Homesteading Courses

BTO · #1 12/29/09, 10:24 AM

Does anyone know of a farm or school that offers courses in homesteading skills? I have been wondering if courses or weekend seminars on poultry, sheep, pressure canning or pasture management would be of interest to the general community. If you had such a school in your area what would be the number one subject that you would spend your hard earned money to attend and how much would you be willing to spend?

ErinP · #2 12/29/09, 10:29 AM

Several schools/museums were mentioned in this thread:
John C. Ampbell Folk School, has anyone attended?

And so far as I've experienced, most living history museums have classes periodically.

wy_white_wolf · #3 12/29/09, 10:48 AM

To find what's available in maine you might try searching under "sustainable living"

http://www.sagemountain.org/living/index.html In Montana offers some workshops on sustainable living.

Our local extension office (University of Wyoming) offers some workshops on canning and gardening. Not sure what else they offer but I do know many local farmers and ranches seek advice from them.

They have lots of 1 to 2 hour workshops at the Sustainable Living fair in Fort Collins, CO. I've attended several.

I've been tempted to take a new class at the local community college that is ? designed for the home owner on setup and maintenace of wind power. Just didn't fit into my schedule.

Windy in Kansas · #4 12/29/09, 11:15 AM

There really are a lot of schools available though often not locally to oneself.
http://www.foundationfarm.com/ They also may target just one portion of knowledge toward the overall task of country life/living and are often longer than just a basic weekend course.

**Cabin Fever** · #5 12/29/09, 12:59 PM

I take it that the classes highlighted in red are "hints?"

sirquack · #6 12/29/09, 01:39 PM

I think was WIIH is saying, is don't make plans on her being around on those days! LOL

Beeman · #7 12/29/09, 01:44 PM

Your extension office should have plenty of info and possibly offer hands on instruction. 4H has what you want and plenty of info available, they might even want an assistant leader.

Wolf mom · #8 12/29/09, 02:26 PM

Check with your nearest community college. Many have classes in gardening, building, animal husbandry, welding, agriculture, home economics, and mini classes or seminars on lots of stuff. (I'm taking a class on woodworking this semester)

Look in your local paper - many people have specific skills that they give classes on. I found one on pine needle weaving. (wish I had taken it)

Go to specific stores ie: We have a high end (for here) store that specialized in pots, pans etc. On their board, they have ads for learning how to make wedding cakes, etc.

Ask a friend if he/she knows someone who would teach you for a few bucks.

If all else fails, go to the library, read, practice...But above all, have fun.

littlebitfarm · #9 12/29/09, 02:41 PM

Would be happy to accept an intern next spring for a course in wheel barrow and manure fork use!

Kathie

Callieslamb · #10 12/29/09, 03:28 PM

Master Gardener course though the extension service - for anyone who wants to learn to garden.

I ditto other extension courses - we just had a pasture management webinar this month. It was very informative.

whiterock · #11 12/29/09, 03:49 PM

www.homesteadheritage.com

this is in the Waco, Tx area, but you can browse. I go down there every year for their children's Thanksgiving Fair

thirdrising · #12 12/29/09, 05:49 PM

I was just wondering recently have not looked into it yet, I was wondering about courses in how to properly take care of the animals that you hunted.

Beeman · #13 12/29/09, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thirdrising

I was just wondering recently have not looked into it yet, I was wondering about courses in how to properly take care of the animals that you hunted.

They usually don't require much care, and don't eat much either.

Seriously just go to a sporting goods store and ask, I'm sure someone would be glad to let you help dress game.

BTO · #14 12/30/09, 04:45 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I was thinking more of the hands on types of courses / seminars. Similar to a community college with less lecture and mostly hands on application. Maybe an abreviated apprenticeship. Lets talk about poultry processing and then have a lab on actually dispatching and processing a goose or something, if you know what I mean.

Natural Beauty Farm · #15 01/01/10, 03:23 PM

Quite a few working farms will take in interns. We do it here and before I started working here I spent a few years working at different farms learning what I wanted to know. Think it was the best opportunity I ever took advantage of.

Beeman · #16 01/01/10, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTO

Thanks for all the replies. I was thinking more of the hands on types of courses / seminars. Similar to a community college with less lecture and mostly hands on application. Maybe an abreviated apprenticeship. Lets talk about poultry processing and then have a lab on actually dispatching and processing a goose or something, if you know what I mean.

Practical education like apprenticeships are pretty much dead in this country. The attitude is who would want to do that dirty manual labor. Then you've got the classes for the wealthy but with the dirty parts done by the hired help.

RusticOkie · #17 01/01/10, 04:36 PM

The votech type schools in the area here have some classes but the prices have dramatically increased in the last year. There are many I would like to take but the courses are near or over $100 and that doesn't always include supplies.

I wish there was a more affordable way to learn how to do some of the things I would like to learn.

mpillow · #18 01/01/10, 06:05 PM

C'mon over.....I have lots going on around here....or are you looking to teach one?

My 14 yo can do lots of handcrafts and even clay sculptures (mini), she made fleece blankets and hats and felted animals for X-mas, she makes baskets, she butchers her own buns,
we garden, can, dehydrate, milk goats, raise calves, chickens, an occasional pig. We hunt, fish, heat with wood and we have a tractor to play with...

Taking a wine class here in town this month...its less than $50 and I get wine in $$excess of class cost from what I've seen from a friend who took it this past Fall.

Ken in Maine does a goat school.....its a one or 2 day thing I think

Other than that your county extension office will have further info. Common Ground fair offers some seminars too....
Me, I'm hands on....I have a few animal books and get a lot of info off the net....most of the time its unnecessary to be quite as exact as the books/experts say....

Alice In TX/MO · #19 01/01/10, 08:32 PM

Get a copy of Carla Emery's Encyclopedia of Country Living. Read that section. Go do it. That's the best way.:banana02:

OR... go by the feed store at coffee drinking time in the morning and ask one of the old gentlemen to help you learn.

Ken in Maine · #20 01/02/10, 08:11 AM

Thanks for the "plug" Melissa. Our website is www.mainegoats.com just click on the Goat School link for more information. Our next session is Mother's Day weekend in early May. We already have people signed up and paid coming from Texas... Ohio... Florida.. the Carolinas as well as other parts of the country. The classes run two days and include all the information a beginner or more experienced goat breeder needs for a successful experience raising goats. We typically have 50 to 80 attendees for each session... Spring ( Mother's Day weekend) and Fall ( Columbus Day weekend). We already have reservations for the Columbus Day session in 2010.

We also offer cheese and soap making classes. The cheese class is in the morning and the soap class in the afternoon... Lunch is included.

Feel free to check out our website or e-mail us with your snail mail address and we'll send you our newsletter and registration form.