A series of Cooking workshops are being set up to run once a month, from a cosy village hall near Flitwick in mid Bedfordshire.

The aim is to introduce you to a themed group of recipes, will help you to improve your cooking skills, and fire up your enthusiasm to spend more time in the kitchen!

Group sizes will be limited to six people so that you get as much attention as you need, and everyone gets to share what they’ve learned.

Refreshments are served during the day, and we will eat for lunch all or part of what we’ve made on the day.

We will be using the Pampered Chef range of Cooking Utensils, Kitchenware and Bakeware, all of which can be ordered from me on the day, or afterwards on the internet.

The cost is £55 per person, payable by cheque, cash or via my BigBarn Shop (where you can pay by card).

21^st April 2012 - Rice and Pasta  (ONLY 2 PLACES LEFT)

19^th May 2012 - Cakes, Bakes and Cookies

16^th June 2012 - Fresh Fruit and Summer Puddings

21^st July 2012 - Summer Vegetables

18^th August 2012 - Fish and Shellfish (ONLY 2 PLACES LEFT)

Special Offer – Book and pay for 3 courses and get a 4^th ½ price!  I can also do Gift Vouchers  (valid for 12 months only) for Christmas & Birthday presents.

To book a place, contact Sue Lang (The Beesness) on 07522 559010, or via the.beesness@btinternet.com.  You can also book and pay via my online shop at BigBarn (search for ‘The Beesness’).

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Written by: thebeesness
View the original article for contact information and more images: Cookery Workshop – new dates added for 2012
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Introduction to Basket Weaving.

Learn to weave a simple, round, willow basket in this fun, one-day course.  

Dates:to suit

Times:10am - 3pm

Materials and Refreshments included.

Price:£30 each for 3+ people.

£38 each for two people.

£65 each for one to one tuition.

Gift Vouchers available.

N.B  This course can be combined with a wild food walk, to identify and collect local edible plants in your new basket.  Enquire for details.

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Written by: Diane Hammill
View the original article for contact information and more images: Introduction to Basket Weaving.
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

23rd June 2012 9am-5.30pm

This is a beginners class, no experience in using wood, knives and axes is necessary. If you have some experience then this will help you progress faster.

We use spoons every day and usually give them little thought. I think they are wonderful examples of 3d design and art meeting function, with their almost infinite variety of shapes and form. People have carved wooden spoons since we began working wood, a tradition that is still alive today with more and more people taking up this practical and rewarding pastime.

Spoons come in all shapes and sizes: eating, serving, cooking, sculptural, and love-spoons. This workshop will concentrate on spoons for eating with, and smaller serving spoons. Depending on your ability, you will take home at least one spoon and the techniques used in making, so you can continue making spoons at home. Spoon carving tools will be on sale at the workshop.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Wooden Spoon Carving (one day course)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

17 June 2012 9am-5.30pm

Shrink-pots are beautiful, functional, tactile pots made from hollowed-out, green branch wood or green logs. They are great fun to make and provide practical storage solutions for the kitchen. Commonly known in parts of Europe and beyond, their tradition died out in this country in the Dark ages.

When the log or branch is hollowed, a small groove is put into one end on the inside, and a disc of dry plank-wood is cut to fit inside this groove. This is the bottom of the pot. As the hollow pot dries, it shrinks around the base and holds it firmly. A lid is made from another piece of plank of wood.

No woodworking knowledge or experience is required, although if you have green or normal woodworking experience then this will help you progress faster. Only hand tools are used on this course: you will learn how to make these pots with a minimal investment in tools.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Making Shrink Pots from wood (one day course)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

29 April 2012 , 9am-5.30pm suitable for adults and young people age 15 upwards

This is a beginner’s class: no experience in using wood, knives or axes is necessary. This is a good introduction to working with green wood and becoming comfortable with edge tools, and it will enable you to work on your own at home.

During the day you will learn how to take small wood from the wood or hedgerow, and how to make this into small, useful objects, or puzzles and toys. We will use hand saws, axes, knives and drills. No power tools will be used. Tuition will be given in how to use the tools safely and efficiently, as well as advice on how to sharpen them. The emphasis will be on using simple everyday tools to make interesting, useful, everyday stuff.

You can learn to make some of the following: coat hooks from branches, flying propellers, arrow-through-washer puzzles, wooden gypsy flowers, and spatulas.

