Wilderness Survival Training School

Earthwork Programs Homeschool – We Can Help (Video)

Jeannette — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 20:55:22 +0000

Happy New Year!

There was supposed to be the end of COVID we thought...now we are not sure when it will end. We understand how hard it can be to not know what to do and be in limbo. However, we have been here for you since the beginning, offering outdoor adventure and escaping the "zoom jail" remote learning. Let us help your kids get off the screens and get outdoors and connect with Nature.

FOR TEENS & MATURE PRETEENS

SWIFT EAGLE BOOK NOW

FOR AGES 7+

HERONBOOK NOW

We know you’re all going through some challenging times…and we’re here to help, if needed. We understand the schools' plans are changing (seems like constantly these days), and it's difficult for you to plan.

Winter Wilderness Homeschool starts this Friday, 1/7...it's an 8-week session, ending in early March. Earthwork Programs has been here for more than 20 years, building community, providing:

social, interactive time with an inclusive community
off-screen all day (no Zoom!)
outside activities all day
one-on-one mentoring with male and female adult role models
and of course, wilderness skills!

We will continue to follow MA Covid Guidelines.

We're offering an option to join the Winter session either starting this Friday or next Friday (1/14) @ a reduced-rate (just available until this Thursday, 1/6; after that, the rate will be the regular rate and can be pro-rated).

OPTIONS:

Choose your start date--either 1/7 or 1/14--the tuition has been reduced and pro-rated for each. You can just pay the deposit now (the balance is due 1/21):

Reduced - Deposit-only 8-week Winter - start 1/7
$340.00 deposit $680.00 Total
Reduced - Pay-in-Full 8-week Winter - start 1/7
$680.00
Reduced - Deposit-only 7-week Winter - start 1/14
$300.00 deposit $595.00 Total
Reduced - Pay-in-Full 7-week Winter - start 1/14
$595.00

Regular tuition is $720 for the 8-week Winter session.

How to Survive a Gas Shortage

earthwrk — Tue, 18 May 2021 20:25:13 +0000

[FREE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST]

The gas shortage is still ongoing, and prices are rising in areas where it is available. According to Autoweek, gas shortages could last past the restart of the Colonial Pipeline, and they may not dissipate fast. Are you prepared? According to FEMA, 49% of people have NOT prepared for an emergency. Read on for essential know-how and steps to take to survive a gas shortage, and don’t forget to get your copy of our Free Emergency Preparedness Checklist.How to Survive a Gas Shortage
Can you Survive? Take control of the situation.

Anxiety over a gas shortage is normal. The thought of not being able to conduct your day-to-day business or to properly take care of your family is intimidating. The trick to keeping anxiety at bay is to take control of the situation.

No you can’t control the gas shortage – but you can control how you respond. Taking control of the situation will help reduce anxiety in the moment, help you to react with a clear plan and finally help you manage to prevent future crises by developing a long-term plan.

Stay Calm and Take Care of Immediate Needs

When crisis’s hit, be it a gas shortage, a pandemic, or a weather-related incident the most important thing to do is stay calm and take care of your most immediate needs. Once you know you are safe in the moment you can create a plan of action for moving forward.

In the case of a gas shortage:

Make sure everyone is safe. Is everyone in the place they need to be? Does anyone have to get home from a long-distance away or be moved to a location where they can ride out the gas shortage?
Does everyone (and your pets) have an adequate supply of medicine?
If there is a potential or a pre-existing condition that may require emergency medical care? Do you have enough gas to transport that person to the hospital and return home?
Are all other first-aid needs covered?

Create an Action Plan

Once you have taken care of the immediate needs, now you can begin to develop an action plan. Knowing how you are going to handle the crisis will give you a sense of control.

Prioritize what you need to get done and determine what needs can wait till after the crisis has been resolved.
Removing things from the “must-do” list will relieve tension and pressure on the situation.
Find alternate solutions to accomplish the “must-do” list. In the case of a gas shortage, perhaps you team up with neighbors and create carpools to accomplish errands.
Inventory what you have on-hand and make do with what you have.

Long Term Corrections

The key to preventing crises is to learn from where you have been and to take precautions for the future. Once the crisis has passed can you identify ways that will put you in a better position in the future? In the case of a gas shortage:

How can you reduce your energy dependency?
Do you keep adequate food supplies in stock at all times so that you could always survive a few days without a trip to the supermarket?
Do you have shelf stable food that will last beyond the first few days?
Can you source your own food with a garden or even know how to find food in nature?
Do you have an alternate source of water or adequate ways to store water?
Can you purify water sourced naturally?

