Courses

For those prone to picking plants and wondering what can be made of them as they wander through the forests and fields of this region, both basketry and natural dying offer many possibilities for humble leaves and sticks to become something much more. In this team-taught session, students will learn…

Ever find yourself trying to remember exactly what plants you used for that dye bath? What weight of yarn you started that knitting project with? That great felting design you dreamed up at 2 am? Every fiber artist needs a journal to record the 'knitty gritty' details of their finished…

Make the wood chips fly! This course is for students ready to stand at the chopping block and learn to use classic wooden bowl-carving hand tools – the adze, axe, gouge and push knife. During this class, topics including selection of wood stock, elements of bowl design, strategies for hand-hewing,…

This course takes students through the step-by-step process of crafting a wooden longbow, wooden-shafted arrow and bow string. To facilitate learning about constructing a traditional bow, students start with a rough-cut stave of hickory. Bows are backed with flax-fiber linen. Arrows include field point and feathers. String is made using…

Commercial liverwurst (braunschweiger) can’t hold a candle to the real thing. Learn to make your own healthful liverwurst out of ingredients that you choose, with flavors that you can adjust. Craig and Dianne Peterson have always enjoyed eating various forms of liver, in gourmet recipes, liver pate and of course,…

Pick up your hammer! This course is designed for students with little or no building experience who want to build a tiny home, small cabin or workshop. The techniques for building a small frame building are not only for the skilled carpenter; nearly anyone can come away from this course…

There’s that old saying about teaching a man to fish, but this course lets students go a step beyond fishing and build their own fishing rod. We’re not talking sapling, string and safety pin: under the guidance of professional rod builder Kris Kristufek, students will build a technically perfect spin…

Create yourself a comfortable living space: a spare bedroom, office, studio, sauna or whatever else you can dream up.  The 18-foot yurt is an excellent shelter option that provides comfortable living arrangements for all four seasons. Working with skilled yurt builders, you’ll build a simple yurt, complete with a door…

Students will learn the history and craft of the flintlock Trade Rifle, a muzzle loading firearm associated with the 19th-century American frontier, including the Great Lakes fur trade. Rugged, accurate yet inexpensive, it fully answered the big game shooting needs of this era and still remains a fine hunting arm.…

Is it a cookstove? Is it a bake oven? Can it heat water? Does it heat up to 700 sq.ft.? Does it burn wood efficiently and extremely safe? Is it small and unobtrusive? The answer is yes to all! Meet the multipurpose masonry mass stove, down-sized for a smaller spaces.…

Considering when and where to start on that big cabinet project you want to build and install? Start here. Before you jump into a big project, learn the basic techniques, tools and equipment used by both traditional and contemporary cabinet makers. As a class project, each student builds a pine…

How about carving a wooden figure for the upcoming holiday season--either as a gift for someone special, or for yourself (since you are special too, right?). Harley, who says 'if you can peel a potato, you can carve a figure', will lead new as well as experienced carvers through the…

Create beautiful and useful things for your kitchen using simple hand tools and birch wood. Participants in this course will be introduced to the Swedish traditions of ‘köksredskap,' or the process of carving functional utensils, including butterknives, small spoons or bread boards. Students will start by splitting a green log,…

The spoon is in the eye of the beholder. A crooked branch can become a perfect ladle; a slight bend makes a lovely eating spoon. Enjoy three days of handwork in this greenwood carving class focused on ladles and spoons. Working with birch, you’ll use simple hand tools and carving…

Wondering what to do with all those cattails growing down by the pond? Learn how to make a handy and stylish tote bag. Students will learn how to plait with the cattail leaves and assemble a tote bag. The basic checker weave (usually done with palm fronds) will be taught…