first gathering ocala2010.. advice appreciated!

hello brothers and sisters! I am traveling with a friend to the 2010 Ocala gathering. we will arrive in Ocala on the 10th of January. our plan is to camp out in the forest until the gathering. this will be my first and I am so excited to come home. I want to help as much as possible but I have no idea how to get startted. I've done a lot of reading about volunteering but I am still unsure as to how I can offer my help. also I was unsure about food.. will meals be provided? I appreciate any of your thoughts and advice...loving you- moondust

 

imnsho, best way to pitch in is locate a kitchen and ask around for what's needed. i've yet to see a kitchen that had too much help...then there's always shitters that need the dirt removed to become useful and wood gathered wherever you see a fire-pit. but most important, leave yourself time to soak up the scene...the rest will fall into place!

see ya next month!

 

How do You delete a comment?

 

I see that Tradin Bill sent You a message. I agree with Him (Get to Vision Council and Family will help You),along with what Sonoran Sam said.
"Happy Trails" see You in February. I'll be at Welcoming/Front Gate. Peace, Al

 

thank you kindly brothers! see you all soon!

 

Hey Al, ya can ask the moderator to take it off, I have been known to write stuff I wish I hadnt, so I just edit it and it changes what was written to begin with! I do not beleave we have ever met, but I hear good things about ya from other family. Happy Trails, Rock on Front Gate Welcome Home!!

 

you sound new here, and you'll be in the woods, so...

1. everything you bring that can absorb moisture should be wrapped in plastic. Heavy duty ziplock bags, although Babyloinian, can last years and years. if you compress things into them, they take less space in your gear, and are of course now protecting everything in them from water. fold things as tightly as you can, place into the bag, and then kneel on the bag before closing it. if you want to go all the way, fit as much as you can into any bag, kneel on it, and then close it, leaving an opening to suck the rest of the air out of it. suck it out, close it, and insert joke here.

2. in this line, you can take the center out of your TP, and compress it. sure, it takes longer to unwind it later, but it takes far less space.

3. find better containers for your cleansing products, ones that are either soft-sided, to be easier to pack, or as compact as possible. the closest to cubic will be the easiest to fit in. trust me, i can pack an elephant into a briefcase if you show me where the folds are. also, actually bring cleansing products. you damned dirty hippy. it will keep you healthy. soap, shampoo, a first aid kit (bandages, something antiseptic/antibiotic to clean cuts, a few clean bits of cloth to do that, maybe something for poison ivy, which you will get, and a lollipop to make you feel better), toothbrush and something to put on it, if only baking soda. if you have cuts or sores, bring something for them, or you might lose something. organic is good, lice killing shampoo will never go wrong, and CALM is worked hard enough.

4. knife, spoon, cup, bowl, flashlight (find a crank-wound flashlight, you'll run out of batteries), no exceptions. tarp, tent, bedroll, folding shovel, 100 ft. of thin rope, frame pack, if you want comfort.

5. proper clothing. dress for the weather, but never expect the weather to be the same. shorts are great, but layering pants can get you through a cold snap. flannel pj's are fucking awesome for this, btw. anywhere can get unseasonably hot or cold, and a backup set won't hurt you. raingear is a must, if only a garbage bag with a neckhole, but a rainsuit is amazingly versatile in most any climate. i suggest a two-piece, they're more flexible. if you have space, a spare poncho is often appreciated by the guy next to you, and a STURDY small umbrella can be your best friend.

6. shoes. waterproof if possible. two pair, i suggest boots as one. as high as you can get. did i mention waterproof? when they're not, you can put your socks on and then wrap them in breadbags. in the winter, the trapped air insulates, and being dry is being warm. also, a few pairs of socks are great, first off, keep them clean, and second, keep them dry. dry socks at the end of your journey are worth the trouble.

7. any food you can bring.

8. a good head about knowing if you're in over your head, and knowing when to ask for help. i suggest buying a Boy Scout guidebook for good things to know about camping, and asking while you're there about how to make anything bad about any situation better.

9. unicorns. as many as possible.

10. be willing to help with anything you can. and just help when you see the need. oh, and.........

HAVE FUN! AND HELP OTHERS HAVE FUN!

i may have overstepped my bounds here, but...sounded like...

Hi, Angel

peace and love

 

Hey Brother, "Food for Thought" is Always appreciated and even this Elder learned something. "Thanks" for Your words of Wisdom. Appreciated by All. "Happy Trails" Lovin You. Peace,Al

 

i know this thread started out about advice on how to volunteer labor at a gathering, and whatnot, and that is, you volunteer labor at a gathering. i'd like to add a little something here, though.

florida, the south, and the entire nation are experiencing a nasty cold weather pattern that's hitting as far down as miami. we're half a month out of Feb, and the gathering will come soon enough, and this weather, although not guaranteed, might continue until ocala and beyond. below freezing in the woods is serious shit.

anyone coming without a vehicle should be advised and begged to bring at least enough warm clothing to wear at one time, and backups if possible. anyone in a vehicle should and would be encouraged to, if they can, bring extra clothing, and as many blankets as they can scrounge. those in busses or with abundant green energy, please hit thrift stores, grandmothers, and everything inbetween and get all the tarps and blankets you can, if not for everyone (everyone is better), at least for your own tribe(s).

