Directory of Hands-On Learning

Collection of local and small-town workshops

Get no results? Take a look at our Categories list. Know of a school not listed? Submit a recommendation.

Featured School

Earthwood Building School

Location: 366 Murtagh Hill Road West Chazy,NY 12992

Description: Earthwood Building School teaches cordwood masonry construction as well as earth-sheltered housing techniques. It is run by Rob and Jaki Roy. Rob, active in the alternative building field for 35 years, is the author of fifteen owner-building books and has conducted hundreds of workshops at Earthwood and throughout the world. Together, Rob and Jaki have built Log End Cottage, Log End Cave, Earthwood, Mushwood and numerous other cordwood buildings. Jaki instructs at the hands-on sessions and keeps the school running smoothly from behind the scenes.

Contact: http://cordwoodmasonry.com/, robandjaki@yahoo.com, (518) 493-7744

Category: homebuilding, masonry,

Search Results for: plant ID

Nifty Homestead

Location: 900 1st Ave South, Suite 205A Seattle, WA 98134

Description: Nifty Homestead was founded to help aspiring and expert homesteaders learn and grow. We post resources on gardening, raising animals, natural building, sustainable energy, and tons of other topics related to homestead living.

Contact: https://www.niftyhomestead.com/, hello@niftyhomestead.com ,

Category: Milling , Carpentry, gardening, Urban Farming, Off the Grid, Plant ID, Aquaponics, Poultry, Beekeeping, Goats, Permaculture, Soapmaking, Quilting, Knit, Fiber arts, Weaving

Eat Wild with Russ Cohen

Location: Arlington, MA

Description: We usually encounter 25-40 different species of edible wild plants (and, in season, pending favorable weather conditions, mushrooms). Keys to the identification of each species are provided, as well as information about its edible portion(s), season(s)of availability, flavor and nutritive value, and some tips on preparation if necessary. Guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible foraging are also provided. In addition, there is a constantly changing variety of edible wild plants throughout the year, even at the same location, so that different plants are typically encountered on each visit.

Contact: http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/bio.htm, eatwild@rcn.com , (781) 646-7489

Category: Foraging, Plant ID

Hannaford Career Center

Location: 51 Charles Ave, Middlebury, VT , 05753

Description: Our mission is to provide educational experiences that prepare secondary and adult students with the knowledge and skills to enter the workforce in careers that are high skilled, high demand, and that pay a livable wage and to continue their education. Including adult education courses.

Contact: http://www.hannafordcareercenter.org, jbosworth@pahcc.org, (802) 382-1012

Category: welding, cooking, animal husbandry, plant ID, poultry, gardening, organic, composting, sustainable agriculture, cooking,

Vermont Tiny Homes

Location: Various Locations: VT

Description: Peter King is an experienced Vermont carpenter, an inspiring teacher, and a tiny house enthusiast. He has been building Tiny Houses in Vermont for years. He conducts weekend workshops in Northern Vermont. Join the new socioeconomic housing movement that reduces the world's carbon footprint by building small and living large.

Contact: http://www.vermonttinyhouses.com/, peterking@vermonttinyhouses.com, 802-933-6103

Category: homebuilding, gardening, carpentry, forestry, farming, permaculture, milling,electric, plumbing,plant ID

Prepper Camp

Location: 460 Orchard Lake Rd, Saluda, NC 28773

Description: An annual event where vendors and attendees alike can learn preparedness skills.

Contact: http://www.preppercamp.com/, SurvivorGarden@att.net,

Category: Aquaponics, Beekeeping, Hunting, Survival, Cooking, Blacksmithing, Beer, Wine, Cheese making, Food Preservation, Camping, Gardening, Animal Husbandry, Fiber Animals, Firearms, Off the grid, Trapping, Foraging, Plant ID

Edible Wild Food

Location: Shepherd’s Bush, Aurora, Ontario

Description: Wild edibles exist almost everywhere and are in abundance if you feel like foraging for them. Edible wild food has existed in almost every corner of our planet for tens of thousands of years. Edible weeds, flowers and wild herbs were foraged and used as food (as well as medications); and they provided all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients required for the human body to maintain good health. Foraging for food used to be the way to survive.

Contact: http://www.ediblewildfood.com/, info@ediblewildfood.com,

Category: Foraging, Plant ID, survival

Cooking with Mrs. G

Location: Millbury, Massachusetts

Description: Rachel Goclawski is a Massachusetts Certified Educator, Wild Foods Foraging Guide, and Programming Partner with the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Sudbury Valley Trustees, and Girl Scouts of Eastern MA. For her "day job," she is a US Army Information Technology Specialist assigned to a Green Energy Testing camp at Ft. Devens. Including sugar maple classes.

