133: Wildtending, Ancient Skills, & Listening to Nature

133: Wildtending, Ancient Skills, & Listening to Nature

Author: Dave Gardner February 26, 2025 Duration: 52:57

Components of nature connection and the basic skills that everyone's ancestors practiced. Host/co-producer Ally Richardson and guests Iraiah & Austin – who run Smokebrush’s Earth Skill Club – talk about facilitating opportunities in our local community to foster deeper connections, not only with fellow humans but with all living things in our surrounding ecosystems. Deeply engage your senses, so together we can witness how living closely with our earth is practical, accessible, & tangible. Tune in to explore how these ancient practices can enrich our modern lives.

Mentioned in this episode:

Join Earth Skill Club for three hands-on classes— 2nd Saturday of the month all spring long! ⏰12:30 pm - 2:30  

Fiber & Cordage - March 8th. Learn the basics of fiber processing through cordage making, an essential for making tools, shelter, and clothing from the earth. Learn how to make rope with the help of your friends, tie knots to create proper leverage, and create an ultralight backpack tie. 

Stone & Bone Tools - April 12th. Dive into the art of crafting tools from materials such bone and stone all stemming from the simplest of measures - a sharp edge. Play with nature as we create our own biodegradable, primitive cutting devices. Tap into curiosity as we listen to the density of rock’s sounds, observing what they can tell us to discover their best uses. 

Friction Fire Building - May 10th. Ignite your instincts and get a work out as we tap into the age-old skill of fire building, a cornerstone of surviving and thriving. Practice creating a fire with sticks through the power of hand and bow drill friction kits, using different local woods to birth the coal that will provide nourishment to our bird nest kindling.

Earth Skill Club on Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/people/EarthSkills-of-Manitou/100086610595176/

Earth Skill Club on Instagram   https://www.instagram.com/earthskills_of_manitou/

 

Rocky Mountain Highway's Meadowgrass Music Festival 

May 23, 10am - May 25 · 11:30pm    https://meadowgrass.org/

Be sure to check out Smokebrush's Puppet Show!

Listen to last year’s Studio 809 podcast about Meadowgrass here: https://rockymountainhighway.org/meadowgrass-2024-featured-on-studio-809-podcast/

 

Pikes Peak Permaculture’s The Seed Garden Class 

March 15, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm   Go to https://pikespeakpermaculture.org or click here to register: https://form.jotform.com/250237033443043

Join us for this class and discussion on the value of seeds. Learn about seed starting and saving techniques and participate in a seed swap. Learn the value of climate adaptation and landrace development in seed stock and how it helps to strengthen community food sheds. Build community and meet great people who face the same perils of gardening our region as you do.

 

An Amazing List of Resources our guests recommend! Check them out at your local library.

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, Book by Charles C. Mann

Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources, Book by Kat Anderson

What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World, Book by Jon Young 

Eavesdropping on Animals: What We Can Learn From Wildlife Conversations, Book by George Bumann

Forgotten Fires: Native Americans and the Transient Wilderness, Book by Omer Stewart

Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains, Book by Harold Harrington

Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West, Book by Michael Moore

Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species, Book by Mark Elbroch

Participating in Nature: Wilderness Survival and Primitive Living Skills, Book by Thomas J. Elpel

Animal Tracking Fundamentals: Animal Track Identification, Flashcards by Silva Tracking

Colorado Wildflowers Search, Free App by Steve Sullivan (has a Columbine as the app image)

 

A big thank you to sponsors:

Old Town Bike Shop – your local bike shop since 1976         http://oldtownbikeshop.com/

And thanks to Becky Elder for her support. You can provide support here.  https://www.patreon.com/studio809

 

This episode was produced by Pikes Peak Permaculture, a content partner with Studio 809 Podcasts. Visit https://pikespeakpermaculture.org for opportunities to learn more about sustainable organic living through permaculture design – certifications, workshops, classes, field trips, and networking.

The following environment/sustainability organizations in the Pikes Peak region collaborate to produce the Peak Environment podcast about environmental stewardship, sustainable living and enlightened public policy in the Pikes Peak Region.

Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future https://peakallianceco.org/

Pikes Peak Permaculture https://www.pikespeakpermaculture.org/

https://350colorado.org/

GrowthBusters https://www.growthbusters.org

Keep up with all the organizations and events making our area a better place to live. Follow on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss an episode.


Hosted by Dave Gardner, Peak Environment digs into the real-world choices and conversations shaping life in the Pikes Peak Region. This isn't a distant global overview, but a local look at how environmental care weaves into the fabric of our community, from the trails we hike to the policies our leaders debate. Each episode explores the intersection of our society and our surroundings, considering how sustainable practices impact both our physical health and our cultural values. You'll hear from neighbors, advocates, and experts discussing practical steps for stewardship, the nuances of building a resilient local economy, and the ongoing work toward balanced public policy. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded dialogue that connects personal fitness and well-being directly to the health of the place we call home. Find this podcast for a deeper understanding of what it means to live well, right here.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Peak Environment
Podcast Episodes
131: Art, Hope, and 2025 – an Update from 350 Colorado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:33
Chelsea and Melissa at 350 Colorado discuss hope and art, in addition to specifics on exciting events in CO Springs coming up in 2025. This episode is a must listen! Also discussed: COP29 Climate Lobby Day – Friday, Marc…
130: Shifting the Status Quo of Development [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:14
There is a divide among sustainability advocates concerning urban development. At a glance, it may seem that halting all development would be beneficial. However, John Olson urges us to look beyond the surface and consid…
129: Concrete Couch & Concrete Coyote – Art and Sustainability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:19
Learn how local arts nonprofit Concrete Couch has turned a concrete dump into a community asset – a park and learning center. Caitlin Hannigan and Jorge Estevez also share how Concrete Couch has contributed to increasing…
127: Permablitz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:12
What is a permablitz? Ally Richardson invites fellow permaculturists Alexandra Malecki and Beth Carbone to discuss this engaging social permaculture event. We couldn’t contain our giggles! Together, we share our experien…
126: Life Happens. Be Ready [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:14
Learn about the GRIT Program that offers training in a brief conversational intervention used to support effective coping for those in your natural social network. In these trying times, we could all benefit from free tr…
125: A Fossil Free Future - Meet 350 Colorado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:56
Learn how 350 Colorado can help you become a climate activist, or have more fun and be more effective if you’re already an activist. Chelsea Alexander and Melissa Burrell share what 350 Colorado is and does, and then dri…
124: Circular Economy Assistance for Colorado Businesses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
Colorado’s Circular Economy Development Center facilitates connections in Colorado to create circular economy solutions using materials that Coloradans recycle. Archibald, Southern Front Range Satellite Office Coordinato…
123: Deep Nature Connection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:03
Learn about deep nature connection, nature deficit disorder, great programming in the area, and ways we all can engage to feel a belonging amongst the other species that live in the lovely Southern Colorado region. Co-ho…
122: Plants – Those That Take Care of Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:41
Join host Ally Richardson as she ventures to the opposite slope of Pikes Peak to converse with master herbalist Mari Marques. Explore how plants nurture us, followed by a tour of her stunning and bountiful gardens. Disco…