What a beautiful day. The fall colors are really starting to pop and we have been blessed with a few nice warm days in a row (let’s enjoy them while they last!). The day started with some good old-fashioned wood splitting and the teens rebuilding the central fire pit to make it a little more functional. Phoebe led us in a beautiful thanksgiving address all together before we split for the day to run off and work on some crafts. After some fun games in the field (and the forest) both groups settled down for some focused crafting/skills.
The Foxes (the younger group) made and learned how to use strap drill kits, a two person friction fire technique. Every single one of them made smoke, which is no small feat, and a few even made live coals, which is a huge accomplishment!
The Coyotes (the older group) found out about a challenge for next week’s hike. They may only carry their gear in a pack of their own making. The morning was spent notching and lashing together sticks to create pack frames. With the addition of some straps and a piece of tarp, they created a survival backpack that could be made in a real survival situation with just materials you have on hand (shoelaces and a raincoat? belt and a sweatshirt?).
In the afternoon, we returned to the field for some cider pressing and dried apple prep. The cider came out delicious and the dried apples will be ready for our hike next week. We ended as always sharing a brief story of the day with each other before parents came for pick up.
—Raven and the Wild Ways staff, October 1, 2020