Fertile Ground 2008 - Hints for making your visit to Fertile Ground more enjoyable

What to bring to Fertile Ground Gathering

Camping Supplies
- Decorations for your cabin.
- Sleeping bag or other bedding. The cabins have twin mattresses, but no sheets or blankets! Please, bring your own!
- Ear plugs, if you are a light sleeper
- Flashlight or battery-operated lantern
- A battery-operated clock, especially if you rely on your cell phone for its timekeeping function. Cell coverage is minimal (by which we mean "essentially nonexistent") at the park, and if your phone is one of the ill-conceived ones that cannot tell time without a connection to the network, you'll be wanting an alternative means of telling time.
- Extra batteries
- Extra socks or blankets if you get cold easily. Evenings in early May sometimes still get pretty cool, and the cabins are not heated.
- A hot water bottle (for keeping your toes warm!)
Personal Hygiene Items
- Towels and a washcloth
- Shampoo
- Soap
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Comb or brush
- Insect repellent
- Prescription medications (please keep them in their original, labeled containers)
- If you are allergic to bee stings, and you have an epi-pen, please bring it, and let our safety staff know about it.
Mealtime Supplies
- Food and snacks for you or your group, for lunch Saturday and Sunday, as well as for between meals
- Non-alcoholic beverages for you or your group (hot water and coffee will be availabe in the dining hall). Remember, Park regulations prohibit possession of alcohol at Fertile Ground Gathering!
- Reusable feast gear (plates, bowls, cups, utensils, etc.) We are asking people to bring these so that we can minimize our use of disposable materials. Tubs for washing and rinsing your utensils will be available near the dining hall.
- Charcoal for grilling (there are communal grills in each camp area, but you will need to provide your own charcoal if you intend to use them.
- A cooler or ice chest
- Ice
Clothing
- Sturdy walking shoes. This is an outdoor event; expect to be walking around quite a bit.
- Rain Gear (poncho, umbrella, waterproof shoes). Unless the weather is dangerous, all activities will go on as scheduled!
- Sun Gear (sunscreen, hats, sunglasses). Chuck Norris doesn't need to bring sunglasses, of course; he can just turn down the sun.
- Clothing that is weather-appropriate. Please check the weather reports prior to packing, and then remember that meteorology is a less-exact science than Magic 8-Ball Divination, so pack for a wide range of possible temperatures
- Extra socks and shoes, because if you don't bring them, and it rains, and you have to walk around in squishy wet shoes, you'll wish you had.
Ritual, Workshop, and Communal Gathering Gear
- A group or personal banner, if you have one, to hang from the beams in the Dining Hall. ShadowGrove has one -- don't let it hang alone.
- Ritual garb or clothing (Please, no knives, swords, or athames (non-metal symbolic athames are acceptable to bring)). And by "please" we mean, "weapons violations in a National Park can ruin everyone's afternoon, so please leave the sharp toys at home."
- A cup of earth from your home or sacred space, for participation in the main ritual
- Drums, rattles, bells, or other musical instruments. If you bring a harpsichord, we'll be impressed.
- Notebook and writing utensil(s), for writing down all the cool stuff you learn in the workshops.
- A cushion, mat, or camp chair for use during workshops and other times. (The workshop cabins will have seating, but it's not particularly comfortable seating, because it's made of benches)
- Sacred objects for the community altar
- Flower garland (or supplies to make one at our Flower Garland workshop) for your hair. This is optional; we will have many supplies available for your use. But if you have something special that you would like to use or share, please feel free to bring it.
- Camera (please be sure to get permission from people before photographing them -- not everyone wants their grandmother or employer to see them in ritual garb).

