WORKSHOPS OF THE PAST:

• Christmas Wreaths and Swags with Heidi Held •

Time: Saturday, December 6 at 10:00 a.m.
Cost: $15 plus $2 materials fee

This class will meet at On the Noggin to gather materials before going to the Folk School. Bring back the tradition of Christmas as you learn to make your own holiday decorations using the beauty of nature. This class will begin with the collection of princess pine, evergreen boughs, and other decorative tidbits from nature. Students will then use these items to create wreaths and swags to decorate their homes or share with loved ones during the holiday season. Wire, twine, wreath forms, hot glue, and snowshoes (if needed) will be provided. Students should bring garden clippers, scissors, wire cutters, gloves, and bags for gathering materials. Bow making will be taught to interested students if they provide the ribbon.     

• Making Plant Medicines: Herbal Teas with Andrea Corpolongo Smith •

Time: Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 p.m.
Cost: $30 plus $5 materials fee

Learn how to create a personalized herbal tea blend that nourishes your specific body type, helps to heal chronic discomforts, and tastes wonderful! Participants in this class will discuss several ways to recognize patterns of health and disease in themselves and those around them. Everyone will be given the opportunity to determine his or her constitutional type, identify potentially unbalanced organ systems in his or her body, and finally create, taste, and take home a personal tea blend. Proper methods for brewing medicinal teas will be discussed and handouts will be provided. The herbs covered in this class will include Dandelion, Nettle, Red Clover, Chamomile, Damiana, Scullcap, Licorice, Peppermint, and Rose.

• Twig Wreath Workshop with Wayne Walma and Pam Beal •

Time: Sunday, December 14 at 10:00 a.m.
Cost: $25 plus $10 materials fee
Materials: Participants should bring hand pruning shears if possible and work gloves if desired.

Wayne and Pam have been making beautiful birch twig wreaths for years. The inspiration for the design came from old-fashioned birch brooms. The wreaths are extremely durable and need minimal care. They make wonderful Christmas decorations but look at home when displayed year-round, indoors or out. Participants will have the opportunity to make a 14- or 16-inch wreath. Each student will cut and assemble his or her twigs and learn to operate the foot crimping machine. The final wreath will be simple and rustic, and further decorating options will be discussed. These wreaths make excellent gifts!

• Herbs for Stress Relief with Andrea Corpolongo Smith •

Time: Saturday, January 17 at 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $25

Learn to select and prepare common herbs to safely deflate some of the stress in your life. This class will introduce students to several readily available herbal teas and tinctures, such as catnip, lemon balm, chamomile, mint, motherwort, St. John’s Wort, sweet violet, kava kava, and more, that aid in sleep, reduce anxiety, or simply bring about calm deep breaths. Other safe and natural stress reduction techniques that complement the use of herbs will be discussed. Handouts and herb samples to taste and smell will be provided.

• Build Your Own Snowshoes with Jarrod Stone Dahl •

Time: January 24, 25, and 31, and February 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $235 for all four days plus $25 materials fee for nylon laces or $100 for babiche lacing

Minimum of four students, maximum of six

Participants will learn fundamentals of “green” woodworking skills while making these Ojibwe style snowshoes. Staves will be worked by the participants to rough size with final shaping by crooked knife or whittling knife. Steam bending the staves into jigs, nylon lacing, and finishing will follow. Handouts and in-depth discussion of styles, uses, history and stories will be shared during this four-day affair.

• Cross Country Skiing or “None of This No Wax Crap!” with Jim Waters •

Time: Saturday, February 7 at 10:00 a.m.
Cost: $10
Materials: Participants must bring their own waxable skis

This class is dependent on weather

This class will begin with a demonstration of the basics of cross-country ski waxing, during which everyone will have the opportunity to try it out on their own skis. Skiing techniques will be discussed, followed by a jaunt around Union Bay campground so students can put what they have learned into practice. As you can tell from the course title, the instructor politely requests that students bring only waxable skis.      

• Build Your Own Toboggan with Jarrod Stone Dahl •

Time: Saturday and Sunday, February 21 and 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $125 for both days plus $45 materials fee

For this two-day workshop, participants will spend the first day learning about the type of wood being used while preparing their staves for steam bending. For assembly the second day, participants will attach cross bars using hand-peened copped rivets along with the rope and any other final touches. Everyone will leave this workshop with a finished 8-10’ long toboggan of their own.

