Al Ainsworth - Wild Foods & Traditional Skills

Al Ainsworth - Wild Foods & Traditional Skills My name is Al Ainsworth I am wild foods and traditional crafts educator in the Hunter region of NSW.

Got some beer, plum wine, fresh bread, and farmer's cheese sorted today—simple pleasures go a long way. Winemaking is de...
31/12/2024

Got some beer, plum wine, fresh bread, and farmer's cheese sorted today—simple pleasures go a long way. Winemaking is definitely a labor of love, and I’m already thinking about my next batches: maybe a wild fennel wine for its unique, aromatic flavor, and a parsnip wine for something earthy but a sweet. We will see how it goes

-brew

Out for a bushwalk in the beautiful Brisbane National Park, hoping to cool off with a swim at the falls and capture some...
31/12/2024

Out for a bushwalk in the beautiful Brisbane National Park, hoping to cool off with a swim at the falls and capture some plant photography. Unfortunately, the falls were dry as a bone, and the harsh lighting made photography a challenge. Still, it was a great day to explore the local bush.

A customer sent me this cool shot of my handcrafted Green River knife sheath and kangaroo leather bracelet in action! Se...
26/12/2024

A customer sent me this cool shot of my handcrafted Green River knife sheath and kangaroo leather bracelet in action! Seeing my creations being used and appreciated truly makes this Boxing Day special.

I wrapped and sent out the last of the Christmas orders—a bundle containing some Green River, an Old Hickory, and a Buck...
23/12/2024

I wrapped and sent out the last of the Christmas orders—a bundle containing some Green River, an Old Hickory, and a Buck 110 leather sheath. These knives steeped in a bit of Americana. Bit satisfaction in posting so many of these out at the one time.



Out today with some young members of the local homeschool community, teaching some bush navigation and getting sidetrack...
05/12/2024

Out today with some young members of the local homeschool community, teaching some bush navigation and getting sidetracked with bush tucker and plant ID. It’s always amazing to see the curiosity these kids bring—future leaders in the making! Their curiosity, connection to nature, and eagerness to learn is a powerful reminder of how important it is to nurture these skills for tomorrow’s caretakers,. Truly a privilege to work with these guy.

Homeschool Bush Navigation Workshop - Newcastle  Date: Thursday 5th December Location: Newcastle (Whitebridge/Kotara)I a...
25/11/2024

Homeschool Bush Navigation Workshop - Newcastle

Date: Thursday 5th December
Location: Newcastle (Whitebridge/Kotara)

I am runing a hands-on bush navigation workshop designed specifically for homeschoolers! This event is perfect for kids who love the outdoors and want to learn essential navigation skills. Please shoot me a message to reserve a spot.

Reading and understanding maps
Using a compass
Natural navigation techniques
Planning safe routes

Time: 10:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: Whitebridge/Kotara (specific meeting point to be shared upon registration)

Cost $55

What to bring: Packed lunch, water bottle, sun protection, comfortable bush clothing, and a sense of adventure!

Learn valuable life skills.Spaces are limited, so be sure to register soon! For more information and to sign up, please send me a message.

Little project I’ve been working on. I might need to go back and get some better supporting photography. It’s a fire-sta...
22/11/2024

Little project I’ve been working on. I might need to go back and get some better supporting photography. It’s a fire-starting necklace, made using natural materials with a small firesteel toggle and a ceramic striker. I wanted it to look like a piece of jewelry first, not some kind of over-the-top survival or prepper accessory. It’s crafted with feral buffalo fox anf leather cord, designed as a backup, secondary fire-starting method—not a primary one of course

This necklace gives you the ability to carry fire wherever you go. The ceramic striker is a game-changer when paired with the firesteel. You can unwrap the whole setup and use the leather cord as a handle for both tools.

Follow the link to adopt this piece

Stumbled upon a heap of geebung fruit (*Persoonia longifolia*) on the ground under this tree. The ripest ones are always...
18/11/2024

Stumbled upon a heap of geebung fruit (*Persoonia longifolia*) on the ground under this tree. The ripest ones are always the ones that drop naturally—perfect for foraging!

Also spotted a red triangle slug (*Triboniophorus graeffei*) nibbling on the geebung bark. Love finding these little guys—they’re often tucked away, out of sight. They’re like tiny bush artists, leaving crazy abstract marks on gum trees as they glide along.

graeffei longifolia

Had a great time hosting another personalized bush skills workshop the other day! We kicked things off by connecting wit...
17/11/2024

Had a great time hosting another personalized bush skills workshop the other day! We kicked things off by connecting with nature, diving into plant identification techniques, spotting fascinating flora, and discovering some amazing foraging plants.

The highlight of the day was getting hands-on and crafting some awesome primitive weapons from natural materials—a fun and practical mix of creativity and survival skills.

