Heritage Skills USA Homesteading Summit June 6-8, 2025

 Join folks from 26 states and Canada at the largest hands-on homesteading, bushcraft, and self-reliance event in the USA.  The homestead family can make memories while learning new skills at the one-of-a-kind event!  Learn how to homestead off grid and traditional self-reliance food independence and preservation skills.  

The Heritage Skills USA homesteading summit will feature Amish instructors and on  the event eve June 5, tours of Amish farms and businesses for extended learning experiences. Horse drawn wagon rides for attendees and pony rides for kids will also be a part of the homesteading gathering and food independence event.

 The Heritage Skills USA Gathering  is a 3-day  hands-on self-reliance event that takes place annually June 6-8, 2025  in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio. This is not a "sit, listen, and take notes" kind of event. You will be an active participant in the classes and receive skill building hands-on training. 

Nearly 100 hands-on survival, blacksmithing, homesteading, bushcraft, butchering, off grid living, prepping, herbalism, emergency medical , wilderness survival, homeschooling, foraging, and martial arts classes will be offered by 70+ experts from around the country.  

 Learn from the best bushcrafters in the country courtesy of our featured instructor and world renowned bushcraft expert,  Dave Canterbury and his team of highly trained instructors from the famed Pathfinders School.

Heritage Skills USA is a hands-on heritage skills learning experience for the entire family. There are over 30 classes and activities offered each day  just for the kiddos!

 A sampling of homesteading, survival, bushcraft, and homeschool classes  include: Butchering, Beekeeping,   Orienteering,  Bread Making, Archery, Leathercrafting , Gardening               Cheesemaking, Blacksmithing,  Fodder Making Aquaponics, Butchering, Axe Throwing, Foraging                                Hide Tanning, Bushcraft, Fire Making           Emergency Medical, Wilderness  Survival, Canning, Herbalism,  Off Grid Living, Dehydrating         Livestock Husbandry, Sewing and Fiber Arts, Fermenting,  Axe and Knife Throwing

  In addition to our outstanding instructors and Dave Canterbury and his team of Pathfinder School instructors, a host of Amish farmers and craftsman from our region will also be participating in the largest hands-on homesteading, bushcraft, and survival event in the USA!  

 June 5 (Thursday) will offer many fun learning and community building experiences too! Attendees will have a map to all participating Amish farms, stores, and businesses to do drive to at will during the posted open hours to watch, learn, eat, and shop among the Amish! The barns and buildings used for classes, as well as few event tents, are also located more closely together for your walking convenience during the long day of classes.

 Parking for the Heritage Skills USA Homesteading Summit will be at an Amish farm located adjacent to Serenity Acres Homestead and at the Amish schoolhouse next door (which will be open for tours on Thursday) both are the same or less of a walking distance as the parking lot at our former fairgrounds venue. Horse-drawn wagon rides back and forth will also be offered daily. 

  There are only 145 camping spots and are available on a first come first served basis, While all camping spots are now primitive (Serenity Acres Homestead was an Amish farm) gone is the long walk and big hill to the campground! Campers and tents are both welcome to camp in the primitive campground. 

Water access will be offered. Outdoors showers will also be available, as well as a local pump-out service for campers before you pull out to leave.  You can still camp a few miles away at the Vinton County Fairgrounds, Lake Alma State Park, Lake Hope State Park, or at many fine area cabins, campgrounds, and hotels. 

Click on the Eat, Sleep Play tab in the menu for more information. 

The most economical cabin rentals will be at Lake Hope State Park -- but expect hem to be fully booked for the weekend of our homestead gathering by the end of March. 

  Bringing in your own food to picnic during the day or at the campground will still be allowed. The McArthur Fire Department will again be serving breakfast daily. Amish cooks will be the primary food concessions during the event, but several other food vendors may also be in attendance.

Some vendors accept only cash and there is not an ATM machine on-site but are multiple available in McArthur and Hamden.

All local, state, and federal laws regarding alcohol consumption and firearms and other weapons, as well as fireworks will be enforced. Alcohol and leashed pets allowed only  in the campground -with the exception of service animals.  

This is a family environment, no unruly or inappropriate behavior will be tolerated. If you violate the terms of service noted at ticket purchase, you will be ejected without refund at the sole discretion of the event operators.

 Get Tickets! Please send any questions to: heritageskillsusa@gmail.com  

The Heritage Skills USA Homesteading Summit Welcome Packet will be emailed to all ticket holders two weeks prior to the event. Add heritageskillsusa@gmail.com to your email contacts to avoid the packet getting lost in your spam or promotions tab. The Welcome Packet and other important event updates will also be shared on the Heritage Skills USA Facebook page and blog. 

The Homesteading Summit schedule will be posted in March - then the class registration will open. Heritage Skills USA Network members get exclusive access to registration for one week prior to opening to general ticket holders. Members also receive discounted fees or free access to some make and take or ebook included classes. Approximately 85 percent of classes are included in general admission but some have limited enrollment due to the supplies used or nature of the class. Registration is not required for general admission classes but it is the only way to secure your spot in the class.