Introducing the Lost Skills Gathering

By Brandon Elijah Scott

 

A One-Day Revival of Hands, Heart, and Heritage in Coshocton, Ohio

It feels like the modern world has made everything “easier,” and yet somehow we’re more exhausted than ever. We have convenience everywhere, but confidence is rare. We can order dinner with our thumbs, watch a thousand tutorials on how to do something, and still feel strangely helpless when life asks us to actually do the thing. When a button pops off. When the power goes out. When the garden overproduces and we don’t know how to preserve it. When a kid asks, “How do I make this?” and we realize we’ve never been taught.

And I don’t say that as some grumpy old man shaking a fist at technology. I use technology every day. I’m grateful for modern tools. I’m also painfully aware of what we’ve lost in the process, and what it’s doing to our hearts, our families, and our communities.

Because here’s the truth: when a person knows how to make something with their own two hands, it changes them. It makes them steadier. It makes them calmer. It makes them less afraid. It gives them a quiet kind of dignity that no purchase can replicate. You can feel it in people who grew up learning from grandparents, farmers, makers, and old-school doers. You can see it in the way they move through the world. They don’t panic as easily. They improvise. They mend. They figure it out. They know how to live.

That’s the heartbeat behind what I’m about to announce.

On Saturday, October 3rd, 2026, we’re bringing something brand new to Coshocton County, and I believe it’s going to become one of the most meaningful traditions our region has ever hosted.

It’s called the Lost Skills Gathering, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a one-day, hands-on heritage festival where elders, artisans, makers, growers, teachers, and storytellers share the practical skills that built strong families and resilient communities for generations.

Lost skills aren’t gone. They’re just waiting to be practiced again.

 

What Is The Lost Skills Gathering?

Picture this.

You’re walking through Clary Gardens Botanical Sanctuary in early October, when Ohio turns into a painting. The air is crisp, the sunlight hits different, and the trees start doing that thing they only do for a few short weeks a year. The gardens are alive with color. Leaves tumble across the paths in gold and ember tones. Somewhere in the distance there’s music, laughter, and that low hum of a community that feels relaxed, safe, and present.

And tucked throughout those gardens are little circles of learning.

A tent where someone is teaching you how to mend, stitch, or patch the thing you normally would have thrown away.

A table where an elder is showing a young dad how to sharpen a blade the right way, not the fast way.

A small crowd gathered around a demonstration, watching hands that have done the work a thousand times. The kind of hands that make you think, “Oh… so that’s how it’s supposed to look.”

A place where a kid is making something messy and joyful, and they’re proud of it because they did it themselves.

A quiet corner where a storyteller is reminding people that wisdom isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s carried in simple sentences, a few good habits, and the memory of what our grandparents considered normal life.

That’s the spirit of this festival.

The Lost Skills Gathering is not a festival you simply consume. It’s a festival you participate in.

It’s a living classroom. It’s a celebration. It’s a gathering of people who still remember, and people who want to learn. It’s a bridge between generations, built with curiosity, kindness, and a deep respect for the old ways that kept people fed, healthy, warm, and connected.

 

Why We’re Doing This Now

I’ve spent my adult life studying plants, medicine making, and the old-world rhythms that modern living tends to bulldoze right over. I’ve also spent years teaching through Green Path Academy and serving our community through Woodland Herbal, and what I’ve seen again and again is this:

People are hungry for what’s real.

They’re tired of feeling like life is a treadmill. They’re tired of being marketed to. They’re tired of shallow noise, surface-level outrage, and the strange numbness that comes from spending too much time disconnected from land, craft, and community.

And when people come back to their hands, something shifts.

When someone learns how to make a salve, bake bread, preserve food, build a fire, weave, carve, ferment, repair, garden, or craft something useful, you can see it in their eyes. It’s not just “a skill.” It’s a reconnection to capability. It’s a reminder that we’re not meant to be helpless. We’re not meant to outsource everything that makes us human.

The older generations in our community carry a wealth that cannot be replaced. Skills. Stories. Sense. Practical wisdom. Quiet resilience. Many of them lived through hard seasons we can barely imagine, and they kept moving. They kept building. They kept feeding families, fixing problems, and showing up.

Meanwhile, many of today’s youth are growing up fluent in screens and digital life, but starved for mentorship and grounded competence. They’re not stupid. They’re not lazy. They’re simply living in a world that doesn’t automatically pass skills down the way it used to.

So we’re creating a place where the passing-down can happen again. Hand to hand. Eye to eye. Without ego. Without politics. Without a bunch of weird divisiveness. Just human beings learning together, remembering what we’re capable of, and leaving with something that sticks.

Because in uncertain times, the most valuable thing you can carry isn’t fear. It’s skill. It’s community. It’s the ability to adapt. It’s the humility to learn from someone who has walked further down the road than you.

 

What You Can Expect That Day

The gathering will feature 50+ timeless skills taught through hands-on instruction, demonstrations, and storytelling. The exact lineup will be announced as teachers are confirmed, and some offerings may shift (because teachers are living treasures and their well-being comes first), but the spirit stays the same.

You can expect a day that feels human again.

You’ll wander. You’ll watch. You’ll try. You’ll ask questions. You’ll meet people. You’ll hear stories. You’ll laugh. You’ll leave with a list of things you want to practice at home, and a deeper sense of gratitude for the people who kept these skills alive.

There will be learning and demonstrations spread throughout the gardens, plus areas for music, food, and simple comfort. It will be welcoming to families, beginners, and seasoned makers alike. No competition. No hierarchy. No “you should already know this.” Just shared curiosity.

