The 5th Annual Groundnut
Western MA Ancestral Skills Gathering Montgomery, MA, Sep 23-24, '23
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Join us for an amazing three day regional Earth living skills gathering this fall in the beautiful woods and meadows of Montgomery MA! For our 5th Groundnut Gathering, we're once again grateful for the chance to bring together inspired teachers and enthusiasts from around the area to connect with each other and the land as we learn and share timeless skills practiced by peoples on all continents, such as animal tracking, hide tanning, friction fires, storytelling and more!
The gathering runs Friday morning, 9/16, through Sunday afternoon, 9/17. Camping is available and encouraged. There will be 5 workshop blocks, time to work on and share personal projects, trade items, share meals and build community. Proceeds support the planting and maintenance of public food forests across Western MA through Help Yourself! |
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2023 schedule coming end of July!!
Work Trade
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The Groundnut Gathering is made possible with the help of its amazing Worktraders! Thank you for your interest in contributing your hands and heart to helping make this event happen! Please click here to fill out a work trade application. Space is limited. Applications deadline is 9/3. |
Schedule
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Friday:
⛺ Camping arrival: 4:00 **Arrival closes at 7:30 pm** |
Saturday:SOLD OUT
Arrival/parking:9:00 Opening Circle: 9:30 Block 1: 10-12:00
Lunch 12:00-1:30 Block 2: 1:30-3:15
Block 3: 3:30-5:00
Potluck Dinner 5:30 🔥 Fire, Music, Song Circle, Primitive Pottery Firing and Story time! 6:00 🔭 Open Telescope: 8:00-9:30 Check out the planets! |
Sunday:SOLD OUT
Potluck Breakfast 8:00-9:00 Cow milking demo 8:00 Arrival and Parking: 9:00 Opening Circle: 9:30 Block 1: 10-12:00
Lunch 12:00-1:30 and Trade blanket Block 2: 1:30-3:30
Block 3: 3:35-5:00
Closing Circle: 5:15 |
Class Descriptions
Mushroom Mysteries - Dean Colpack
Fall is mushroom season! We'll explore the fungal connections all around us, learning about mushroom relationships with trees, edible and medicinal uses, as well as some of the identifying features human animals use to categorize these forest friends.
Tools in Action - Deborah Chamberlain
In this class we will learn simple and safe care and use of knives, hatchets and axes. Learn how to effectively use and control edges, and keep them sharp. We will also make simple tools that can be used in camp: wedges, mallets and benches. We will spend time using tools to make camp life more comfortable!
Complete Sheep Butchering - Felix Lufkin
Learn how to skin, dress, quarter and butcher sheep! In these workshops, we'll learn about butchering, charcuterie and anatomy as we transform animals into food. The slaughter will be part of this experience, and will be optional - though encouraged. All parts of this animal will be used including organ meats, bones and blood. We'll also, learn to use the sinew for string, hooves for glue how to undertake hide work. Roll up your sleeves and participate, or stand back at a comfortable distance and watch. All this will be done, of course, in the respectful context of interdependence.
Storytelling and Mythcarrying - Jacquelyn Ward
There exists a deep connection between land, humans, and myth. In this session we will explore that connection through our imaginations and senses. We will listen to some ancient myths and folktales, practice a few tricks for telling stories, discuss what it means to carry these stories within us, and take that theory out into the land. You can come for just the stories or stay for the whole workshop. Children may be more interested in the first half (the stories), but are welcome for the whole time if they wish.
Basket Making - Mary Lauren Fraser
Come make a willow cone basket with Mary Lauren Fraser! Students will learn weaves such as twining, French randing and two-rod folded border. This is a great introduction to willow basketry and open to beginners as well as those with some willow working experience. All ages above 10 are welcome. Please bring your own clippers or hand shears if you have them. All materials provided. Material fee: $20/per person.
Ancestral Plant Medicine Weed Walk - Jade Alicandro Mace
Join us for a plant walk exploring a group of herbs that have been in relationship with humanity for millennia- the weeds! Plants like Dandelion, Burdock, Red Clover, Nettles, Yarrow, Purslane, and Lambs Quarters have been following humans around for thousands of years (or have we been following them?) and are ancestral plant medicines for so many. Thriving in human-altered, anthropogenic landscapes, we can consider the weeds to be in a symbiotic, mutually beneficial/reciprocal relationship with humans- we create habitats they thrive within and we benefit from their deep nourishment and medicinal benefits. On this walk we'll meet many of these ancestral plants, learn ID, discuss sustainable harvest, folk medicine-making, and their medicinal and edible use.
Introduction to the Art and Science of Tracking - Walker Korby
Delve into the deepest recesses of our shared humanity to remember an essential practice that reveals the connections between us and the other beings with whom we share this planet. We'll explore animal gaits and movement, learn some core practices, and begin to learn how to interpret the world through the senses of a tracker. Whether this is the beginning of your tracking journey or you are a life-long tracker, you're sure to come away with inspiration and insight!
Fire by Friction - Maggie and Felix
Humans and fire have had a magnificent and interwoven relationship for years upon years. Learn the ways in which humans have co-evolved with fire and come away with a renewed sense of interconnetion. Walk in the footsteps of your ancestors by learning to use the ancient technology of the bow drill.
