Getting involved with the Northern California Experimental Firing Group

The NCEFG welcomes contributions from interested parties and individuals*. We are currently a very small organization and particularly need more pots to fire. All help is appreciated! All participation is free, volunteer, and at your own risk.

You don't have to visit the site, either. You can join in the arguments, decisions, and discussion occuring on the NCEFG's blog just a click away, hosted by ....

We need:

• Potters

We need people to make pottery! If you can pot you're more than welcome: if you can't that's fine too. Dave is a terrible potter. If you have wood firing experience, so much the better.

• Archaeologists and technologists

The primary goal of the NCEFG is to learn more about firing kilns in an archaeological context. If you can help to understand and interpret this your contribution would be valuable.

• Scientific skills

We'd like to be more scientific in our recording of firings. Can you measure kiln atmosphere, flame path, calorific values, or temperature differentials?  We'd love to hear from people who can offer these skills and more.

• Moral Support

Come and point out what we're doing wrong, and laugh when our firebox collapses. You may make tea as recompense.

• Financial support

We thankfully recieved a small grant from the Stinson/Bolinas Community Fund in 2005, but only enough to cover some of our materials. Everything else is done on a budget of nothing, so if you can afford to invest in our research we'd be eternally grateful. The NCEFG accepts donations via PayPal to staff@ncefg.org or in person on site. Thanks.

If you think you can help, if you want to know more, or if you want to come along next season and have a look, contact the Staff@NCEFG.ORG

* A note on the subject of children: The NCEFG is first and foremost an educational endeavor. While we welcome "the young enthusiast," children must be STRICTLY supervised at ALL times. Our site is located on private property and ANY misbehavior or reckless endangerment (on the part of child or parent) will result in INSTANT expulsion. Experimental archeology of this sort is highly dangerous. It's lots of fun but it's not a game: sharp objects and incredibly high temperatures abound. We have had many successful non-injury firings and would like to keep it that way.