Humble Oak Folk School
Empowering the community to craft, move, and interact with fellow beings in ways that are in harmony with the reciprocal energy of life on Earth.
What is a Folk School?
A welcoming & inclusive, handcrafted community that places, community relationships, nature connection, craft, and personal growth as the center of life learning.
Upcoming Classes
Introduction to Wet Felting
with Jodie Janovec
Saturday, January 27th, 2024
1pm- 4pm
Honey Creek Collective (map)
Humble Oak Office/Studio Space- 3rd Floor
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $60
Sustainer Level Ticket: $50
Supported Level Ticket: $40
Learn the basics of Wet Felting. An ancient traditional practice. We will lay out the wool batting in alternative layers. Along the way we will discuss the principles of how the fiber is laid out and how these methods directly dictate the final piece of felt and ensure it’s technically sound and strong. The beauty of felt comes naturally. I have never found the need to work at making something with wool beautiful. It naturally is.
We then wet and rub the work until it is ready for the next steps of “felting” and “fulling”.
You will have a nice size piece of wool felt when finished. This felt can then be constructed into any number of utilitarian or decorative final pieces such as bookmarks, coasters, patches, and more.
Felting requires some hand strength to be successful.
Beginners class- Ages 12 and up
Materials fee: $18 - includes bamboo mat and netting to take home, and wool and soap for project and use of all materials to make your felt
Please bring a bath towel and several hand towels
Class will be limited to 9 students.
Introduction to Wild, Edible Mushrooms Foraging, with Jared Janovec
Saturday, February 10th, 2024
3pm-4:30pm
Honey Creek Collective (map) 2nd Floor Gathering Space
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $15
Sustainer Level Ticket: $10
Supported Level Ticket: $5
This class serves as an introduction to amateur wild mushrooms foraging, with particular focus on some of the wild, edible mushrooms of the Southeast, WI, region in the Upper Midwest of the United States. There are a number of delicious, relatively easy to identify - and some being relatively easy to find - wild, edible mushrooms that grow in our Southeast Wisconsin region. Through this course, participants will learn about a variety of wild, edible mushrooms that are common to the region, how to identify and differentiate them from non-edible species, the types of habitats where certain species grow, and also ways in which to prepare them for eating and for long-term storage.
*Students may wish to bring a notebook, journal or small sketchbook, and a pen or pencil
Seed Saving, with Holly Morgan
Sunday, February 18th, 2024
1pm- 4pm
Honey Creek Collective (map)
Humble Oak Office/Studio Space- 3rd Floor
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $30
Sustainer Level Ticket: $20
Supported Level Ticket: $10
Join Holly Morgan, an experienced gardener and nature observer, as she discusses the art and importance of seed saving. This course will explore the historical connections that seed saving has to building relationship with the land, the basics of choosing plants from which to save, and ways to prepare and store saved seeds. There will be an opportunity for hands on seed preparation and to take home saved seeds of your own.
Materials Fee: $5 (to be paid directly to the instructor during class),
*Students may bring a notebook and a writing instrument should they wish to take notes.
Compassionate Communication
with Linda Conroy
Saturday, February 24th, 2024
9am- 4pm
Honey Creek Collective (map)
2nd Floor Gathering Space
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $135
Sustainer Level Ticket: $110
Supported Level Ticket: $85
Lunch included in the class fee
Communication Tools for Transforming Relationships
Communication begins with the relationship we have with ourselves and reverberates to those around us. In this workshop we will begin by centering in our relationship to ourselves. As the day unfolds, we will participate in engaging activities that open our hearts and minds to engaging ways to interact with ourselves, friends, families and communities.
Class will be limited to 15 students.
Coiled Basketry
with Linda Conroy
Sunday, June 9th, 2024
9am- 4pm
Honey Creek Collective (map)
Humble Oak Office/Studio Space- 3rd Floor
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $135
Sustainer Level Ticket: $110
Supported Level Ticket: $85
Lunch, handouts and materials for the basketry class included in the fee
Coiled Basketry: Pine Needle and Sweet Grass
Learn to make a coiled basket using some of the sweetest-smelling plants-sweet grass and pine needles! Spend the day exploring the creative possibilities of this ancient art form as you design and complete your basket. Herbalist and wild forager Linda Conroy will guide and instruct you on how to start and sew a basket. You will learn various stitching techniques and approaches to incorporating other materials into the design of coiled baskets. This class is for students of all levels and great for those who like working with natural materials. Bring a small pair of sharp scissors, thimble, and reading glasses (if needed for close work). Additional supplies will be provided. Registrants will also leave with supplies to make another basket at home.
Class will be limited to 15 students.
Field Botany for Herbalists & Foragers
with Linda Conroy
Sunday, July 14th, 2024
9am- 6pm
The Woods, W2743 Friemoth Rd. East Troy, WI.
