KINGDOM DEPUTY MOAS FOR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
Gisela von Kreutzbach and I traded the position of Deputy MOAS for Agriculture back and forth a few times but I've held that position now for the past two years. When I took the position I requested that Forestry be added to the title so that those people would have a voice as well. In that roll I make sure there is always an Ag/Forestry track at Atlantian Universities and other events such as War of the Wings. I encourage and promote those related arts and sciences Kingdom-wide and support those communities in a number of other ways.
FOUNDER OF GARDENS OF THYME & OAKWOOD
One aspect of the SCA that has always dismayed me was the lack of attention the agricultural world receives in the SCA when it is, in fact, the basis of absolutely everything a medieval person’s world would revolve around. Lord or knave, sinner, or saint, all were dependent upon agriculture. To address this lack of knowledge and understanding of such a fundamental aspect of medieval life, a few of us began the Gardens of Thyme event to promote Medieval Agricultural A&S in the Kingdom. The Gardens of Thyme grew to include the Forestry arts and sciences and the event became The Gardens of Thyme and Oakwood. We also held the first Known World Agricultural Symposium, which drew individuals from five different kingdoms. I’ve served as competition coordinator, and display coordinator at each of those events, as well as teaching classes and being one of its founding organizers. At War of the Wings 2018 I organized an agricultural village. Sadly, I had to withdraw my participation from that event due to cancer surgery, but not before it was organized and ready to go with a structure and classes all set. Annora Hall was instrumental in organizing that making sure it went off smoothly.
FOUNDER OF ATLANTIAN AGRICULTURAL & ANIMAL HUSBANDRY GUILD
After speaking with many people about an Agricultural guild who were fixtures at the Gardens of Thyme event and regularly teaching Ag related classes across the Kingdom, I felt it was time to get that rolling. I researched the structure of different guilds and wrote up a guild charter with the guidance of Etienne La Mons d’Anjou. The research and earnest conversations took about a year and by War of the Wings 2022 I had the charter ready and a group of individuals committed to making sure the guild would thrive. Their Majesties gave us their blessings and the charter was signed at Twelfth Night 2023. I promised to organize the guild, get it going, and run it for a year but then planned to hand it off to others so that it wasn’t just “my” guild. I wanted strong participation in growing the guild and buy-in from a growing community. It’s their guild. We decided to use the existing Facebook group Agricultural A&S in Atlantia since most of us were already communicating on there. This past War of the Wings (2023) I handed off leadership of the guild to a new person but I am still actively participating and guiding the new leadership. The guild charter can be found here.
The guild has had two events in 2023, a beginning beekeepers day and a garden walking tour of Old Salem Gardens. We have several meetups, virtual and in person planned for the coming year.
GUILD MEMBERSHIPS
Royal Forestry Guild
Active oathed member of the Kingdom of Atlantia Royal Forestry Guild
Joined the Guild in 2021
I’ve contributed a few articles to our newsletter.
Atlantian Brewers Guild
Member
SCA Beekeepers Guild
Member
Atlantian Herbal Guild
Member
Sacred Stone Cooks Guild
Founding Member
ARCHERY
History
Target Archery Marshal since about 2005.
Co-founder of Southern Atlantian Archery Day (SAAD) .
My Events
Autocratic and co-autocratted three Southern Atlantian Archery Days.
Target Archery Marshal in Charge for 4 and Deputy Target Archery Marshal in charge for 3.
Became Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Target Archery in 2012
Created the Youth Marshal Program.
Created the Mentor program for marshals.
Created a Target Archery DEM book (Wisdom and Folly) to be passed along to each DEM that shows the history and changes. (May be online now.)
Sponsored Archery A&S competitions:
Arrow making competition at a Ruby Joust.
Archer Related Leatherworking competition at a KASF.
An all things archery at a KASF.
A target making competition at a War of the Wings, populace vote.
Archery related poetry competition at a SAAD.
Bardic Competition at a SAAD.