Simple Leather Sandal Making - Sarah Shields
Come make a pair of sandals that will allow you to ground & feel the earth beneath your feet! We'll make 1 strap, 3-5 hole veg-tanned leather-soled sandals (huaraches) that don’t require any sewing and are made from your foot tracing! I'll have alphabet & bug stamps to personalize them. Feel free to bring a couple special beads (that can fit thru 1/8" leather straps) &/or your own cordage or leather for straps (6-10 feet total). I'll have leather & a few other strap options. Wear them all weekend long & beyond.
Wild Pottery - Jesse
In this class we will learn how to dig, craft, and fire clay. We will be adding natural tempers and crafting our own cord wrapped paddles. Come with lots of excitement and energy. Be prepared for some pots to explode - this is not an exact science!
Discover Fly Fishing - Ned Phillip Jones
Can you envision being connected with rivulets and streams? Would you like to be able to provide yourself with fresh, tasty trout dwelling in exuberant waters all over the world? In this session you'll learn core elements of fly fishing from a passionate teacher. We'll cover equipment, casting techniques, how to read the water, and how to prepare your catch for dinner. Together we'll begin rousing our primordial predator instincts via teachers like the heron and the mantis.
Breathwork- Sadie Ranen
Skull School- Kathy Dean
In this hands-on workshop, we will begin with a discussion of skull anatomy and how that relates to animals’ natural history including their sensory adaptations and behavioral tendencies. People will then be guided in seeking out the identity of skulls using their newfound skull “tracking” skills. Multiple species of mammal skulls will be on hand as well as some reference materials. People are also encouraged to bring mammal skulls from their own collections as well as skull ID books if they choose.
Wild Soda Making - Zoe Weizenbaum
Water, raw honey and edible flowers/herbs/fruit. These are the only three ingredients you need to create your own delicious, effervescent natural sodas. The process of fermentation that begins when the aforementioned three ingredients combine transforms the sugars in the honey into a not-too-sweet, probiotic alternative to classic sodas. Magic! Science! Both! First we will cover the basic formula and proportions for this ferment, after which you will have the opportunity to put the theory into practice. Experiment with the flowers, fruits and herbs of the season to create your own drink to take home. The class will conclude with a discussion of additional options for culture, sugar and flavor.
Spoon Carving- Kai Pratt
Engage with the magic of working green wood into a magnificent spoon using only your hands, body, imagination, and some simple tools. We'll learn how to interact with our spoon blanks, how to make what cut where, knife technique, spoon design, and how to finish a spoon. You should be eating in style by the end of the day! Bring any carving knives if you have them. No experience with knives is necessary and all tools are provided.
Hide Tanning - Maggie Ranen
Join me for a three day hide tanning journey where we will transform a raw squirrel hide into beautiful, supple and practical leather! You will learn how to skin and tan a hair on and off hide using the wet scrape brain-tan method and learn how to preserve it by smoking it. To tan the squirrel from start to finish you will need to join the intensive class that starts on Friday. If you would like to dip your toes into hide tanning you can join the intensive group on Saturday for a 2 hr class where you will see part of the method and get to help stretch the hides. Let your senses come alive as you delve into this age old practice!
Wild Edibles Walk - Felix Lufkin
We will set out on a wild food and medicine walk where we will learn to ID, prepare and honor the bounty under our feet! Only recently has our relationship to wild food and medicine been snuffed out creating a devastating loss of connection between land and human. Reclaim the birthright that is yours, your biological need to be connected to the Earth as we meet and great more than a dozen species.
Womb and the Moon - Elise Thomson
Our natural rhythm of life is held within our wombs and is experienced within the monthly menstrual cycle, which is a mirror of the lunar cycle. The Moon is embodied within the physical and energetic core of every female body, no matter our age, what developmental phase of life we are in or whether we bleed every month or not. Through following and connecting to our inner cycles, we are invited to find our natural rhythms of life, unique to our own personality and physiology. Through connecting with our cycles, we find deeper levels of alignment, health and vitality. In this class, we will take a deep dive into the menstrual cycle, the lunar cycle and the seasons, including simple practices and rituals to support your inner cycles and rhythms.
Blacksmithing:Introduction to the Forge- Scott Palmer
Blacksmithing is the ancient art of forming objects out of hot iron with hammer and anvil. This demo will introduce you to the most basic principles of the craft using a primitive campfire style forge and improvised equipment. The featured project for the event will be the forging of a fire steel for striking flint. If the demo sparks your interest, come to the intensive for a more hands on educational experience.
Acorns Acorns Acorns!: Mark Ressl
I am so pleased to offer a workshop about Acorns – because I love Acorns!
No matter where you hail from on earth – it is likely that at some time in history your ancestors ate
acorns… for survival, for pleasure, in traditional dishes, or in exploration of new culinary ideas.
Acorns provide a simple starch packet – like a mini potato… with many amino acids and other good stuff
for your health, and they are also fun to harvest, process, and cook with.
They are gluten free, which lends itself to a different kind of baking and cooking, than wheat based
flours do.
In my workshop I hope to spark your interest in Acorns, answer some of your longest held questions
about acorns, and give you the opportunity to try your hand at all the steps necessary to process acorns
into a quality flour or starch. And of course I will bring samples of acorn breads, desserts, pudding,
maybe even gravy & pasta!
Acorn everything to try!
I also plan to showoff leather products and share about the process of using the tannic acid extracted
from the acorns for leather tanning.