• Herbs for Immune System Health with Andrea Corpolongo Smith •

Time: Saturday March 7 at 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $25

Modern medicines tend to shut down your body’s natural defenses, exhausting your immune system and making it harder for your body to fight infections. Students in this class will learn to use herbs to assist their bodies through the use of various alterative herbs. Topics such as making mucus secretions more effective at trapping and disposing of bacteria and viruses and enhancing fevers to “sweat out” colds and flus will be discussed. As always, handouts will be provided and herb samples will be available to taste and smell.    

• Wooden Spoon Carving with Jarrod Stone Dahl •

Time: Saturday, March 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $50 plus $15 materials fee if a spoon blank is desired

Minimum of five students, maximum seven

For this one-day workshop, participants will learn to make a spoon from a piece of firewood using axe, chisel, and knife. We will discuss form and shape while working with the grain and type of wood as several types of wood will be provided. Use of gouge and proper axemanship will be stressed. Spoon blanks are available to those with weaker hands or simply for a head start. Chip carving tools will also be available for those wishing to decorate their finished product.

• Food Preservation Basics with Joanne Pihlaja and Lucia Patritto •

Time: Wednesday, March 17 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $10 for adults, no course fee for students 12–19 if accompanied by an adult           participant. A $20 materials fee is required for all participants

MSU Extension Regional Educator Joanne Pihlaja and Gogebic County Extension Director Lucia Patritto will demonstrate safe and efficient home canning and freezing and provide opportunity for hands-on learning. Participants will learn the basic techniques for sterilization of equipment, proper processing of preserves, sauces, fruits and vegetables, using the pressure canner, hot water bath and freezing methods, and how to prevent food-borne illness. Participants will make homemade salsa and freezer jam. Please bring your own apron if you are able to. All other materials will be provided. Adults are encouraged to bring a young person—at least 12 years old—to help promote these great food preservation methods among younger generations.

• Ukrainian Egg Decoration for Hobby and Fun with Jim Michie and Jody Maloney •

Time: Sunday, March 22 at 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $10 plus $20 materials fee

Learn the basics necessary for you to embark on lifelong enjoyment of decorating eggs in the Ukrainian style, also known as Pysanky. Jim and Jody will show you the basic tools and techniques for dyeing your own Ukrainian Eggs, and you can enjoy making several of your own in time for Easter. This class is for beginners, but experienced egg makers are always welcome to share knowledge and tips. Participants will receive their own kits, which include all of the necessary tools, waxes, and dyes. Eggs will be provided.

Minimum of five students. Please register at least two weeks in advance to guarantee adequate materials.

• Dog Sledding with Robyn Smith •

Time: Saturday, March 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break
Cost: $60 per person; children 12 and under are free with a participating adult. Children 12 and under will not be admitted without an adult.

Maximum of 12 adults plus accompanying children. Please remember to dress for the weather—the afternoon will be spent outside!

This is a hands-on introduction to dog sledding class. Have you ever wanted to meet a real sled dog? This is the class for you! You will learn what makes a sled dog, what they eat, how to put a harness on a dog, how to hook the dog up to the gangline, and how to drive a dogsled.

• Felting with Heidi Bukoski •

Time: Saturday, July 11
Two classes: Rose from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Mitten/Slipper from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Cost: $40 for each class or $70 for both, plus $11 materials for the rose class and/or $12-15 for the mitten/slipper class

Choose to take one or both felting classes; both are suitable for beginning felters. In the first class, students will choose to make either mittens or slippers in black or white wool, embellished with bits of color. This will be accomplished using traditional wet felting techniques, starting with loose fibers, not knitted yard. In the second class, students will make a felted wool rose. This class covers both wet and dry felting techniques. The petals and leaves are wet felted and the flower is constructed using a felting needle.

• Encaustics with Melissa Hronkin •

Time: Friday, July 31 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Note date change)
Cost: $35 plus $10 for materials

Minimum of 5 students

Come and discover the sweetness and luminosity of working with the ancient and contemporary art of encaustics (pigmented beeswax) and beeswax collage! Participants will learn about the history of the medium and the honeybees that help create it. We will create several small-scale works in experimental encaustics, Xerox transfer, and mixed media collage. No experience required, just a sense of adventure! Check out the blog www.melissa-hronkin.blogspot.com for Melissa's work and links to encaustic information.

