Firefly Gathering 2017 is now history. We’re glad you were able to join us and ever so grateful for the positive intention and jubilant energy everyone contributed as we came together once again in sincere and purposeful community. We’re especially grateful to Amy and Bob Wise, the owners of the land at Farm at Green Heron Pond. They welcomed us with open arms and generously allowed us to build our village, teach our classes, dance to our drums and enjoy the warm camaraderie for which Firefly has become so well-known.
If you weren’t able to make it this year, we do look forward to either meeting you or seeing you again next year. We don’t yet know the dates for Firefly Gathering 2018, but we expect to be able to announce them ASAP later this summer.
Meanwhile, our annual Lost & Found program is in full swing. Please send a description of your lost item by email to Bari to see if your wayward items made it into the collection boxes. If you get home and find a wayward item that doesn’t belong to you, please let Bari know, since someone is likely looking for it.
The Firefly staff will begin organizing in earnest for 2018 after the Winter Solstice. By mid-March, we’ll be opening online registration, posting instructor and worktrade applications, and starting to update the website. Stay tuned for the latest news by signing up for our newsletter at the link below.
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The Gathering offers a wide range of classes for adults and children on eco-homesteading, primitive skills, permaculture and nature connection designed to enhance your everyday life.
Firefly gathers a bevy of inspiring, amazing people. In addition to two class sessions each of the four days, we offer evening entertainment, basic infrastructure, and on-site camping.
We encourage you to check out the Firefly Manifesto to find out how we have all come together for four days every summertime for more than a decade to share skills and commune with each other and nature.
We welcome our sponsors
Coco Libre Organic Coconut Water
and Vermont Smoke and Cure
We can’t thank you enough!
Check out their amazing products and give a big high five for helping us with this year’s Gathering!
Classes and Programs
Crafts in Basketry, Fibers, Leatherwork, Clothing, and Making Natural Dyes
We have a range of classes in Crafts Examples include Basketry, Fibers, Leatherwork, Clothing, and Making Natural Dyes (see below for more about these) Check out our Permaculture and Organic Gardening classes, as... Read More
Bushcraft and Campcraft
Hunting and Fishing Hunting classes include instruction in the use of hunting tools such as archery, and knife and tomahawk throwing. We also offer classes where you can learn to make hunting tools like... Read More
Fire, Metal and Stone Classes
Fire-Making We have crossed many significant thresholds on our journey to becoming modern human beings: walking upright, language, art, religion, horticulture and irrigation. Perhaps the most important is the careful cultivation and taming... Read More
Community and Storytelling
Communication & Community Building Ancient Chinese knowledge teaches that “the community that practices nonviolent communication together, stays together.” OK, so maybe it’s a new Asheville saying, but the skills of empathic engagement, peacemaking... Read More
Natural Parenting and Mentoring
For Closely related classes, please check out our Community and Storytelling Classes. Classes that Matter for Raising a Healthy Next Generation In 2015, we added a new track of classes specifically geared toward... Read More
Plant Medicine and Food
We have a range of classes about plant medicine and food. Food and Fermentation Our Food and Fermentation track includes classes on everything from wild edible mushrooms and open-fire cooking to advanced... Read More
Natural Building and Appropriate Technology
Natural Building Clay. Straw. Wood. Stone. Debris shelters. Wattle-and-daub walls. Timber-framing. Tiny homes. Three-season shelters. Putting a roof over one’s head is one of the most important ways we empower ourselves and become... Read More
Gardening and Permaculture
We have a range of classes about plant medicine and food. For Closely related classes, please check out our Homesteading / Survivalism Classes. Organic Gardening Learning the basics of organic gardening is the... Read More