9.16-9.17 // Honoring the Deer w/ Jeremy Crosby // Weekend Retreat

Design and craft your own bone toolkit using a locally available natural resource that is often overlooked!

Deer season is coming soon, and deer provide some of the most valuable and underutilized natural materials. Often discarded, the hide, bones, sinew and hooves can be used to make tools, clothes, musical instruments and other craft items. These natural materials formed the basis of our ancestors’ tools and equipment for daily life, no matter what part of the world your ancestors are from, and are still used by artists and crafters today.

In this class, we will learn to process the lower leg of the whitetail deer to gather the materials to make our own tool kit! The lower legs of deer do not have meat and therefore are often discarded by hunters. Let's honor the life of the deer people and learn to utilize all of the gifts they provide. If you are a hunter that wants to make use of the entire deer, a person interested in self-reliance and natural materials, or a craftsperson interested in making use of an often wasted resource, this class is for you! Bring a sharp knife if you have one. 

 The skills we will practice during this workshop are some of the most foundational earth skills to learn, allowing you to build on this foundation on your journey to self reliance. This will be an intensive class. We want everyone to make multiple tools and a hide tool pouch or knife sheath to take home, and the processing + crafting will require working with knives, saws and other sharp tools. 

Statement from the Instructor Regarding the Use of Deer

We live in a forested landscape. Many areas on earth are naturally forested and would revert to forest if left alone by agriculture. Our forest is filled with native medicinal plants, fruit and nut trees and vines, flowing springs and streams and is home to many creatures like salamanders, birds and even the bear. These plants and animals find their home in a rich forest environment, but they are rarely found in agricultural fields. In fact, whether it is a large scale grain farm or even a large tomato farm, there are typically no trees to be found. This is why I believe that legal deer hunting is a truly sustainable way to procure protein. A flourishing forest will grow deer, but the forest must be cut down to grow vegetable protein. We strive to work with the forest to meet our needs, thereby becoming a part of the local ecology. Those who spend enough time in a forest, observing and interacting, will see that deer hunting is honorable. If the entire animal is put to use, we truly do honor the life taken. The fur, bone, sinew, meat and organs are all valuable and we strive to educate people and ourselves how to use the entire animal. 

Saturday, September 16th, 10a-4p: Process the lower leg of a deer for toolkit materials

- Skin the lower leg and stretch and tack the hide to dry 

- Collect and process the leg sinew for thread and binding material

- Prepare bones and discuss best uses of different bone tools 

- Collect hooves for musical instruments, beads and toggles.

- View a variety of bone tools and discuss their past and present uses.

Sunday, September 17th, 10a-4p: Craft your own bone tool kit!

- Cut, shape and sharpen the tools–examples include knives, needles, awls and fish hooks 

- Sew deer hide pouch to store your tools

- Discuss other uses for the remaining materials

- Take home your bone toolkit and the knowledge and confidence to continue exploring this amazing resource!

Event Details

Date: September 15-17, 2023

Time: 10a-4p (Sat + Sun), Lunch + Swimming + Fishing 12-1p

Location: Private and serene retreat center on the South Toe River off of Lower Browns Creek in Celo, NC. Directions will be provided upon registration.

• Full weekend retreat: $285 includes
• Fri + Sat night camping along the South Toe River
• Sat + Sun classes and all class materials
• Access to our outdoor kitchen and fridge, community living room, wood-fired cob ovens, and other property amenities to cook and enjoy your meals + indulge in relaxation and river time!
• Classes only (includes all materials): $205
• Work Trade: $125

Work-trade Opportunity (**SOLD OUT!**)

We have a few work-trade opportunities available at a subsidized cost of $125 for the weekend, camping and meals included. If you wish to be considered, please email us at hello@forvillagers.com with your name, why you are passionate about attending this weekend + the skills that you would like to offer in exchange for the funding. We are excited to get to know you better! 

About the Venue + Camping Details

Camping is welcomed! Sit by the fire and practice your new skill with new friends.

Arrive Friday afternoon 4-6p and pack up Sunday by 6p. Two full nights of camping at our serene events venue with the best swimming hole on the South Toe!

Amenities include:

• Private camping alongside the pristine South Toe River with access to a glorious swimming hole!
• Community Living Room
• Outhouse
• Outdoor Kitchen w/ fridge
• Cob oven
• Wood Fired Oven
• Fire pit
• Cotton Hammocks galore!
• Trout fishing (BYOPole)

You will need to bring your own tent, sleeping bag and pad, rain fly, and anything else you might normally need to feel comfortable camping outside. You will also be responsible for packing in your food for the weekend--we have a community fridge, 2-burner propane stove, wood-fired cob oven, and pantry space available for use. 

There is no bathhouse or shower available, but the river is clean and luxurious! We will send out a welcome packet with a recommended packing list and more information upon registration. 

Meet your Instructor