Ancestral Skills Gathering

August 8-11, 2026

Registration Opening Soon!

We invite you to join us for a weekend of sharing skills and learning new ones, shared meals, social time, music, storytelling, folk dancing and more! Other skill instruction that may be included are:

  • Ancient fire-making skills
  • Flint knapping, arrowheads and tools
  • Atlatl making and throwing
  • Cordage: Harvesting fiber from natural materials, and making cord & string
  • Hide work and bead work
  • Willow structures and basketry
  • Knife safety skills and notching techniques
  • Techniques for snares
  • Ancestral Scales: Music intervals and singing in and with Nature
  • Planetary Rhythms: Sky map study prior to stargazing evenings
  • Wild plant walks: Id, uses and harvest
  • Felting and drop spindle spinning
  • Check back for updates on more!
  • There will also be other sessions offered throughout the Gathering, and spontaneous activities as well, such as singing and working with ancient scales. Bring your own interests as well and announce possibilities at the 8:30am announcement time! 
  • Some of the skills may take multiple sessions to complete your projects. The instructors will have guidelines on this. If classes are full, most instructors welcome people coming to watch, but this is up to the instructors. Some things like flint knapping will be ongoing throughout the time.






A limited number of discounted tickets may be offered, based on need, via our Work Exchange Program. If you can come and teach skills and/or help with setting up, daily tasks, take down, etc.and would like a discounted fee in exchange for your work, you may Inquire About Work Exchange.


Camping is available and participants traveling from a distance are encouraged to arrive on August 7 to set up camp.

Click HERE for Guidelines and Tips for a Successful Ancestral Skills Gathering!

See the map of Meadowlark Hearth Farm on our Contact page.

Full Schedule:

  • August 7
    • 1pm-5pm: Arrival for instructors and those coming from a distance and/or camping.
      Sign in, meet-and-greet, campground setup, instructor setup, class signup.
    • 6pm evening meal and planning session with instructors.
  • August 8
    • On this Saturday, our instructors, along with other presenters, will be teaching and presenting at the Archaeology Fair at the nearby Legacy of the Plains Museum. This is an open day, free for the general public and sponsored by the Meadowlark Hearth Living Environment Foundation the Legacy of the Plains Museum, and is supported by a grant from Humanities Nebraska. This is a chance to help the Fair’s presenters and instructors and share the skills you have learned with others.
  • August 8 Schedule:
    • 6am walking tour of the Nature Preserve on trails to North Platte River and ponds.
    • 8am-8:30am: Sign-in for people who didn’t sign in Friday evening.
    • 8:30am: Morning greeting and orientation.
    • 9:00am: Setting up for Archaeology Fair at Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering, NE, 15 minutes from Gathering Campsite. This will involve the instructors and presenters at the Fair. Volunteer help with this would be very much appreciated!
    • 10am-3pm Archaeology Fair at the Museum. This is a free event for the public. The Ancestral Skills Gathering Booth will be reaching out for day attendees on Sunday and have a sign-up sheet for the classes on Monday and Tuesday.
    • 3pm-5pm: Take down from Archaeology Fair and instructor set-up at Ancestral gathering site. Volunteer help with this would be very much appreciated!
  • August 9
    • 8:30am: Opening ceremony, announcements, instructor introductions, final class signup.
    • 9am-5pm: Open day for general public. Roving hands-on instruction and/or demonstration of skills offered. Day Attendees will pay $5 per Carload.
    • 2pm-4pm: Craft and Trade Blanket Fair. Bring what you want to sell or trade. Also a chance to inform people of projects, events or organizations you are connected with.
    • 5:30pm-6:30pm: Potluck meal. Share what you have. Meadowlark Hearth will be bringing something like soup or grain and salad for all.
    • 6:30pm-9pm: Campsite social time, storytelling, music and folk dancing, stargazing, planets and constellations (if the night is clear).
  • August 10 and August 11
    • 6am-7am (for early risers): Birding, plants, landscape and ecology walk in the wildlands along the North Platte River.
    • 8am: Orientation, announcements, and instructors sharing about their classes.
    • 9am-12pm & 1pm-5pm: Skills class sessions mornings and afternoons. Some of these will have limited space so be sure to sign-up ahead of time.
    • 5:30pm-6:30pm: Potluck meal. Share what you have. Meadowlark Hearth will be brining something like soup or grain and salad for all.
    • 6:30pm-9pm: On Monday Campsite social time, storytelling, music and folk dancing, stargazing, planets and constellations (if the night is clear).
    • On Tuesday: Closing ceremony and sharing our experiences of the time. Children especially can show and tell about wha they have done and made.
  • August 12
    For those camping Saturday night and leaving Sunday morning, please have campsite cleared and be ready to leave by 10am.