What not to bring to Fertile Ground Gathering

Dangerous Items
- Firearms - remember, it's a Federal Felony to possess a firearm in a national park.
- Knives - The park rangers likely aren't too keen on enormous knives, either.
- Swords - No, you can't claim it's just a really enormous pocket knife.
- Athames - Unless it's made of wood, see above re: "Enormous Knives" vis-a-vis "park rangers, and the keenness thereof".
- Siege Weaponry - You laugh. But then you find out that someone brought a working, nine-foot-tall trebuchet to a prior event at ShadowGrove. See? We have these rules for a reason.
Dangerous or Prohibited Substances
- Alcoholic Beverages - These are prohibited by the National Park Service at this site
- Illegal Drugs - If there is a faster way to meet Mister Federal Law Enforcement Ranger, we can't think of one. Please don't wreck everyone's weekend for a fix.
Animals and Other Heating Devices
- Space heaters - Prohibited in all cabins; the electrical wiring is not designed to handle them, and will black out the entire campsite. That would be bad.
- Electric Blankets - Prohibited for the same reason space heaters are. See above re: "That would be bad."
- Hair Dryers - Again, the power in the cabins just can't handle them. You may plug them in in the restroom buildings only!
- Curling Irons - Like hair dryers, may only be plugged in in the restroom buildings. And really. This is an outdoor festival, in the middle of a forest. How curled does hair need to be, in the woods?
- Companion Animals - Yes, these can be useful in keeping a bed warm (and, in some cases, completely impossible to fit into). But animals of all types, except certified service animals, are prohibited by park regulations.
Dangerous Attitudes
- Prejudice - There will be people from many paths at Fertile Ground, including Druids, Wiccans, Asatru, Romans, and Christians. There will be coveners and solitaries. There will be people of all sorts of different colors, ages, races, heights, weights, orientations, political affiliations, and peccadilloes. Regardless of what you think of a particular group, please be respectful of those who are a part of it.
- Strife - This is a festival about fostering unity. Bringing an outside quarrel into it is not only rude and unseemly, it's counter-productive.

No alcohol is allowed anywhere at Fertile Ground Gathering. This includes cabins. Anyone found in violation will be asked to leave the site. This is a park regulation.
Illegal drugs will not be tolerated and will be grounds for removal from Fertile Ground Gathering.
Firearms and other weapons are prohibited by National Park Service regulations and Federal Law.
Clothing is not optional. Please keep your clothes on at all times. This is a family event being held on state property and nudity is not allowed!
Violence, bad attitudes, arguments and inappropriate/rude behavior will not be tolerated. This is a family event and if you have to ask whether it's inappropriate, it most likely is.
If you wish to use two-way (FRS) radios to keep in touch with others in your group, you are welcome to do so. However, Fertile Ground Staff will be using even-numbered channels for administrative communications, and we therefore ask that our guests only use odd-numbered channels. Anyone using a channel that our staff is using will be asked to move to a different channel. There are plenty of channels in the FRS spectrum, so this should not be a problem.
ID bracelets must be worn and visible at all times for too many reasons to mention here. Please refer to the program FAQ for more information.
Please use the provided trash/recycling receptacles. You will be given a trash bag upon your arrival onsite. Please be kind and use it.
At the end of your stay, please place your garbage in the dumpster outside the Feast Hall. If at any time you need another trash bag, please ask a staff member.
Trash and recycling containers are provided throughout the site. Please use them!
There will be designated smoking sections at all main areas of the campsite, and we ask that smokers please use them. Smoking is prohibited inside all buildings at Fertile Ground. This is a park rule.
Smoking immediately outside the entrance to lodges and halls is prohibited, because it forces others to enter and leave through a cloud of smoke.
Yes, incense and smudging count as smoke. So, although you are welcome to use these outdoors (as long as they remain attended) you may not smudge or burn incense inside your cabin or anywhere else indoors.
Children are not to be left unattended at any time. Any found will be duct taped in place until such time as their parents come to claim them. There are activities and workshops for children ages 5 to 12. Older children may attend the general workshops as long as they are capable of behaving in a mature manner. There are also activities for teens. Please remember that your children are your responsibility. Children under the age of 5 are welcome to visit the Children's Area whiel accompanied by a parent.
The kitchen is off limits to everyone except kitchen staff and volunteers. No exceptions will be made! Violators will join the ranks of the duct taped children!
No swimming in the lake! We do not have a life guard on staff but the large population of snapping turtles guards the lake well and will not tolerate your presence in their home! (Plus, you really don't want that kind of injury.)
You must work your 1 hour of volunteer shift at the time designated to you at the gate. For your convenience, this time will be written on your wristband so that you do not forget. If you do forget and don't show up, you will be hunted down and embarassed publicly.
No open flames are allowed, except as designated by Fertile Ground Staff. There are 5 designated fire areas within the camp ground. The Bonfire Circle and the grills at each of the craft cabin pavilions. No other open flame of any sort will be tolerated on site. This includes, but is not limited to, candles, torches and kerosene flames. (We know how pagans love their candles, but this rule is non-negotiable.)
It is a park rule that lanterns are not to be attached or hung from trees or other vegetation in any manner.
You are responsible for cleaning your cabin before you leave. Please be considerate and leave the area in the condition (or better than!) it was when you arrived. Each cabin must be swept and mopped. Brooms, mops and cleaner are available in each bathhouse.
Noise Restrictions. Please be respectful of your neighbors. We all want to have fun but we need to be mindful of the noise we make. There is an official noise curfew of 12:00 midnight in and around the public areas of the camp site. So please don't sing, chant, yell or play any instruments after this time. The noise curfew for the cabin areas will be 10:00 p.m. Please remember that some folks like to go to sleep early; so be respectful and keep your noise level down in these areas.
No pets. Sorry...no critters, pets, familiars and the like will be permitted into the camp site. Only certified service dogs will be permitted.
We reserve the right to revise these policies without notice.

