Fibershed Extends Design Challenge

Farm Pickings

News and Updates from Sanborn Mills Farm

— July 12, 2023 —

Pop-Up Lunch

and Draft Animal Demonstration Next Week

Prior to our next Pop-Up Lunch, on Thursday, July 20, our skilled draft animal teamsters will demonstrate cultivation with our oxen and horses. Come to the Farm to watch how we use draft animal power to cultivate our fields and gardens.

The demonstration will be followed by the Pop-Up Community Lunch featuring foods prepared by our head chef Kelly Fahey from Farm-grown produce. Registration is required for the lunch — click here to register.

Hope to see you at the Farm next week!

Upcoming Workshops Have Availability

Many of the workshops at Sanborn Mills Farm fill quickly, but we have a few upcoming workshops with availability. Each of these is worth investigating — don’t miss a wonderful opportunity to learn a new skill or refine an existing skill in the exquisite environment of the Farm. Click on the title of each workshop for more information and to register.

Sharpening Bootcamp

September 16

Instructor: Owain Harris

The foundation of accurate hand tool work is having sharp tools, and the key to successful sharpening is solid technique. This one-day workshop will cover the basics of sharpening a variety of woodworking tools from chisels and planes to card scrapers, spoke shaves, and more. Bring your dull woodworking tools and leave with them tuned up and ready for work.



Bowl Turning Basics

September 22-24

Instructor: Claude DuPuis

Learn how to harvest and process wood blanks for turning and about the mechanics of a wood-turning lathe, then learn how to make a rough bowl into a finished bowl. Participants will leave this workshop with a bowl they made themselves.

Forged Rings

September 23-24

Instructor: Garry Kalajian

Learn how to form and forge weld the ends of a bar to form a ring, and how to form the ends to form a pivot joint suitable to a door knocker. Students can then work on a project of their choosing, including a door knocker, hand towel holder, gate pull, or hitching post ring.

Fibershed Extends Design Challenge

Application Deadline;

Zoom Q&A to be Held July 20

After careful consideration, the design challenge committee has decided to move the registration deadline to March 1st, 2024. We hope this allows the most applicants possible to register. We do however ask that applicants consider the implication of registering late. Only registered applicants will have access to the 2023 Cohort Facebook group (emailed invites are sent out after registration), the monthly Zoom check ins, and the NNEF resource lists. We are also going to hold a Q&A Zoom session on Thursday, July 20th at 6:30 p.m. for anyone who is interested in registering but may still have unanswered questions.

We Need You!

We’re Looking for a Registrar/Guest Relations person and a Kitchen Assistant/Sous Chef.

Both of these are staff positions. Apply today to begin your career at a truly one-of-a-kind facility: historic and beautiful Sanborn Mills Farm. Click here for more information and to apply.

Photo Credits

Workshop photos courtesy the instructors.

All other photography by Steve Bjerklie.