4 Elements Earth Education
Shelter | Water | Fire | Food
We offer programs in 4 major locations:
California Upcoming Programs
Philadelphia Upcoming Programs
New Jersey Upcoming Programs
South Texas Upcoming Programs
All 4EEE Programs:
(Listed by Date)
NJ Spring Family Wilderness Skills Weekend
Join Us!
Family & Teen Weekend
Join your favorite 4EEE instructors, families and friends in the Pine Barrens!
Welcome to our 2024 Spring Family Wilderness Skills Weekend in the Pine Barrens Primitive Camp! This weekend will inspire you and your family to get outdoors through the warm seasons to come. We look forward to recalling the Old Ways, sitting around the campfire with friends and family, sharing stories, gratitude, and laughter!
We offer sliding scale pricing, subsidized by donations from supporters of our mission. Please select a contribution level consistent with your means. Thank you!
Level 1: $600 first person, $300/additional
Level 2 (subsidized): $450 first person, $225/additional
Level 3 (subsidized): $300 first person, $150/additional
All meals will be provided (dinner on Friday, breakfast/lunch/dinner on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday); please include any dietary restrictions in your registration.
Each family must bring basic, personal camping gear! You will receive a recommended packing list with your confirmation (also included below).
We can't wait to gather with nature and each other around the fire and under the stars. Sign up early to join us for a fun-filled weekend in the Pine Barrens!
- Rick Berry & the 4EEE Crew
Program Details:
Arrival: Friday, May 31st, from 3-5pm.
Departure: Sunday, June 2nd, 12 noon.
NJ Tracker Family Camp
Join Us!
Family & Teen Camp
Join your favorite 4EEE instructors, families and friends in the Pine Barrens!
Welcome to our Tracker Family Camp - a fun-filled wilderness skills week in the Pine Barrens Primitive Camp!
Our 2024 event takes place Sunday-Friday, July 28 - August 2. We look forward to recalling the Old Ways, sitting around the campfire with friends and family, sharing stories, gratitude and laughter!
In 2018 Tom Brown Jr. ran the first Tracker Family Camp. Since then we are thrilled to continue the tradition of having families, teens and little ones in the Pine Barrens Primitive Camp, learning directly from the places where Tom learned from Grandfather Stalking Wolf.
We will practice basic survival skills including shelter building, lost-proofing, fire-making, rock tools, cordage and camouflage. We plan to offer more adventures tracking in the Pines as well as more “edge” experiences for returning parents and youth to push their skills. Teens aged 13 and over are welcome to attend without parents and participate in special adventures and survival overnight for teens only!
PRICING: We offer sliding scale pricing, subsidized by donations from supporters of our mission. Please select a contribution level consistent with your means. Thank you!
Level 1: $700 first person, $350/additional
Level 2 (subsidized): $500 first person, $250/additional
Level 3 (subsidized): $300 first person, $150/additional
Sign up early to join us for a fun-filled week in the Pine Barrens this summer! All meals will be provided (indicate any restrictions in your registration). We cannot wait to see you!
- Rick Berry & the 4EEE Crew
Program Details:
Arrival: Sunday, July 28th, from 3-5pm.
Departure: Friday, August 2nd, 12 noon.
NJ Fall Family Wilderness Skills Weekend
Join Us!
Family & Teen Weekend
Join your favorite 4EEE instructors, families and friends in the Pine Barrens!
Welcome to our 2024 Fall Family Wilderness Skills Weekend in the Pine Barrens Primitive Camp! This weekend will inspire you and your family to get outdoors through the cooler seasons to come. We look forward to recalling the Old Ways, sitting around the campfire with friends and family, sharing stories, gratitude, and laughter!
We offer sliding scale pricing, subsidized by donations from supporters of our mission. Please select a contribution level consistent with your means. Thank you!