• Soap Making For Kids with Cameryn Polkky •

Time: Saturday, July 25 from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $15 plus $5 for materials

Minimum of 5 students, maximum of 15

• Writing Workshop with Rosalie Sanara Petrouske •

Time: Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9 with the option of attending on Monday and Tuesday
Cost: $52.50 for the weekend plus $30 a day for Monday and Tuesday

Minimum of 4 students, maximum of 15

Henry David Thoreau had the right idea. He spent his life observing and writing about the world around him. In this class, students will have the opportunity to discover the sacred in nature through observation, reading and writing poetry and prose. Participants will be given writing prompts that explore the sacredness of place, time, and objects found in nature. If the weather permits, a field trip may be scheduled to visit Lake of the Clouds where the class can write outdoors. Students should bring a notebook and pen or pencil, a photograph of a special place, and a treasured object that they have found in nature, such as a rock, a shell, a bird's nest, etc.

• Food Preservation with Lucia Patritto from MSU Extension •

Time: Saturday, August 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $25

Safe canning methods with pressure canning and hot water bath canners.

• Copper Bowl Making with Ed Gray •

Time: Saturday, September 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $45 plus $20 for materials

Bring a bag lunch. In case of rain, bring rain gear.

In the traditions of American Indians living in the U.P., artist Ed Gray will use ancient methods with primitive tools to teach how to create a 6-inch copper bowl annealed by fire.

• Painting with Watercolors with Nancy McCabe •

Time: Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4 from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. (2 days, 6 hours each day)
Cost: $75 plus $20 for materials

Bring a bag lunch.

Designed for both beginning and intermediate students. Instructor Nancy McCabe will teach how to paint with watercolors. Experiment with wet on wet, dry brush, the lifting of colors, washes, and some “just for the fun” painting techniques.

• Fruit Tree Care and Pruning with Jim Isleib from MSU Extension •

Time: Saturday, October 10 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Cost: $15

Learn where to plant, how to train new trees, and how to control pests that could harm them. We will end the class with pruning tips.

• Traditional Finnish Wood-Carved Evergreen Tree •

Time: Saturday, December 5, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Cost: $42

Minimum 5 students, maximum 8

Materials: Bring a good pocket knife or purchase one at class for $13.00 by calling Karen Berg at 884-4340 three weeks in advance.

Students will leave class having learned some of the basic techniques of an ancient Scandinavian art form. Every participant will carve a traditional Finnish evergreen tree using skills passed down for centuries and mastered by instructor Pekka.

Special Note: This class is scheduled to run concurrently with one of the Evergreen Wreath classes conducted by Heidi Held. Each class will be conducted at different ends of the workshop on Saturday.

• Holiday Wreath and Decoration Making with Heidi Held •

Three 8-hour class sessions to choose from: On Friday, December 4th you may schedule 8 hours of class time between 8 a.m. & 8 p.m. (Call Heidi at 884-6485 to schedule your preferred time block), or Saturday, December 5th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or Sunday, December 6th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students will be walked through the creation of beautiful holiday wreaths and table arrangements by using fresh evergreen boughs.
Class Fee: $25 plus $5 for materials

Lunch and beverages will be provided.

• Twig Wreath Making with Wayne Walma •

Time: Saturday, December 12, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to noon
Cost: $25 plus $10 for materials

Minimum 3 students, maximum 10

Materials are optional: Pruning Shears, Gloves

Special Note: Please pre-register by December 5, 2009. Wayne will know how many bundle of twigs to cut. (The twigs will be fresh.)

• Crocheting 2010 with Sherry Havela •

There are 4 dates:
Friday, January 15, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Saturday, February, 6, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Friday, February 26, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Saturday, March 20, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Cost: $30 is a one-time fee for one or all 4 sessions of any combination of crocheting &/or knitting classes. The classes will run concurrently. Students may work in either or both classes.

Minimum number of students: 6 total for the combined crocheting and knitting classes. (No maximum)

The Crochet Class welcomes all skill levels, from beginners to advanced. A simple scarf pattern and a limited supply of yarn and hooks will be available for practice. You may bring a project of your own choice. Come and enjoy 3 hours of uninterrupted time with friends.

We will discuss the latest in yarns and tools, places to obtain materials, and the history of crocheting.

If you wish to use the pattern provided, or you have questions, please contact the Instructor who will advise you about materials. Sherry Havela, 906-575-3319.

Please register for class(es) by January 11, 2010, even if you can't attend the first one. It will be helpful if you indicate what classes you MAY attend. It's OK if you are not sure. It is important for us to know that we will have at least a total of 6 students in the combined Crocheting and Knitting Classes. If not, the classes will be canceled. 

