Old School Survival Boot Camp
Click on the icons below to follow me on social media or to e-mail me!
Hi, my name is Jamie Schmotzer…
…I’m the owner of JW Apothecary LLC, and I’ve got something exciting to tell you!
I recently was approached about an event geared toward “Survival Homesteading Skills for the Modern World,” and guess what?
I’m going to be a presenter at this May 2021 event near Hocking Hills in Ohio!
The plan is to for me to teach 5 herbalism classes per day, and it’s going to be fun!
I’m going to cover a lot of material from beginner level stuff to intermediate and even a pretty advanced class!
For more information, check out:
http://www.oldschoolsurvivalbootcamp.com
I was asked to give a little preview of what each of my 5 herbalism classes will be about, and in this blog post, I’ll do exactly that…but first, a plug for a great course by Creek Stewart!
How long can you last without food and water?
This course will teach you how to build long term pantry storage for “bug in” survival!
How to make “Folk Method” tinctures…
My first presentation will cover the basic question of what a tincture is to begin with. Most of us know about infusing herbs in water to make a “tea,” but why would we use alcohol to extract plant constituents if we can do that with water? In this presentation I will show you exactly how to make a “folk method” tincture using 100 proof vodka, and I’ll discuss straining the tincture when it’s done. I’ll also briefly discuss how doses are determined. This is a basic level presentation.
Making Plant Medicine
The information in my first two presentations may be found in this great book by Richo Cech.
Understanding Tincture Ratios
My second presentation will recap what tinctures are, and it will go beyond the “Folk Method” to discuss how to understand tincture ratios. After this presentation you should be able to understand how using precise ratios of herb to menstruum (a fancy word for the liquid used to extract the herb) and precise ratios of water to alcohol (the menstruum) produce more consistent tinctures. This presentation digs into the matter of solubility and what understanding that is important. As a bonus, I’ll also teach about “teas,” infusions, decoctions, syrups, elixirs, and the like. This is an intermediate level presentation. Watch the video below for a preview of this presentation, and don’t forget to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel!
Simple Tinctures, Compound Tinctures, & Herb Formulas
In my third presentation we will move into more advanced territory to understand what “simple” and “compound” tinctures are so that we can get into how to think about herb formulas.
The Modern Herbal Dispensatory
This book is the inspiration for my third presentation - especially regarding how to think about combining herbs and making formulas.
Fire Cider!
In my fourth presentation I will discuss how to make a powerful antibiotic and antiviral tonic from common grocery store or garden ingredients. This is a subject that I know something about since I was featured in a book called “Fire Cider!” In this presentation I will discuss what Fire Cider is, what an “Oxymel” is, and what some of the health benefits of each ingredients are. I’ll discuss how Fire Cider is made, strained, stored, and used.
Fire Cider!
I am proud to have been a contributor to this book, the proceeds of which went to help fund the court case to reclaim the name “Fire Cider” from those who claimed a trademark on it.
#TraditionNotTrademark.
Herbal Bactine
Technically, I won’t be showing you how to make herbal Bactine in my fifth presentation, but I will be showing how to make a disinfectant liniment with herbs and rubbing alcohol (or moonshine) for topical use only. In this presentation I’ll discuss what a liniment is and why they are particularly useful - especially when it comes to cost effectiveness, making bulk batches, and an incredibly long shelf life. I’ll show how to make this liniment, strain it, and store it. My recipe is inspired by one by Dr. Jethro Kloss in his classic book, Back to Eden.
Final Thoughts
One of the reasons why I agreed to teach at the Old School Survival Boot Camp is because I come from a camping and bushcraft background. I don’t consider myself to be a “prepper,” and I’m surely not a homesteader. However, as an herbalist (and former Boy Scout), I do believe in being prepared. When Covid-19 struck, I had plenty of food and water stored, and I also had a well stocked apothecary full of herbal remedies. In hindsight, I now see how herbalism goes hand in hand with “prepping,” and I’d love to help get you on your way at the Old School Survival Boot Camp.
Old School Survival Boot Camp
For more details about this May 2021 event, click below!