Level 1: $600 first person, $300/additional
Level 2 (subsidized): $450 first person, $225/additional
Level 3 (subsidized): $300 first person, $150/additional
All meals will be provided (dinner on Friday, breakfast/lunch/dinner on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday); please include any dietary restrictions in your registration.
Each family must bring basic, personal camping gear! You will receive a recommended packing list with your confirmation (also included below).
We can't wait to gather with nature and each other around the fire and under the stars. Sign up early to join us for a fun-filled weekend in the Pine Barrens!
- Rick Berry & the 4EEE Crew
Program Details:
Arrival: Friday, October 25th, from 3-5pm.
Departure: Sunday, October 27th, 12 noon.
NJ Teen Wilderness Passage
Join Us!
Wilderness Passage
Teens aged 13-17
Join 4EEE instructors for a week long Teen Wilderness Passage experience at the Pine Barrens Primitive Camp in New Jersey.
This program is for teens age 13-17 to learn and experience self-reliant skills. The focus of the week is building and sleeping in a debris hut, making friction fire, tending fire, and learning about needs versus wants.
Every human has four elemental needs: shelter, water, fire and food. Our ancestors were deeply connected to these needs. They knew how to find and create solutions to meet them, as well as how to pass these essential skills on to the next generation. Without this lineage we would not be here today. Our modern world seems to have forgotten much of this. Wilderness Passage is a journey that reconnects youth with these skills, creating confidence, self sufficiency, and transformation. We light the ceremonial fire for each passage and provide parental guidance for supporting this transformation before and after the passage.
If you're 16/17 years of age, this is likely your last opportunity to participate in this kind of program.
Attending a Wilderness Passage program is also where the foundations are set for teens wishing to participate in Teen Quests, Teen Treks or Teen Scout programs.
As this may be considered a “coming of age” tradition – we at 4EEE know that this is not that and is an attempt to create a “rites of passage”. We can only offer a slice of a passage to our youth because traditionally this would have been done through the family and community village.
Through this experience we hope to instill the seeds that teens can share with their community and that these skills help them in finding their vision.
Those teens that have attempted/succeeded in sleeping in a debris hut are encouraged to participate in this program. There are additional layers of teaching, experiences and skills that aren't offered in this format.
Program Details:
Arrival: Friday, March 29th, 12pm noon.
Departure: Monday, April 1st, 12pm noon.
Meals: All main meals included - dinner on Monday; breakfast/lunch/dinner on Tuesday-Thursday; breakfast on Friday. * Please pack any snacks or beverages the participant would like in addition to meals (granola bars, hot chocolate, tea, etc.) *
PRIOR EXPERIENCE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. * Please contact us at info@4eee.org prior to registration if you have not participated in our programs before! *
We held a zoom meeting for Parents/Guardians of teens either registered or interested in participating in the Teen Wilderness Passage weeklong program.
We shared more about what this program can offer your teen and how you as parents/guardians can support them. If you'd like a copy of the recording, please contact Tam at tam@4eee.org. The recording is intended for parents/guardians only.
NJ Teen Winter Skills Weekend
Join 4EEE instructors and friends for a 4-day weekend of Winter Skills at the Mohican Outdoor Center.
Join staff Jorge, Jamie, and Jennifer for a weekend in the rugged and beautiful Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area!
For teens aged 13-17.
This winter weekend will showcase the skills that become paramount during this time of year: wildlife track and sign identification, trailing, the importance and significance of journaling / record tracks and experiences, as well as primitive trapping and snaring techniques. We are thrilled to be able to come together and focus our time and attention on these skills as a group.
Register early to ensure a spot!
Program Details:
Arrival: Friday, February 16, between 3-4pm.
Departure: Monday, February 19, 12pm noon.
Meals: All main meals included - dinner on Friday; breakfast/lunch/dinner on Saturday & Sunday; breakfast on Monday. * Please pack any snacks or beverages the participant would like in addition to meals (granola bars, hot chocolate, tea, etc.) *
Lodging: There is limited cabin lodging (first come first served basis) and optional tent camping available