Messerschmieden am Mattsee

“When I sought a connection with nature, and especially through the further training, when I immersed myself in this connection with nature more deeply than I had previously thought possible, I experienced how many previously unnoticed aspects of my personality and self were also engaged by this connection. As a result, I was able to get to know myself anew in a special way.” (Julia, born 1988, graduate of Wilderness Education & Life Education Part I) Welcome to the Wilderness and Life Education training program With this training, we want to make you both strong—and vulnerable—for the many facets of a mindful life in and with nature. It respectfully weaves together the wilderness knowledge of Indigenous peoples from around the world with European traditions and ways of life. On a journey through the qualities of all four seasons, you will recognize that your actions on Earth have an impact. Wilderness Education Drawing on the knowledge and skills of Indigenous peoples, you will increasingly find your own roots and strengthen your connection to nature. You will learn to use your senses keenly, to listen inwardly and outwardly, and to trust your intuition. The insights you gai

This is a timeless video learning program. Step by step, we show you how to transform feathers into works of art, make fans, earrings, wind chimes, and more. Dirk Schröder, Mirijam Steidle, and Ralph Müller share their many years of experience. You’ll get plenty of inspiration and techniques to bring your own ideas to life. Learn more: https://www.elementar-erfahrungen.de/onlinekurs/feder-zu-kunsthandwerk-und-faechern-verarbeiten/

Craftsmanship is as old as humanity itself. In this training program, we want to revive the old arts and focus above all on age-old manual ways of working, using the simplest tools possible to bring our creations to life. The materials we need to make beautiful and useful crafts will take us back to the Stone Age, span medieval times and reach more modern styles, while preferably still coming from the pre-industrial era. We want to gather good tools and leftover materials from our ancestors—from Grandpa’s toolbox or Grandma’s sewing table—and learn to use them again with admiration! Nature has always generously bestowed wonderful materials on humankind. A few examples: horn for buttons, wood for cutlery, straw for shoes, plant fibers and animal hair for clothing, hides for bags, earth for pottery, iron for knives, rods for basket weaving, branches for making bows, stones for cooking, leaves for mattresses, and much more. For most of human history, on every continent, we have used nature’s gifts to make useful things for our lives. Today, the main question is how we can take from nature again without harming it. In other words, the question of the “sacred harvest”: taking only as mu

Take a deep breath, leave everyday life behind, and experience nature with all your senses – that’s Einwalden. Many people follow wilderness adventures on YouTube or Instagram while sitting on the sofa themselves. But real experiences happen outdoors – in direct contact with nature. Here you’ll get exactly that: An adventure that truly enriches you. Instead of competing against one another – as in survival shows – we explore the forest as a community and learn to see it with new eyes.

Build your own bow: Carve shavings from a piece of wood one by one, shape the stave in your hands, and later bring it to life by stringing the bowstring—without breaking it… A very special experience awaits you during these four days.  Long ago, our ancestors invented the bow and arrow. This made it possible to cover greater distances by shooting an arrow from afar.  In this special course, we will explore the historical background of bow making. Through extensive hands-on practice, we will engage with the ancient art of building your own bow. This special craft and the in-depth knowledge behind it will be taught comprehensively and professionally over the course of the days. All participants will make their own individual bow and take it home with them afterward. You will also receive tips on storing and caring for your bow to help it last.  Important: Alternatively, you can build an ‘Atl Atl’ (spear-thrower) instead of a bow. This takes only 2 days, and the course runs over the weekend, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.  This course is equally suitable for people with or without craft experience, regardless of their skill level. You will receive personal, individual gu

Would you like to learn how to field-dress an animal, butcher it, and prepare it for cooking? Then this is just the right course for you. Unfortunately, we don’t learn this basic knowledge at school, and it is not covered in many crash-course hunting programs either. With the knowledge from this course, you can buy a whole roe deer “in the hide” from a hunter (it costs around €50–60) and prepare it for use in your kitchen. This is much cheaper than buying individual cuts of game ( €15–35/kg) from a game dealer. This workshop covers butchering a roe deer or a fallow deer (depending on availability). Field-dressing the animal (removing the entrails) is not included, as this must be done immediately after the animal is shot. This process will therefore be shown in a film clip. By the end of the day, you will know how to “skin a roe deer,” how to butcher it into cuts ready for cooking, and what tools you need. You can apply this knowledge to all other animals.

The quiet time begins. Darkness is present everywhere and already carries the light within it. We invite you to a day camp at the Riedlhof wilderness site. Together, we’ll make a fire, welcome the Rauhnächte (the Twelve Nights), and cross a threshold through the veils of time. Traditional incense herbs will accompany us throughout the day, and together we’ll create an incense blend for the Rauhnächte. You’ll receive an incense blend to take home, to accompany you through the Rauhnächte. Circle culture, along with singing and making music together, forms the framework for every wilderness camp at Riedlhof. Along the way, you’ll also learn various wilderness routines and skills. Healing through connection is our guiding principle at Riedlhof. Interwoven with all areas of community life, it is also the overarching motto for our activities beyond the farm. Want to stay up to date? Join the Riedlhof Wilderness group on Telegram! Here, we share everything about the planned wilderness activities at the farm. https://t.me/+4fUQD-niX5pmNjYy