Earth Skills Revival

06/07/2026

A couple of Earth Skills Revival announcements as we get closer to the gathering:

If you plan to participate in the natural dyeing workshop on Sunday, please bring your own natural fibers to dye if possible. Wool, silk, cotton, and other natural fiber materials work well. There will also be fibers available for purchase if you don't have your own.

For families attending, our Children's Programming is designed for ages 7 and up. Children under 7 are welcome, but parents may be asked to stay with them during activities depending on the nature of the class and the child's needs.

We're looking forward to a wonderful weekend of learning, creating, sharing skills, and building community together.

Just a few more days until we gather around the fire.

Send a message to learn more

06/01/2026

Instructor highlight:

Joshuah Emery is a director and educator dedicated to nature-based pedagogy, currently guiding the Roots and Wings Learning Community as it breathes and grows at the Community Ecology Institute. His work centers on inviting Wild Pedagogies, Coyote Mentoring, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge into educational frameworks to foster deep, reciprocal connections with the more-than-human world.

With a background in the United States Navy and experience as a Park Ranger with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Josh brings a unique synthesis of adventurous expertise and wild leadership to his teaching. He holds a Master of Science in Experiential and Outdoor Education and is a certified Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness Education Association (WEA) Certified Outdoor Leader. Josh’s passion for the natural world, and for all the kin who dwell within it, is contagious.

05/31/2026

Instructor Highlight: Colleen is a community herbalist, wild crafter, and educator. She follows the Wise Woman tradition which is rooted in simple, effective herbal folk remedies that can be found in your own backyard. In 2016 after working in healthcare for 12 years, Colleen came home to herself & reconnected to this amazing planet we call home. She completed a clinical herbalist program at The Herbal Academy of New England and finished a 15 week live-in Shamanic Herbal Apprenticeship with Herbalist Susun W**d. Since then she has devoted her life to be a steward for the plants & to be a guide for others to come home to themselves & to Mother Earth. To heal themselves with the Earth.

Being outside in communion with the flora & fauna of Appalachia is usually where you can find her, if she is not working at Tonic Herb Shop in Shepherdstown, WV. Colleen offers herb walks, continues to pass along herbal knowledge in classes, & sees clients on an appointment basis.

She will be offering classes in the crafting of both herbal tinctures and herbal salve remedies.

05/25/2026

Saturday Tickets for Earth Skills Revival are now on sale for just $115.

Join us for a full Saturday packed with hands-on classes, the Makers Market, community, great food, live music, campfires, and the kind of conversations and experiences that stay with you long after the weekend ends.

Learn practical skills. Meet incredible people. Dance under the stars. Sit around the fire. Step away from the noise and reconnect with something real.

Learn more and grab your ticket at www.earthskillsrevival.org

05/18/2026

Our Schedule is NOW LIVE!

WEDNESDAY
(Optional Arrival & Setup Day)

ALL DAY
Arrival & Camp Setup
Meet Your Neighbors & Settle Into Camp
Volunteer Sign-Up & Site Preparation
Casual Community Gathering Spaces Open

Evening
Informal Fireside Gathering

THURSDAY
10:00–10:30 AM — Opening Circle at Stone Circle
10:30 AM–1:00 PM
Drumming: Djembe Rhythm
Fire Building 101
Blacksmithing Basics: Forging a Fire Stoker
Children’s Programming

1:00–2:00 PM — Lunch Break (pack your own)

2:00–5:30 PM
Needle Felting
Lacto Fermentation: Food Preservation
Soil Augmentation, Composting, & More
Blacksmithing Basics: Forging a Fire Stoker
Children’s Programming

6:00–7:00 PM — Meal Plan Dinner at Dining Pavilion

Evening
Community Fire
Music & Gathering

FRIDAY
9:00–10:00 AM — Brunch at Dining Pavilion
10:00–10:30 AM — Opening Circle

10:30 AM–1:00 PM
Wildflower Propagation
Dual Extraction Tinctures
Blacksmithing Basics: Forging a Fire Stoker
Knot Tying for Shelter and Everyday Use
Children’s Programming

