This is a record of gatherings of the Forest Court of Carolingia, a group of medieval forester enthusiasts, who are also members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (sca.org). Read on to learn what we do. And if you’d like to join us, please reach out to me.
September 30, 2023: Saunter
Gibbet Hill, Groton, MA. 11 am – 1 pm
The clouds cleared just in time for our saunter. We met in the parking lot of Gibbet Hill Grill, a restaurant in Groton, MA. We geared up in our garb, and gathered our picnic lunches and equipment. Then we found the trail head and sauntered across the field and into the woods.
The field was damp and the trail was muddy from recent rain, but we navigated carefully and avoided mishap.
Continuing up the hill, we skirted the pasture full of black angus cattle. The top of the hill affords a wonderful view of the town below, with a tavern, cathedral, and university in the distance. (Historic hotel/restaurant, church, prep school.)
When we reached the castle, it was still a bit early to eat, so we continued past it to find the bridge. Cresting the hill, more cattle watched us descend the other side, carefully navigating the muddy spots.
At the bridge and various other spots, we stopped to take portraits in full kit.
Along the way, we also took note of flora around us. Sedges, rushes, and grasses in the marsh. Plantain, spotted touch-me-not, black walnuts, and more.
On our way back towards the castle, we met another group of pilgrims traveling in the opposite direction. They asked where we’re from, and we shared a few stories before continuing on our way. Nice folks!
At the castle, we explored the ruins and took more photos. We also enjoyed a picnic lunch, perching on the stone walls and in the window ledges.
Then it was time to conclude our pilgrimage and return home. Along the way, we gathered litter to leave the place better than we found it. And better yet, we met one of our own waiting on the path for us!
Overall, we had a marvelous time. Highly recommended.
September 9, 2023: Carolingia 50 Year Celebration
4-H fairgrounds, Westford, MA. 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.
Our chapter of the East Kingdom Foresters Guild was pleased to participate in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Barony of Carolingia. I had 3 goals for this event:
- Provide a place for foresters to gather, a sort of home base during the event
- Provide an info booth where we could talk to visitors about what we do as foresters, potentially swelling our ranks with new members
- Hold a Foresters Court so some of our local members could swear the oath to become members, and others could be promoted to the rank of Forester
I was very pleased that we managed to accomplish all 3 goals. When we arrived in the morning, Dave and I set up 2 ez-ups on a small rise (strategically chosen in case it rained again; the place where we were meant to be was a large mud puddle after a downpour the day before). Tim also helped, loaning us a couple of round tables and a water jug setup.
One of the ez-ups became our hang-out and visiting space. People came and went, leaving their chairs and gear there, and socializing in the shade when in camp. It was super hot and muggy most of the day, so sitting was a good thing to do. (Peregrine relaxes with a pint-sized companion.)
The adjacent ez-up was fashioned as an information booth. I posted a sort of schedule on the chalkboard out front so folks would be aware of events and opportunities.
Sparking conversations: I also set up a little display of different ways to start a campfire, and what the corresponding forester rank was. I hoped this would spark interest and start some conversations, and it worked beautifully. It drew people in and got them talking and asking questions. (Alas, this site does not permit flames or fires of any type or size, so we couldn’t actually build campfires, but we didn’t really want to in that heat, in any case.)
Yes, please. The hospitality table offered a variety of goodies, along with ice-cold water and lemonade. Many foresters contributed to the table, which was a welcome source of food when we saw the length of the dayboard line. It was also another reason for visitors to linger and chat with us.
Leather tooling: As another way to draw people in and spark interest, I set up a little table with materials to try some leather tooling. This also worked really well engaging with people and giving them a taste of what foresters do. In the afternoon, a group of young people stayed for at least 30 minutes, trying different designs. Participants were able to walk away with a small leather pendant that they designed.
Classes and knot tying: At 11:00, I led another Intro to Hand-Sewing workshop in the Arts & Sciences area, and at 1:00 pm, I taught a class about medieval forestry. This was my first time teaching it, and I have more to learn. I’d like to develop more of a story to tell, rather than just relaying facts. I’ll have to work on that. I had asked Kendrick to be prepared to end the class with 10-15 minutes of teaching folks a couple of knots to get them engaged, and he did a bang-up job. He had prepped materials and instructions, and led us through the historical knots he chose.
After the class, some of the participants wandered over to the foresters area, so it was successful in sparking interest in our group.
Celebrating progress: Finally, at 2:15, we held a Foresters Court. Corotica officiated, and Dave served as sheriff. Four of our members took the oath, becoming Novices. And three of us were promoted to the rank of Forester. We also presented Corotica with a small personal gift (Earl Grey tea, and a beverage cover), as well as largess for the Guild: several hand-sewn linen/wool drawstring bags, and a half-dozen prepared underforester contracts.