The most important thing to do in any crisis is to stay calm. Having a plan and knowing what to do will help you to think clearly when a situation arises. Fundamentally handling any crisis starts with meeting your immediate needs, creating an action plan to manage the situation and making long term changes to prevent issues in the future.

All of this may sound like a lot to remember, but if you sign up below, you can get our FREE Emergency Preparedness Checklist, which you can keep in your pack in case of emergency. Or, you can use it to memorize and practice until you’re confident in your emergency preparedness skills!

A great article about WHY an Emergency Preparedness Plan is so important can be found here: https://fast-rescue.com/blog/why-should-you-have-an-emergency-preparedness-plan/

Survival Mini Course Video

earthwrk — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 13:05:32 +0000

Why You Should Learn How to Build a Wilderness Survival Shelter to enhance your Bushcraft skills

earthwrk — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 23:20:54 +0000

In a wilderness survival scenario, do you know the number one thing you need to survive? A wilderness survival shelter should be a top priority. Read on to find out why.

If you are lost in the woods, can you survive? Do you have the right wilderness survival training

When you think of people who lost their lives in a scenario where they were lost in the woods, why do you think they perished? Was it due to starvation or dehydration? Barring a horrific accident scenario, the truth is that most people perish due to lack of shelter from the elements.

A wilderness shelter is an often overlooked, yet crucial element of your ability to survive an overnight in the woods. To be prepared for an emergency, one must be aware of the rule of threes. You can survive for about three minutes without air, three hours without shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food.

Why is a wilderness shelter such a crucial element?

If you have lost your way in the woods, you may need to spend the night – or even several nights – in the wilderness. Spending time in the elements without shelter is not only miserable – it is also deadly. One of the biggest risks to a person lost in the wilderness is hypothermia – which can even occur on a summer night.

Exposure to the elements inhibits both your body and your mind, as it affects your dexterity and your decision-making ability. Being exposed to the cold, dampness, wild animals or heat will most certainly reduce your chances of survival. When these go to extremes – think blizzards, downpours or floods, attacks or heat waves – your chances of survival decrease down to almost zero. These conditions can kill you within hours if you don’t know how to create a wilderness survival shelter to protect yourself from the elements.

Get your FREE Download for how to build wilderness survival shelter checklist today!

In a 2003 study of deaths occurring in lost dementia patients, the most common cause of death reported was exposure, which occurred in nearly 70% of the cases. An unsheltered person can succumb to hypothermia in a very short period of time. In hypothermia, your body loses more heat than it creates, which can happen even if it is not winter! This will lead to a shutdown of the circulatory system and eventually results in death.

In addition to the protection from the elements a survival shelter can give you, it can also give you a sense of well-being and help you maintain your will to survive. A safe shelter to sleep in will help you combat fatigue, helping you maintain a clear mind and a positive mindset for survival!

In Conclusion

Given how deadly exposure to the elements can be, you now know why having the skills to build a wilderness survival shelter are essential to your survival. Whether you are planning an overnight hike in the forest or just want to be ready for an unexpected emergency, everyone should learn the bushcraft skill of gathering materials and building a wilderness survival shelter.

A good wilderness survival shelter will act as a microclimate, protecting you from sweltering sun, chilling winds and low temperatures, soaking rains, and predators.

For a great tutorial on how to build a wilderness survival shelter, click below for a great course on How to Build a Wilderness Survival Debris Hut Shelter!!

Is Costa Rica on your Bucket List?

Jeannette — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 18:36:08 +0000

Is Costa Rica on your bucket list? Well…now you can go! Earthwork Programs has teamed up with Costa Rican Survival Skills Expert, Albert Lopez, and there are spots available for our February and April 2021 trips!

There is only ONE SPOT LEFT for our February trip – Feb 8 – Feb 17th!!

To participate, email Frank (frank @ earthworkprograms.com) for details now!

If you want to see some great videos from a previous trip, check out these below:

Costa Rica Survival Training – Setting up Camp & Tracking

Costa Rica Survival Training – Discovering “Coconut Candy” in Costa Rica

Costa Rica Survival Training – Wild Edibles

Cooking Rice in Bamboo in Costa Rica – Costa Rica Survival Training

Costa Rica Survival Training – Rice Is Just about Done

Just the Ocean in Costa Rica – Costa Rica Survival Training

Get Your Free Online Survival Course Now…Happy Holidays!

Jeannette — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 14:32:42 +0000

New Membership Online Courses!

Wow! Earthwork Programs is excited to announce its new membership site, where we will be offering online survival courses!

