Bushcrafter Spring Gathering kicks off month of events at Lumberman's Monument

Dec 25, 2023

OSCODA – Bushcrafters, campers and outdoor enthusiasts met up for a full day of activities at the Michigan Bushcrafter Spring Gathering held at Lumberman's Monument on Saturday, May 6.

Attendees participated in presentations on fire starting, making a story belt and making leather belts, to name a few.

In the morning, television personality Brooke Whipple gave a presentation on her process of making a story belt.

Event co-organizer Tim Parsell said approximately 75 people attended the event, with some coming from as far away as Alaska to see Whipple who was a contestant on Seasons 4 and 5 of the show Alone.

The annual Spring Gathering started in 2018, was held in 2019, took a two-year hiatus and returned in 2022.

During the last event of the day, a belt making workshop, participants received everything they needed to make a leather belt including a freshly cut piece of leather, buckle and hardware. Parsell tries to source all of his materials from companies in the United States, however, he has not found a supplier for the hardware in the U.S.

In the hands-on workshop, participants were shown how to make their belt and did the assembly themselves. The $30 fee included the leather, buckle and hardware. For those who missed the workshop, Parsell has a YouTube video on how to make a belt. Additional information about Parsell, the products he offers and the link to his YouTube channel can be found on his website parsellartisanworks.com.

Celebrate our 2023 graduates!

Enjoy our free 2023 Summer Guide!

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Get the latest local and national news.

Get our expert short-term forecast, summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images.