Earth Knack

Bio Construction / Natural Building Workshop in Mexico! 

A New Earth Knack International Learning Adventure  November 2022

8 days  November 7 – 14 (Monday – Monday)  limit: 15 students

Join us in Ajusco , Mexico for this adventurous offering.  Hands on learning from foundation to roof! Use naturally sourced local materials and earth centered design concepts. Be part of the building team and learn how to create an affordable, natural home.  You will learn traditional, long lasting building methods, wall and floor adobe recipes, efficient and affordable processes of

construction, alternative home energy choices, repurposing of recycled materials, how to create a living roof, and so much more. Breakfasts and dinners will be provided each day.  We will be hosted on Giselle Beltan’s Rancho El Aile, a historic family therapeutic horse ranch on the outer southern edge of Mexico City at 9,000 feet. Volcanic Pico de Aguila Mountain towers 15,100 above, ready for the adventurous climbers. Horseback riding through the colorful village of Ajusco and the surrounding woodlands that skirt the mountain are available. A lively, bustling market is just down the road, offering an amazing variety of produce and supplies.

$495  breakfast and dinner meals, camping, classes, materials, and bath facilities.

Transportation from (Nov. 6th by  2pm) and return (Nov 15)  to Benito Juarez International Airport provided for additional shuttle and driver costs

2021 Earth Knack Experiences for the 21st Century 

Independent Living Skills … More Important Now Than Ever  

Hands- On, In- Person Instruction … More Important Now Than Ever 

Lighthearted Positive Teachings …  More Important Now Than Ever

Top Quality Instruction … Our Specialty Since 1990! 

Offering some new 2021 Earth Knack 

Classes and Programs!

 Outdoor Living Immersion / Work Trade

June 1-30       July 1-30      August 1-30      You can choose 1 , 2 or 3 months

Earth Centered Living

co instructed with Ann Drucker and Mike Foltmer, Robin Blankenship

Delight in wild foods, experience fire hearth cooking,  make earth remedies, make a  deerskin pouch. Beauty and strength of ‘Bear Medicine’ is a  focus for this program.
3 days  June 4-6 

Into the Heart of the Buffalo

American Bison Processing Class  

Co instructed by Kevin Off, Daniel Blea, Mike Foltmer Robin Blankenship

You will participate in the entire processing of a Bison!
5 days  June 7 – 11

Natural Fibers Fantastic Class

Co instructed by Bill Oliphant and  Robin Blankenship

Learn to work with Yucca, Nettle, Milkweed and  Dogbane plant fibers as well as Alpaca and Llama fleece and Sheep and Buffalo wool.
5 days     June 13-17 

Paleo Bread Baking with Natural Leavening 

Wild Plants Uses 

Personal Health Care Plant Preparations

and Solstice Feast and Celebration!

Co instructed by Alma Carel and  Robin Blankenship

Some look out and see nothing to eat or use. You won’t be one of those after you prepare, enjoy and process these plants in a multitude of edible and useful ways.
3 days   June 18, 19, 20    

Archery Camp for Families  

Co instructed by Jim Langell and Robin Blankenship

Spend time outdoors learning fun, useful skills with your child! Bow and arrow making, shooting instruction, archery scavenger hunts, cook on the fire, fishing.
5 days    June 21 -25  

Teen Survival and Primitive Skills Adventure Camp

Co instructed by Clark Patton and Robin Blankenship

Get the full Earth Knack experience!
7 days   June 24-30 

Horse and Buggy Hitching and….

“A Trigger a day” (a Dojo Turnbull quote)

Join Trigger and Robin to discover the joy and methods of olde tyme transportation!
1 day    July 2 

Ancestral Fire Making Techniques

Instructed by Robin Blankenship

Learn several methods of making fire using natural materials.
Some pioneer style and survival fire making will also be shown.
1 day    July 3 

Stone Tools    Flintknapping 101

instructed by Robin Blankenship

Rocks as tools: very old tech!  Make effective “stone age” tools.
Haft an obsidian blade onto a handle with pitch glue and sinew. 1 day  July 5   monday  

Throwing Tomahawk and Knife Making Class   

Metallurgy, Blacksmithing, Welding

Co instructed by Mike Stewart, Kevin Off, Robin Blankenship
Out of arrows? No worries! Throw that hawk or knife and still put meat in the pot!
3 days   July 9, 10, 11

Pioneer Style  and Natural Process Soap Making

Co instructed by Matie Belle Lakish and  Robin Blankenship

Several ways to make your own soap: Pioneer style, hot process, cold process, melt and pour, make lye from ashes, Yucca root, Clematis, Bouncing Bet plant suds!
3 days   July 16, 17, 18

Buckskin and Fur Sewing and Design

instructed by Robin Blankenship

Learn how to work with natural leather to make lovely garments and accessories.
2 days    July 24 & 25 

Green River Canoe

Set Adrift on the Green and Travel into Deep Time guided and instructed by Robin Blankenship

 Besides a geyser, sandy beach camping, canyon hikes & cliff jumps, we dig river bank clay for pottery, collect agate for stone tools, make baskets, & identify canyonlands flora and fauna.
7 days   August 1- 7   

International Learning Adventure to Cambodia!

YES IT’S REALLY HAPPENING! December 28th 2014 – January 8th 2015

$100 daily includes all lodging, meals, in-country transportation and learning activities. Participants are responsible for their own plane tickets. This learning adventure focuses on traditional fiber weaving, medicinal plants, Cambodian and Thai cooking techniques and sustainable agriculture. A visit to the 10,000 year old temple of Angkor Wat and the healing waters of Koulen Mountain will be arranged. Our host family has a modern, sustainable homestead in Siemreap where we will spend our first few nights. Then we will travel to Samrong village, a more traditional setting , where we will reside most of our trip, shopping with our host for our daily food in the village market and participating in the majority of our traditional living skills classes. This program has a limit of 10 participants. Make your plans and register soon. All applications and registration fees are due July 1st.