See you there!
Cheese Making: Kayln Campbell
Kalyn Campbell is a homesteader in Central Vermont working to reduce her need for the industrial system by making and growing her own food and clothes. This includes all things dairy!
She has 10+ years experience milking cows and goats and making cheese with the milk both commercially and on a home scale.
She hopes to encourage others to join her on this journey towards self-reliance and healthy land stewardship.
You can see more of what Kalyn does at The Handspun Cow Educational Homestead
Fall is mushroom season! We'll explore the fungal connections all around us, learning about mushroom relationships with trees, edible and medicinal uses, as well as some of the identifying features human animals use to categorize these forest friends.
Tools in Action - Deborah Chamberlain
In this class we will learn simple and safe care and use of knives, hatchets and axes. Learn how to effectively use and control edges, and keep them sharp. We will also make simple tools that can be used in camp: wedges, mallets and benches. We will spend time using tools to make camp life more comfortable!
Complete Sheep Butchering - Felix Lufkin
Learn how to skin, dress, quarter and butcher sheep! In these workshops, we'll learn about butchering, charcuterie and anatomy as we transform animals into food. The slaughter will be part of this experience, and will be optional - though encouraged. All parts of this animal will be used including organ meats, bones and blood. We'll also, learn to use the sinew for string, hooves for glue how to undertake hide work. Roll up your sleeves and participate, or stand back at a comfortable distance and watch. All this will be done, of course, in the respectful context of interdependence.
Storytelling and Mythcarrying - Jacquelyn Ward
There exists a deep connection between land, humans, and myth. In this session we will explore that connection through our imaginations and senses. We will listen to some ancient myths and folktales, practice a few tricks for telling stories, discuss what it means to carry these stories within us, and take that theory out into the land. You can come for just the stories or stay for the whole workshop. Children may be more interested in the first half (the stories), but are welcome for the whole time if they wish.
Basket Making - Mary Lauren Fraser
Come make a willow cone basket with Mary Lauren Fraser! Students will learn weaves such as twining, French randing and two-rod folded border. This is a great introduction to willow basketry and open to beginners as well as those with some willow working experience. All ages above 10 are welcome. Please bring your own clippers or hand shears if you have them. All materials provided. Material fee: $20/per person.
Ancestral Plant Medicine Weed Walk - Jade Alicandro Mace
Join us for a plant walk exploring a group of herbs that have been in relationship with humanity for millennia- the weeds! Plants like Dandelion, Burdock, Red Clover, Nettles, Yarrow, Purslane, and Lambs Quarters have been following humans around for thousands of years (or have we been following them?) and are ancestral plant medicines for so many. Thriving in human-altered, anthropogenic landscapes, we can consider the weeds to be in a symbiotic, mutually beneficial/reciprocal relationship with humans- we create habitats they thrive within and we benefit from their deep nourishment and medicinal benefits. On this walk we'll meet many of these ancestral plants, learn ID, discuss sustainable harvest, folk medicine-making, and their medicinal and edible use.
Introduction to the Art and Science of Tracking - Walker Korby
Delve into the deepest recesses of our shared humanity to remember an essential practice that reveals the connections between us and the other beings with whom we share this planet. We'll explore animal gaits and movement, learn some core practices, and begin to learn how to interpret the world through the senses of a tracker. Whether this is the beginning of your tracking journey or you are a life-long tracker, you're sure to come away with inspiration and insight!
Fire by Friction - Maggie and Felix
Humans and fire have had a magnificent and interwoven relationship for years upon years. Learn the ways in which humans have co-evolved with fire and come away with a renewed sense of interconnetion. Walk in the footsteps of your ancestors by learning to use the ancient technology of the bow drill.
Simple Leather Sandal Making - Sarah Shields
Come make a pair of sandals that will allow you to ground & feel the earth beneath your feet! We'll make 1 strap, 3-5 hole veg-tanned leather-soled sandals (huaraches) that don’t require any sewing and are made from your foot tracing! I'll have alphabet & bug stamps to personalize them. Feel free to bring a couple special beads (that can fit thru 1/8" leather straps) &/or your own cordage or leather for straps (6-10 feet total). I'll have leather & a few other strap options. Wear them all weekend long & beyond.
Wild Pottery - Jesse
In this class we will learn how to dig, craft, and fire clay. We will be adding natural tempers and crafting our own cord wrapped paddles. Come with lots of excitement and energy. Be prepared for some pots to explode - this is not an exact science!
Discover Fly Fishing - Ned Phillip Jones
Can you envision being connected with rivulets and streams? Would you like to be able to provide yourself with fresh, tasty trout dwelling in exuberant waters all over the world? In this session you'll learn core elements of fly fishing from a passionate teacher. We'll cover equipment, casting techniques, how to read the water, and how to prepare your catch for dinner. Together we'll begin rousing our primordial predator instincts via teachers like the heron and the mantis.
Breathwork- Sadie Ranen
Skull School- Kathy Dean
In this hands-on workshop, we will begin with a discussion of skull anatomy and how that relates to animals’ natural history including their sensory adaptations and behavioral tendencies. People will then be guided in seeking out the identity of skulls using their newfound skull “tracking” skills. Multiple species of mammal skulls will be on hand as well as some reference materials. People are also encouraged to bring mammal skulls from their own collections as well as skull ID books if they choose.
