Homestead Heritage - Our Church Community

Three-Day Homestead Carpentry

Hands-on instruction on common construction methods using dimensional lumber

Many traditional woodworking crafts that once supported homestead living have all but disappeared, yet many of those skills prove as useful and necessary for every home today as they did in times past. We offer this hands-on course for homeowners and homesteaders of all skill levels to enable them to maintain their property and also to plan and construct various new projects associated with homestead sustainability. Using simple, proven methods and techniques and a wide range of traditional hand methods, each student will construct a variety of projects designed for use around a typical homestead: Cold frames, beehives, sawhorses, gates, chicken tractors, garden rakes and more. Through short lectures and demonstrations, we take you step by step as you make simple repairs to garden hand tools, plan small building projects, choose the right tools and learn how to sharpen axes, kitchen scissors, knives, chisels and saws.

As the purpose of this course is to develop skill and establish a working knowledge of the materials, tools and equipment used in homestead carpentry, the projects themselves serve only as a means to provide hands-on work experience. The finished projects will remain with the school upon completion of the class.

Class Size: 8

Beginning Homestead Carpentry Seminar
(1-day)

Many of the carpentry skills once common to every homestead and home have been lost and forgotten. These simple skills can be mastered in just a few hours. We offer this Beginning Homestead Carpentry as an introduction to those seeking to begin carpentry at home. Though a series of lectures and demonstrations, you will see a variety of construction methods that will enable you to understand the tools, techniques and methods used by carpenters and joiners for centuries.

Though this seminar is primarily informational, there will be hands-on activities disbursed throughout the day.

Class Size: 12