PAST WORKSHOPS
See this page for current workshops and information on how to enroll.
• Bats with Bob Wild and Bat House Building with Dave Rasmussen •
Residents and visitors alike celebrated a beautiful April afternoon learning about bats from Bob Wild, Park Interpreter at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Seventeen visitors carpooled up to Carp Lake Mine and took a tour inside Michigan's 4th largest bat hibernaculum where nearly 15,000 bats gather annually. After a fun and interesting tour with Bob, participants returned to the Folk School to assemble their very own bat houses with Technology and Engineering instructor Dave Rasmussen. His simple and elegant kits allowed young folks to put the houses together with help from mom or dad. Kits are still available for $20. Please call 906-885-5545 if you would like to pick one up. Or join us again in August to benefit from a tour and build your own bat house.
• Introduction to Organic Gardening with Kathy Halvorsen •
Kathy provided a great overview of organic gardening. She covered the reasons to go organic, how to feed soil and compost,as well as pest control and management. She also addressed garden bed preparation, from mulching to transplanting, and extending the growing season (cold season gardening). Kathy suggested different plants to plants to try (herbs, vegetables, fruits, flowers), how to save seeds, and where to go for supplies. She even did some seed sharing with participants, who were able to take home seeds for tomatos, short-season corn, peppers, and other successful veggie's from her Hancock garden. Participants now aspire to a garden with beauty, a bountiful harvest, and friendly inhabitants, like the toad below!
• Black Ash Basket Weaving with April Stone-Dahl •
The day flew by for eight participants as they soaked, pounded, and wove pieces of black ash to produce functional and lovely baskets of all shapes. Under April's guidance, everyone completed a basket by the end of the day and had the opportunity to watch her speedily weave a beautiful basket of her own in the gaps between student queries! It was amazing to see. Below, Sue tries her hand at pounding a piece of black ash to generate a splint. Janice and Mike show off their basket bottoms. Despite her injured arm, Janice had no trouble finishing her basket. April watches as students assemble the bottom of their baskets.
Kate and Karen hold up their woven bottoms for inspection. Sue and Jean work on weaving their splints around uprights. Peter with a basket he finished for his granddaughter.
• Wooden Spoon Carving with Jarrod Stone-Dahl •
This class was a hit, despite the blizzard conditions. Participants carved simple yet elegant spoons from maple or birch using age-old techniques with hand tools. They used the natural grain of the wood to find a spoon within, rough out with hatchet and adze, shape with a carving knife and gouge and finish with scrapers. They discussed the variety of tools and techniques in shaping wood and finishing oils. Below is a picture of some of Jarrod's hand tools which he brought for students to use.
• Making the Ojibwe Snowshoe with Jarrod Stone-Dahl •
Participants had a wonderful time in this 4 day workshop, where they started from greenwood and ended with pair of handmade shoes. Mike, Jean, and Bob worked with the main indigenous tools, the wedge, axe, and crooked knife to shape the green wood into staves. These were formed into the shape of the snowshoes using a steam box. After shape was set and the crossbars were fitted, the lacing was woven into place. Below Bob, Jean, and Mike show their handy work after 2 days of working the wood by hand.
Below Jean works with draw knife and Mike uses an axe.
Bob and Jarrod bend the steamed staves to fit the form.
• A Knitting Retreat with Sarah Wagner and Kate Bradley •
Saturday, January 20, 2007
This was such a big hit, we decided to start a monthly knitting circle. We had eight knitters come to the Porkies and spend a snowy Saturday knitting in front of a warm fire sipping hot chocolate. Participants worked on socks, purses, hats, and blankets. We had lots of visitors drop in to share a cup of coffee and see what was going on.
 
• Skijoring with Rita Owsiak •
One day winter workshops In January, five participants learned thee basics of cross-country skiing with their dogs. Those pups included Charlie, Rain, Fluffy, Greta and Jessie. Rita introduced owners and dogs to harnesses, commands, and basics of pulling. A fun time was had by all. Below Fluffy, the Newfoundland, shows off his winter booties and Greta, a German Shorthair, pulls her owner Sara on a fun ride! Below, Rain and Darla go skijoring in the fast falling snow. The whole class poses for a picture at the end of the day!
 
 
• Shaker Box Making •
A Shaker box-making workshop was held August 19 and 20. Skilled artisan Eric Pintar guided students through the box making processes. Below, participants show off their completed projects and boxes dry in forms. Eric will be returning this summer to teach two different box making classes and a paddle making class! See www.shakerovalbox.com for more information about Eric and oval box-making.
 
• Timber Framing • Our workshops in June and July were a big success thanks to our hardworking students and volunteers! Twenty participants came from all over Michigan (Lansing, Charlevoix, Ishpeming, Bay City, Sault St. Marie, Pelkie, Oskar, Hancock, and Ontonagon) to learn the basics of mortise and tenon joinery as well as old fashioned wall raising. The 16 X 20 frame itself was raised at its permanent site along the Little Union River in September. It is slated for completion this spring. We are currently soliciting donations to enable finishing it. Please see the News and Events page for details on how to donate.
The Porcupine Mountains Folk School is sponsored in cooperation with the Porcupine Mountains State Park and the Friends of the Porkies, whose mission is to promote and enhance the use of the Porkies. The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources for current and future generations.
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