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/cookingwithmrsg/, goclawski@msn.com,

Category: foraging, plant ID, cooking, food preservation.

Encompass Community For Independent Learning

Location: Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Description: The Encompass Community For Independent Learning is located on 65 acres at Friends Academy in Dartmouth, Ma. We are housed under the existing Center For Education Innovation. With its overlap of progressive ideals and philosophical values, our program is a grant-funded partnership that serves as a bridge between the homeschool community and the learning community at large on the South Coast.

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Encompasscommunity/about/?ref=page_internal, egouveia@friendsacademy1810.org, (508) 999-1356

Category: gardening, plant ID,

Christopher Nyerges

Location: 4550 Oak Grove Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011

Description: Regular field trips and workshops to learn about urban and wilderness self-reliance and survival. Learn about WILD FOODS, WILDERNESS SKILLS (such as fire-making, weaponry, shelter-building, etc.), URBAN SKILLS (such as food and water storage, emergency preparedness, alternates to electricity, etc.), and general NATURE AWARENESS and ECOLOGY awareness.

Contact: http://www.christophernyerges.com/, christopher_nyerges@yahoo.com, (626) 791-3217

Category: plant ID, survival, foraging, off the grid, biology, Basket making, camping,cooking, trapping, hunting, blacksmithing

Jack Mountain Bushcraft School

Location: PO Box 77 Ashland, ME 04732

Description: Our immersion programs integrate expedition leadership, bushcraft, primitive living skills, field ecology (edible and medicinal plants, mammals and their tracks, weather, the night sky, etc.), expedition canoeing and snowshoeing, natural crafting, off-grid homesteading, fly fishing, building your own gear (canoe paddles, pack baskets, bows, crooked knives, etc.) and living a simple, outdoor life.

Contact: http://jackmtn.com/, jmbushcraft@gmail.com, 207-518-8804

Category: plant ID, off the grid, fishing, homesteading, survival, camping,

New Hampshire Outdoor Learning Center

Location: 673 So. Main St. Wolfeboro, N.H. 03894

Description: The New Hampshire Outdoor Learning Center (NHOLC) was built for men and women just like you. Classes are designed for all ages and experience levels to give you the best opportunity for success and enjoyment in the woods and on the waters of New England. Each workshop includes comprehensive classroom training and in the field, hands-on experience. Grab your snowshoes, shotgun, or fishing rods and join us for fun and education that will last a lifetime!

Contact: http://nhoutdoorlearning.com/, steve@nhoutdoorlearning.com, 603-608-8673

Category: butchering, firearms, hunting, fishing, trapping,survival, plant ID, dog training, camping, cooking, backpacking

Earthwork Wilderness Survival Training School

Location: PO Box 961 Williamsburg, MA 01096

Description: Classes and workshops that are experiential and teach true sustainability through methods of living with nature in ways that benefit both us and the environment

Contact: http://earthworkprograms.com/, frank@earthworkprograms.com, 413-340-1161

Category: Plant ID, Foraging, Survival

Josh Fecteau

Location:

Description: An online journal focused on observing nature and earth skills

Contact: http://joshfecteau.com/, josh@joshfecteau.com,

Category: Plant ID, Foraging, Survival

Maine Primitive Skills School

Location: 716 Church Hill Rd, Augusta Maine

Description: The Maine Primitive Skills School is an intentionally small learning facility with a mission to provide quality instructor level courses. These courses teach primitive skills, bushcraft, wilderness survival, self reliance, permaculture design, and outdoor education. These are ancient skills that develop awareness and sufficiency with the focus of individuals, community interactions and the environment.

Contact: http://www.primitiveskills.com/, staff@primitiveskills.com, 207-623-7298

Category: Foraging, Plant ID, Camping, Survival, Backpacking, Off the Grid, Home building

Sacred Earth

Location:

Description: Sacred Earth is a private, grass-roots organization dedicated to exploring traditional plant knowledge & cosmologies. Ethnobotanists, Ecologists, Botanists, Conservationists, Eco-psychologists, Herbalists, Mythologists, Cosmologist, Philosophers and all other people of any age, race, and spiritual background who share a passion for nature and a concern for the well-being of Mother Earth are invited to participate in this forum of cross-cultural exchange.

Contact: http://www.sacredearth.com/, kmorgenstern@sacredearth.com, 607-821-1423

Category: Plant ID, Foraging

Boston School of Herbal Studies

Location: 12 Pelham Terrace, Arlington, MA 02476

Description: The Boston School of Herbal Studies (BSHS) is committed to providing high quality, affordable herbal education in an urban setting. We believe that health care must consider the whole person; body, mind, spirit, environment and community. BSHS promotes the world of healing plants in our urban community. In so doing, we support rehabilitation of plant and animal species in order to restore the integrity of our bioregion.

