Adult Education Programs
With many of these classes, online registration is available. Please check our Event Registration page. You can also call in your registration to (802)754-2022.
Apple Grafting & Pruning
Saturday, April 14, 2012, 10am-3pm
Michael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower, a Guide for the Organic Orchardist, will be back again for his popular grafting and pruning course. He will bring hearty root stocks and scions from a variety of apple trees, for the morning grafting workshop. Students are also encouraged to bring in scions from their favorite ancient apple trees. Each student will take home at least two grafted trees. In the afternoon Michael will demonstrate renewal pruning on the Museum’s apple trees. Class Cost $50, or $40 for museum members. Please register and pay online (under Event Registration), or call the Museum to pay by cash or check, by April 12. Behind the Twilight House.
————————————————————————————
Starting With Strawberries
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 10am-1pm
The instructors for this class are Michelle & Marcel Bonin of Peak View Farm in Brownington. Cost is $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
—————————————————————————————–
Growing Chickens the Natural Way
Saturday June 2, 2012, 9am-12pm
Meet at the Coventry School parking lot at 9:15 am to go to the instructors Ned & Jana Lovejoy’s home farm, Apple Ledge Farm in Coventry. Cost is $12 for members, $15 for non-members.
—————————————————————————————————–
Amish Quilt / Table Cover
Tuesdays, June 5 & June 12, 5-7pm
Instructor Cathy Sheehan will teach this class which will be held in two sessions. The second session will be the next Tuesday, June 12th. $25 for non-members, $20 for members, plus $20 materials fee. The fee covers both days. Please bring sewing machine.
———————————————————————————————————
Plaster Casting Techniques
5 Tuesdays, beginning June 12, 2012, to July 10, 2012, 9:30-11am
Instructor Tony Daniels will teach classical sculpture technique, casting with plaster from your original or pre-existing form. $150 non members/ $120 members, pre-register before June 6th.
——————————————————————————————
Home Cheese Making
Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 12:30pm – 4:30pm
Jana Lovejoy of Apple Ledge Farm will teach this class. She will teach how to make Mozzarella, Cheddar Curd and Cottage Cheese. Cost of the class is $25 for non-members, $20 for members, plus a $5 material fee.
————————————————————————————————-
Ash Basketry
Thursday, June 21, 2012, 4:30-7:30pm
Andy Paonessa will be the instructor for this class. Trees & techniques, Prepare ash log for basketry, and weave a berry basket. Cost is $35 for non-members, $30 for members.
———————————————————————————————————-
Beginning Blacksmithing: Make a Fireplace Poker
Saturday, June 23, 2012, 9am-4pm
OR Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 4-8pm
Craig Marcotte introduces basic Forge techniques, safety, equipment options, lighting and maintaining a fire. Beginners make a fireplace poker. Bring a bag lunch on Saturday. (Cost: $75, or $65 members).
——————————————————————————————————-
Nature Journal
Saturday, June 30, 2012, 1-4pm
This class taught by Meg Gibson meets at Hall House for a lesson on sketching and color theory, followed by a hike around the museum property. Render zoological and botanical specimens in the field accurately enough to identify them from field guides after your hike. Required Materials: sketchbook, #2 pencil, eraser, and watercolor paints or colored pencils. Dress for weather and wear sturdy walking shoes. You will probably want to bring, a small digital camera, binoculars, lightweight field guides, water bottle, a hat with a brim, sunglasses, and something to sit on. Rain date is July 7th. $20 for Nature Journal class only, but if you want to take both of Meg Gibson’s classes (Nature Journal, and Botanical Illustration on August 4th), it costs $35.
————————————————————————————————-
Tool Making: Make Blacksmith Tongs
Saturday, July 7, 2012, 9am-4pm
Make a pair of tongs and start your tool collection. Courtney Mead will cover punching, drawing, upsetting and filing in this intermediate course. Bring a lunch. (Cost: $75, $65 members)
——————————————————————————————–
Basket Making: Seagrass Carrier
Saturday, July 14, 2012, 10am-2pm
Carolyn Starr is the instructor for this class. You will be learning how to make a Seagrass Carrier basket. Cost of the class is $25 for non-members, $20 for members, with an additional materials fee of $22.
———————————————————————————————-
Basket Making: Hexagon Basket
Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 10am-2pm
Carolyn Starr is the instructor for this class. You will be learning how to make a Hexagon basket. Cost of the class is $25 for non-members, $20 for members, with an additional materials fee of $22.
—————————————————————————————————–
Knit An Original Shawl
Thursdays, August 2, 2012 & August 16, 2012, 10am-12pm
Diana Foster will be teaching this class. You will learn how to make a casual wrap, “True Colors”. Cost of the class is $25 for non-members, $20 for members, plus $20 materials fee. This is a two part class and the fee includes both days.
————————————————————————————————-
Forge Welding a Trace Hook
Saturday, August 4, 2012, 9am-4pm
Dennis Gibson will teach how to make a trace hook, which is the hook on the whipple trees of horse drawn equipment. It is ingeniously shaped so that it can be put in any link of the trace chain and won’t come undone. The making of this hook introduces the beginning blacksmith to forge welding and accurate bending. Each student will make one or two rings during the day. Limited class size. ($75, or $65 for members.)
—————————————————————————————————-
Botanical Illustration
Saturday, August 4, 2012, 1-4pm
Introduction to a variety of field sketching techniques and botanical illustration formats plus color theory. Study field guides, dissect plants to learn about plant habits and anatomy. Then enjoy a “plein air” drawing session in the museum’s gardens. Materials: sketchbook, #2 pencils, soft eraser, watercolor paints or colored pencils. $20 for Botanical Illustration only but if you want to take both of Meg Gibson’s classes (Nature Journal on June 30th, and Botanical Illustration), it costs $35.
———————————————————————————————–
Home Cheese Making
Saturday, August 11, 2012, 9:30am-1:30pm
Jana Lovejoy will show how to make New England Soft Cheese and Hard Pressed Swiss style cheese. Class fee is $25 for non-members, $20 for members, plus $5 materials.
——————————————————————————————————-
Make a Beaver Stick Towel Rack
Saturday, August 18, 2012, 9am-5pm
Blacksmith James Teuscher will teach students how to forge brackets in plant forms that will support a towel rack made of a stick stripped of its bark and whittled by the beavers. Previous beginning blacksmith class required. Materials provided. ($75, or $65 for members)
—————————————————————————————————
Basket Making: Round Garden Basket
Saturday, August 18, 2012, 10am-2pm
Carolyn Starr is the instructor for this class. You will be learning how to make a Round Garden basket. Cost of the class is $25 for non-members, $20 for members, with an additional materials fee of $22.
————————————————————————————————–
Forging a Garden Trowel
Saturday, September 1, 2012, 9am-4pm
Lucien Avery will teach how to forge a garden trowel blade out of a piece of coil spring. Then burn it onto a wooden handle. This project will need lot of pounding so students may join up in teams, taking turns striking for each-other. Wood will be provided to make the handle or you may purchase a hand turned one for an additional charge. ($75, or $65 for museum members.)
—————————————————————————————————–
Mushroom Walk & Identification
Sunday, September 9, 2012, 3-7pm
Allen Lepage is the instructor for this class. Class cost is $30 for non-members, $25 for members.