Foraged String Theory

Cordage is readily availble to buy in a variety of forms including as string, paracord, rope and line but you can only take so much with you on your outdoor adventures. Knowing what plants have easily accessible fibres to make cord can make your outdoor adventures last longer and bring you more creature comfort.

Sessions

The day is split into 3 sessions with a brew break mid afternoon and approximately 1 hour for lunch.

1. Foraging walk - plant ID and harvesting - Your day will start with a walk looking for suitable species and growth to harvest optimal cordage fibre containing plants. You will learn which species are better suited for making high quality cordage quickly and how to harvest them sustainably. As well as harvesting fibre bearing species you will also get to harvest some species to enjoy as part of the lunch.
2. Plant fibre processing - In this session you will learn how to extract the fibres from the morning's harvest as well as how to prepare them for making into cordage.
3. Cordage making - In the final session you will be given some fibres that have already been harvested in advance and what to do with them at the next stage to make consistent cordage in both relation to strength and also aesthetic. Once your fibres are ready then it is time to start to bring them together into the finished article. At the end of the day you the aim is to be going home with at least 12 inches of finished cord along with enough pre-processed fibre to turn that into 6 feet and also your extraxted fibres from the morning's harvest.

Skills covered

• Plant ID
• Harvesting techniques
• Campfire cooking
• Fibre extraction and preparation methods
• Cordage making