Category: Workshop

Learn to Spin: Fleece to Yarn — Upcoming Workshop, Apr. 16 | $100/class

March 15, 2022

In this workshop, participants will learn to card and spin wool from a cleaned fleece, suitable for crochet, knitting, or weaving. We will use fleeces sourced from the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival Fleece Show for this class, which will be processed from washed wool into roving by carding in the morning. After a brown-bag … More Learn to Spin: Fleece to Yarn — Upcoming Workshop, Apr. 16 | $100/class

Upcoming Workshop: Planting, Grafting, and Pruning Apple Trees, April 17 | Pay What You Can

March 14, 2022

Apples are one of the world’s most popular fruit trees, but they are especially important in American history. At previous times, the government required homesteaders to plant an apple orchard to prove their investment in their land. The prohibitionist’s axe was for cutting down apple trees, as cider was as popular as beer up until … More Upcoming Workshop: Planting, Grafting, and Pruning Apple Trees, April 17 | Pay What You Can

Bringing Old Tools Back to Work, April 9, $20 — at Schumacher Farm

March 11, 2022

Friend of the institute and frequent instructor, Todd Fleming, will be leading a class at Schumacher Farm. Please consider attending if you’re interested in bringing antique tools back into use. We hope to offer this class next year at the institute. Workshop Details See listing at the Schumacher Farm website. This class will be an … More Bringing Old Tools Back to Work, April 9, $20 — at Schumacher Farm

Learn to Spin: Fleece to Yarn — Upcoming Workshop, Oct. 17, 24 | $75/class or $130/both

September 20, 2021

In this two-part workshop, participants will learn to clean, card, and spin wool from a raw fleece, suitable for crochet, knitting, or weaving. We will use fleeces sourced from the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival Fleece Show for this class, which will be processed from raw wool into roving by washing and carding in Class … More Learn to Spin: Fleece to Yarn — Upcoming Workshop, Oct. 17, 24 | $75/class or $130/both

Upcoming Workshop — Gathering Prairie Seeds, Oct. 16, 1–3 p.m., Free (Space is Limited)

September 1, 2021

Just down the road from the institute is the Danky-Schelshorn Prairie. Until 2003, this land was under agricultural cultivation, but Jim and Christine decided to turn it back into a prairie habitat. The Danky-Schelshorn Prairie was established when Christine took a workshop at the UW Arboretum. Through their friendship with Steve Glass, they accelerated the … More Upcoming Workshop — Gathering Prairie Seeds, Oct. 16, 1–3 p.m., Free (Space is Limited)

CANCELLED: Join us at the Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence this September — Sign Up Now!

August 24, 2021

UPDATE: The Permaculture Convergence has been cancelled for 2021. Check back next year. It is fall and that means it is time for the Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence, a weekend of classes and socializing with folks from across the Midwest — September 24–26. We’ll be there to facilitate a workshop on thatching and also to attend … More CANCELLED: Join us at the Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence this September — Sign Up Now!

Upcoming Workshop — Hand-Harvesting Wheat and Rye, Jul. 17( & 18?), 10 a.m.–4 p.m., $40 (CANCELLED)

June 9, 2021

Last year, we harvested industrial wheat by hand. We learned a lot from that process and decided to plant our own heritage wheat. In mid-July, we will harvest it using scythes and sickles.  Then it has to get tied into sheaves and stood up in shocks to dry. Once dry, it has to be threshed … More Upcoming Workshop — Hand-Harvesting Wheat and Rye, Jul. 17( & 18?), 10 a.m.–4 p.m., $40 (CANCELLED)

Flax to Linen — Upcoming Workshop, July 10, 24; August 7, $85/class or $225/all three

May 28, 2021

In this three-part workshop, participants will learn to harvest, process, and spin flax plants into linen thread suitable for weaving. We have a small flax plot that we’ll be harvesting by mid-summer. Join us and learn to harvest this easy-to-grow plant and then walk through the steps to turn it from a dried stalk into loose … More Flax to Linen — Upcoming Workshop, July 10, 24; August 7, $85/class or $225/all three

Timber Framing and Thatching — Upcoming Work Days — Saturdays & Sundays June–July, Free (Space is Limited)

May 12, 2021

This year we’ll be building a timber-frame compost and garden hutch, and we’d like to invite you to come join us to get some hands-on experience. Timber framing was the dominant wood-based building method for hundreds of years before modern stick framing was developed to take advantage of smaller, cheaper pieces of wood. Instead of … More Timber Framing and Thatching — Upcoming Work Days — Saturdays & Sundays June–July, Free (Space is Limited)

Upcoming Workshop — Gathering Prairie Seeds, Oct. 18, 1–4 p.m., Free (Space is Limited)

October 9, 2020

Just down the road from the institute is the Danky-Schelshorn Prairie. Until 2003, this land was under agricultural cultivation, but Jim and Christine decided to turn it back into a prairie habitat. The Danky-Schelshorn Prairie was established when Christine took a workshop at the UW Arboretum. Through their friendship with Steve Glass, they accelerated the … More Upcoming Workshop — Gathering Prairie Seeds, Oct. 18, 1–4 p.m., Free (Space is Limited)