SKIP 2024 at Wheaton Labs

My brother and I just back from a two week SKIP event. SKIP is a crowdsourced homesteading skill accreditation system. Paul Wheaton and Mike Haasl devised a framework dividing homesteading skills into 22 broad subjects or badges (e.g. Gardening, Natural Building, Tool Care). Within each badge there are several individual skills referred to as badge bits or BBs. Under tool care some BBs are sharpening an hatchet, fixing a flat tire on a bike, replacing a tool handle.

Each BB has a list of specifications need to show mastery. Usually, these involve posting a series of pictures or a short video. Here are the specifications for sharpening an hatchet:

Once you have submitted your pictures and/or video your work is reviewed by other SKIP program participants who have already achieved a level of mastery in that subject area. BBs get more difficult as your progress. Lower level BBs can accomplished within a couple of hours while advanced ones can take significantly longer. As you go through the SKIP program you create a verifiable portfolio of homesteading skills.

During the two week SKIP event we did some lower level BBs like sharpening tools, building 3 log benches, round wood carving, and food preservation with some guidance from instructors Mike, Opalyn, Rebekah and Carissa. Check out the video above for more details.

SKIP 2024 attendees
On the flight back