Wild Soda Making - Zoe Weizenbaum
Water, raw honey and edible flowers/herbs/fruit. These are the only three ingredients you need to create your own delicious, effervescent natural sodas. The process of fermentation that begins when the aforementioned three ingredients combine transforms the sugars in the honey into a not-too-sweet, probiotic alternative to classic sodas. Magic! Science! Both! First we will cover the basic formula and proportions for this ferment, after which you will have the opportunity to put the theory into practice. Experiment with the flowers, fruits and herbs of the season to create your own drink to take home. The class will conclude with a discussion of additional options for culture, sugar and flavor.
Spoon Carving- Kai Pratt
Engage with the magic of working green wood into a magnificent spoon using only your hands, body, imagination, and some simple tools. We'll learn how to interact with our spoon blanks, how to make what cut where, knife technique, spoon design, and how to finish a spoon. You should be eating in style by the end of the day! Bring any carving knives if you have them. No experience with knives is necessary and all tools are provided.
Hide Tanning - Maggie Ranen
Join me for a three day hide tanning journey where we will transform a raw squirrel hide into beautiful, supple and practical leather! You will learn how to skin and tan a hair on and off hide using the wet scrape brain-tan method and learn how to preserve it by smoking it. To tan the squirrel from start to finish you will need to join the intensive class that starts on Friday. If you would like to dip your toes into hide tanning you can join the intensive group on Saturday for a 2 hr class where you will see part of the method and get to help stretch the hides. Let your senses come alive as you delve into this age old practice!
Wild Edibles Walk - Felix Lufkin
We will set out on a wild food and medicine walk where we will learn to ID, prepare and honor the bounty under our feet! Only recently has our relationship to wild food and medicine been snuffed out creating a devastating loss of connection between land and human. Reclaim the birthright that is yours, your biological need to be connected to the Earth as we meet and great more than a dozen species.
Womb and the Moon - Elise Thomson
Our natural rhythm of life is held within our wombs and is experienced within the monthly menstrual cycle, which is a mirror of the lunar cycle. The Moon is embodied within the physical and energetic core of every female body, no matter our age, what developmental phase of life we are in or whether we bleed every month or not. Through following and connecting to our inner cycles, we are invited to find our natural rhythms of life, unique to our own personality and physiology. Through connecting with our cycles, we find deeper levels of alignment, health and vitality. In this class, we will take a deep dive into the menstrual cycle, the lunar cycle and the seasons, including simple practices and rituals to support your inner cycles and rhythms.
Blacksmithing:Introduction to the Forge- Scott Palmer
Blacksmithing is the ancient art of forming objects out of hot iron with hammer and anvil. This demo will introduce you to the most basic principles of the craft using a primitive campfire style forge and improvised equipment. The featured project for the event will be the forging of a fire steel for striking flint. If the demo sparks your interest, come to the intensive for a more hands on educational experience.
Acorns Acorns Acorns!: Mark Ressl
I am so pleased to offer a workshop about Acorns – because I love Acorns!
No matter where you hail from on earth – it is likely that at some time in history your ancestors ate
acorns… for survival, for pleasure, in traditional dishes, or in exploration of new culinary ideas.
Acorns provide a simple starch packet – like a mini potato… with many amino acids and other good stuff
for your health, and they are also fun to harvest, process, and cook with.
They are gluten free, which lends itself to a different kind of baking and cooking, than wheat based
flours do.
In my workshop I hope to spark your interest in Acorns, answer some of your longest held questions
about acorns, and give you the opportunity to try your hand at all the steps necessary to process acorns
into a quality flour or starch. And of course I will bring samples of acorn breads, desserts, pudding,
maybe even gravy & pasta!
Acorn everything to try!
I also plan to showoff leather products and share about the process of using the tannic acid extracted
from the acorns for leather tanning.
See you there!
Cheese Making: Kayln Campbell
Kalyn Campbell is a homesteader in Central Vermont working to reduce her need for the industrial system by making and growing her own food and clothes. This includes all things dairy!
She has 10+ years experience milking cows and goats and making cheese with the milk both commercially and on a home scale.
She hopes to encourage others to join her on this journey towards self-reliance and healthy land stewardship.
