About Weekend Workshops

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS. PLEASE READ.

• Lodging – Our sleeping quarters will be dormitory-style bunks, with a male and female wing and separate bathrooms.
• Time in the Field – We will spend considerable amounts of time outdoors, rain or shine, in the heat of the summer. It is important to consider your physical condition and needs before signing up and to observe best practice for outdoor activity, including wearing appropriate clothing and staying well hydrated. A packing list will be provided to all registrants.
• Long Day Saturday – While we are including breaks and will make every effort to strike a balance between periods of activity and rest, both physical and mental, we will be trying to maximize the time we have together. That means that Saturday will be a long day starting around ~7:30 am and going till about 9:00 pm. To help you get through it all, we will have coffee and tea, snacks and built-in breaks.
• Hands-on projects – Our classes generally will include some sort of hands-on project, meant to engage the senses, build physical strength and a sense of community. While these projects are optional, we really hope that you will participate to get the most from the class. The mushroom workshop, as an example, you will have the opportunity to learn how to safely cut down Chinese tallow trees for use in mushroom culture. We will also be drilling holes and hammering using traditional axes, saws and hand drills.
  
• Community Mindset –To encourage fellowship and make classes more affordable to all, there is a hope (and expectation) that participants will be active participants in the programming. This may include helping to set tables for family-style meals, clean up after meals and carpooling to nearby natural areas.
• Education philosophy – Our classes will be taught in a manner that is meant to encourage observation, awareness, critical thinking and participant interaction and discussion. While lectures are sometimes useful and effective for transmitting knowledge, we will be utilizing a number of other teaching methods, including the use of nature journaling, observation exercises, group projects and other inquiry-based methods.