1:00–2:00 PM — Lunch Break (pack your own)

2:00–5:30 PM
Dueling Realities Conversation: Embracing the Beauties of Life while Preparing for the Worst
Practical Masonry for the Homestead — Part 1 of 3
Holistic Beekeeping
Blacksmithing Basics: Forging a Fire Stoker
Children’s Programming

6:00–7:00 PM — Dinner at the Dining Pavilion

7:00 PM — Trading Circle

Evening
8:30 PM Presentation: The Farm Ecosystem: Take a deep dive into discussing an ecological approach to agriculture.
Drum Circle
Storytelling / Fire Circle

SATURDAY
9:00–10:00 AM — Brunch at Dining Pavilion
10:00–10:30 AM — Opening Circle

10:30 AM–1:00 PM
Fiber Process and Yarn Spinning
Making Salves
Practical Masonry for the Homestead — Part 2 of 3
Blacksmithing Basics: Forging a Fire Stoker
Children’s Programming

1:00–2:00 PM — Lunch Break (pack your own)

2:00–5:30 PM
Herbs for Go Time: Herbal Supports for Your Emergency Kit
Sweat Lodge
Holistic Poultry Farming
Hand Dipped Candles
Practical Masonry for the Homestead — Part 3 of 3
Blacksmithing Basics: Forging a Fire Stoker
Children’s Programming

5:30–7:00 PM — Makers Market at Dining Pavilion

6:00–7:00 PM — Feast at Dining Pavilion (all attendees eat free)

Evening
Main Fire Circle
Scottish, Irish, and Old Time Music with Tune Origin Storytelling by Elias Schwartzman and Anton Guryev

SUNDAY
​
9:00–10:00 AM — Brunch at the Dining Pavilion
10:00–10:30 AM — Opening Circle

10:30 AM–12:00 PM
Plant & Mushroom Ecology Walk
Blacksmithing Basics: Forging a Fire Stoker
Children’s Programming

12:00 PM — Closing Circle

See the schedule and learn more at www.EarthSkillsRevival.org

05/13/2026

Iris Kirsch, M. Ed. is a healer, educator, mother, adventurer, punk rocker and herb farmer. She has been talking to plants for 43 years and studying how to heal people with them for over 20. A lifelong outdoor adventurer, she has ruined more outfits than you've ever owned. When she's not making tinctures, she's reading in a corner, pretending she doesn't notice how messy her house is.

Iris will be offering the following workshop and discussion:

Herbs for Go Time:

What herbal supports do you have in your emergency kit? Are they fresh enough to still be potent and effective? Have you covered your bases or gone overboard? Join Herbalist and Educator Iris Kirsch of InsideOut Wholeness for an exploration of some hard-hitting herbs that serve multiple purposes to keep you and your family healthy, safe, calm and nourished in an emergency situation.

Dueling Realities:

Embracing the Beauties of Life while Preparing for the Worst
Turn on any screen, and you'll be confronted with a horror show. Violence, war, corruption, greed, predators lurking behind every corner...
Turn off the screen and you see people, animals and plants living together in relative harmony, making small, incremental changes in themselves and the world around them.

It's jarring. And it can feel like the day-to-day realities we see are empty, missing the flash and pizzaz of the world on screen. It can be tempting to think of living fully in the offline world as having our heads in the sand. There certainly is value to staying aware of the issues in the larger world, and most of us can't afford the luxury of living completely away from "politics," so how do we navigate?

Join Iris Kirsch for a frank, honest exploration of how to protect our peace while preparing for war. We will discuss herbal and nutritive supports for staying grounded, as well as how to make changes in our own lives that help us have more power over our destiny.

Learn more and get your tickets at www.EarthSkillsRevival.org

05/12/2026

We’re excited to welcome Willow Oak to this year’s Earth Skills Revival at Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary.