• Winter Knitting 2010 with Sarah Wagner and Karen Berg •

There are 4 dates:
Friday, January 15, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Saturday, February, 6, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Friday, February 26, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Saturday, March 20, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (ET)
Cost: $30 is a one-time fee for one or all 4 sessions of any combination of crocheting &/or knitting classes. The classes will run concurrently. Students may work in either or both classes.

Minimum number of students: 6 total for the combined crocheting and knitting classes. (No maximum)

The Winter Knitting Class welcomes beginners and experienced knitters alike. The informal 3-hour sessions are designed so that you may come and go as you wish. Beginners will be taught to cast on stitches and will learn the knit and pearl stitches. There will be a limited supply of yarn and needles available to practice with. You may choose to knit the scarf pattern we will provide. For that you will need 132 yards of super bulky yarn and size 17 needles. Whether you are a beginner or experienced knitter you are welcome to bring a project of your choice. Come and enjoy 3 hours of uninterrupted knitting time with friends.

We will discuss the latest in yarns and tools, places to obtain supplies, and the history of knitting.

Contact Persons: Sarah Wagner 906-884-2630
Karen Berg 906-884-4340

Please register for class(es) by January 11, 2010, even if you cannot attend the first class. It will be helpful if you indicate the classes you MAY attend. It's OK if you are not sure. It is important for us to know that we will have at least 6 students in the combined Knitting and Crocheting Classes. If not, the classes will be canceled.

• Making an Apron with Edna Harbison Yonker •

Time: Sunday, January 24, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 plus approximately $15 for materials

Minimum number of students: 6; maximum 12

You may choose to sew a plain or striped canvas Bar-B-Q type apron or a Vintage style apron. All sewing is straight...no fancy stitching...no experience necessary.

Materials needed: Each student will need a sewing machine, fabric (no stretchy type) and thread. For the Bar-B-Q Apron you will need 1 1/2 yards of medium weight cotton fabric and a spool of matching thread. For the Vintage Apron you will need 1 yard of cotton fabric plus 1/2 yard of coordinating fabric and matching thread. If you need to borrow a machine or have questions about materials call Edna 906-884-4713 (H) or 906-884-2279 (W).

Edna's website shows some of her aprons: www.nonesuchgallery.com.

• Snowshoeing Hike with Bob Wild •

Time: Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.
Cost: Free

Bob Wild will lead a Snowshoe Hike. He will provide snowshoes. He will meet you at the Whitetail Cabin parking lot, just a short distance beyond the turn-off to the Ski Hill. Please register for the class by February 1 so that he will know how many pairs of snowshoes are needed. Of course you may bring your own snowshoes if you have them. You are welcome to take the Hike whether or not you are attending a Folk School class.

• Practical and Decorative Rope Work with Jared Smith •

Time: Saturday, February 20, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $10 (No materials cost)

Minimum number of students: 5
Maximum: 20

Students will become familiar with rope and cordage. They will be instructed in basic and decorative KNOTS as well as splicing and rope whippings. For registration call Beth at the EDC Office at 906-884-4188.

• Ukranian Egg Decorating Class with Jody Maloney and Jim Michie •

Time: Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $10 + $20 for Materials (Materials fee includes a basic kit of delrin kitsky, dyes and beeswax.)

Minimum number of students: 5 registered students by February 18, 2010
Maximum: Any number

Learn the basics of creating Ukranian Eggs (Pysanky) for hobby or fun. The class will teach you about basic materials, dyeing techniques, using kitska, designing an egg and more. For registration call Beth at the EDC Office at 906-884-4188.

• Wooden Spoon Carving with Jarrod Stone Dahl •

Time: Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET)
Cost: $43

Minimum number of students: 6
Maximum: 7

Students will learn how to choose appropriate wood for spoon carving, what tools to use, and how to care for wooden ware. They will learn the proper wood grain orientation which follows the Swedish design for spoons. Jarrod will offer ideas for decorating the spoons.

Materials: Students will purchase a spoon blank from Jarrod at class for $15. All other materials will be provided.

• Above Ground Container Gardening with Carol Huntoon and Sherrie McCabe •

Time: Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon (ET)
Cost: $8 plus $12 for materials

Learn to garden without a plot...garden made easy. Plant you seeds in containers/buckets, and move your garden to suit the sun and the weather. Be eco-friendly be saving soil (from year to year) and using recycled materials to make a "funnel bucket" to take home with you. In addition, you will receive written instructions.

Any number of students are welcome. 

See this page for current workshops and information on how to enroll.

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.