Workshops for 2024
Outsider Folk School offers a variety of workshops hosted in spaces around the NE Kansas region. We have individual workshops and ‘Series’ where students are walked through sequential workshops or closely related subjects. Students can enroll in the Series workshops individually or as a set.
By Month
By Series
September
Hot Sauce Crafting
By Sarah Salzman
September 8, 2024
1 pm - 4 pm
Baker University Wetlands Discovery Center, Lawrence
Make and take home 2 bottles of hot sauce using 2 different methods , salt cap method and brine based method for fermenting with peppers. Learn troubleshooting techniques to deal with surface growth when fermenting. Sample several types of finished fermented hot sauce during the class.
Photo by Andy White
Native Landscape Immersion Series:
Botany and Ecology in Fall
By Courtney Masterson
September 22
3 pm - 6 pm
Blazing Star Prairie, Lawrence
This workshop is part of a Botany and Ecology Series, students can register for the courses individually or for all classes at a discount. In this four class series, students will learn introductory field botany skills for major plant families in our region focusing on the season at hand (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). There is value in attending even one session, though attending more than one will help to deepen your botanical knowledge.
In this session, attendees will learn to identify many of the plant families that define the native landscapes in our region, spend time with caterpillars and host plants, and learn to recognize native seeds.
October
Dry Stone Walling
Dry Stone Walling is an ancient practice of constructing stone walls without the use of any mortar to bind them together. Just through the careful placement and shaping of stones allows these structures to stand easily for hundreds of years.
This particular course, students will help construct a dry-stone retaining wall at the Blazing Star Prairie, the home of Native Lands Restoration Collaborative. This retaining wall will help expand the growing spaces for them while helping prevent future erosion.
By Karl Ramberg
October 12
9 am - 3 pm
Blazing Star Prairie, Lawrence
Making Flour out of Local Acorns
By Frank Norman
October 12, 2024
10 am - 1 pm
Winter School No. 70, Lecompton
Use locally harvested acorns to make meal or flour for cooking. Participants will learn to grind acorns to produce nut meal and then process the meal via cold processing (off-site). Attendees are encouraged to bring any acorns they may have for the class.
Cordage with Local Plants
By Liz Bonny
October 26
1 pm - 4 pm
Winter School No. 70, Lecompton
In this class, students will learn how to make cordage from found and foraged plant fibers. This cordage can be used in other crafts like basketry or as a beautiful substitute for wherever you would use string. Materials and handout with resources included in class fee.
Seasonal Bundle Dyeing
Students will get to learn about this free-form technique using all locally harvested botanicals. Dried and fresh plants + food waste will be available, including: cosmos; marigolds; onion skins; hibiscus flowers; hollyhock; coreopsis; and more. We will discuss the basics of natural dyeing, including how to prepare your fabric with a mordant to ensure the colors hold over time. Each participant will leave the workshop with a unique botanical bandana and a detailed instructional handout for future bundle dyeing projects at home! No previous plant dye experience necessary.
By Kim Comstock
October 26
1 pm - 4 pm
Baker Wetlands Discover Center, Lawrence
December
Spinning Local Wool on a Drop Spindle
In this class, students will learn how to spin locally sourced wool on a locally made drop spindle. We will try our hand at a variety of wool breeds and explore different spinning styles. Students will learn how to finish their yarn and take home a handout and all materials needed for further exploration.
By Liz Bonny
December 7
1 pm - 4 pm
Winter School No. 70, Lecompton
Cordage with Local Plants
In this class, students will learn how to make cordage from found and foraged plant fibers. This cordage can be used in other crafts like basketry or as a beautiful substitute for wherever you would use string
By Liz Bonny
December 14
1 pm - 4 pm
Winter School No. 70, Lecompton
Native Landscape Immersion Series:
Botany and Ecology in Winter
By Courtney Masterson
December 15
1 pm - 4 pm
Blazing Star Prairie, Lawrence
This workshop is part of a Botany and Ecology Series, students can register for the courses individually or for all classes at a discount. In this four class series, students will learn introductory field botany skills for major plant families in our region focusing on the season at hand (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). There is value in attending even one session, though attending more than one will help to deepen your botanical knowledge.
In this session, attendees will learn to identify many of the plant families that define the native landscapes in our region, with an emphasis on woody plants and “evergreens.” The group will spend time learning about bark, buds and seeds, and observe animals as they seek resources on a resting landscape.