You can see more of what Kalyn does at The Handspun Cow Educational Homestead
Teacher Bios
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Mary Lauren Fraser: Basket Making
Mary Lauren Fraser apprenticed with a basket and coffin weaver in northeast Scotland in 2015 and has since been weaving and teaching in New England. She weaves willow coffins for green burial and baskets and urns. This is her 6th season teaching basketry workshops throughout New England. Find her work at fraserbaskets.com and on Instagram @fraserbaskets |
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Dean Colpack: Mushroom Mysteries
Dean moved to Western MA when he was eighteen and soon fell in love with wild nature. He has worked as a nature educator in public elementary schools, has taught holistic, ethical butchering with gratitude to adults, and is a prison abolitionist who co-founded a local bail fund. He is a social worker who is obsessed by mushrooms, and tries to spread this obsession any way he can. |
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Felix Lufkin: Wild Edible Plants, Complete Sheep Butchering
Felix works with K-12, college and adult students at a number of programs in the Valley teaching nature awareness and homestead skills, in programs at public, private and home schools, public workshops and organizations including Mass Audubon, Wolf Tree Programs, the Vermont Wilderness School, and Earthwork Programs. He has lead programs at NorthStar Teen Center, Four Rivers Charter School, the Paulo Friere Social Justice Charter School, and taught wild edible plants and earth living skills classes at UMass Amherst and Hampshire College. He also directs Help Yourself, inc and Leapfrog Programs. |
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Deborah Chamberlain: Tools in Action
Deborah's career in education started with the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School leading 30 day river trips with youth at risk some 30 years ago. She was lucky enough to work and travel from the Florida swamps to the hills of Wales and the streets of NYC. Deborah studied bush craft in the UK with the West Yorkshire Bushcraft group, in the US at the Tracker School and Mountainsong Expeditions. She also studied at the Blazing Star Herbal school with Gail Ulrich. I am so happy to be bringing my skills in progress to the Groundnut Gathering! |
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Jacquelyn Ward: Storytelling and Mythcarrying
Jacquelyn grew up running around the woods, eating herbs straight from the garden, and sleeping outside whenever possible. In 2007 she took part in Amherst High School’s Survival Living class and became interested in learning how to thrive without the trappings of the consumer world. Since then she has worked for Hawk Circle, Vermont Wilderness School, Wolf Tree, Earth Works, and Art of Mentoring programs. She has a BA in Historiography and Alternative Historical Narrative from Marlboro College in Vermont and an MA in Viking and Medieval Norse Studies from the University of Iceland. She is passionate about mythology, history, and food cultures, and the ways in which they connect people to place. |
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Maggie Ranen: Hide Tanning and Fire by Friction
Maggie is passionate about earth living skills and supporting people in their nature connection. She is deeply driven by her commitment to being an active community member and strives to live in harmony with the land and the beings that dwell in it. Maggie has worked at several nature education programs and has been a gardener/farmer since 2009. She has been hide tanning since 2012 and has been teaching classes in MA, NH, VT and FL since 2017 . Maggie works with Help Yourself Edibles, is an herbalist, and the founder and organizer of the Groundnut Gathering. |
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Jade Alicandro Mace: Ancestral Plant Medicine Weed Walk
Jade has been studying medicinal plants since 2006 and teaching plant medicine in the valley since 2010. She loves sharing the wonders of the plant world with others and inspiring connection with our locally abundant herbal allies. She offers in-person classes and an apprenticeship in bioregional herbalism and hosts online classes, including a monthly membership program, Viriditas, and a winter online kitchen medicine intensive, Spice Rack Medicine. Learn more about her work at milkandhoneyherbs.com |
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Walker Korby: Introduction to the Art and Science of Tracking
Walker began his tracking journey in the late 1980's as a Boy Scout in central NJ. In high school he discovered the Wilderness Awareness School in his home town, and realized that his life path was going to be centered around reconnecting people with the rest of the natural world. He studied and taught with Wilderness Awareness School as well as The Tracker school, and Vermont Wilderness School. He's been an instructor and facilitator for the Art Of Mentoring programs across the country as well as in Europe for over 20 years, and and adjunct instructor in the Human Ecology program at Greenfield Community College. He obtained a Masters in Geography at UMass and currently runs a successful land stewardship company out of Montague Ma. |
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Elise Thomson: Womb and the Moon
Elise is a midwife and tender of the heart, the womb and the land. Her practices are rooted in connection with the elements and nature and are centered around honoring cyclical living, supporting innate wisdom and being in right relationship with ourselves, one another and the earth. Her work focuses on the healing of our bodies and wombs - reconnecting to the portals of creation we hold within, igniting our inner knowing and cultivating vitality and beauty as an offering to the earth and to life. Learn more about her work on Instagram @sacredsisterholistics |
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Kai Pratt: Spoon Carving
Kai is a longtime western MA resident with a deep love of the natural world. He has taught permaculture, farming, ancestral skills, and more to kids and adults for the last decade. He currently works as an instructor with Wolf Tree programs; operates a small farmstead at his home in Warwick, MA; and teaches carving, hide tanning, and tracking when he can. |
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Sarah Shields: Simple Leather Sandal Making
Sarah Shields is a maker, a farmer, a mother and a builder. She has been making shoes since 2012 and runs Farm Shoes Handmade (@farmshoeshandmade), a simple shoe company based out of Franklin County. She has taught private and group classes for the last 10 years and loves to inspire people that making their own shoes is possible and fun. |
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Ned Phillip Jones: Discover Fly Fishing
Ned founded the Hampshire Food Forest / Greenwich Forest Garden at Hampshire College. His interests include fish, freshwater ecology, design, Welsh language, viewpoint diversity, epistemology, unidentified aerial phenomena, blueberries, and dogs. |
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Zoe Weizenbaum: Wild Soda Making
Zoe manages a small diversified farmstead in Amherst, MA. Here she tends to a variety of ferments, a rowdy herd of goats as well as a large permaculture garden. In this role she also delights in befriending all flavors of bacteria, yeast and fungus to create delicious cheeses, drinks, breads and krauts. Spend enough time with this farmer and she will inevitably offer you a spoonful, slice or sip of something wonderful and/or strange. |
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Kathy Dean: Skull School
Kathy has worked in the field of outdoor education since 1983 as a wilderness guide, rock climbing instructor and teacher of animal tracking, bird language and nature awareness. In addition to working with several nature education centers, she offers her own wildlife tracking intensives, custom-tailored nature programs and wildlife surveys. Kathy is the author of Abbreviated Field Guide to Mammal Behavior: New England Region and currently holds a Cybertracker Level III Track and Sign Certification for the New England Region. She lives in a small hill town in western Massachusetts and is blissfully surrounded by woodlands, wetlands and wildlife. |
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Jesse Worden: Wild Pottery
Jesse grew up in the finger lakes which has a rich natural environment. He is an avid hunter and naturalist. About seven years ago he discovered his love for primitive pottery. He learned how to dig fire and make clay vessels. He is excited to teach and fire pottery with all of you!!! |
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Mark Ressl: Acorns, Acorns, Acorns!
