© 2010 Joshua Stark
A couple weeks back, I asked if folks had any ideas for my new venture, and I received a couple (thanks, fellas!). I'm working on more specific thoughts now, and I've found a gentleman who is going to help me work out the kinks and ideas as a person new to the scene, a potential client. I wrote about where I found him at Ethics & the Environment. After speaking with him, I got some good ideas I'd like to share here.
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Here's my plan so far: A six-week series of four-hour meetings once/week, to cover the basics of foraging in the regional wild lands, fishing (with basic paddling instructions), hunting (with firearms and archery safety and the chance to shoot), food prep and storage, and some visits to local farms and gardens to get tips and ideas on small-scale farming at home (including animals, of course). The classes will come with some basic information in a three-ring binder, with pages on some local plants and animals, seasonality, links to better information, etc. I also hope to provide classes on basic birdwatching, botany, field sketching, photography, things to do in the field with kids, first aid, etc.
I'm not saying I can do all of these things (I can do a few), but where I can't (like photography), I'd like to schedule folks to come in who can (like Holly or my amazing friend David Lamfrom).
What do y'all think? How much should I charge for something like this? I'm thinking that with a six-week series, folks can sign up for individual classes, or sign up for the whole series at a discount.
Let me know if I'm even barking up the right tree here.
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8 comments:
You are absolutely barking up the right tree. And, were I in your area, we'd be having coffee over this. Also, I'm be flummoxed as to whether to be a student or a teacher in the endeavor LOL.
Bp
Thanks for the confidence boost, Bpaul!
As for the student/teacher question, I'm right with you. There are tons better hunters, fishermen, foragers, gardeners/animal keepers than I. Much of what I hope to do is give people connections to some of our local experts, as well as provide some stuff, myself. And, as a former teacher, I can attest to the truth of this: you learn much, much more when you try to teach something.
No advice from this quarter, I'm afraid. But I look forward to hearing how things develop!
I end up going for a bit of both. Even right after I start to learn a new skill (like beekeeping) I find myself taking what little I know and helping other folks start off too.
I really enjoy studying under masters, however.
Bp
Bpaul, I really love studying under masters, too, which is one of the (many) reasons I want to try this; I can get in touch with them, pay them (hopefully) for their services, help spread the word of their skills, and also get to learn some under them, too!
It's a tried and true method of (affordably) bringing the experts to us, instead of having to travel hither and yon. Again, excellent plan.
Really cool idea, Josh.
Couldn't tell you what to charge. I think the guys who do some of the hog hunting seminars are seeing rates around the $1K mark (but can't say for sure).
Wow, a grand??!!! I'm designing mine to be a pretty basic course, covering a lot of different things a little bit, so I'll probably set my price a little lower...
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