his school are a great asset to Iowa. You can also check out his Survival Videos at Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/iawoodsman?blend=2&ob=1
Check out the Midwest School of Bushcraft at http://www.midwestschoolofbushcraft.com/
I will keep you posted on the training date for this area.....Let me know if you are interested. The class has limited number of spots available so we will want to register early.
Good luck, stay warm.........
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By Tabathaw1
I wanted to tell you about a great Iowa resource. The Midwest School of Bushcraft lead by "A former Air Force Survival Instructor." Terry Barney (a.k.a IAWoodsman) has an extensive background in Survival and training. His Bushcraft 101 training has met with rave reviews. He offers them a couple of times a year. He also offers advanced trainings. He has proven to be helpful and responsive. We are going to be setting up some trainings in the SE Iowa area. Let me know if you are interested and we can take into account locations etc. The prices for the Midwest School of Bushcraft are very reasonable. Over all Terry seems to have a heart towards service and helping his fellow man. I think we can say that Terry and his school are a great asset to Iowa. You can also check out his Survival Videos at Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/iawoodsman?blend=2&ob=1
Check out the Midwest School of Bushcraft at http://www.midwestschoolofbushcraft.com/
I will keep you posted on the training date for this area.....Let me know if you are interested. The class has limited number of spots available so we will want to register early.
Good luck, stay warm.........
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Iowa Forum at http://www.iowapreppersnetwork.net/
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