Mark likes to study the work of master craftspeople and learn to practice their techniques for producing buckskin, leather, rawhide drums and ancient foods. All of the practices he has learned working with natural ingredients come from different cultural traditions from around the world. He tries to express his great respect for ancestral knowledge and existence by showing care in his art while using their practices. He believes making traditional crafts is one way to bring historical traditions back to life. He also explores modern interpretations of ancient crafts to tell today’s stories. One of his more exploratory experiments is European style vegetable tanned leather that was made using tannic acid extracted entirely from red oak acorns, harvested and processed for food using Native American methods. He is also very proud of his acorn-maple pudding :). Mark's art work includes – acorn flour and starch culinary creations and experiments, rawhide lamps, hand drums, frame drums, buckskin, black walnut ink drawings, parafleche, leathers and furs. |
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Kayln Campbell: Cheese Making
Kalyn Campbell is a homesteader in Central Vermont working to reduce her need for the industrial system by making and growing her own food and clothes. This includes all things dairy! She has 10+ years experience milking cows and goats and making cheese with the milk both commercially and on a home scale. She hopes to encourage others to join her on this journey towards self-reliance and healthy land stewardship. You can see more of what Kalyn does at The Handspun Cow Educational Homestead |
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Scott Palmer: Blacksmithing
Scott has a hobby business called Foundry Brook Forge in Colrain. He makes knives and other edged tools as well as jewelry and decorative ironwork. Currently, knives are his primary focus. Ted Hinman taught him blacksmithing and bladesmithing at Historic Northampton about 15 years ago and he has been developing his skills on his own ever since. Scott has a degree in visual arts from GCC. Hunting, fishing, camping and hiking in the hills of western MA and VT are his favorite ways to test his blades. You may have seen his forging with the blacksmith guild at local renaissance fairs. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting a ticket:
What are the dates of the 2022 gathering?
Oct 7-9
Can children and teens attend?
Yes! There are programs for kids ages 6-13. Kids under 6 attend for free.
Is the gathering accessible to those with disabilities?
Please contact us at leapfrogprograms@gmail.com to discuss your access needs and we would be happy to see if we can accommodate them. The physical nature of the event grounds do limit our capacity to make this event physically accessible for those who have difficulty traversing gravel, uneven and potentially muddy terrain.
I can’t afford a ticket, what options do I have?
We have a work trade program and a scholarship fund. If you are unable to participate in the work trade program and are interested in a scholarship please get in touch with us by emailing leapfrogprograms@gmail.com
I purchased my pass, when will I receive a ticket and welcome letter?
We are a small non profit that is in the office 2x/week, we will send you your pass and welcome letter as soon as we get into the office! Thanks for your patience!
What is the refund policy?
We do not offer refunds. If you are unable to attend you can transfer your ticket to someone else.
Packing/prep:
Are any local accommodations (besides camping) available?
Yes there are Air b and bs and hotels in the neighboring towns.
Can I bring my dog?
As much as we love pups we have a strict NO DOG (and pet) policy. Thanks for understanding!
Is carpooling available?
Yes, and we highly encourage it! Head to the Groundnut Carpooling Facebook group to coordinate carpooling!
Will I need cash at the event?
Some classes require a materials fee which must be paid in cash to the teacher before the class starts. Info on which classes require a materials fee will be in the welcome letter. There is will also be perennial plants and Groundnut Merchandise for sale which will need to be paid for in cash.
What else should I bring?:
Water Containers & Sun Protection: Please carry water bottles at all times and protect yourself from the sun. Young children need a tote bag with these items, especially if they are getting involved with the kids programs.
Food: We provide a community primitive kitchen (cooking over fire) for your cooking pleasure. Please remember to pack your own food, cookware and dishware. You can also cook at your campsite on a small propane camp stove, if you’d like. **Meals are not provided for.** There will be a potluck on Saturday evening for dinner and a Sunday morning potluck for breakfast (details below and in welcome letter).
Rain Gear: Come prepared and you will be much more comfortable. Bring a rain jacket, extra tarps for your sleeping area, umbrellas, something to sit on when the ground is wet, a small plastic bag to keep your notebook and headlamp in, and shoes that you’ll be comfortable in when they get wet (like sandals or muck boots).
What if it rains?
The Groundnut Gathering is held rain or shine. There is no provision for a rain date, and no refunds are given on account of inclement weather. Bring your rain gear and plenty of warm, non-cotton socks and under layers to stay warm even when you’re wet.
Crafts for gifting or trading: Bring special items if you would like to join the trade blanket on Sunday afternoon!