Fire Pit Gathering Area (Outdoor Location)
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $135
Sustainer Level Ticket: $110
Supported Level Ticket: $85
Lunch included in the class fee
Plant Observations and Field Botany for Herbalists and Foragers
This program is intended to increase the skills and confidence of herbal enthusiasts, herbalists and foragers. Learning and practicing field botany is fun and one of the most important skills for any forager. Through playful and engaging observation exercises, as well as practices with plant keys, you will leave this program feeling confident and excited about engaging with the plant world. Bring your favorite ID books and a hand lens (if you do not have one, there will be some for you to use and/or purchase).
Class will be limited to 15 students.
Beginner Wood Carving: Wall Hook Project
with Stephen Adam & Adam Barbeau
Saturday, November 4th, 2023 Postponed until Yurt work is complete :)
9am- 12pm
Honey Creek Collective (map)
Humble Oak Office/Studio Space- 3rd Floor
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $80
Sustainer Level Ticket: $60
Supported Level Ticket: $40
Hone your wood carving knowledge with this introductory class that is designed to help you gain the knowledge and practice to carve with confidence. Students will be introduced to basic axe techniques, knife strokes, wood choice, and safety practices.
The project for this class will be to create a decorative wall hook from a tree branch. The branch blanks will be provided by the instructors.
With the support of two instructors each student will be sure to have plenty of opportunity for direct guidance.
Students are to bring the following required tools:
Mora no. 120 carving knife (no chip carving, hunting or Flexcut knives)
Class will be limited to 12 students.
*Students must be 18 yrs. to participate. This is a beginner class so no previous carving experience is necessary, however participants should feel comfortable handling a knife.
Past Classes
Introduction to Spinning Yarn, with Ellie Barbeau
Saturday, November 18th, 2023
9am- 12pm
Honey Creek Collective (map)
Humble Oak Office/Studio Space- 3rd Floor
Sliding Scale Class Fee (please see FAQ for details)
Supporter Level Ticket: $80
Sustainer Level Ticket: $60
Supported Level Ticket: $40
Materials Fee: $8 (to be paid directly to the instructor during class), this kit provided by the instructor will include a top whorl spindle and 4 ounces of wool.
If you can whirl a top, you can spin your own yarn using a drop spindle! A very traditional and ancient craft, this spinning technique has been around for a LONG time – some of the earliest man-made artifacts are spindle whorls- made from wood, bone, and stone! A drop spindle is a versatile and portable spinning tool that with a little patience and a flick of the wrist can create exquisitely unique, handmade yarn.
This class will cover the basics of drop spinning. Using prepared wool roving and a top whorl spindle, we’ll work on putting the spindle in motion, drafting the fiber, putting twist into the fiber, and winding the fiber, and plying. We will touch on the basics of how to prepare raw wool for spinning– washing, carding, storage, etc. You will become familiar with the amazing variety of fibers that can be used and the work, time and care needed to go from sheep to finished garment or product.
Two different types of spinning wheels will also be available for students to try and become familiar with.
Class will be limited to 12 students.
Paradigms of Plant Medicine: The Past, Present, and Future of Herbalism,with Brandon LaGreca
Saturday, October 21st, 2023
9am- 11am
Honey Creek Collective (map) 2nd Floor Gathering Space
This presentation explores the fascinating world of herbal medicine and its three different paradigms: conventional allopathic, traditional, and shamanic. You’ll learn about the reductionist, holistic, and animistic philosophies behind each of these paradigms and discover how they shape the way herbalism is practiced.
Real-world examples offer a deeper understanding of how each system works. See how conventional medicine relies on clinical trials, traditional medicine focuses on observation and anecdotal evidence, and shamanic medicine favors dreaming and journeying.
Whether someone is a seasoned herbalist or simply interested in exploring the basics of plant medicine, this enriching presentation will expand everyone’s knowledge of the diverse approaches to healing.
Learn to Knit:Autumn Pumpkin, with Ellie Barbeau
Saturday, October 14th, 2023
9am-12pm
Honey Creek Collective (map)
Humble Oak Office/Studio Space- 3rd Floor
Materials: this kit provided by the instructor will include a full skein of yarn, US 11 circular knitting needles, cinnamon stick, stuffing, stitch, tapestry needle, markers, and printed project pattern.
Fall is the perfect time to knit! What better project to stitch up this Fall than a cozy, little pumpkin?
All levels are welcome in this fun and festive beginner friendly class.
Students will be introduced to the basics of knitting. We will start by learning how to cast-on a project, then move on to mastering the two most basic stitches in knitting; the knit stitch and the purl stitch. Students will learn how to work "in the round" using circular needles to create their pumpkin. We will complete our pumpkins by stuffing and shaping the pumpkins and topping them off by gluing on a cinnamon or cedar stick stem.
With a little patience and willingness to learn, you'll be knitting your own pumpkin patch in no time!
The Folk School
The Humble Oak Folk School
Honey Creek Collective
-2nd floor Gathering Space
-Humble Oak Office/Studio Space- 3rd Floor
8030 Townline Rd.
East Troy, WI 53120
The Humble Oak Folk School
The Woods
- Fire Pit Gathering Area (Outdoor Location)
-Homestead (Yurt)
W2743 Friemoth Rd.
East Troy, WI 53120
Humble Oak Folk School is a member of the Folk Education Association of America
Contact Us
folkschool@humbleoak.org
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