And because this matters to me deeply, we’re building the culture intentionally. The Lost Skills Gathering is meant to be inclusive, kind, and welcoming, a place where politics are set aside and connection through learning is at the heart of the day. If you’ve been craving something that feels calm and wholesome, this is for you.

 

“Pay By The Heart” Model

A Culture of Gratitude for Our Teachers

One of the most beautiful parts of the old ways is that learning wasn’t always transactional in the modern sense. A neighbor taught you, you helped them back. An elder showed you, you brought them something from your pantry. A teacher shared wisdom, you honored them with genuine appreciation.

We’re bringing that spirit into this festival with what we call Pay by the Heart.

Here’s what that means: our teachers are giving their time, their knowledge, and often their materials to keep these traditions alive. Instead of charging separately for every learning circle, most classes will suggest a small donation that helps cover materials and honors their effort. As a general guideline, many will fall around $5–$25, depending on what’s being taught.

Think of it like a living tip jar for knowledge.

If you learn something that moves you, give a little more. If money is tight, know that gratitude takes many forms. A note. A handshake. A kind word. A small handmade token. What matters most is the spirit of giving and respect.

So come prepared not just to learn, but to give back, from your wallet or your heart.

Because if we want elders and artisans to keep showing up, we have to make sure they feel valued. That’s how living traditions survive.

 

How The Day Works

I want to make this simple.

You do not need to be an expert to come to this festival. You don’t need special gear. You don’t need to “fit in.” You just need curiosity and a willingness to try.

Most offerings will be rolling and drop-in style. That means you can join when space allows. Some sessions will repeat. Some will have a small queue. Some will be a quick demo that turns into a deeper conversation. That’s the beauty of it. It’s alive, not rigid.

The goal is not perfection. The goal is reconnection.

And I promise you, there’s something deeply healing about being around people who are creating, making, and teaching with humility. It changes your nervous system. It makes you breathe differently. It reminds you that life isn’t only about rushing and consuming. Life is about relationship, craft, and care.

 

Ways To Get Involved

This Festival Is Built By Community Hands

If you feel stirred by this vision, good. That means you’re part of why it needs to exist. And there are several ways to step in.

Become a Teacher

Teaching at the Lost Skills Gathering isn’t just leading a class. It’s keeping a flame lit.

This festival is built around the people who still remember how to make, mend, grow, build, preserve, and pass wisdom hand to hand. When you share your skill here, you’re giving our community something rare: confidence. The kind that comes from knowing how to do something real with your own hands.

Your teaching helps shape a day where learning feels human again, gathered in small circles, fueled by stories, questions, laughter, and that moment when someone says, “I didn’t know I could do that.”

Whether your skill is humble or masterful, common or nearly forgotten, your presence becomes part of a living archive of practical knowledge that strengthens families, inspires younger generations, and honors the elders who carried these traditions forward.

If you feel called to be a skill keeper, we’d love to welcome you into the teaching lineup. Teacher applications are open on the festival website.

Become a Sponsor

There are moments when a local business has the chance to do more than advertise. It can stand for something.

Sponsoring the Lost Skills Gathering is a way to visibly champion community, sustainability, education, and cultural preservation. Your support turns a single day into a lasting ripple. It strengthens local tourism. It brings visitors to Coshocton County. It supports teachers and artisans. It helps us create a festival that can return year after year and become a beacon of connection and belonging.

And here’s the real part: sponsoring something like this says, “We care about people. We care about roots. We care about the future, and we respect the past.”

If that feels aligned with your business or organization, we’d love to talk. Sponsorship information is available on the festival site.

Volunteer

Some of the best people I know are the ones who quietly show up early, stay late, and help make things run smoothly without needing a spotlight.

If you’ve been craving a day that feels real, people learning together, sharing knowledge, and remembering what we’re capable of, volunteering is one of the best ways to be part of it.

We’ll need help with setup, welcoming guests, assisting teachers, keeping things organized, and a range of other roles both before and during the festival. No special experience required. Just a kind heart, a willingness to help, and a love for the old ways we’re bringing back to life.

Volunteer applications are available on the festival website.

Vendors and Food Trucks

A gathering like this should be nourishing in every sense. We’re planning for a select group of artisans and vendors to be chosen through a jury process, and food trucks will be part of the day as well.

If you’re interested in vending, keep an eye on the festival site for application details as they roll out. If you’d like to be placed on a waitlist now, you can email the festival directors and request vendor consideration.

 

The Essentials

Date, Time, Location

The Lost Skills Gathering will take place:

• Saturday, October 3rd, 2026
• 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Clary Gardens Botanical Sanctuary in Coshocton, Ohio
• Rain or shine

Ticketing and entry details are available on the festival website, along with the teacher application, sponsorship package, and volunteer form.

 

My Personal Invitation

If you’ve read this far, I’m going to speak to you plainly.

This festival isn’t about nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s not cosplay. It’s not a trend. It’s not “look at us, we’re so rustic and trendy.”

It’s about remembering what makes a strong life.

It’s about giving our kids and our neighbors something better than endless scrolling and anxiety. It’s about honoring the elders among us while they’re still here to teach. It’s about restoring the quiet confidence that comes from competence, community, and connection to real work.

It’s about creating a day that makes you feel proud to be human.

So come walk the gardens with us in October. Come learn something. Come meet the people who still know. Come listen. Come try. Come bring your family. Come bring your curiosity. Come bring a little cash for Pay by the Heart. Come ready to leave with your spirit a little more awake, and your hands a little more capable.

And if you feel called to contribute, teach, sponsor, volunteer, or help spread the word, please do. This becomes real when community says yes.

One last question for you, because I genuinely want to hear it:

What’s one skill you wish you could have learned from your grandparents, or one skill you’re determined to pass on?