Hygiene: There are handwashing stations available and folks are encouraged to wash hands regularly and thoroughly. These are not for washing bodies. There is a river for swimming and freshening up. There are NO showers. Come prepared to keep yourself and your family clean. Soap is not allowed in the river or stream.
Minimize Trash: The Groundnut is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out event. This means we do not have community garbage cans. If you bring a bunch of stuff that will have to get thrown away, you will have to lug it around with you quite a bit. Please plan for a low-waste event, and come prepared with vessels or bags to gather and pack out your trash.
What are the potluck meals all about?
There is a potluck dinner on Saturday and a potluck breakfast on Sunday morning. Please bring a dish for 10-15 people. There will be cards to write ingredients on a a potluck manager organizing the meals.
Arrival:
How do I get to the gathering?
The gathering will take place in Montgomery MA and detailed directions will be sent closer to the Gathering to all ticket holders.
What is the parking situation?
There is limited parking and we encourage carpooling. There will be folks and signs showing you where to park upon your arrival.
Can I arrive evening before my ticket starts?
Yes, you can arrive Friday between 4-7:30.
When can I arrive?
For the Weekend: Between 4-7:30 pm On Friday 10/7 or Saturday morning between 7-9 am. If you are only coming for Sunday you can arrive between 8-9 am on Sunday morning.
At the gathering:
What is the camping set up like?
There is a large mowed field where you can set up your tent.
What amenities are available?
Well water for drinking and there are composting toilets.
When do I sign up for classes?
Saturday's classes will be posted right before opening circle on Saturday morning and Sunday's classes will be posted right before opening circle on Sunday morning.
Worktrade:
Why does the Groundnut require an attendance fee and refundable work trade deposit?
The $5 attendance fee is for all participants and is paid directly to the land owners. The refundable work trade deposit provides the best assurance of accountability. We will keep your deposit only if you don’t show up or don’t complete your hours for a reason we deem unacceptable. You will be refunded by 10/15.
When will I hear about the status of my work trade application?
By 8/24
Can my children hang out with me while I work trade?
If they are 12+
How many hours do work traders have to do for full tuition to the Groundnut?
6.5
Are partial work trade positions available?
No
What are the dates of the 2022 gathering?
Oct 7-9
Can children and teens attend?
Yes! There are programs for kids ages 6-13. Kids under 6 attend for free.
Is the gathering accessible to those with disabilities?
Please contact us at leapfrogprograms@gmail.com to discuss your access needs and we would be happy to see if we can accommodate them. The physical nature of the event grounds do limit our capacity to make this event physically accessible for those who have difficulty traversing gravel, uneven and potentially muddy terrain.
I can’t afford a ticket, what options do I have?
We have a work trade program and a scholarship fund. If you are unable to participate in the work trade program and are interested in a scholarship please get in touch with us by emailing leapfrogprograms@gmail.com
I purchased my pass, when will I receive a ticket and welcome letter?
We are a small non profit that is in the office 2x/week, we will send you your pass and welcome letter as soon as we get into the office! Thanks for your patience!
What is the refund policy?
We do not offer refunds. If you are unable to attend you can transfer your ticket to someone else.
Packing/prep:
Are any local accommodations (besides camping) available?
Yes there are Air b and bs and hotels in the neighboring towns.
Can I bring my dog?
As much as we love pups we have a strict NO DOG (and pet) policy. Thanks for understanding!
Is carpooling available?
Yes, and we highly encourage it! Head to the Groundnut Carpooling Facebook group to coordinate carpooling!
Will I need cash at the event?
Some classes require a materials fee which must be paid in cash to the teacher before the class starts. Info on which classes require a materials fee will be in the welcome letter. There is will also be perennial plants and Groundnut Merchandise for sale which will need to be paid for in cash.
What else should I bring?:
Water Containers & Sun Protection: Please carry water bottles at all times and protect yourself from the sun. Young children need a tote bag with these items, especially if they are getting involved with the kids programs.
Food: We provide a community primitive kitchen (cooking over fire) for your cooking pleasure. Please remember to pack your own food, cookware and dishware. You can also cook at your campsite on a small propane camp stove, if you’d like. **Meals are not provided for.** There will be a potluck on Saturday evening for dinner and a Sunday morning potluck for breakfast (details below and in welcome letter).
Rain Gear: Come prepared and you will be much more comfortable. Bring a rain jacket, extra tarps for your sleeping area, umbrellas, something to sit on when the ground is wet, a small plastic bag to keep your notebook and headlamp in, and shoes that you’ll be comfortable in when they get wet (like sandals or muck boots).
What if it rains?
The Groundnut Gathering is held rain or shine. There is no provision for a rain date, and no refunds are given on account of inclement weather. Bring your rain gear and plenty of warm, non-cotton socks and under layers to stay warm even when you’re wet.
Crafts for gifting or trading: Bring special items if you would like to join the trade blanket on Sunday afternoon!
Hygiene: There are handwashing stations available and folks are encouraged to wash hands regularly and thoroughly. These are not for washing bodies. There is a river for swimming and freshening up. There are NO showers. Come prepared to keep yourself and your family clean. Soap is not allowed in the river or stream.
Minimize Trash: The Groundnut is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out event. This means we do not have community garbage cans. If you bring a bunch of stuff that will have to get thrown away, you will have to lug it around with you quite a bit. Please plan for a low-waste event, and come prepared with vessels or bags to gather and pack out your trash.
What are the potluck meals all about?
