-- Skills and Nature Program --
Mondays in Morro Bay 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Fridays in Arroyo Grande 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Enrollment has Closed
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September 2025 through May 2026
FOCUS
The program focuses on building a deeper understanding and connections with the natural world through project-based skill building. All of the crafts we work on have a deeper source or purpose than the object itself. It's all about understanding the relationships things have to one another.
At one point all of our ancestors understood and respected these innate relationships and how to work with them. If you're reading this today, it's because somewhere in your family lineage your ancestors knew how to make these connections.
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The ability to understand and apply these skills belongs to everyone. This knowledge is part of our shared and inherited DNA. Our awareness of it just needs to be rekindled.
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Some of the skills we work on include forging metal, carving wood, woodworking, archery, knife skills, tomahawk and hatchet skills, building skills, leather craft, drawing/sketching, journaling, hide tanning, animal processing, hunting, tracking and shelter building.
Mentor
James Horvath
SKILLS
Friction fire
Fire building
Sit spots
Journaling
Campfire cooking
Art drawing/sketching
Nature Hikes/Wanders
Archery
Knife care, safety and sharpening
Hunting/trapping/tracking skills
Tomahawk and knife skills
Leather Crafting
Wild foraging
Wood working and carving
Nature games
Hide Tanning
Animal Processing
Basketry
Shelter building
Awareness skills
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“To raise a nature-bonded child is to raise a rebel, a dreamer, an innovator…
someone who will walk their own verdant, winding path.”
~Nicolette Sowder
Tuition
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The Skills and Nature program meets 30 times between September and May.
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Students must be between 12-16 years old.
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It is not a drop-in program and requires a full year commitment.
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Payment can be made by cash, Venmo or Paypal.
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All materials and a once-per-month lunch (i.e. monthly cooking-a-meal-over-the-fire day) included in tuition.
All Day - Program Dates Both Locations
Morro Bay
30 Mondays: 9:00 am drop off - 3:00 PM pick up
Location: Morro Bay State Park
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(Dates are tentative and subject to change prior to the start of the program)​
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September - 8, 15, 22, 29
October - 6, 13, 20, 27
November - 3, 10, 17
December - 1, 8, 15
January. - 12, 19, 26
February. - 2, 9, 16, 23
March. - 2, 9, 16, 23
April - 13, 20, 27
May - 11, 18,
Arroyo Grande
30 Fridays: 9:00 am drop off - 3:00 PM pick up
Location: Biddle Park in Arroyo Grande
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(Dates are tentative and subject to change prior to the start of the program)​
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September - 12, 19, 26
October - 3, 10, 17, 24
November - 7, 14, 21
December - 5, 12, 19
January. - 16, 23, 30
February. - 6, 13, 20, 27
March. - 6, 13, 20, 27
April - 10, 17, 24
May - 15, 22, 29
1 - Register Online
Registration and Agreement
Click the button to fill out the online form and submit to complete enrollment.
Full enrollment requires completion of the following:
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Online Registration and Agreement form
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Both Waivers and Forms
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General Assumption of Risk Waiver
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Emergency Contact Informatio
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2 - Complete Waivers and Forms
Read, complete, sign all three forms
PDF forms will need to be printed and either scanned and emailed or mailed. (See below)
General Assumption of Risk Waiver
Emergency Contact Information
3 - Submit Forms
Submit forms through email