We’re excited to host our first Sustainability Skill Share this-coming June 1–2 here in Cooksville. This weekend will bring together people to learn hands-on, DIY skills that help us house, clothe, and feed ourselves in a future without fossil fuels. We’re gathering class proposals until the end of the year, but we already have a great list coming together.
- Backyard Permaculture “Learn how to integrate small scale changes to your home and garden to make a more sustainable landscape without breaking the bank. Bring along photos or a diagram of your property, and go home with your own designs for a sustainable yard!”
- Invasive Identification and Removal “Invasive plants are a pervasive problem across Wisconsin, impacting our natural areas and even human health. At this workshop, learn how to identify, map, and manage invasive plants as we work to remove invasive plants from a local property. We’ll cover identification of both common and new invasive plants in the area and provide identification resources. Mapping tools and tips will help you learn how to approach mapping invasive plants to help develop a management plan. We’ll also discuss different management techniques and species-specific management options.”
- Eco Dyes “Allow Nature to mark its beauty on cloth. Using leaves, flowers, plants, vegetable skins, as well as rusty bits, each participant will place, steam and dye cloth. The results are stunning! The instructor will provide sample pieces of cloth and one silk scarf for dying/printing.”
- Beginning Drop Spindle “For thousands of years, peoples throughout the world have spun fiber for clothing, rope, and countless other uses. In Europe and the Middle East, the most common fiber for textiles and clothing was wool, spun into yarn on a drop spindle and then woven into fabric. Unlike the spinning wheel which was developed in the 15th Century, drop spindles are an inexpensive, portable means of spinning everything from fine fabrics to rug yarns. In this class you will learn the basics of using a drop spindle to create a “singles” yarn and then plying two singles together to produce a functional yarn that can be knitted, crocheted, or woven into a finished object.”
- Creating Sacred Space “In our busy and hectic lives, we often do not take time to care for ourselves or our spiritual health. In this course, we will discuss ways in which one can integrate spiritual practices, ethical living, and sacred spaces into daily life. Central to this is creating time and space to give thanks to our home and the land that sustains us — by working to improve the landscape, we also heal ourselves. This class is LGBTQIA* affirming.”
- Mushroom Log Inoculation “Attendees are invited to assist and learn the process for inoculating hardwood logs.”
- Spoon Carving
- Chainsaw Safety*
- Rocket Mass Heater Stove Construction*
- Save Your Own Seeds
- Knife Sharpening
- Woodworking Women
- Goat Milk Soap
- Bee-ginning Beekeeping*
*Tentatively proposed.
Course Instructors Sought
We are still looking for instructors to teach a few courses. In addition to the following topics, we’d be interested to hear from anyone with an idea of classes that might fit within our focus: DIY, hands-on, sustainable. Instructors are paid for their time and expertise.
- Building a Composting Outhouse
- Flour Paint
- Fermented Beverages
- Backyard Animal Keeping and Care (chickens, rabbits, etc.)
- Pottery (with open-fire firing)
- Dry-Stack Stone Wall
- Basket Weaving
- Canning and Food Preservation
- Or other topics
To propose a course, head over and fill out our form. Or send me an email to chat about your idea.