There is a potluck dinner on Saturday and a potluck breakfast on Sunday morning. Please bring a dish for 10-15 people. There will be cards to write ingredients on a a potluck manager organizing the meals.
Arrival:
How do I get to the gathering?
The gathering will take place in Montgomery MA and detailed directions will be sent closer to the Gathering to all ticket holders.
What is the parking situation?
There is limited parking and we encourage carpooling. There will be folks and signs showing you where to park upon your arrival.
Can I arrive evening before my ticket starts?
Yes, you can arrive Friday between 4-7:30.
When can I arrive?
For the Weekend: Between 4-7:30 pm On Friday 10/7 or Saturday morning between 7-9 am. If you are only coming for Sunday you can arrive between 8-9 am on Sunday morning.
At the gathering:
What is the camping set up like?
There is a large mowed field where you can set up your tent.
What amenities are available?
Well water for drinking and there are composting toilets.
When do I sign up for classes?
Saturday's classes will be posted right before opening circle on Saturday morning and Sunday's classes will be posted right before opening circle on Sunday morning.
Worktrade:
Why does the Groundnut require an attendance fee and refundable work trade deposit?
The $5 attendance fee is for all participants and is paid directly to the land owners. The refundable work trade deposit provides the best assurance of accountability. We will keep your deposit only if you don’t show up or don’t complete your hours for a reason we deem unacceptable. You will be refunded by 10/15.
When will I hear about the status of my work trade application?
By 8/24
Can my children hang out with me while I work trade?
If they are 12+
How many hours do work traders have to do for full tuition to the Groundnut?
6.5
Are partial work trade positions available?
No
Groundnut Team
Maggie Ranen
Maggie Ranen is the main organizer for the Groundnut Gathering. She has a deep love for all things nature connection and feels honored to help put on the such an enriching, nourishing and community oriented event!
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Dean Colapack
Dean Colpack is a longtime teacher and facilitator at Leapfrog Programs, and is a lead organizer of Groundnut this year. He grew up in Boston but Western MA stole his heart with its weird and wild wooded ways.
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Deborah Chamberlain
Deborah Chamberlain has been on the Groundnut team since the start! Her background with Outward Bound developed her skills in organizing large wilderness events. She is happy to be a Facilities Coordinator ensuring a smooth experience during our time together at the Groundnut!
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Felix Lufkin
Felix Lufkin is the director of Leapfrog Programs, a teacher and supporting organizer for the Groundnut. He has been passionate about catalyzing Earth living skills gatherings in the Valley since 2012.
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Emily Vail
Emily Vail will be putting her building skills to work on the facilities team at Groundnut this year! She is a former farm worker, solar installer and off grid homesteader. She is in the beginning stages of building an earthbag home and permaculture farm in Vermont!
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Nicole Thurrel
Nicole Thurrel is happy to be running the first aid at the Groundnut! She is the founder of Institute for the Wild Med, holds degrees in Psychology and Recreation Therapy from the University of North Carolina. She has been an EMT since 2001. She has worked in many aspects of wilderness therapy for nearly a decade.
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Ellena Baum
Ellena Baum is excited to be on the Groundnut team this year managing the evening activities, to bring people together around the fire with food, songs and storytelling. Ellena is an educator, farmer and naturalist.
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Sara Brown
Sara Brown is the kitchen manager for the Groundnut Gathering. She is a long time student, volunteer and employee at Leapfrog Programs and Help Yourself. She loves cooking and baking, especially getting creative with what we have locally abundant. "I’m excited to learn together, hang out and hopefully eat well!"
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Testimonials:
"I went last year and I can say for certain it was nothing short of life changing for me -- a beautiful weekend outside, new experiences, real skills taught in a shared and humble way with patience and respect for the seriousness of the tools and resources in use, a central campfire flame kept alive all weekend to cook and share meals and meet around, and best of all being surrounded by people showing up to create community in real time. I was so amazed by the tightness of the community formed in just 2 days! It felt like such a blessing, and I walked away feeling more whole in myself and my abilities and more ready to engage with others and the earth. Ah I can't say enough!" - Anya Klepacki
"The Groundnut has been a wonderful yearly tradition for our family to go to! We have learned so much over the years and made wonderful friends!"- The Petersons
"The Groundnut was such a special time! I have so many memories - the fascinating classes, super good food, and just hanging by the fire. But my main take away was all the kindness I experienced, and the wonderful community that emerged. Like mushrooms after a rain." - Leon B.
"I went last year and I can say for certain it was nothing short of life changing for me -- a beautiful weekend outside, new experiences, real skills taught in a shared and humble way with patience and respect for the seriousness of the tools and resources in use, a central campfire flame kept alive all weekend to cook and share meals and meet around, and best of all being surrounded by people showing up to create community in real time. I was so amazed by the tightness of the community formed in just 2 days! It felt like such a blessing, and I walked away feeling more whole in myself and my abilities and more ready to engage with others and the earth. Ah I can't say enough!" - Anya Klepacki
"The Groundnut has been a wonderful yearly tradition for our family to go to! We have learned so much over the years and made wonderful friends!"- The Petersons
"The Groundnut was such a special time! I have so many memories - the fascinating classes, super good food, and just hanging by the fire. But my main take away was all the kindness I experienced, and the wonderful community that emerged. Like mushrooms after a rain." - Leon B.