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR ONLINE SURVIVAL COURSE TODAY

RIGHT NOW FOR 30 DAYS WE’RE OFFERING THIS FREE 5-WEEK COURSE

If you’ve wanted to attend our Programs but haven’t been able to physically attend, these courses are for you!

A Free Online Bushcraft Survival Course

As a gift for you and your loved ones, Frank has put together a free five-week online How to Make a Fire Bushcraft Skills course! You’ll learn:

Fire safety
The 5 stages of fire
What materials are needed to start a fire
Proper extinguishment
and more!

All you have to do is register with your first name and email address, and you’ll receive 5-weeks of lessons!

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR ONLINE SURVIVAL COURSE TODAY

Essential Bushcraft Survival Skills

earthwrk — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 17:01:22 +0000

IF you haven't taken our Essential Bushcraft Survival Skills Quiz yet, STOP!! Click below to take the quiz before reading further.

Take the Essential Bushcraft Survival Skills Quiz

The first question was: Select all the options below that are considered "Rules for Survival."

All 5 options are correct. Each one you selected was worth one point:

3 min without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food
3 months without people

Everyone knows that you can't live without air, and very few people will make it more than 3 minutes without it. Shelter is protection from the elements - this includes clothing, as well as traditional or makeshift shelter. Water and food are also known - you can only make it so long without them. Psychologically, you need social interaction, so few people can survive psychologically for more than 3 months without people or any social interaction.

The second question was: Which is the most essential thing to ensure your survival?

Here are the points assigned to the answers:

Water: 3 points
Food: 0 points
First aid: 1 point
Navigation: 0 points
Mindset: 5 points
Fire: 1 point
Shelter: 4 points

Surprised? Here is why the points are assigned that way: Mindset has the most points assigned to it, because without the correct mindset, everything else is moot. For more about mindset, check out our blog post about it!

As described in the answer to question 1, shelter means protection from the elements, which includes clothing as well as traditional or makeshift shelter. You cannot survive very long without any form of shelter.

Water is essential, as you cannot survive more than a few days without it, so this has the third most points assigned to it.

Fire is important for warmth and cooking and first aid is important if you are hurt. This question assumes that you are not injured, but if you were, of course first aid would move up the list in importance.

A person can make it up to three weeks without any food and anyone with some wilderness survival skills can survive without a navigation aid, so these had the least points assigned to them.

Question three asked: Which item is most important in a survival kit?

Container: 1 point
Fire striker: 5 point
Water purifier: 4 point
First aid supplies: 0 point
Tarp: 1 point
Knife: 3 point

A fire striker is essential for starting a fire, especially in damp conditions. To learn how to start an emergency fire, check out our E-book! Since water is also very essential for survival after a few days, a water purifier is your second-most essential item in a survival kit.

Your knife is useful in so many ways - to make shavings for starting a fire, to make shelter, to prepare food or even make utensils on the go!

While a tarp is useful for making a shelter, it is not essential. You can use materials found in nature to make shelter. A container for your survival kit is also useful, but not essential.

First aid supplies are only useful in the event of an injury, and even then, they are only as useful as the knowledge of the user allows for.

The last question was this: You realize that you have lost your bearings in the woods. Which of these should be the first thing you do?

Stop walking and set up camp immediately: 2 points
Follow nearest water source downstream: 0 points
Climb a hill to find a lookout: 0 points
Mark your position and navigate back to the last place that seemed familiar: 5 points

Marking your position and navigating back to the last place that seemed familiar is called the "home base" method of navigation. Mark your trail as you backtrack. If you can't find a familiar place, return to home base and make a short trek in another direction. Repeat this process until you locate a spot that gives you your orientation. If you can't, or it begins to get dark, make camp at home base.

Looking to learn more?

How We Can Help: Earthwork has helped thousands of people learn valuable skills over the last 20 years.
Onsite Workshops & Custom Programs: If you're in the Western Massachusetts area, we hold onsite workshops and camps for adults and children. We also can do custom programs for just your family, your team, or even one-on-one!
Expeditions: Feeling adventurous? We run expeditions to all parts of the world. Watch our website to see when the next one is!
Online Learning: We have various courses and informational resources online, too. Watch for future announcements about our online Adventure Center! In the meantime, check out our Wilderness Survival and Bushcraft Mini Course by clicking the button below:

FREE Online Wilderness Survival Mini-Course

Emergency Preparedness Checklist: Mindset

Jeannette — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 17:42:51 +0000

[pexcontentslider pex_attr_sliderid=”100422″][/pexcontentslider]

Wilderness Survival and Emergency Preparedness

Here at Earthwork Programs, we want to help you and your loved ones be prepared for any crisis, including a pandemic. This is a scary time and being ready to endure a lengthy quarantine period is more important today than it has been in countless years. Below, we discuss the mindset and the materials you’ll need to cope with COVID-19 as well as countless other emergencies.

