This class is a skill building workshop in the use of the most common and basic tools for bushcraft and woodland building: axe, saw, and knife. Proper use, technique, safety, maintenance, and sharpening these tools will be covered, along with a discussion of trees and wood types. Participants will get hands-on experience using these tools as we do some actual making and building with them. The emphasis will be on building good habits, skills, and knowledge in the actual outdoor-use environment.

These majestic and powerful animals are rarely seen at work in the developed world, but in many places they remain essential sources of power for food production, freight and everyday living. In this class you will learn how oxen are traditionally driven in the western world and have the opportunity to practice driving a trained team…

In this class series we will learn to make two classic soups: congee and dal. We will discuss several variations of each, including how to make them with or without meat, gluten-free and dairy-free. Making soups is the gateway to cooking, as many key aspects of cooking are leveraged, including sautéing, boiling, marrying and proper use of herbs and spices. Students will take home a quart of each soup…

Join herbalist Linda Conroy for this fun experiential class. We will learn about herbs that can be applied topically to heal the skin, to relieve pain and heal sprains and strains. We will make infused oils, salve, lotion, poultices, topical sprays, washes, and much more! Everyone will leave with recipes and remedies that we make in class.

Join herbalist Linda Conroy for this fun hands-on herbal medicine-making class. During this day-long class, we will make a wide array of remedies that you can add to your home apothecary. We will make syrups, oxymels, throat sprays, gargle, tinctures, lozenges, infusions, tea, salves and much more. Everyone will leave with recipes, remedies that we make in class and instructions on how to work with each herb.

Come bask in wonder at the beauty of the night sky! Orient yourself in place by learning how to find the directions using the stars. Place yourself in time by learning the histories and mythologies of the stars that humans have been drawing, speaking, and writing for tens of thousands of years. We are of the first generations who know so very little. But the stories are not forgotten!! With a green laser pointer in hand, Megan will trace the constellations, teach star names, and show how the different celestial bodies move through the night, the seasons, and years. We'll see the Scorpion, the Swan, the Dragon, and so much more.

"Chip Carving" is an ancient form of wood-surface decoration. It can be applied to wood surfaces both practical and decorative. Examples can be seen on jewelry, Christmas ornaments, boxes, furniture, door frames, spoons and more! In this class each student will have guided practice, then choose/create a traditional Rosette pattern to complete their own Chip Carving artwork.

Spend a day creating a generous market-style basket with a strong handle—perfect for carrying the bounty of the fall season. Using durable rattan reed, you’ll weave a large rectangular basket with rib or spoke-made handles. Personalize your piece by choosing from a variety of colors to add decorative stripes. All materials and tools will be provided. While prior basket weaving experience is helpful, it’s not required—beginners are welcome!

Fall is an abundant time of late fruits, regrowth of some wild greens, some roots and nuts, and big windfall mushrooms (like hen-of-the-woods!). We will cover close-to-home zones like yard edges and fencerows, as well as some deep forests and wetlands. We will survey, sample, and discuss usage and storage of these fine wild foods that can richly enhance our pantries before the big cool down.

In this beginner-friendly mushroom foraging class, we'll explore the autumn woods together in search of edible and medicinal mushrooms. We'll discuss mushroom identification techniques, accessible tools, and practical foraging tips. We'll be on the hunt for fall mushrooms like hen of the woods/maitake, honey mushrooms, lion's mane, lobster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, shaggy manes, hedgehog mushrooms, puffball mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and more! Come prepared for off-trail hiking and uneven terrain. As with any foraging class, the abundance and variety of mushrooms we find in the woods is entirely up to mother nature! Being prepared for uncertainty (and for surprises!) is all part and parcel of wild foraging.

Are you interested in going off-grid, with batteries and solar panels for power?

In this class we will discuss types of batteries and how to connect and maintain them. We'll also introduce other elements necessary for setting up off-grid solar, including rack types, roof mounts, solar panels, charge controllers, off-grid inverters, and wiring…

This class is designed to help folks more effectively move through the woods for improved success in observing and approaching wildlife. Our wild neighbors are of course adept at these abilities, but by increasing our understanding and our awareness of wild movement (and with lots of practice), we can learn to play this game better - i.e., develop better detection abilities and observe more wildlife in action. Our day will involve lessons, activities, play, and silent observation components. This class is highly relevant for anyone wanting to see more wildlife in nature, including trackers, photographers, and hunters. No prior experience is necessary.

Elevate your cooking skills in this dynamic class designed to inspire dishes that cater to omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and those with gluten or dairy restrictions. Using the versatile stir fry technique, we will create three distinct dishes: a vibrant, vegan curry-inspired dish, a flavorful Provence-inspired vegetarian dish, and an Asian-inspired dish featuring locally sourced, grass-fed meat—each served over a bed of rice.

Raising a few chickens can be the easiest way to grow your own meat. Chickens are easy to start and relatively cheap to raise. They have a short lifecycle and can be kept on a small plot of land. To bring this process to a happy conclusion, however, the would-be poultry grower must be ready to butcher as well.

This half-day class will teach the basics of chicken anatomy and meat sanitation and provide hands-on experience with killing, scalding, plucking, and gutting. Plus, you’ll go home with your own freshly butchered chicken, ready for the oven!

Learn the history and basics of electricity, and electrical theory, including Ohm's Law, amps, volts, and watts, and how they are calculated in simple home wiring jobs.

