My Treasure Haul from the Fall Gathering

averageiowaguy

averageiowaguy

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Mar 22, 2011
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A big thank you to Uncle E for hosting the event and to all the guys who showed up early to organize and keep things running smoothly. It also didn't escape my attention that they stayed late to clean up/tear down. Thank you!

I'm already working on video from the gathering first up is a video interview with T. M. Hunt. There will be some monkeybusiness in the video as well. Thanks to all the gathering for helping on it. I more or less bought Mr. Hunt out of stock. :D

I got some video of the gathering overall but it will be a little different than the series I did last year. For one it won't be as long because I presented a fair amount this time and couldn't tape. One thing I am super excited to show is a tour I got of Benton's Smokehouse. I started talking to the old guy and he let me walk around behind the scenes and answered all my questions about the process etc. I am now VERY confident that I can duplicate Benton's Bacon and hams at home. When I do the bacon this year, I'll incorporate the new info I got from Benton's and make more video.
 
if you need a spare "taste tester" for your "averageiowabenton bacon", I would humbly submit my name for consideration. :D
that said, nice haul -- that magwa pattern Todd came up with is really nice.
 
m18 #6 there :)

i might go geo-caching at Ethan's tomorrow looking for bugs and keys
 
Glad you made it home safely.......Was, as always, great to see you and talk and hang out......You are one lucky guy to have the lady you have....It was good to get to know her a bit......She and the pup are welcome anytime......Oh, you are welcome back too.....LOL........

Ethan
 
The part of me that is seriously chagrined over not getting to stop by Benton's and pick up some bacon really wants to shout out scr#w you right about now, but I was really glad to get to meet you and hang out by the fire with you. I really appreciated you sharing your experiences on bush medicine with us. Congrats on the new knives, Todd really does make some nice knives that are very tough and functional. I have already had the pleasure of putting his knives through some rough use and am very impressed with his work. That M-18 is definitely a beast. It's a little big for me these days as I already have more weight than I really want to carry when I head out as it is...plus I do seem to be getting a little lazier as I get older. But If I ever decide I can't take humanity anymore and head for the deep woods to live out my days I will definitely plan my route so that it passes by Todd's house so I can get one. I think it would be an awesome tool to have on long term stays in the bush. I figure worse case I'll have to camp in near by woods till he gets one made for me. I did manage to bring home a Hornet and a Yuma, and having already used one I think the Yuma model is one of the most well thought out and well executed designs I've run across.
 
mistwalker said:
The part of me that is seriously chagrined over not getting to stop by Benton's and pick up some bacon really wants to shout out scr#w you right about now, but I was really glad to get to meet you and hang out by the fire with you. I really appreciated you sharing your experiences on bush medicine with us. Congrats on the new knives, Todd really does make some nice knives that are very tough and functional. I have already had the pleasure of putting his knives through some rough use and am very impressed with his work. That M-18 is definitely a beast. It's a little big for me these days as I already have more weight than I really want to carry when I head out as it is...plus I do seem to be getting a little lazier as I get older. But If I ever decide I can't take humanity anymore and head for the deep woods to live out my days I will definitely plan my route so that it passes by Todd's house so I can get one. I think it would be an awesome tool to have on long term stays in the bush. I figure worse case I'll have to camp in near by woods till he gets one made for me. I did manage to bring home a Hornet and a Yuma, and having already used one I think the Yuma model is one of the most well thought out and well executed designs I've run across.
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It was great to meet you too! Hopefully the next time I won't come so late and you won't leave so early. Scheduling is a problem for me right now.

I agree, Mr. Hunt's work is very well thought out and very well executed. I had a lengthy conversation with him about numerous things.

My thoughts on the M-18 are that it is very well balanced. I bought it because the balance felt almost exactly like my lawnmower blade parang. I know what suits my style as far as weighting of swinging knives, and the balance he got on the knife is perfect for me. I have a lot to learn about using that particular knife but I am going to incorporate it into my system for certain styles of wilderness. I do not have enough experience with it yet to bring it as my life or death knife but I'm going to work with it and see if I can make it fit. If not, I own the 6th one of these ever made, and I am confident that Mr. Hunt will make an indelible mark on the knife industry. Some day that will be a museum piece.
 
aig, as always, it was a pleasure seeing you. Your talk on bushcraft medicine made a LOT of sense to me, and you'll always be a straight arrow in my book. Thank you for the intel.
As for hauls, my mama didn't raise no fool. I know how to stand in the shade. I know how to get out of the rain. And I know to stop by Benton's every time I visit Ethan.