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Written by: husbandryschool
View the original article for contact information and more images: Wild Wood Whittling ( one day course)
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Be a Blacksmith for a Day! Sat 21st April, Sun 10th June, Fri 10th Aug & Sat 29th Sept.

Take Artistic Blacksmith Adrian and Bill (his Dad), complete with a long wheel base van from Cleveland equipped with 3 portable blacksmithing furnaces, six anvils and many tools. Enter six enthusiastic potential arty blacksmiths and you have the ingredients for an inspiring and creative blacksmithing day.

Adrian Wood is a university graduatewith a degree in fine art sculpture from The University of, London.

Adrian & Bill arrive early with all the kit  and set up in a corner of the Cycle Cafe cafe driveway in good time - the furnaces have to be hot enough to use at the start of the class.

During the welcome coffee Adrian will show some of his work and explain what you might expect to make during the day .

After a safety talk and with furnaces ready Adrian goes through the basic principles, the colours of hot metals, its malleability, temperatures and the important of getting just the right temperature for the right task.

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Written by: Greystoke Cycle Cafe
View the original article for contact information and more images: Beginners Artistic Blacksmithing in a Day Workshop
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Friday 13th April  2012  9.30 - 3.3pm see website for all info.

Susan Nichols courses are few and far between - we are very lucky that she comes to Greystoke - a unique opportunity to learn to make one of  these wonderful wire sculptures for your own gardne.  They are made out of galvanised chicken wire and are solid, sturdy, and designed to last for years in your garden. They can be sprayed later in any colour using car spray cans from Halfords etc

Early Booking advised.

If the weather is fine we usually work in the garden .

WHAT TO BRING ON THE DAY For those coming please bring 3 thingsA pair of needle nosed pliers Strong gloves - but not so thick as to be clumsy - the green type textured gardening gloves from B & Q are ideal Something to protect your lap - a strong/thick apron is good- or a piece of leather if you happen to have one?

The cafe has some strong aprons to borrow

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Written by: Greystoke Cycle Cafe
View the original article for contact information and more images: Wire Garden Sculptures – Indian Runner Ducks and Aylesbury Ducks with Sue Nichols
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Next Course Date Thursday 15th March 2012

NB Course now FULL.

Using living willow is a perfect way to screen off and hide ugly areas,   if done properly can be a really strong architectural feature in th egarden or landscape,  hold back eroding river banks and many more- you can screen off a caravan or make a childrens den in the garden and they will love it - all with Phil Bradley  Cumbria's Willow Master includes 2 course lunch - this will be a live job probably somewhere near Blencathra in the Lake District

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Written by: Greystoke Cycle Cafe
View the original article for contact information and more images: Living Willow Course- Lattice Screens / Fedges and Arbours
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

Want to learn how to crochet? Our Beginners Crocheting Course will get you started!

Overview

• 2.5 hour session – 10.00 – 12.30
• Learn the basics to get you started
• Make a slip knot
• Creating a chain
• Slip stitch
• Single crochet
• Half double crochet
• Double crochet
• Treble crochet
• Abbreviations and how to read a simple crochet pattern
• Getting started with a granny square
• Tidying up those loose ends!

Next Course

Sunday 12th February 2012

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Written by: Villageways
View the original article for contact information and more images: Crochet Course for Beginners
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.

A full day with Gary & Maggie Lightfoot from North West Wools and Pam an expert spinner. You will also be using the techniques to create your own item to take away.

The aim is to give an appreciation of wool origins, variety and the whole progression of the wool from the sheep to a useful product

Programme for the day:-

10:00 - Arrival, coffee and introductions

10:30 - Tour of Saving Rare Breeds Farm Park and meet the sheep

11:00 - Factors that determine wool quality

11:30 - Shearing for quality

12:00 - Lunch

13:00 - Afternoon session will cover the following topics

• Fleece qualities for hand crafting
• Fleece prep (demo only)
• Drop spinning
• Wheel spinning (demo only)
• Wet felting
• Dry needle felting.

16:00 - Coffee and Q&A

16:30 - Depart

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Written by: hesberthall
View the original article for contact information and more images: Wool Workshops – Sunday 1st July, 29th July and 19th August – 10am to 4:30pm
Original article posted on the Smallholding Courses website.