If you ever found yourself lost in the wilderness, would you know what to do? The natural environment is a complex place and it takes knowledge, confidence, and first-hand experience to survive.
The popular television show Survivor puts the spotlight on contestants who use their instincts to survive in a remote location. Since then, similar reality shows have gained in popularity, including Running Wild with Bear Grylls where the Irish adventurer takes celebrities into the wilderness for 48 hours and teaches them survival techniques. Also, The Weather Channel’s SOS: How to Survive features true stories of people battling severe weather elements and provides tips from a survival expert on how to overcome dangerous situations.
You don’t have to be on these shows to challenge your skills against the natural world. To learn what it’s like to survive in nature, the town of New Castle Recreation & Parks is offering two wilderness survival programs, Primitive Survival Skills and the First 24. They will take place in Gedney Park in April. “I’m always looking for out-of-the-box programming. These classes are hands-on learning and get kids outside. The kids really like that,” said Bill Garrison, Assistant Superintendent of the Town of New Castle.
Oliver Jacobs, 10, of Chappaqua, attended both classes. “I’m interested in survival and read a lot of books on it. I thought it was really fun to learn survival skills. We played games and they all had something to do with nature and sometimes animals,” said Jacobs who learned how to make a waterproof shelter using sticks and leaves. “All the kids built it together. I felt kind of proud of myself and the people in my group,” he said. Other benefits were making new friends and learning from the instructor. “I would recommend anyone to take the class because it’s a lot of fun, you learn important survival skills, and you learn things you can do to respect nature.”
The programs were created and led by Zach Fisher of Patterson, who is a primitive skills educator and licensed N.Y. State Guide, and also Wilderness First Responder Certified. His experiences have given him a greater understanding of himself, others, and man’s relationship with the natural world. “I think this is an invaluable experience to go along with skills that can potentially be life-saving. In addition, there’s a direct correlation between someone’s understanding of nature and their desire to conserve it, so this is also part of my duty toward the preservation of our valuable wild resources,” said Fisher.
Primitive Survival Skills
Primitive Survival Skills, an after-school program for children in grades 5-8, offers practical instruction and hands-on activities on wilderness survival that involve survival skills, sense awareness, team projects, motor skills and more. Some of the fun, educational activities include making foraged tea, playing games, talking about plants and trees and tracking animals. “It’s tons of fun and we laugh a lot. We do a lot of game playing and joking around, but I make sure to include a lot of useful content at the same time,” said Fisher. “I also include at least one lecture on an essential skill, like shelter building or fire-making. Depending on the program, I might include a long-term project, like making a bow, a basket, or a bone knife.”
Rose Kory, 11, and her sister Natasha, 10, also took Primitive Skills. “If you want to learn about using your senses and getting more in touch with nature, you’ll enjoy this class,” said Rose. She learned skills such as starting a fire and making a bow and arrow. Her sister Natasha said, “I liked that you do team work plus I made a friend.” Marcus Arnold, 10, of Chappaqua, decided to take Primitive Skills because he was interested in learning about survival too. “I made a house in the wild using sticks, leaves and moss. We all did it together. It was a very fun experience to work with other people,” said Marcus.
At the end of the program, the children come away with useful information. “They leave with a foundational knowledge of what it takes to survive in a wilderness setting, a bunch of new games, and a heightened awareness and respect for the world around them,” explained Fisher, referencing the important bond between man and nature. “I think we are all experiencing a bit of separation anxiety in regards to our relationship with nature. People want to feel safe in the natural world and these classes help them feel a little more prepared.” The program ends with a skills-based competition and awards ceremony.
First 24
The First 24 is a one-day program featuring primitive and modern skills to help you survive within the first 24 hours of being lost in a wilderness situation. The hands-on program is geared to adults and youths (minimum age 10). “This course is designed for people who spend some time in nature, whether it be hiking, backpacking or for work,” said Fisher. Families who are outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to attend. Some of the games and demonstrations include map, trail and compass reading; making a survival kit; building a debris shelter and fire structures; lighting techniques; how to communicate if lost; and water filtration and disinfection.