communal living may get important if the weather persists, more people in one shelter means more heat, and tarps big enough should be used as windbreaks and for multiple tents. firewood may get to be a big deal in these circumstances, so gather extra daily. a fire with a tarp blocking the windward side of it can keep you happier in harsh climes, but will not matter if you run out of wood to keep the fire going.

with all luck, none of this will mean a damned thing, but there's a possibility, which means being prepared won't lead you astray. and please don't consider these rules, just something learned through some rough times in the past.

peace, love, warmth

 

Ok kidz, I have to say:
It doesnt matter if it's cold or not,,, please, remember to have enough SOCKS! Take care of your feet! White is best in case of blisters ect. Got room? Bring extra for CALM, or a buddy. Lovin you family. I hope ya'll have a wonderful experience at this particular gathering. LOVE,LOVE,LOVE

 

Right you are, sis!

Nothing is more important to your pedal extremities than "safe socks"...

Zen

 

someone didn't read my first post *winkwink*...

i wanted to add that i intend to run a few workshops, mostly for shits and giggles, on how to build improvised shelters, debris shelters, and semi-perm. camping structures, as interest and available resources allow. they'll all be zero-impact and completely erasable after the gathering, and are great to know how to make. if anyone else has any experience doing this, and sees me out there making and teaching, i'd love it if you'd get involved. and teach me some new stuff while you're at it.

can anyone bring bulk biodegradable/burnable/reuseable twine? way easier than scrounging fiber from the woods...and more complex and fun structures can be built with it. i'll be travelling very light, as in on foot most likely, and will be limited in what i can bring. it's not essential, but would be neat to have.

whirled peas is possible

big love

 

A high-fat, high-protein recipe that will help keep you warm and your energy level high is the "Iron Man Mix": mix together 1 cup of raisins, 1 cup of nonprocessed cheese (cubed), 1 cup of peanuts and 1 cup of diced beef jerky.

 

I usually bring a Jumbo roll "Jute" twine or rope. Havent any this year. Folk's should look for "Jute" in the name of it when getting rather than the nylon, etc stuff.

Peace



Tradin' Bill a.k.a. Fla_Hippy

 

P.S. Chapstick, or equivalent !! Your lips will thank you. I know better, and did I forget mine last yr.yes,,, it took a wk to heal them back!! Much Love

 

i meant to reply to this a long time back, but computers just aren't my thing. gimme a jumpy typewriter any day...

jute is good, hemp is good, cotton is good, and the only reason Nylon can be good is if it's already made, because the shit won't be going away for any time soon. sigh.

please bring twine. i'll make it worth your while.

 

ok, let me knock this out really fast. this is an evaporation-based cooler, called a Zeer pot, that can keep food and beverages at about 50-60 deg. F for an infinite period of time using water, sand, cheesecloth, and clay pots. this is good for keeping veggies good for three weeks instead of three days, and will hold milk, meat, or cheese for a few days instead of a few hours...

two clay pots, one that fits in the other, are needed. there should be about 1-2 inches of space from the inside wall of the big pot to the outside wall of the little one. fill that space with sand, and saturate the sand with water. put food in the little pot, which you can cover if you like, but don't have to. cover the whole thing with cheesecloth making sure that the sand can breathe (and thus the water evaporate) but nothing else can get in (insects, falling debris, dirt), and then all you have to do is make sure that the sand is wet (in high heat, you'll need to add water about twice a day). that's all there is to it. i'll explain how to make a more modern and high-tech version with plastic containers, when i have more time, but it isn't actually more effective, just lighter weight.

this can keep veggies and cheeses fresh for weeks, and things like milk fresh for days. for almost no money, no carbon footprint whatsoever because it doesn't need anything other than nature to operate (e.g. no electricity), and very little hassle, camping with fresh food is that much easier.

stephen.

 

forgot to add the science behind this...as the water evaporates from the sand, it removes heat from the entire structure, just like sweat cools your body. the heat leaves with the evaporated water vapor, and the pot stays cool.

 

know what, i'm just going to post a link for the solar cooker, because diagrams will be helpful. keep in mind that this thing can't deep-fat-fry, but it can boil water given patience.

now, this is for limited fuel situations. those of you carbon-minded should remember that decomposing wood gives off the same amount of carbon dioxide as burning wood, so cooking over a fire isn't an eco-sin, just returning what is to what was faster. (this does not apply to most other fuels, btw)

http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/solarbox.htm

 

WoW Stephen,
You should stand at front gate and hand out pamplets about yourself, then we could use your inflated ego as fuel "WINKWINK"

Every contribution has merit, plz do not critisize others efforts. You may know some things and the sister/brother may know other things.. NO ONE knows everything.. dig.. all imformation is usefull. You should humble yourself before Mother and be gracious.

Your imformation is usefull but not the be all end all of it, you leave no room for community, a one man show is not rainbow.

Blessings on your journey
sh