Mindset

Before we discuss physical supplies you’ll need to endure a crisis, let’s first address something more important: your attitude. In this pandemic, people are suffering from intense amounts of anxiety and fear. To endure this situation or one in which you or someone in your household becomes sick, the most important factor is your mindset. If you are overwhelmed by fear in an emergency, everything from your metabolic processes to your judgement to your motor skills will be negatively affected. On the other hand, if you are prepared, confident and mindful, you will be ready for the greatest of challenges.

Scientists are finding that there is a connection between our will power and our immune system. Leaders like Wim Hof, Bruce Lipton and Joe Dispenza are transforming science by showing the power that the mind has over the body. All of these individuals have shown that through the power of belief, the body is capable of producing its own medicine that can overcome various illnesses. The keys to accomplishing this are warding off stress and increasing your belief in yourself.

Here are essential tips for having the mindset needed to overcome a crisis:

Think positively and adapt a positive survival attitude. If you are in an emergency, believe with complete faith that you and your family will get through it. Remain calm and confident.
Be a positive role model to other people you are with and inspire courage in them. Engage your family members, including children, in preparing for an emergency, as it will give you opportunities to help them begin to develop their preparedness and confidence.
Be prepared. Beyond purchasing the supplies you’ll need, become intimately familiar with them. Also practice essential skills so that in a crisis, you can calmly and confidently perform the tasks you need to keep you and your family safe.
Keep your imagination in check and limit your consumption of news media and information. These two forces can play off each other and create an echo chamber of fear. Focus on separating the real from the imagined.
Acknowledge and address your fear. When you feel fearful, recognize the emotion, and give yourself time and space to process it. This will reduce the power that fear has over you. Stay aware of your surroundings and learn to recognize the warning signs of dangerous situations.

Last but not least, make sure you S.T.O.P. In the world of emergency preparedness, these letters stand for Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan. Any time you find yourself in a survival situation, this acronym is a reminder to:

Stop and take some deep breaths. Sit down if you are able. Give yourself some time, even if it’s just a few moments to collect yourself. Remember that whatever has happened to get you into this situation cannot be undone. Do what you can to increase your mindfulness so you can tap into your full mental and physical potential.
Think — Focus on the situation at hand and assess risks, goals, and opportunities. Do not panic. If you don’t have a clear enough mind to take these crucial steps, take a few more deep breaths and try to calm yourself down.
Observe your surroundings. What is the most immediate threat you are facing and how can you address it? What conditions are present that might make the situation worse or more dangerous? What options do you have? What resources do you have that can give you a leg up? And consider the personal capabilities of yourself and anyone else with you.
Make a Plan. Prioritize your immediate needs and develop a plan to overcome the most pressing issues in that moment while conserving energy. Follow your plan, only adjusting it to account for changing circumstances.

GET YOUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN CHECKLIST

Berkey Water Filtration Systems Video

Jeannette — Thu, 14 May 2020 14:41:43 +0000

Here’s an tv interview that tells you everything you need about the Berkey water filtration systems:

We recommend getting a system that can filter as many gallons as possible for your home:

Most Important for Your Emergency Preparedness Plan: You’ll Need This within Your First 3 Days or Sooner

Jeannette — Tue, 05 May 2020 16:45:33 +0000

[pexcontentslider pex_attr_sliderid=”100417″][/pexcontentslider]

Earthwork Emergency Preparedness Plan: Water

People can only survive a few days without water. Do you have a plan for producing, storing, and accessing drinkable water in an emergency?

Staying hydrated is essential for peak mental and physical performance during a crisis, so follow these steps prepared by the experts at Earthworks to ensure you are prepared for any kind of emergency.

Step 1: Buy a water purification system

To make sure you and your family have water in a crisis, the first step to take is getting a water purification system. These devices not only filter water, but they can convert fresh water from streams, rivers, etc. into drinkable water.

Check out these water filtration systems; these are ones that we have used and recommend. Here’s a video you can watch re: how the Berkey water systems work.