As an adult attending the program, Milton Roman, of Yonkers, appreciated Fisher’s knowledge and experience. “He’s compassionate and willing to let you express yourself. What was nice was it was generations working together to divide the skills. It was a group experiential activity and more exciting. It has a process and an end result,” said Roman. “With the guidance of Zach, your view becomes wider and this gives them [kids] an opportunity to see what nature is like. You see the world in a different perspective.” At the conclusion, participants have many take-aways. “They’ll have an advanced understanding of what to do if they get lost in the woods, a new set of skills, and hopefully a respect and reverence for the natural world,” said Fisher.
Overall the classes encourage participants to expand their world. “I try my best to get people to go outside of their comfort zone, to get dirty, hands-on, to ask lots of questions and be involved in the process,” he said. “I try to create the feeling of community, which I think is one the most essential parts of life.”
Registration begins March 12. For more information and to register online, visit mynewcastle.org or call the Town of New Castle Recreation & Parks at (914) 238-3909.
The group welcomes any age at any skill level. All that’s required is an interest in some form of needlework, such as knitting, quilting, crocheting, and weaving. The Knitting Circle began six years ago when a Westchester County resident posted a thread on Ravelry, a popular social media site for crafters, seeking fellow knitters interested in forming a group near Pleasantville. What began as a handful of women meeting at a local coffee shop now averages 60 members, ranging in ages from 20 to over 45. They meet every Wednesday at the Pleasantville Library in Pleasantville and every Monday and Thursday at the North Castle Public Library in Armonk. Suzanne credits Linda Hellisum, a charter member, for keeping the group flourishing. “She spent many Wednesday afternoons knitting by herself at the Black Cow in Pleasantville. It took several months for people to make the commitment to the group, but once that happened, we quickly outgrew the coffee shop. We went from meeting twice per month to weekly meetings, and have been meeting three times per week for the past two years,” explains Suzanne. 
Art brings people together, and The Knitting Circle is a gathering where members feel comfortable being themselves while sharing ideas and exploring new techniques. “We keep the conversation light and pleasant. Knitting in a group allows us to work on our own knitting and offer inspiration for each other. We teach each other what we know,” she says. “For a beginner, this is a terrific way to build skills and get inspiration in a more personal and intimate way than watching YouTube videos or reading craft blogs. For the person teaching the skill, it’s empowering to see someone benefit from sharing the skills that you have to offer.” 
“When you sit around the table and see what others are turning out it’s easy to tackle a skill you don’t have experience with. If you get stuck there are people to help. People who did that last week and it came out great. Or, you can teach someone who just decided to learn to try a simple cable or more complex stitch and watch the sense of accomplishment when they create something they thought was way beyond their ability,” she says.
Field trips to local events in the Hudson Valley are an added bonus. The group recently attended the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, New York and six knitters are planning a trip to the Shetland Islands. During the summer, Suzanne organized six Yarn Crawls to over 25 local yarn shops in CT, NJ, and the Hudson Valley. “They’re meant to be fun and educational,” she says. Additionally, some of the members contribute their knitted projects to charitable organizations such as Project Linus. 
Felicia mentions the popular trends are embellished yarns in addition to hand-dyed and speckled yarns used for ponchos, ruanas, shawls, and cowl head scarves. She notes knitters are moving away from basic scarves and blankets. “They’re working with various stitches on shawls, ponchos, and loose-fitting sweaters in luxurious fibers,” says Felicia. “If they’re knitting a blanket, it’s not ordinary. They’re working in multi-colors, stripes or working with exaggerated super chunky yarn.” 
Knitting offers immeasurable benefits to its paticipants. “It’s an affordable hobby that builds self-esteem. Improved health, social inclusion, networking, and friendship are just some of the reasons we get together as often as we do,” says Suzanne. “I really value the friendships I’ve made because of these knitting groups.”