If there are small children nearby, you may wish to consider the language you use. Many parents would prefer that curse words not be used around their young ones.

If the majority of the folks in your cabin are ready to go to bed, please keep your voices down or move to one of the common areas. If you are the only one who is ready for sleep, don't expect everyone else to be quiet!

If there is an altar in your cabin or cabin cluster, please respect it. Do not set empty drink cans or cups on the altar. Never touch others' magical tools (wands, amulets, chalices, etc.) without their permission.

If you are invited to visit in a cabin, please do not assume this gives you license to go into their cooler or food supply.

Don't enter a cabin without permission!

Bring enough food and drink for the weekend. Do not assume others will provide for you.

Bring appropriate clothing/bedding for the weekend. Remember to bring cold and wet weather gear. Around here, the weather can be very unpredictable during this time of year.

Children are very welcome at Fertile Ground, but please make sure they are cared for. Do not assume that other folks will be willing to watch your children. Explain to your children that they must be with you at all times or in the Children's Area. Make sure they are aware of the kitchen and the First Aid/Information cabin.

Staff members will be wearing a designated pin (and safety staff will be wearing brightly-colored vests) during the day and a specific-color glow stick after dark (Red for EMTs, Blue for safety staff, and Green for all other staff members). If you need assistance or find someone who needs assistance, please locate one of us so that we can assist you or them as needed. All staff members will have radios, so they can call for further assistance if necessary.

Clean up after yourself after meals; please don't leave your dishes and so forth on the tables and expect someone else to pick them up for you. Even if your mother is here, she probably doesn't want to have to clean up after you.

Clean up after yourself at the showers and bathrooms, too. Please remember that others will be using these facilities, too and that courtesy goes a long way.

Smokers must field-strip their cigarette butts if no designated ash-can is available. Throwing butts on the ground is not only a fire hazard; it's disrespectful to the park staff, as well as the Earth itself.
Please pick up any stray trash you find lying on the ground. If you attend the Drum Circle, please do not leave your empty drink containers or trash behind. Pick them up and dispose of them properly when you leave the area.
Treat each other and the park with respect and respect all paths.
Bring a positive attitude.
For more thoughts on festival etiquette, visit Patti Wigington's excellent page on the subject.