Honoring the Deer Workshop
Taught by Jeremy Crosby
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 under utilized 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!
Day one:
Process the lower leg of a deer to collect the materials for making your toolkit!
- 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 tools we will make and the best uses of different bone tools
- collect hooves for musical instruments, beads and toggles
- view a variety of bone tools and discuss there past and present uses.
Day Two:
Each participant will craft their own bone tool kit!
- cut, shape and sharpen the tools
examples: knife, needles, awls, hairpins 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!
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!
Meet the instructor
Jeremy Crosby is an environmental scientist, artisan and permaculture designer who practices earthskills and land based living in the mountains of WNC.
Jeremy is exploring the use of natural materials such as stone, clay, bone, wood and plant fibers to create tools and wares for everyday living, as an alternative to the consumption of disposable items. Moving towards a more handmade life has furthered Jeremy's connection to the land and the seasons and he enjoys sharing these skills with others.
Portfolio on instagram @jere_cro
details & Registration:
Date/Time:
Available Spaces: limited to 8 adults (no unchaperoned minors)
Cost: $375 online
(hot meals & overnight rustic lodging including)
Cancellations: Tickets are non-refundable
Road Conditions: 1.5 miles off-road gravel - watch the VIDEO
Location: 8 miles east of Boone, NC - Base camp at Turtle Island Preserve is just 2 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway - Bamboo Gap Exit
Additional Note: This will be an intensive class. We want everyone to make multiple tools to take home and this will require working with knives, saws and other sharp tools.
Bring a sharp knife if you have one!