Contact: http://bostonherbalstudies.com/bostonherbalstudies.com/Home.chtml.html, herbalstudies@gmail.com, 781-646-6319

Category: plant ID, essential oils,

New England Wild Flower Society

Location: 180 Hemenway Road Framingham, MA 01701

Description: New England Wild Flower Society conserves native plants in the wild and encourages gardeners and landscape professionals to choose natives when they plant outdoor spaces, particularly plants grown from local seeds, harvested sustainably in the wild. Our mission is to conserve and promote the region’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes.

Contact: http://www.newenglandwild.org/, information@newenglandwild.org, 508.877.7630

Category: plant ID, urban farming, gardening, composting

Boston Mycological Club

Location: Boston, MA 01841

Description: Each year, we offer a short series of classes in fungal ecology, collecting, and identification at Harvard's Farlow Herbarium. Presented by Club members, with the occasional guest, these classes are illustrated with photos and specimens. The easy interaction between the presenter and the class participants encourages student questions.

Contact: http://www.bostonmycologicalclub.org/, bostonmycologicalclub@gmail.com,

Category: plant ID, foraging

Wild Edibles

Location: NJ /PA

Description: As an expert in wild edible plants, Debbie works with the plant identification team for the annual Union County BioBlitz, a 24 hour event that seeks to identify as many species of flora and fauna as possible within a particular habitat area of N.J. She has lead field trips and conducted programs for Morris County Parks, Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, NJ Mycological Association, Hanson Park Conservancy, NJ Native Plant Society, Highlands Coalition, and Sierra Club, as well as municipal environmental commissions and other organizations.

Contact: http://www.wildediblesnjpa.com/, debbienaha@gmail.com, 908-456-1681

Category: plant ID, foraging

Urban Farming Institute of Boston

Location: 34 Linwood St Boston, Massachusetts

Description: The Urban Farming Institute of Boston’s mission is to develop and promote urban farming as a Commercial sector that creates green collar jobs for residents; and to engage urban communities in building a healthier and more locally based food system.

Contact: https://urbanfarminginstitute.org/, (617) 989-9920

Category: urban farming, plant ID, foraging, beekeeping, sustainable agriculture

Farrington Nature Linc

Location: P.O. Box 293 Lincoln, MA 01773

Description: Organizer of Into Our Woods: An Adult Forest School Series of Workshops Farrington Nature Linc’s mission is to enhance the well-being of children from low-income communities through a connection with the natural world.

Contact: http://www.farringtonnaturelinc.org/, info@naturelinc.org, 781-888-0868

Category: plant ID, foraging,

New England Woods

Location: Cumberland, Rhode Island 02863

Description: New England Woods LLC, Survival School and Guide Service, based in Rhode Island, serves the local and wider outdoor community by offering regularly scheduled workshops, courses and classes related to modern survival and traditional bushcraft skills, as well as guided trips throughout the New England region.

Contact: https://newenglandwoodsllc.com/, jeff@newenglandwoodllc.com,

Category: camping, plant ID, survival,

Outdoor ESCAPES New Hampshire, LLC

Location: P.O. Box 104, Freedom, NH 03836

Description: Offering year-round guided outdoor adventures & lessons, sightseeing tours, adventure programming, and indoor educational programs, our mission is to immerse participants in New Hampshire's nature and heritage as they develop memories and life skills. Through these experiences, participants may learn one or more of the following: basic and advanced recreational sports, backcountry and survival skills, New Hampshire nature/culture/history, fundamentals of leadership (and followship), self-awareness and development, team-building, environmental awareness, and ecological relationships.

Contact: http://outdoorescapesnewhampshire.com/, naturenut@outdoorescapesnewhampshire.com , (603) 528-0136

Category: survival, camping, backpacking, plant ID, foraging,

Northcamp

Location: 1117 E. Putnam Ave. #330 Riverside, CT 06878

Description: A fantastic experience for both the complete novice and the well seasoned! “See things for what they can be… not just for what they are.” Our school is designed for you to LEARN survival techniques, NOT ENDURE survival hardships.

Contact: http://www.northcampsurvival.com/, steve@northcampsurvival.com, 203-496-1102

Category: survival, camping, plant ID

Mountain Scout Survival School

Location: Hopewell Junction, NY

Description: In the woods...Wilderness 1, offered in Hopewell Junction, NY introduces the seven arrows of primitive skill; shelter, water, fire, food, tracking, awareness & movement. In the city...Urban Preparedness offered near Central Park in NYC will open your eyes to becoming prepared regardless of your environment.

