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September 14 and/or 15, 2012 Friday and Saturday When more of the 2012 information is available, it will be posted.
$50/families - $25/singles includes hot lunch for both days Limited to 60 people. Please email office@chec.org if you would like to be placed on the waiting list. |
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CHEC's 2nd Annual ‘New and Improved’ Homestead Bootcamp Moves to Fall 2011
CHEC and the McMinn family of BLESSED CREEK FARM will once again team together to provide another opportunity to learn the basic and advanced skills of sustainable living to survive the times. Blessed Creek Farm is a 240 acre dryland farm 35 miles NE of Byers and 26 miles south of Fort Morgan.
The two day camp will be held Friday and Saturday September 16 and 17, 2011, and will showcase a variety of workshops and hands-on learning experiences for both urban and rural homesteading. New this year will be advanced skills for those who attended last year, or already have a basic working knowledge.
The McMinns desire to teach as many home school families as possible this year, so they have lowered the price, and are allowing overnight camping in designated areas, to encourage registration for both days.
Cost will be $50 for families, $25 for singles; this includes attendance both days, and hot lunch each day.
Children 13 years and up can attend with parents; families are encouraged to divide up to learn as much as possible both days. No children under 13, but nursing babies are allowed.
Basic Skills offered Friday ONLY: fencing, food preservation and storage, kitchen gardening, livestock management, orchard development and care, property selection and development, soil enhancement, and conservation tree planting.
Advanced Skills offered BOTH Friday and Saturday: alternative construction and energy, beekeeping and honey products, blacksmithing, candlemaking, livestock butchering (small and large), milk cow and products, root cellaring, soapmaking, sheepshearing and fiber arts, sourdough, and vermiculture.
Friday Night Potluck for overnighters; bring a dish to share, and enjoy pit roasted meats provided by BLESSED CREEK FARM. Storytelling and a hymn sing will make the evening a memorable treat.
Wear comfortable work clothes and dress for forecasted weather conditions – rain or shine . Men bring wheelbarrow, shovel, hammer, and pliers if on-hand. Women bring hoe, rake, shovel, and garden hand tools if on-hand. Schedule each day will have a men's track led by Cary and a women's track led by Shari. 9am-5pm.
Come and join the fun in learning essential skills for frugal and sustainable living. A syllabus and goodie bag will be provided to each registering household. Registration begins May 1. Space is limited.
Questions? Email homesteadbootcamp@chec.org.
Homestead Bootcamp FAQ's:
1. Will the material be the same both days?
No. We had many requests for advanced skills from previous attendees, or those already knowledgeable about the basics. In order to encourage people to attend both days to gain the most information, Basic Skills will be offered Friday, and Advanced Skills will be offered both Friday and Saturday. There are many Advanced Skills to be taught, so you can attend different sections each day to learn the most.
2. Why is the Bootcamp in the Fall this year?
For a variety of reasons: harvest time is essential for butchering, beekeeping, and kitchen gardens food storage. There are many things to be learned in the fall you simply can’t teach in a hands-on way in the spring.
3. What are the objectives of the 2 day workshop?
We hope that families new to homesteading will catch the vision for a simple, frugal way of life that prepares parents and children for more difficult economic times, but also shows them the joy in producing and preserving their own food. For those who already have the vision, we hope to share a variety of skills that will help you accomplish their plan for sustainable living.
4. Is the Bootcamp only for 'country' folks?
No. Urban Homesteading is a concept that is vital to the 90% of the population that live in or near the city. Backyard Homesteading is essential for surviving difficult financial times, and a great way to live the ‘home school lifestyle’. Nearly everything we will be teaching can be utilized by city slickers, though we will include how to locate the right rural property for those who want to live on a farmstead. For apartment dwellers and those who don’t have access to a large plot of land, there are many things you can still do to live frugally and be prepared for the future.
5. What topics will be covered?
Basic Skills will include: composting, fencing, food preservation and storage, homestead management, kitchen gardens, orchards, small livestock management, and tree planting.
Advanced Skills will include: alternative construction and energy, beekeeping, butchering, candlemaking, milking and dairy products, large livestock management, root cellaring, sourdough breadmaking, soaps, vermiculture, and wool products.
We will also include discussions of family dynamics such as Dad as Family Shepherd, Mom as Helpmeet, and children as students and helpers. Topics such as utilizing your property – whether large or small – to its fullest potential, budgeting, scheduling of the work, and individual family goals will also be covered.
