"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
- Greek Proverb
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More than Wood & Hand Tools
Where is the Passion? In a Piece of Wood...
It's after dark, and the ten of us sit on stools and chairs in Sticks & Stones Wilderness School's straw bale workshop, with a woodstove fire crackling warmly nearby. The air smells of fresh sawdust, and there are neatly swept piles of many-coloured wood shavings on the floor. Temporarily laid aside, nine quarter log staves in various stages of becoming traditional bows rest around the outskirts of our circle. 
Our instructor, Skeet Sutherland, is in his element-the fire in his brown eyes glows passionately, rivaling the woodstove flames for their brightness, pulling in everybody's attention. He sits under the direct glare of an energy-efficient bulb, his face cast with sharp-lined shadows which further intensify his expression. He speaks from his heart, with tenderness, understanding, and true reverence for the trees we now make our "self-bows" from. He speaks about moving wood from the forest to the workshop, and marvels at our human potential-the ability to transform a tree into a useable tool, a work of art, by listening to its intrinsic, unspoken language. Our efforts are to work with nature, not against it. We are not manipulating the staves to suit our will; we are simply revealing the bow, helping it to emerge as it exists already within the wood, by following growth rings and wood grain. The language of wood. And there's nothing airy-fairy about it. The lessons we learn are tangible, practical: if you want your bow to shoot and be strong, you have to understand your medium.
Skeet introduces new terms, naming the belly, the back, the profile of the Osage bow he holds up proudly for all to see. He repeats himself for emphasis, and we bend eagerly over our notebooks, pens scratching diligently in the orange glow of the firelight.
What is it that inspires us, keeps us awake until the wee hours of the morning? A mere piece of wood and some hand tools? I've rarely seen such enthusiasm, such energy, dedication and commitment from both students and teacher. There is something intrinsically satisfying about feeling useful, learning how to live simply, being able to keep yourself alive comfortably in a wilderness setting. I am a relatively new student to Sticks & Stones Wilderness School. The courses I have taken-Empowering Ancient Ways, Traditional Bow-making, Traditional Hide-tanning, The Way of the Caretaker-remind me to carry the caretaking mentality with me at all times, to embody the skills of the wild on a daily basis. I am only a beginner, but already I feel empowered by my experiences. There is so much more to it than the piece of wood in my hands. Growing within me is an ever-strengthening sense of peace, as I broaden my sense of self and my sense of place in this hectic world we live in. I will never stop learning. 
So many of us lack passion in our daily lives; we lack a sense of meaning and direction. Sticks & Stones has helped me to reconnect me with my humanity, my roots, my purpose on the earth in a very practical intentful way. Within this community, passion and a sense of celebration of life abound. You can see it in every pair of eyes: there is respect, there is meaning.
K. Jones
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Caretaking Kimbercote
Last week a group of Sticks & Stones students and volunteers gathered at Kimbercote Farm in the Beaver Valley, to embark on the ongoing caretaking project we've set in motion there. We spent some time observing and doing inventories of the property, to figure out as a group what the ecosytems' needs are, then we began the process of implementing the hands-on, practical caretaking techniques and a variety of proactive stewardship approaches in order to create positive ecosystem changes as a whole. Students have begun to develop an eye for a habitat's needs, learn the skills needed to manage the land in the best way possible and implement techniques in order to maximize and balance the long-term potential, integrity and overall health of the habitat.
We drew maps of the property in different sections and took detailed plant and wildlife activity inventories to assess current animal activity, dominant food sources, water routes in order to determine the present and future needs of the ecosystem. We removed hundreds of Buckthorn seedlings and saplings from the fencerows in order to allow the native species to grow up towards the sun, unhindered by the invasive competition. We laid downed woody debris across old, recovering farmers' fields, to provide corridors for native wildlife and bird species and to encourage traffic and seed propogation.
Aiding in the natural succession of a piece of land is extremely gratifying. We are truly taking care of our surroundings, and fulfilling our roles as human beings in the balance of our ecosystem. This project at Kimbercote has scarecely begun, and yet we find ourselves already having done heaps of good. Participants came away from the Way of the Caretaker course having learned more in a few days of hands-on practical implementation than they would have from reading several textbooks on the subject of land management and caretaking.
To get involved in the project, please send us an email or give us a call. We'll keep you posted on upcoming events and activities at the farm. Thanks to all who have already put their time and energy into this worthwhile endeavor. See the Quote of the Month! |
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The Way of the Hunt
This Sticks & Stones course focuses exclusively on becoming one with the white-tail deer. The goal is to get students as close as they can get to a white-tail while staying completely invisible (some may even get close enough to touch the animals themselves.)
Last week the workshop was filled with four keen men learning and practicing the art of traditional hunting. Everyone pushed his ability with the skills of camouflage, stalking, bird language, tracking and awareness and naturalist skills to the extreme. Using either his Bow or Camera-- whichever he felt confident with and was licensed to use-- students were taught the way of the traditional hunt as passed down for endless generations.
The first three days consisted of training, setting up gear and scouting out locations. Then we chose several spots to stalk for remainder of the course. Throughout the week-long routine, we held daily lessons and group discussions that helped us to celebrate and compound on everyone's experiences. Everyone came home with stories-- close encounters with graceful running does, five-minute stare-downs with young bucks, hawk sightings, porcupine sightings, etc. These stories are only a fraction of what we all took home: a priceless perspective-altering experience, and a new way to stalk the world around us...
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Sticks & Stones Mentoring
Four young, enthusiastic students from ________ school recently joined Skeet for a day of friction-fire making and debris hut building at our Caledon workshop. The weather was beautiful, and we all learned some lessons... the biggest one may have been the importance of a dry tinder bundle!
Thank you to the kids for your enthusiasm! What a great day.
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Story of the Month -- EAW Testimonial
My experience at Empowering Ancient Ways really helped clarify the direction I want to take in my life. The awareness skills and sit spot exercise helped me acquire my summer job last year and reinvigorated my interest in pursuing post-graduate studies at university. The teaching and support given by Skeet and the rest of the crew was incredible and really helps you strive for success. The bow drill was personally the most difficult skill that I succeeded in performing and gave me the greatest sense of accomplishment I've had as far back as I can remember. The people that you meet there are great and the sense of community that develops exceeds the duration of the courses. I would highly recommend Sticks and Stones Wilderness School to anyone who loves the outdoors, wants a challenge or wishes to experience something new. I am definitely looking to take more classes.
~ Chris Deduke, student
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