Contact: http://mtnscoutsurvival.com/, mt.scoutsurvival@gmail.com, 845-629-4866

Category: survival, camping, hunting, plant ID, foraging,

Native Survival

Location: North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Description: The Native Survival School's development is spearheaded by its Founder Mitch Mitchell. Hailing from Massachusetts, Mitch exercises his skills in the dynamic Northeast among its intense hurricanes, powerful blizzards, blistering 105F heat, to the subzero -20F winters. Mitch actively travels to several bioregions on North America to routinely test his skills; including Deleware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, New York, and Ohio.

Contact: http://nativesurvival.com/, nativesurvival@yahoo.com,

Category: survival, plant ID,

The Resilience Hub & Portland Maine Permaculture

Location: 224 Anderson St Portland, Maine 04101

Description: The Resilience Hub is a collaborative organization based in Portland Maine. Our mission is to build resilience at the personal, household and community levels while creating thriving examples of abundance based on ecological wisdom. We do this by offering a range of events, education and training as well as resilience-building services and projects.

Contact: http://resiliencehub.org/, courses@resiliencehub.org, Highlights info row image (207) 370-7697

Category: permaculture, sustainable agriculture, organic farming, plant ID, gardening, farming

Sigma 3 Survival School

Location: 1233 Highway B Mansfield, MO 65704

Description: Sigma 3 Survival is an extremely unique entity in the survival community. We are setup to offer a broader array of training than any other survival school in the country. Sigma does not differentiate between the different skills sets involved in the survival philosophy. Because just as bushcraft is pivotal for your survival in the wilderness, tactical and defense related skills are important for your urban and combat related survival. All in all, survival is the study and practice of keeping your ASS alive no matter what is happening around you!

Contact: https://www.survivalschool.us/, 479-426-7990

Category: survival, trapping, first aid, plant ID, backpacking, foraging,

Sigma 3 Survival School

Location: Gravette, Arkansas

Description: Sigma 3 Survival is an extremely unique entity in the survival community. We are setup to offer a broader array of training than any other survival school in the country. Sigma does not differentiate between the different skills sets involved in the survival philosophy. Because just as bushcraft is pivotal for your survival in the wilderness, tactical and defense related skills are important for your urban and combat related survival. All in all, survival is the study and practice of keeping your ASS alive no matter what is happening around you!

Contact: https://www.survivalschool.us/, 314-308-6955

Category: survival, trapping, first aid, plant ID, backpacking, foraging,

Sigma 3 Survival School

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Description: Sigma 3 Survival is an extremely unique entity in the survival community. We are setup to offer a broader array of training than any other survival school in the country. Sigma does not differentiate between the different skills sets involved in the survival philosophy. Because just as bushcraft is pivotal for your survival in the wilderness, tactical and defense related skills are important for your urban and combat related survival. All in all, survival is the study and practice of keeping your ASS alive no matter what is happening around you!

Contact: https://www.survivalschool.us/, 719-930-9714

Category: survival, trapping, first aid, plant ID, backpacking, foraging,

Sigma 3 Survival School

Location: Jacksonville, FL

Description: Sigma 3 Survival is an extremely unique entity in the survival community. We are setup to offer a broader array of training than any other survival school in the country. Sigma does not differentiate between the different skills sets involved in the survival philosophy. Because just as bushcraft is pivotal for your survival in the wilderness, tactical and defense related skills are important for your urban and combat related survival. All in all, survival is the study and practice of keeping your ASS alive no matter what is happening around you!

Contact: https://www.survivalschool.us/, 401-632-1670

Category: survival, trapping, first aid, plant ID, backpacking, foraging,

Sigma 3 Survival School

Location: Ridgeway, VA

Description: Sigma 3 Survival is an extremely unique entity in the survival community. We are setup to offer a broader array of training than any other survival school in the country. Sigma does not differentiate between the different skills sets involved in the survival philosophy. Because just as bushcraft is pivotal for your survival in the wilderness, tactical and defense related skills are important for your urban and combat related survival. All in all, survival is the study and practice of keeping your ASS alive no matter what is happening around you!

Contact: https://www.survivalschool.us/, 276-226-9104

Category: survival, trapping, first aid, plant ID, backpacking, foraging,

Wilderness Awareness School

Location: 26425 NE Allen St, Ste 203 Duvall, WA 98019

Description: Wilderness Awareness School, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1983, is an internationally-recognized leader in outdoor education. Our mission is to help children and adults cultivate healthy relationships with nature, community and self. We are based in the foothills of the Cascade mountains about 45-minutes outside of Seattle, WA.

Contact: https://wildernessawareness.org/, 425-788-1301

Category: Survival, Plant ID, Foraging, Hunting, Land Surveying, Fishing,



See an error in a school listing? Contact Us: msr@modernself-reliance.com.

Join the Modern Self-Reliance Community

What you'll get:

  • Full reviews of classes we take
  • Updates on our directory of hands-on learning
What you won't get: Spam emails. Unsubscribe anytime. Powered by ConvertKit