There will also be other sessions offered throughout the Gathering, and spontaneous activities as well, such as singing and working with ancient scales. Bring your own interests as well and announce possibilities at the 8:30am announcement time!  

Fees: $40 for Monday and Tuesday. This is to help us with general costs and instructor travel and materials compensation. Some instructions may have additional material fees you will need to pay directly to them. We will not be taking Credit Cards, so bring a check or cash.  

2026 Registration Information for

Meadowlark Hearth Ancestral Skills Gathering

Dates: Aug. 8-11 at Meadowlark Hearth. Archaeology fair Aug. 8 at legacy of the Plains museum. The Archaeology fair is free and open to the public, so it does not require registration. Only the 3 day Ancestral Skills Gathering at Meadowlark Hearth requires registration. Camping Fees will be separate from registration fees. To Reserve Camping for the Ancestral Skills Gathering sign up through Hip Camp.

Fee Breakdown for 3 day Participants:

  • Archaeology Fair Saturday, Aug 8 At Legacy of the plains Museum in Gering, NE: Free.
  • Sunday Activities and trade Fair At Gathering Site at Meadowlark Hearth Farm: $5.00
  • Monday and Tuesday morning and afternoon classes. $40.00 per person
  • 12 to 18 year olds  $20 per person

Registration for Day attendees:

Register to receive updates, but pay on arrival. Cash or check, NO plastic.

  • Archaeology Fair At Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering, NE: Free
  • Sunday activities and Trade Fair: $5 per carload
  • Monday and Tuesday Classes, 4 sessions from 8-12pm & 1-5pm: $10 for each session

Camping Fees and Information:

  • Flat fee of $75 per campsite.
  • Sign up for the $20/night fee. We will waive any extra costs for larger families.
  • Instructor camping is free: Do not sign up on Hip Camp, but let us know when you will arrive and the number of campers who will be at your site.
  • All other fees can be paid on arrival by check or cash only.
  • Camping is Available Friday night Aug. 7 until Tuesday night Aug. 11, at the River Gathering and Campsite of Meadowlark Hearth Farm. There will be someone to meet you for check-in, collecting and signing waivers, and signing-up and collecting additional fees for classes.

Directions to Campsite:

  • Directions from the west:
    From Scottsbluff take US HWY 26 for 3 miles to CTY RD 26. From I-80 take HWY 71 North from Kimball, NE to HWY 26, then 2 miles East to CTY RD 26. At CTY RD 26 Turn South onto Private Road. Cross the RR tracks. Follow signs to parking area. 
  • Directions from the east:
    Take HWY 26 4 miles west from Minatare NE to CTY RD 26. From I80 take HWY 26 exit at Ogallala. Go 1166 miles to CTY RD 26 four miles east of Minatare, NE. At CTY RD 26 Turn South onto Private Road. Cross the RR tracks. Follow signs to parking area.

Other Fees:

  • Adults 18 or older: $10 for each of the 4 class sessions on Monday and Tuesday mornings and afternoons. (We will waive the $10 per session for parents not able to participate while taking care of very young children).
  • Teenagers 13 to 17: $5 for each of the 4 class sessions.
  • Skill Instructors: Free
  • Children 12 and Under: Free. Must be accompanied by a responsible adult if they are participating in a session, either parent, parent of a friend, or friend of a parent. Some instructors may be willing to work with children of certain age ranges, without adult accompaniment, but parents need to still be aware and available if need arises.

A waiver will need to be signed for all attendees

 

Chaperones or Supervisors for Minors Free. (As long as these adults are there for the sole purpose of fully accompanying or chaperoning children or minor teenagers). If a parent or adult is participating and engaging instructors to learn skills, they need to pay for the registration as adults, regardless of their needs to care for and accompany children.

Full Refund up until July 15th, minus 10% for Administrative costs, and/or registration can be carried over to the 2026 gathering.

Contact Meadowlark Hearth Living Environment Foundation for any questions about special needs, accommodations, discount, work trade, or other questions and concerns. 

All participants are invited and strongly encouraged to participate in the Archaeology Fair on Sat. Aug. 8 at the nearby Legacy of the plains Museum. It is a chance to help the Fair’s presenters and instructors and share the skills you have learned with others.

Registration is now Open!

If you prefer to download our Registration Form and mail it to us with a check, along with your Waiver, please click here.

Sign up for camping with Hip Camp here!

 

DOWNLOAD YOUR WAIVER HERE