CLASSES I HAVE TAUGHT AND HANDOUTS
November 19, 2005 – Medieval Gardening, two hours
June 6, 2009 – How to run a Successful Target Archery Shoot at Events
June 6, 2009 – Cordial Making Basics
June 8, 20 13– How to Run Archery at Events
June 1, 2013 – Bees in the Garden
October 10, 2014 – Youth Archery
October 10, 2014 – Target Archery Marsal 101
March 1, 2014 – How to Run Archery at Events
March 1, 2014 – Lacto Fermentation as a Medieval Food Preservation
September 19, 2015 – Archery Marshal in Training
September 19, 2015 – How to Run the Archery Range for Events
May 21, 2026 – Gardening Basics – medieval gardening
February 4, 2017 – Medieval Kitchen Gardens
February 4, 2017 – Keeping the Harvest, Medieval Food Preservation
February 4, 2017 - Gardening for Kids
June 10, 2017 – Medieval Kitchen Gardens
October 21, 2017 – Keeping the Harvest – Medieval Food Preservation
August 25, 2018 – The Medieval Kitchen Garden
February 2, 2019 – Keeping the Harvest, Medieval Food Preservation
February 13, 2021 – Medieval Kitchen Gardens
February 13, 2021 – Beginners Guide to Growing a Medieval Kitchen Garden
February 13, 2021 – Keeping the Harvest, Medieval Food Preservation
September 18, 2021 – Growing Medieval Vegetables
June 11, 2022 – Medieval Kitchen Gardens
June 11, 2022 – Growing Medieval Vegetables
June 12, 2022 – Keeping the Harvest, Medieval Food Preservation Techniques
May 14, 2022 – Fire Chicken, Cooking over a fire
May 15, 2022 - Growing Medieval Vegetables
October 14, 2022 – Keeping the Harvest, Medieval Food Preservation
February 4, 2023 – Growing a Feast
June 10, 2023 – Growing Medieval Vegetables
June 10, 2023 – Keeping the Harvest
PENNSIC WAR CLASSES (THAT I CAN REMEMBER)
Archery for Kids
Running Archery at Events
Medieval Food Preservation Techniques
Medieval Kitchen Gardens
OTHER CLASSES TAUGHT
Other classes were taught at In a Phoenix Eye – Sacred Stone, War of the Wings, Gardens of Thyme and Oakwood, and many classes on the archery range for beginners, kids, and marshals.
CLASS PRESENTATIONS AND HANDOUTS
Growing a Medieval Feast YouTube Video
Growing a Medieval Feast
Growing Medieval Vegetables
· Lacto-fermentation as a Medieval Food Preservation Technique
· Notes Keeping the Harvest and Presentation
· Medieval Kitchen Gardens class handout
· Three Ways to Cook Chicken Over the Fire (Gardens of Thyme and Oakwood)
A&S PROJECTS (IN RANDOM ORDER)
Growing a Feast – Working with the head cook for The Barony of the Sacred Stone’s Baronial Birthday, I came up with a list of items that grow well in NC that are also medieval appropriate for a feast.
War of the Wings A&S Display of Medieval Variety Plants
Growing Medieval Period Thatching Wheat – a yearlong process that ended in hives.
Making a Medieval Period Clay Oven in my backyard (With the help of the Sacred Stone Cooks Guild.) Documentation (Pictures and writeup coming soon)
Growing Medieval Period Gourds -
Growing Medieval Period root crops
A&S NOTES AND NOTABLE
Competitions Entered
· To – From Competition, KASF – Growing a Feast (won competition)
· Period Cooking Competition – Meat Pyes (won competition)
· Poetry Competition, Sacred Stone Baronial Birthday – (I won)
· Poetry Competition, Sacred Stone Baronial Birthday – (Didn’t win)
Largess
· Multiple War of the Wings, Baronial Birthday, Pennsic, Ymir, and other events over the years I’ve provided pickles (both modern and period recipes), cordials, honey, and fruit jams all from vegetables and fruits grown on my property such as grapes, blackberries, mulberries, strawberries, peppers, blueberry (not medieval period, plum, fig, and apple.
· Most recently at War of the Wings 2023 for the Bakers Dozen Competition I provided Pumpkin bread (modern recipe from period pumpkins I grew, also the eggs from my chickens, and ginger from my garden); Honey from my beehives; Dried English Thyme from my garden; sweet Moroccan pickles (period recipe using cucumbers from the garden). What’s even better, I won the competition!
MY MEDIEVAL GARDEN
POETRY/SONGS
BEEKEEPING
Keeping bees since 2006
Taught 2023 beginning beekeepers day
A&S POSITIONS HELD
The Barony of the Sacred Stone, Baronial Beekeeper – Sine and Oshi
The Barony of the Sacred Stone, Baronial Brewer – Marc and Ailenor
OTHER OFFICER POSITIONS
· Canton of Crois Brigte – Canton Archery Marshal 2006 to 2016, organized weekly practices, recruited new archers and marshals, marshalled events.
· The Barony of the Sacred Stone – Knights Marshal for three years, roughly 2016, made reports at Monthly Baronial meetings of marshal activities, made sure marshal warrants were up to date, sent reminders, etc.
· Southern Regional Target Archery Marshal for quite a few years
· Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Target Archery
EVENT STAFF
· War of the Wings I – Deputy Target Archery Marshal
· War of the Wings II – Target Archery Marshal in Charge
· War of the Wings III – Youth Target Archery Marshal in Charge
· War of the Wings IV – Target Archery Marshal in Charge
· For the rest of them until 2018 I was either Target Archery Marshal in Charge or Deputy
· Event Marshal for one of the Of the Stone events 2016ish
· Target Archery Marshal in Charge for various events such as Ymir, Hawkwood Baronial Birthday, Sacred Stone Baronial Birthdays, Below the Salt, Return to Crecy, Southern Atlantian Archery Day,