Weather! Soon after our Foresters Court was done, we heard that a storm was rapidly approaching. We quickly packed up all our gear and put it safely in cars, then wandered over to the Baronial Court to watch the festivities. A successful day, overall. Many thanks to all who participated and helped with this effort.
September 1, 2023: Stone Soup
Location: Home of Peter & Arlyana, Carlisle, MA. 5-9 pm
We took the summer off from our monthly gatherings, instead attending other events: Vinland Raids at the end of June, and GNEW in July. In August we did a couple of informal workshops to scribe Underforester contracts. And so for this month, it was time to resume regular monthly gatherings of our nascent medieval foresters guild.
I had suggested that we try making stone soup, where everyone brings a little something to add to the pot. No one responded to the idea online, so I didn’t think it would happen; I brought a couple of ingredients just in case. In the end, we made a wonderful communal soup: flat Italian green beans fresh from the farmstand, sweet potatoes, pre-cooked white rice, cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and seasonings. We adjusted ingredients to accommodate preferences and dietary concerns. We cooked chicken sausage and vegan sausage and mushrooms separately, to be added to individual soup bowls as desired. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, even the youngsters who joined us. We also had roasted corn and baked sweet potatoes to round out the meal. Delicious!
Some folks also got signed off on requirements for the rank of Forester. Linette and Kendrick showed off their foresters garb and kit. Linette proved her skills at fire-starting; we cooked the soup over her fire. Now 3 of us are ready to be promoted to Forester at the next foresters court.
June 3, 2023: Campfire cooking
Location: Home of Morwenna O Hurlihie in Billerica, MA. 11 am – 4 pm
This event was a smashing success, in spite of cool damp weather. Many thanks to Morwenna for hosting and helping us cook up a storm. There were many versions of delicious and heart-warming stew, bannock and bread, apple pudding and stewed apples, butter and farmer’s cheese, and so many flavors of jelly, jam, and fruit butter (courtesy of Morwenna ). Fry pans, stew pots, pipkins! Beyond cooking, there was basket making, fiber dying with natural dyes, a short (and wet) wild edibles foraging walk, sewing and netting, fire starting, a talk about hood-making, and hatchet skills to carve a spoon blank. Many thanks to all the brave souls who came out, even thought it was cold and wet. The occasional rain wasn’t too bad, and we had shelter enough to stay outside and tend our fires and pots. Can’t wait for our next gathering!
THE GATHERING
FIRE-MAKING AND CAMPFIRE COOKING
CRAFTING
FELLOWSHIP
May 13, 2023
Location: Tournament of Roses event in Hudson, MA
Due to conflicting events, we ultimately decided to just hold our May gathering at the Tournament of Roses event in Hudson, MA. Once there, we erected an ez-up between the archery range and the thrown weapons range. Then it was lots of relaxing, visiting, and chatting. It was so nice to just relax and enjoy each others’ company without any specific goals or things we had to do. So relaxing, in fact, that I neglected to take a single photo! But we enjoyed a simple lunch along with gingerbread cookies, visited the A&S displays, watched the tournament, and generally just enjoyed the day. We also had a quick Foresters Court where a couple of members swore the oath.
Thankfully, however, Arlyana Van Wyck DID take a few pics.
April 2, 2023: Saunter & Skills
Location: Pepperell MA, hosted by Patty & Dave
We had a total of 14 (or 15?) attendees. We started at 10 am with 5 of us taking a saunter through nearby fields and forest down to a pond and back. We returned to the backyard shortly after 11 am, and others joined us throughout the day, coming and going as their schedules allowed. We had a total of 4 fire pits going, with lots of practicing of fire-starting and campfire cooking. Ella led an Intro to Hand-Sewing workshop, where 5 participants made simple drawstring bags while learning the basics and getting comfortable with needle and thread. We also had a discussion about foresters’ garb. We bemoaned the lack of ranked Foresters who might have been able to sign off some of us for various requirements. I’ll make an effort to invite those who might be able to do so to come to our upcoming events.
SAUNTER
FIRE-STARTING & CAMPFIRE COOKING
INTRO TO HAND-SEWING WORKSHOP
March 5, 2023: In the snow!
Location: Carlisle MA, hosted by Peter & Yona Carmichael
We had a total of 13 attendees, with much practicing of fire-starting, and some cooking. Nest joined us, and a few folks got some requirements signed off. It had snowed 8” the day before, and the temperature was in the 40s. We dressed warmly and supplemented our capes and cloaks with wool blankets to stay warm. Here are some photos of the event.
In the beginning
In an effort to start a local chapter of the East Kingdom Foresters Guild, a core group of us requested a Letter Temporary from the High Warden (January 2023). Once granted, I organized monthly gatherings for anyone interested in learning about the Foresters Guild, where we can practice skills and gather in fellowship. Those gatherings and other doings are described above.
A Medieval Journey 