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Roadkill Small Animal Processing and Hide Tanning In person and Zoom Combo

1 in-person day, plus a 2 hour zoom call.

A perfect introduction to whole animal processing! Come learn a whole lot of skills with us as we transform small roadkill critters into soft, supple leather.

Small animal furs like squirrel, chipmunk, mink, and others have a long history of being highly prized by European and Scandinavian cultures. They are found in clothing, bags, ornamentation, and were so important that they were buried with the dead. Many of us have a deep ancestral link the these animals and the leathers they provide.

Unfortunately, there are thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of animals killed by cars every day, and most of them are left to rot on the pavement. Once you learn the skills of how to assess and process roadkill, there is an sorrowful stream of animals that we can tend to and honor by turning them into beauty.

In this class, each student will receive a whole, frozen/defrosted small animal (squirrels, a chipmunk, and a weasel are available).

TOPICS COVERED

  • roadkill 101 - assessing freshness and viability, transporting, and storing

  • skinning

  • gutting and exploration of the myriad uses of the bounty inside

  • butchering (when applicable)

  • hide storage

  • fleshing

  • identifying, collecting, and preparing wild plants for bark tanning

  • two methodologies for bark tanning: precise and measured with scientific explanations, and/or animistic sensory guided folk magick and intuition (both work equally well)

  • bark tanning, including pickling to ensure the integrity of the fur

  • finishing (dressing, slicking, softening)

  • bone cleaning

  • show and tell of the many uses of tanned leather, bones in jewelry and art, and other strange and wonderful animal technologies


CLASS SCHEDULE

Saturday November 7th

‍ ‍9 am - Class begins. Introductions, roadkill 101, skinning, gutting, and butchering

‍ ‍12 ish - lunch

‍ ‍1 -530 - continuing animal processing, including fleshing the hide, mixing the pickle, mixing the bark tan solution

By the end of Saturday, each student will have their hide in a pickle solution, and will leave with a batch of bark tan solution to complete the tanning at home.

‍ ‍5:30-7 - Dinner and closing

Tuesday November 10th

‍ ‍Follow up email to guide students through the next steps of bark tanning.

Friday Nov 20th

‍ ‍10 am 2 Hour zoom call to guide students through the finishing of their bark tanned hide.

What’s included in the class

  • One day of in person instruction with Harmony, plus one follow up zoom call and instructional emails to guide you

  • On-site rustic camping available if needed (see FAQ’s)

  • One whole roadkill animal to process and take home with you

  • Pickle and barktan solution

  • **No meals are included with this class

Things to bring

  • A sharp knife (and ideally a way to sharpen it)

  • A camp chair or blanket to sit on

  • Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner

  • water bottle

  • layers of clothing for variable weather and bugs

  • mosquito spray (we will have access to several zones depending on the bugs)

  • 2 separate gallon sized containers with lid (preferably with a wider mouth opening - not a milk jug)

OPTIONAL BUT ENCOURAGED if you want to continue tanning hides. If you are short on money, the green one is priority

(You can also wait to purchase these items until after the class when you will know more of what style you are drawn to - exact science or folk intuition - both work! I was a bark tanner for a decade with only a fleshing tool).

TUITION

Sliding Scale $250-350 (for squirrel and chipmunk)

Sliding Scale $285-385 (for weasel)

A non refundable deposit of half the tuition is required to hold your spot, payable through Venmo @x_sonikspike_x

Please note that the animals are very limited and are offered on a first come first served basis.

Please pay the deposit and email us here to register:

Gatheringwaysschool@gmail.com




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Samhain Rabbit Harvest