With a background rooted in Ecology, Botany, Mycology, regenerative agriculture, and land stewardship, Willow brings both ancestral perspective and practical ecological understanding to the gathering. Their academic studies include an M.S. in Plant Biology and Conservation from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Environmental Biology from Christopher Newport University. They steward a budding regenerative farm on family land in the upper Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and walk the path of a Death Doula. In their free time, Willow is a singer/songwriter, fantasy costumer, and parent to 2 cats (Corva and Magpie). Willow Oak is part of the ritual team here at Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary.

This year, Willow will be teaching:

Native Plant Propagation
What's native to my area? Can I take a cutting of that? What the heck is stratification? Come get your hands in the dirt and learn the ins and outs of native plant propagation, from seed to sprout and beyond. Involves hands-on demonstration. Teens and adults (12+). No materials fee, donations accepted.

The Farm Ecosystem
Take a deep dive into discussing an ecological approach to agriculture. Reframe our growing practices at any scale through the lens of relationships and interactions. Retrain our brains on agricultural interconnectedness and reciprocity. Reconnect our hearts and souls to the food systems that sustain us. All ages, no materials fee.

Join us at Earth Skills Revival for hands-on learning, meaningful connection, and the opportunity to deepen your relationship with the land beneath your feet.

https://www.earthskillsrevival.org

04/25/2026

Here are some words from Keith B. On his experience of Earth Skills Revival. He will be returning for the 3rd year and is looking forward to learning with us.

“In 2024, I had already been in a mode of questioning and searching for a more meaningful personal and spiritual experience for some time when I picked a copy of the Wheel of the Year, an annual publication of Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary. Amongst the articles was a calendar of events for the year. One of those events listed was Earth Skills Revival. The workshops described were focused on living in harmony with the land and in a sustainable manner. Learning about the mission of Four Quarters and using the Earth Skills Revival as an introductory point seemed like just the thing I was looking for. As it turned out, it was that and more. This proved to be a wonderful opportunity for me to not only learn some skills about living with the land but a great time of interacting with new people and building a new community. If you enjoy being outdoors, learning new skills, and are looking for a chance to have a new experience and meet some great people, this is the opportunity for you.”

Pictured is a set up of timber frame models and tools from our timber framing intensive of 2025.

www.earthskillsrevival.org

04/17/2026

We’re so happy to welcome back Julie Biedryzcki as our Children’s Program Coordinator for this year’s Earth Skills Revival.

Julie brings over two decades of experience in education, with a deep focus on environmental and outdoor learning. She has taught in just about every setting imaginable, but her heart has always belonged to the forest as a classroom. Living with her family in a historic home tucked into the woods, she creates spaces where children can explore, imagine, and learn through direct connection with the natural world.

As President of the Board for Ancestral Knowledge, Julie has helps guide educational programs centered on primitive skills, stewardship, and meaningful nature connection.

With Julie guiding the children’s programming, families can feel confident that the youngest members of our gathering are being held in a space that is creative, engaging, and aligned with the spirit of the event. Her presence brings a sense of continuity, care, and quiet magic to the weekend, and we’re truly grateful to have her back.

www.EarthSkillsRevival.org

04/15/2026

We’re so happy to welcome Kypriana Daniels, also known as Lala, from Sol Nectar Farms, to this year’s Earth Skills Revival.

Lala is a honeybee expert, children’s book author, and seasoned educator with over 15 years of experience leading nature-based learning and creative arts.Her connection to the natural world runs deep, from her love of honeybees and mushrooms to the quiet, meditative art of wool needle felting.

This year, she’ll be offering classes in needle felting and beekeeping at home, giving you the chance to learn both a creative craft and a practical skill that supports the land around you. Whether you’re shaping wool into something beautiful or learning how to care for a hive, her teaching invites you to slow down, pay attention, and reconnect with the rhythms of the earth.

Lala has a gift for making people feel at ease, whether you’re a curious beginner or someone who’s been walking this path for a while. Her space is welcoming, thoughtful, and full of wonder. If you’ve been craving something hands-on, meaningful, and rooted in the living world, you’ll want to spend some time in her classes this year.