We recommend getting a system that can filter as many gallons as possible for your home (click Shop Now below to see all the Berkey options):

——-

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”One-Gallon Gravity Water Filtration System with Dual-Threaded Mini Filter, Blu/White/Clear” pex_attr_title=”Sawyer Products SP160″ pex_attr_button_text=”BUY NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://amzn.to/2LjeQ2D” pex_attr_button_link_open=”new”][/pexcirclecta]

——-

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”MINI Water Filtration System” pex_attr_title=”Sawyer Products” pex_attr_button_text=”BUY NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://amzn.to/3aiAkrf” pex_attr_button_link_open=”new” pex_attr_button_color=””][/pexcirclecta]

——-

The RapidPure Water Purifier utilizes cutting-edge technology to not only filter and clean water, but also remove 99.99% of viruses, bacteria, and parasites, including COVID-19. The water bottle below is incredibly convenient.

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”Intrepid Water Bottle with Pioneer Purifier” pex_attr_title=”RapidPure” pex_attr_button_text=”BUY NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://amzn.to/2KlQu88″ pex_attr_button_link_open=”new” pex_attr_button_color=””][/pexcirclecta]

Step 2: Purchase chlorine bleach tablets for disinfecting water

Emergency preparedness is all about having multiple solutions to a potential problem. You bought your water purification system, but what if you lose it in a fire? Another excellent way to produce clean water is to drop Potable Aqua tablets into a container of untreated water and it’s ready to be safely consumed. Other bleach products contain dangerous chemicals and should not be used.

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”Water Purification Tablets With PA Plus – Two 50 count Bottles” pex_attr_title=”Potable Aqua” pex_attr_button_text=”BUY NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://amzn.to/35QpXtg” pex_attr_button_link_open=”new” pex_attr_button_color=””][/pexcirclecta]

Step 3: Store water for a (not so) rainy day

If you’re reading this article from the comfort of your home, you are surely surrounded by abundant, clean fresh water. So what are you waiting for? Go bottle some of it up!

The first thing to do is grab some containers with tight-fitting lids out of your recycling bin. Water, soda and juice bottles are great. Give them a soapy rinse, and fill them up.

Next, you’ll want to purchase some containers that are designed for water storage. You’ll want:

Collapsible containers that are perfect for situations where space is at a premium (emergencies where you have to leave your home). The WaterStorageCube holds just over a gallon of water and folds up like a plastic bag when not in use:

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”Holds Just over 1 Gallon of Water” pex_attr_title=”WaterStorageCube” pex_attr_button_text=”BUY NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://amzn.to/35VdTHm” pex_attr_button_link_open=”new”][/pexcirclecta]

5 gallon containers which hold enough water for multiple days, but are small enough to be easily moved. This model made by Sceptre come with a large opening at the top for easy cleaning:

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”Large Opening @ the Top for Easy Cleaning” pex_attr_title=”5-Gallon Containers” pex_attr_button_text=”BUY NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://amzn.to/2Ls3xoS” pex_attr_button_link_open=”new”][/pexcirclecta]

A 50+ gallon container to keep at your home. Fill it with rain water, which can later be treated with chlorine pellets or filtered through your water purification system. We like the WaterPrepared 55 gallon option because it’s stackable, easy to clean, and BPA free:

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”Stackable, Easy-to-Clean & BPA-free” pex_attr_title=”WaterPrepared 55-Gallon Container” pex_attr_button_text=”BUY NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://amzn.to/3ctK2rT” pex_attr_button_link_open=”new”][/pexcirclecta]

We recommend having enough water saved up to last at least two weeks. People consume a minimum of one gallon per person a day, and that amount increases in a dry climate or if you are exerting yourself. It also helps to have extra for sanitation, hygiene and cooking.

Once you’ve filled up your containers, here’s what you need to do to clean and maintain them:

Store containers in cool places out of direct and indirect sunlight.
Water doesn’t expire, but it can get contaminated. Seal your containers tightly.
Any clear container filled with water will eventually grow algae. Prevent this by using opaque bottles or painting the exterior of clear containers. If algae begins to grow in a container, mix bleach and water, rinse it out and you’re good to go.
Avoid contamination by emptying and refreshing your water storage once per year.

Step 4: Learn some basics about your home and surroundings

Become prepared by learning a few key things about your home and what’s around it.

Make sure you know the closest fresh water supply, like a stream or pond, in case you need to leave your home.

Familiarize yourself with pre-existing water supplies inside your home, such as toilet tanks and have a plan for filling bathtubs and sinks if you suspect water may not be available in the near future.

Finally, if your home’s water supply becomes contaminated, make sure you know how to turn it off.

[pexcirclecta pex_attr_small_title=”GET YOUR ” pex_attr_title=”EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN CHECKLIST” pex_attr_button_text=”SIGN UP NOW” pex_attr_button_link=”https://pages.earthworkprograms.com/emergency-preparedness-checklistguide?r_done=1″ pex_attr_button_link_open=”new”][/pexcirclecta]