This season is perfect for immersing yourself in the outdoors, learning essential bushcraft techniques, and experiencing the wonders of nature. Whether you're into foraging, plant identification, wild cooking, or tool crafting, I offer personalized, hands-on workshops tailored to your interests.

Just made this unique little firesteel using weathered kangaroo bone and old copper wire. A functional piece made mostly...
15/11/2024

Just made this unique little firesteel using weathered kangaroo bone and old copper wire. A functional piece made mostly from found objects. There’s something special about giving new life to materials from the bush.

Foraging & Wild Foods Walk - NewcastleI am running a  Wild Foods walk on Sunday, 24rd November. The starting/meeting poi...
15/11/2024

Foraging & Wild Foods Walk - Newcastle

I am running a Wild Foods walk on Sunday, 24rd November. The starting/meeting point will be at Frenleigh Cafe, Adamstown, at 11:15 am.

It's a great time of year to get out and about and learn about some of the amazing wild plants growing around us. If you are interested in this event.Please send me a message, and I will reserve a spot for you for this event.

This is essentially a crash course in the art of foraging wild plants, covering many local "weeds" and bush tucker plants. I will also be bringing food and drink samples to show how wild plants can be used in our everyday lives.

My personal background includes working as a chef and later training in horticulture. I combine both disciplines in these workshops and walks, focusing on both the botany and the culinary uses of wild plants.

**Cost:** Voluntary donation of $55. Free for those on Centrelink, single mothers, and refugees.
**Duration:** About two to three hours
**Meeting Point:** Frenleigh Cafe, 89 Fletcher St, Adamstown NSW 2289
**Suggested Gear:** Smartphone, hat, water bottle, rain jacket, and sensible footwear.

Just finished making this compact, lightweight sharpening strop from kangaroo leather I wanted a portable piece of gear ...
11/11/2024

Just finished making this compact, lightweight sharpening strop from kangaroo leather I wanted a portable piece of gear to easily pout to my backpack—perfect for those days in the field when you need a quick, reliable edge on your tools. The design is simple but super effective.

Just uploaded a new video on YouTube! 📺 It's featuring my Kangaroo Leather Bushfood Spice Kit, one of the top seller bit...
10/11/2024

Just uploaded a new video on YouTube! 📺 It's featuring my Kangaroo Leather Bushfood Spice Kit, one of the top seller bit of kit in my Etsy shop! This kit combines eco-friendly kangaroo leather with a unique blend of wild and Australian spices, bringing authentic bush flavours to your meals.

In the video, I’m cooking up a Kangaroo Mess Kit Stew so you can see how these spices bring bush flavours to life.

Working hard on the Etsy shop at the moment, getting leather orders out the door. Hopefully, by Monday, things will be b...
06/11/2024

Working hard on the Etsy shop at the moment, getting leather orders out the door. Hopefully, by Monday, things will be back on an even keel. Apologies for the hard sell, but there's still time to order for Christmas! My leatherwork is bush-inspired, featuring kangaroo and emu leather and other Australian materials. I’ve been in a creative flow, crafting some free-flow leather jewellery designs lately.

I love this one—a real standout piece made from Australian kangaroo tail leather. The bracelet has a really unique textu...
06/11/2024

I love this one—a real standout piece made from Australian kangaroo tail leather. The bracelet has a really unique texture, secured with a simple brass stud at the back. I really wanted to keep this one for myself, but it's now in my store, sadly..

# bushcraftlether

Preparing a flavorful beef stew for lunch with my Australian bush food spice kit, kept in a custom leather pouch. Added ...
05/11/2024

Preparing a flavorful beef stew for lunch with my Australian bush food spice kit, kept in a custom leather pouch. Added a dash of native oregano and pepperberry to the mix, along with beef, potatoes, onion, and garlic – letting those unique native spices shine. It turned out delicious, and the leather kit is definitely getting well-used!.

This piece has a more masculine energy. Made from crocodile back straps, the adjustable strap is crafted from oil kangar...
03/11/2024

This piece has a more masculine energy. Made from crocodile back straps, the adjustable strap is crafted from oil kangaroo leather and includes a brass buckle. It’s a bold statement piece, and I like how it turned out. Working with crocodile leather can be particularly challenging, sometimes.

Loving the old-school retro label—nice to see this USA classic here in Australia. Bush cooking dinner with some Old Bay....
29/10/2024

Loving the old-school retro label—nice to see this USA classic here in Australia. Bush cooking dinner with some Old Bay. Found out about this seasoning thanks to Dave Canterbury over on YouTube; he always seems to be pulling it out of his backpack. This stuff is a blend of something like 18 herbs and spices that brings just the right kick.

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Newcastle, NSW
2289

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