6. Can our whole family attend?
Children age 13 and up can attend with their registered, attending parent. In fact, we hope that responsible children will attend sessions on their own to expand the knowledge the family learns. Because of the amount of material to be taught, the physical work involved, and the safety issues on a farm (machinery and snakes, etc.), it would not be appropriate to have younger children in attendance that need supervision, as that would detract from the teaching and learning. Nursing babies are of course welcome, and we will also accommodate pregnant women and those less able to perform physical work.
7. I am single; will I benefit from attending?
Yes. Singles aged 19 and up may attend for half price. We think it is crucial you catch the vision for your future family, or to survive the times as a single person. You have the freedom of time that a family person does not. This is the time to start your Homestead journey!
8. What should we bring and what will we actually be doing?
We will start at 9am sharp each day, and work until 5pm, breaking for a hot lunch and relaxation from approx. noon-1pm. Please wear clothes that can get dirty and are appropriate for the day’s weather. Rain jackets and sun hats, as well as work gloves and hand tools such as shovels and rakes are helpful. Don’t forget your sunscreen and water bottle. We ask attendees to wear work boots if they have them, or sturdy walking shoes that can also handle shoveling and walking in pasture and paddocks.
Starting with the welcome session, we will help attendees set goals, learn new practices in a hands-on way, and communicate as a household, so they can plan how to carry out their Homestead vision. Each household will receive a syllabus containing helpful material to implement their goals. We will also have prayer and fellowship time to encourage each other.
9. If we come for both days and travel a distance, where shall we stay overnight?
Fort Morgan has several good hotels, but we also will allow families to spend the night on our farm in their RV or tent. We will be hosting a potluck BBQ Friday evening that is free to those registered for both days, as we want to encourage families to come for the entire Bootcamp. Please bring a dish to share, your own plates and utensils, and we’ll supply the pit roasted meats. This will be a fun time around the campfire, with stories and songs. There will be outhouse facilities, but not RV sanitation, water, or electrical hook-up. Breakfast will be on your own. Please allow us time for our chores and family responsibilities between 5pm and 9am.
10. What will it cost?
The registration fee for a household to attend both days is only $50. Singles attend for $25. each. We have lowered the price to ensure that all interested persons can attend. This cost includes the teaching offered both days, as well as a hot lunch each day, and the syllabus.
11. Why is the Bootcamp at BLESSED CREEK FARM?
Cary and Shari McMinn and their five children left the heart of Denver 10 years ago in order to find a more home school friendly lifestyle and increase their family size through adoption. They purchased their remote farm, in the northeast corner of Adams county, and began to set-up a sustainable existence. Since their relocation, the McMinns have added five more children through adoption. They have found their lifestyle to be good for their whole family in many ways, but especially because they have to rely on the Lord and work together to accomplish their everyday existence. Cary maintains a part-time job as a college teacher in Denver, commuting 1 or 2 days a week. They accept no government subsidies for farming, and produce approximately half of their own food. The McMinns believe they can help other home school families learn a lifestyle that reduces debt, and allows parents to spend more time with their children – to disciple them, and prepare them for their future adulthood – not just to survive, but to thrive.
Having home schooled for 17 years, and been involved with CHEC for more than 10, the McMinns have successfully graduated several of their older children from their home school into successful ventures. Their five youngest children are labeled ‘special needs’, and so they understand the gamut of learning challenges in a large family home school.
Cary is a licensed Architect, has a consulting business, and has taught college level courses for more than 20 years. He grew up on a farm in New Mexico, where he learned his farming skills. He will graduate with an MBA this fall. Shari had a career as a commercial Interior Designer before she ‘came home’ to teach her children and become a helpmeet to Cary. She was raised in the city and has learned about farming through their lifestyle. She is a CSU Master Gardener volunteer. Cary and Shari have managed home businesses throughout the duration of their marriage. They both love to teach, share their life, and serve the Lord in whatever capacity He calls them to do.
BLESSED CREEK FARM is a 240 acre dryland property on the high plains of eastern Colorado surrounded by wheat farms and cattle ranches. The farmland is divided into rotational grazing pastures, with a 28 acre cropland section for non-irrigated forage hay. Paddocks surrounding the farmstead allow for livestock to be moved into protected areas at night, and during inclimate weather. Small herds of heritage breed animals include Highland cattle, Jacob sheep, and Tamworth pigs. The McMinns raise approximately 150 head of free range poultry each year for eggs and holiday market sales of processed ducks, geese, and turkeys. A purebred A2 jersey milk cow completes the livestock list.
After 10 years of hard work with their children building their sustainable farm, and working within their local community teaching and helping others in agricultural pursuits, Cary and Shari were both recently named ‘Colorado 4-H Leader of the Year’; and BLESSED CREEK FARM was awarded the title ‘2011 Conservationist of the Year’ by their local conservation district.
Questions? Email homesteadbootcamp@chec.org.