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And I know good knives when I see 'em. I didn't get an M-18, but I got on the list. And I did pick up these two.

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In addition to the meat pile above, I also have six pounds of sausage in the freezer.
Sorry, make that five-and-half pounds. Last night I had the urge for an omelette.

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Ethan Becker said:
Glad you made it home safely.......Was, as always, great to see you and talk and hang out......You are one lucky guy to have the lady you have....It was good to get to know her a bit......She and the pup are welcome anytime......Oh, you are welcome back too.....LOL........

Ethan
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Once again, thank you for hosting me this weekend. I always tell everyone that once they meet my wife, they want very little to do with me. LOL! The pup (Herladydogship) was very happy to spend her first nights camping at your place. I have to say I'm impressed at how well she did. My last Boston hated the outdoors.

I'll see you at PWYP and your spring gathering (if you have one). The only thing that will keep me away is if I'm on an expedition.
 
Guyon said:
aig, as always, it was a pleasure seeing you. Your talk on bushcraft medicine made a LOT of sense to me, and you'll always be a straight arrow in my book. Thank you for the intel.
As for hauls, my mama didn't raise no fool. I know how to stand in the shade. I know how to get out of the rain. And I know to stop by Benton's every time I visit Ethan.

P1050426.jpg


And I know good knives when I see 'em. I didn't get an M-18, but I got on the list. And I did pick up these two.

P1050423.jpg


In addition to the meat pile above, I also have six pounds of sausage in the freezer.
Sorry, make that five-and-half pounds. Last night I had the urge for an omelette.

P1050425.jpg
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Wow! That omelet looks fantastic. I didn't get any sausage on account of the long drive home. I wanted to buy one of the larger of the 2 knives you bought as well but I think he ran out before I had a chance. Great to see you again and I'm glad you liked the talk. I could literally talk for days about how to take care of yourself and others in the wilderness. You guys got the condensed version.
 
He still had 2 of the Yuma's Saturday evening -- the red handled and one other.
 
Great to meet you and your wife.

Your outdoors medicine talk was solid information. I'm going to go through my kit, throw out those butterfly sutures, and get a tube of vaseline.

This being my first time at the gathering, I don't think I've experienced Benton's meat. I did find Sloan's on the way out, and just had to go in and look around. I never found the turkey bells, though.
 
SaturatedShadow said:
Great to meet you and your wife.

Your outdoors medicine talk was solid information. I'm going to go through my kit, throw out those butterfly sutures, and get a tube of vaseline.

This being my first time at the gathering, I don't think I've experienced Benton's meat. I did find Sloan's on the way out, and just had to go in and look around. I never found the turkey bells, though.
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Thanks for the compliment! You actually did experience Benton's meat. The sausage that was cooked up Sunday morning was Benton's. Best sausage I know of besides the stuff I make. I bought the last turkey bell on Saturday but there were a few small goat bells left and a range of bells going all the way up to large cow.

Good to meet you! Hope to see you again either at PWYP or at Ethan's Spring Gathering.
 
Guess what I found in my car.... a key to a volkswagon. I will send you a PM so I can get it to you. Cause that is what one M-18 owner does for another M-18 owner. :D
 
Hawk590 said:
Guess what I found in my car.... a key to a volkswagon. I will send you a PM so I can get it to you. Cause that is what one M-18 owner does for another M-18 owner. :D
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Well if I find a Volkswagen key I'll make copies and send it with every M-18 from here after. I'm going to CVS after work to buy vaseline, sports wrap, Advil/Tylenol and Benedryl. I know that sounds like party favors, but I'm really stocking up my med kit, thanks Doc!
 
Hawk590 said:
Guess what I found in my car.... a key to a volkswagon. I will send you a PM so I can get it to you. Cause that is what one M-18 owner does for another M-18 owner. :D
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Dude! Words can not explain the favor I owe you. You saved my hooptie. To replace that key would have cost more than my hooptie is worth. Thank you!
 
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