A message from our board of directors:
Friends and Community of Turtle Island Preserve,
 
After much discussion and with great regret, the board of Turtle Island Preserve (TIP) has concluded that we will not be able to conduct our annual youth camps in 2021. We are aware that cancellation of camps will be very disheartening to everyone among the TIP community. We will continue to hold our Families Learning Together event in April; Father-Son camp in June; all of the adult programs currently advertised on our website; and we hope to provide information about family camps to be offered in the future.

All families currently registered for youth camps in 2021 may elect to receive a full refund on their deposit, donate all or a portion to TIP, or transfer your balance to another program.

Since its inception, TIP has been run by a very small team of dedicated workers and volunteers. Over the past three years, we have made a special effort to build a more sustainable and traditional organization that provides a living wage for its workers, while developing a stronger volunteer team. We have made measurable progress in that direction, but unfortunately not enough. New government regulations, an increasingly anxious general population, and financial difficulty in maintaining our physical plant during the covid crisis have—among other things—created a workload that our workers and volunteers simply cannot bear.

At the same time, we’re aware that our culture faces challenges that make TIP programming even more valuable than it may ever have been before. We believe that connection to nature, resilience, and integrity are indispensable values that we must collectively impart to our youth if they will be prepared for an increasingly uncertain future. We intend to use this regrettable ‘down-time’ to train new team members, make needed repairs to our infrastructure, try to figure out how to gain financial support to run our programming and continue serving our visitors, and to develop an organizational model that’s capable of navigating the challenges of a changing culture. If you would like to support this effort in any way, please reach out to our board of directors. We need all the help we can get.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at any of the programs which will continue at Turtle Island Preserve this year.
 
The TIP board
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE:
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4/24/21 FAMILIES LEARNING TOGETHER "FLT":
Held annually each spring, this important fundraiser is the foundation for our summer camp scholarship program. Due to the covid crisis, we were unable to host the event in 2020. Tickets are still available for this year's event on Saturday April 24. Join us for this fun day of outdoor learning and lore. Rain or shine!
5/1/21 VITAL VINEGARS - 1 DAY CLASS:
Local herbalist Serene Solinski will lead this one-day adventure in foraging and crafting - with a hot midday meal served in our outdoor kitchen included! Participants will gather wild herbs to be utilized in their creations, learning the benefits and proper uses. As well, students will make multiple recipes such as Oxymels, Shrubs, and Thieves ACV, as well as learn the history of these dietary allies. Bonus-you get to take them home! 
5/1-2, 2021 BLACKSMITH BASICS WEEKEND:
Old time traditional techniques and lore will be explored, exemplified, demonstrated, and celebrated during this weekend workshop. This completely hands-on, 2-day class gives students foundational techniques and guides participants into becoming more deeply involved in this empowering trade.
5/1-2, 2021 WOOD SPOON CARVING WEEKEND:
Carving spoons is a great way to get into woodworking because we already know what a spoon is, and basically how it works. Couple this with the fact that you can find free wood for carving in just about any area that you live in, and you have a hobby that is inexpensive, portable, and fun.
5/1-2, 2021 LEATHER KNIFE SHEATH WEEKEND:
Rob Keeton of Keeton Custom Leather in Knoxville, TN will lead this hands-on workshop, introducing participants to the world of leathercrafting and teaching skills needed to make a custom sheath for a fixed blade knife of their choosing. Students will not only go home with new knowledge and skills but a finished product of their own making.
5/22-23, 2021 WOODSWOMAN 101 WEEKEND:
Girls missing out on our summer youth camp this season are encouraged to sign up for the engaging weekend of women teaching women. All ages and backgrounds are welcome. This particular event will be extra special as we will be hosting Cherokee artisan and storyteller: Nancy Basket!
6/18-20, 2021 FATHER & SON CAMP:
Held annually over Father's Day weekend, this camp is a great chance for the guys to unplug and reconnect in nature! Boys missing out on summer youth camp are encouraged to join in this event with the important male leaders in their life. Only a few spaces are left, call today to hold your space!
EXTENDED FUTURE FORECAST:
2020 was a dismal year for so many businesses and individuals in all sorts of ways. The unique challenges it brought in, didn't end when 2021 showed up. While we very successfully hosted our 2020 summer youth camp without incident, we have now reached the point of going an entire year without hosting a single school field trip, university visit, corporate work retreat or scouting adventure. Our time tested model of hosting educational visits for thousands of guests each year has, for the most part, gone underutilized. Buildings, structures, paths & trails re-naturalize quickly when left unattended. And so our beloved camp, really needs some love itself.

With optimism and determination, we are facing the coming days of warmth with big plans to work on specific maintenance projects throughout campus. We're currently re-roofing our old corn crib (pictured above), and will soon launch the next fundraising campaign for "The Meeting Lodge" our first indoor group gathering space. Anyone, anywhere can support the mission simply by buying a t-shirt. If you are interested in supporting any of these projects, please let us know! The link for shirts will be up on our social media platforms soon. (scroll all the way down for direct links)
WELCOMING NEW FRIENDS:
This month, Turtle Island is welcoming a new instructor - Jason Drevenak, the president of The North American Bushcraft School in West Virginia for eight years. He regularly teaches and demonstrates at the Earthskills Rendezvous in Georgia, Firefly and Piedmont Gatherings in NC, and the Mother Earth News Fair in PA. He currently holds an NC and WV EMT-Intermediate certification as well as being an AHA, CPR, BLS, and AED Instructor, Jason also teaches wilderness medicine and back-country firecraft at the annual Appalachian Wilderness Medical Conference and the WV School of Osteopathic Medicine. In 2015 Jason trekked the entire Serengeti National Park in Tanzania Africa with a documentary team from the National Geographic channel. We are looking forward to his sharing his wide array of skills here at Turtle Island Preserve!
GUIDED WALKING TOURS:
While we are mostly closed this spring and summer, visitors can still join in on scheduled private guided tours. These 1-2 hour strolls around the property, allow visitors a behind the scenes experience to learn all about our unique lifestyle and architectural choices. Arrangements and reservations can be made via email:[email protected]
10/4-5, 2021 KNIFE-MAKING WEEKEND:
Forged in Fire fan-favorite Robby Bowman will guide a small group of adults (and mature minors with a chaperone) in a two day adventure of forging memories at our old time coal-fired blacksmith's outdoor classroom. Rustic overnight lodging and hot meals are included!
10/8-9, 2021 EUSTACE CONWAY SPEAKING:
The Homesteaders of America Conference in Front Royal, VA is pleased to welcome our very own Eustace Conway as a speaker at this year's event. This conglomerate of farmers and growers, including Joel Salatin from Poly Face Farms will be a wonderful weekend get-away for the whole family, leaving visitors informed, inspired and full of great homesteading resources. Get your tickets now to this empowering event!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE - MAKE A DONATION:
PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH!