Urban Homesteading Classes

2012 FALL Urban Homesteading Classes

(scroll to bottom for class schedule)

Introducing our new basic homestead skills classes for Fall 2012. Come and learn how to make your own breads, soaps, pasta, cheese, preserves, and butter. We will be adding more classes throughout the year, but they will fill quickly (over 70% of our spring sessions sold out!). As soon as you register and pay, your spot is reserved. All classes are taught in our kitchen on Wilmington Island and offer you a unique, hands-on experience that you can replicate in your own kitchen. Classes are limited to eight participants. See you there!

Reviews from spring participants: 

"I was always afraid to try to make bread. You made learning the process easy. And you had lots of great stories about the history of bread!"

"When I made butter at home after the class, my daughter thought it was the most fun thing in the world."

"Great course! Learned lots!"

"I took the canning course the first time around and can't wait to take the soapmaking course in the fall." 

See Angie in the Savannah Morning News!

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 BASIC BREADMAKING

Come join us to learn the basics of making your own homestead bread. It is simpler than you think and you can make wonderful rich breads for a fraction of the cost of store bought. You will learn how to work with both white and whole wheat flours, how to get the perfect rise from your bread, and shortcuts I have learned over the years. We will be making whole wheat sandwich bread, pita pockets, calzones, and dark rye bread. You will also make an olive and mint wreath loaf to take home and dazzle your family with. We will be sampling all the breads at the end of the course with provided refreshments. You will also take home all of the recipes and basic instructions to start making your own bread right away.

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FRESH ITALIAN PASTA

Nothing wows dinner guests more than handmade pasta. You don't have to tell them that it's fast and simple and takes only three inexpensive ingredients! In this workshop, we will make spinach fettuccine, goat cheese & roasted squash ravioli, and a rustic tagliatelle from Italy's Adriatic coast. We will also be making three traditional pasta sauces from scratch: creamy pesto alfredo, roasted tomato and garlic, and caramelized onion. At the end of the class, we will be sampling all of our handmade pastas with provided refreshments. And don't worry about dinner tonight because you'll be taking pasta and sauce home with you!

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ARTISAN CHEESE MAKING

Cheese has been a staple food in the world since at least 3000 BC. It became a useful way to store milk for long journeys and really came into its own during the rise of the Roman Empire. Every household and village made their own distinct cheese and now you can too. Be prepared to get hands-on with some easy, tasty fresh cheeses and learn more about making aged cheeses. In this workshop, we will make fresh mozzarella, a truly simple Indian fry cheese called panir, a yogurt cheese spread infused with herbs, traditional Greek feta cheese, and a French Brie. We will be tasting all of these cheeses at the end of the class and you will take home a jar of feta cheese. 

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NATURAL HOMESTEAD SOAPS

There are many great reasons to make your own soaps. You can craft a chemical-free bar that is gentle on your skin. You can send your beautiful soaps to friends and family as gifts. And you can take one more step towards self-sufficiency. In this workshop, we will walk through the saponification process step by step. We will talk about molds, fragrances, and tactile additions to your soap. You will make a batch of relaxing lavender soap, traditional English Windsor soap (men's favorite!), gardener's soap to clean your hands after a day of digging and planting, and fun bath bombs. You will go home with an aged bar of each soap and will have all the skills you need to make your own soap!

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PRESERVING THE HARVEST

Home canning is a time-honored skill that allowed pioneers and homesteaders to save the harvest throughout the cold winter. Today, making your own preserves helps you eat locally and without additional ingredients that may not be healthy for you. In this course, we will talk about the basics of canning and discuss water bath versus pressure canning. We will make several preserves together, including tomatoes, mint jelly, strawberry jam, red onion marmalade, giardiniera (Italian pickled mixed veggies), and countryside mustard. You will have a chance to sample each of our creations at the end of the class with provided refreshments and will take a jar of each home with you. Take this course before next summer's harvest bounty overwhelms us once again! 

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BUTTER MAKING

A hundred years ago, most homes made their own butter. The affluent in the cities were able to purchase butter from their local merchant from fresh local cow milk and cream. The butter from each region was different; reflecting the forage of the cow, the process, and the skills of the butter maker. Making your own butter today is surprisingly simple and one of the best ways to show your children where the food you eat comes from. We will discuss the various methods of making butter including using cultured cream to make Irish butter. Everyone will get the opportunity to make their own butter to take home with them. 

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2012 FALL Urban Homesteading Class Schedule

All classes run from 11 am to 2 pm 

October

Saturday 13    Basic Breadmaking **SOLD OUT**
Sunday   14    Fresh Italian Pasta   **SOLD OUT**
Saturday 27    Basic Breadmaking
Sunday   28    Natural Homestead Soaps

November
Saturday  10  Butter Making
Sunday    11  Basic Breadmaking
Saturday 17 Fresh Italian Pasta
Sunday   18 Artisan Cheese Making

December
Saturday 1 Artisan Cheese Making
Saturday 8 Natural Homestead Soaps
Sunday 9 Preserving the Harvest- Home Canning


Note: Please contact me about adding private class dates for groups of 6 or more.

Costs & Payment: 

~All courses are $47 each, including all supplies and refreshments. Courses are taught in our kitchen on Wilmington Island. If you sign up for four classes at the same time, you will get the fifth course free. Alternatively, you can choose to receive a gift certificate for one course to give to a friend. Payment in full is required upon registration in order to hold a space in any course.

~Register securely using the button below with either a credit card or your PayPal account.

~Please include your telephone number in your order and specify which course and which date you are registering for in the "notes" section. Courses will fill quickly and will be marked as "Sold Out" when they fill. Register today!