The class will also learn about wire, wire sizes, and some basic home wiring, including how to properly wire a switch, an outlet, a light, and a circuit breaker. The class will also get to safely explore a circuit breaker box, including the use and wiring of circuit breakers, and proper grounding, including placement of the ground wire and the ground rod.

This class is for anyone, including absolute beginners.

In this hands-on canning class, we'll cover the fundamentals of safe and effective canning, including how to properly sterilize jars and lids, and how to create a tight, reliable seal. We will explore the art of processing vegetables and fruits into delicious, preserved goodies. You’ll learn how to use a squeezo/foley mill to separate pulp from seeds and skins, and how to use pectin for delicious jams and jellies. We’ll discuss the importance of achieving the right balance of pH with ingredients like apple cider vinegar and sugar. Depending on the group's interests, we may make and can salsa, marinara, fruit jam, or dilly beans. Each student will leave with a jar of their own creation to enjoy at home.

Want to learn to sharpen your tools? No experience needed. Taught by Jon Anderson of Star Hill Timberworks, this workshop is designed for beginners. In this hands-on workshop, we teach you to sharpen your knives, axes, chisels, and auger bits. The techniques work just as well on mower blades, scissors, shovels, hoes, etc. You will use traditional and modern sharpening methods to hone and polish the edge. All sharpening equipment and materials are provided.

In the practice of yoga, sung mantra is one of the earliest & central components of the practice. For this workshop, you can expect to learn voice science strategies to support four foundational mantras: So Hum, Om, AUM, & Om shanti, shanti, shanti. Once empowered with this knowledge, the combined voice strategies & mantras will be incorporated into a guided practice including kriyas, pranayama, asana, mudra, & meditation that supports the voice while quieting the mind. Finally, the workshop will close with singing mantra in community and voluntarily as soloists to culminate the workshop learning. Knowing how to sing and use your voice can be one of the most rewarding skills to learn that will support you in your communities, companies, and beyond!

Using the warm, red metal my Bodewadmi (Potawatomi) relatives call “miskwabik” (copper) and basalt hammer stones from the shores of G’chi gamii (Lake Superior), we will hand-forge bowls on wooden stumps. In a process called “sinking”, or hammering on the inside, we will anneal the metal in a wood fire and form our richly colored, beautiful vessels using the power of our own muscles. Come join us in this elemental journey of copper, fire, water, and stone.

Using hand tools and a woodcarving knife (no power tools), we will rough out the shape, carve, and finish a cute and comforting bird you can hold in your hand. The smooth, unpainted surface allows the natural wood grain to shine through, giving each bird a unique, warm character! Like a worry stone, comfort birds are meant to fit in your hand, to rub and look at, or place in a nice place in your home, reminding you of the beauty of nature all around us. We will use techniques similar to greenwood spoon carving techniques, and using "found wood," means that you don't have to spend money at a retailer to make beautiful wooden objects.

Fermented vegetables are a wonderful way to incorporate probiotics into the diet, put up the garden harvest, and make vegetables even more nutritious and digestible. In this class, participants will learn how to make sauerkraut, kim chi, lacto-fermented pickled vegetables and condiments. We will discuss the health benefits of these foods, ways to add them to meals, and fermentation troubleshooting.

In this beginner-friendly mushroom foraging class, we'll discuss mushroom identification techniques, and practical foraging tips. We'll explore the woods together in search of edible and medicinal mushrooms like lion's mane, lobster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, chanterelles, hedgehog mushrooms, puffball mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and more! Come prepared for off-trail hiking and uneven terrain. As with any foraging class, the abundance and variety of mushrooms we find in the woods is entirely up to mother nature! Being prepared for uncertainty (and for surprises!) is all part and parcel of wild foraging.

In this beginner-friendly mushroom foraging class, we'll discuss mushroom identification techniques, and practical foraging tips. We'll explore the woods together in search of edible and medicinal mushrooms like lion's mane, lobster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, chanterelles, hedgehog mushrooms, puffball mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and more! Come prepared for off-trail hiking and uneven terrain. As with any foraging class, the abundance and variety of mushrooms we find in the woods is entirely up to mother nature! Being prepared for uncertainty (and for surprises!) is all part and parcel of wild foraging.

Every 4th Wednesday of the month from 6-7PM. Join us for a potluck dinner and a chance to build connections, meet other members of the DFS Community, and chat about Folk School topics like land stewardship, natural building woodworking, arts & crafts, organic agriculture, herbalism, wilderness skills, home cooking, and more!

Open to everyone. Feel free to bring an instrument to play or a craft to work on. Come with an open mind, an attitude of curiosity, and a food item to share!

Using the warm, red metal my Bodewadmi (Potawatomi) relatives call “miskwabik” (copper) and basalt hammer stones from the shores of G’chi gamii (Lake Superior), we will hand-forge bowls on wooden stumps. In a process called “sinking”, or hammering on the inside, we will anneal the metal in a wood fire and form our richly colored, beautiful vessels using the power of our own muscles. Come join us in this elemental journey of copper, fire, water, and stone.

If you have been looking for a way to add more probiotic-rich foods and beverages to your diet (without breaking the bank!), then this workshop is for you! Participants will learn how to make their own non-alcoholic fermented drinks, including kombucha, water kefir (aka tibicos), beet kvass, and shrubs. We will be tasting lots of samples, discussing the health benefits of these drinks and talking all about fermentation troubleshooting.