Master Gardeners will debut series on homesteading skills
Backyard chickens, loom weaving, alternative home construction, woodworking and sourdough making among topics
Photos courtesy of Orleans County Master Gardeners: Master Gardener Eileen Sorochty talks about straw bale gardening at last year’s Homestead sampler event. Sorochty will be one of the panelists for the “Sustainability for the Home” class offered on Sept. 19.
Contributed by Lydia Fernandez, Master Gardener
KNOWLESVILLE – This month, the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners are launching the Homestead Educational Series, a set of monthly classes dedicated to self-sufficiency and sustainability. The series is open to adults interested in learning a variety of practical skills and approaches for the home. No experience is necessary.
Many of the classes provide hands-on learning opportunities. Topics include backyard chickens, loom weaving, alternative home construction, woodworking and sourdough making.
The first class in the series will be on Saturday, February 21st on “Rain Barrels and Water Storage.” Participants will be able to make their own rain barrels to take home. The full list of dates and topics is available by clicking here.
“This Homesteading series is for people to learn money-saving skills and build community,” says Kathy Contrino, co-chair of the Homesteading Educational Series committee.
Last year, the Master Gardeners hosted a day-long sampler on homesteading skills that drew a huge response.
“We now know the public interest is strong, and it was clear we needed a larger series to better serve our community,” Contrino said.
Fees for the classes vary and cover the cost of supplies for each project. Spots are limited, and advance registration is required in order to ensure enough materials for each participant.
“Today is the right time to re-introduce these skills,” says Eileen Sorochty, co-chair of the Homesteading Educational Series. “Hopefully through our series, we will pique more interest in such topics and offer future workshops that will be helpful to our community.”
The Homestead Educational classes take place at 10 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month in the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center, 12690 State Route 31, Albion. To register, call (585) 798-4265 ext 125 or email klo54@cornell.edu.
Master Gardener and avid quilter Brenda Radzinski will be leading the class on “Naturally Made Fabric Dyes” on July 18.
