Saturday will be the second Open Farm Day of 2011. From 2 to 6 p.m. visitors can meet the animals, check out the garden, and pick our brains about what we do and why we do it. Mike will be scything, and we'll probably be skirting sheep fleeces, so you can see what a raw fleece looks like. We have goat milk soap available for purchase, as well as raw fleeces, roving, and yarn from our sheep and llamas. Although the Open Farm Day is free and you can plan the day however you want, there are also three classes available for those who want in-depth instruction and information about the home dairy, soapmaking, and homesteading.
10 a.m. to noon The Home Dairy
We'll start in the barn with instructions in goat milking, and we'll talk about how it's different than milking a cow or a sheep (and how their milk is different). Then we'll head into the kitchen to talk about the history of dairy in this country and demonstrate how to make a variety of dairy products, such as chevre, mozzarella, yogurt, and buttermilk.
Fee: $24 per person, and reservations are required. Class is limited to six people, so there will be ample opportunity for discussion.
1 to 3 p.m. Soapmaking
You'll learn the history of soapmaking, how modern soapmaking is different, and how to create your own soap recipes. Watch every step of cold-process soapmaking from start to finish. Each participant will receive handouts, including a list of references for future use, and you'll go home with a small loaf of soap (retail value $28) that you can slice a day or two later after saponification is complete.
Fee: $32 per person, and reservations are required. Class is limited to six people, so everyone will receive personalized instruction.
6 to 8 p.m. Homesteading 101
So, you think you’d like to live in the country, grow your own vegetables, milk goats, and raise chickens? We’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a homesteading lifestyle, and we’ll talk about the practicalities of choosing land, building a house, choosing livestock to fit your lifestyle, and learning new skills, such as gardening and animal husbandry. Then, join us for evening chores as we discuss the basic care of different animals that live on Antiquity Oaks and how each one fits into a sustainable homestead. Arrive a little early and bring a picnic supper to enjoy on the deck or under an oak tree.
Fee: $15 per person or $25 per couple, and reservations are required. Class is limited to eight people, so there will be ample opportunity for discussion.
We'll also have potluck meals at noon and 5 p.m., if you'd like to join us!
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Friday, June 24, 2011
Friday, January 1, 2010
New year, new goals
I meant to start writing today's post a few weeks ago, as my 2010 plans started popping into my head, but that never happened, so you're getting it off the cuff this afternoon. And you're getting it from the brain of a woman who just spent two days with some wicked form of stomach bug or food poisoning, which cut short our Chicago vacation. When I was throwing up (and other unmentionables) in that hotel room, all I could think of was how much I wanted fresh air and simple foods. As much as I love our little homestead, I never knew I could be so happy to see it as I was when we arrived home yesterday. I could write a whole post about all the little things that made me happy, but I digress. This is about the future, not my last two days in agony. So, I might forget a couple of things, but here's what's coming in 2010.
Since Margaret has been home from college, she's been working on a complete redesign of the Antiquity Oaks website, so if you've never been there, go give it a hug, because it's going to be gone in a few days. It will be replaced with an entirely new website that includes information on our cows, llamas, classes, and internships, and a few other things that I've probably forgotten about at the moment. But don't worry -- I have all that in my notes. And I need to spend the next couple days finishing up all the copy for that site. The blog will become a page on the new site, but we're going to keep the same URL, so you won't need to change your bookmarks and you won't lose us. The appearance of the blog will, however, change, and you will be able to visit any page on the website directly from the blog.
This also means that I'm finalizing plans for our internship and apprenticeship programs. I finally decided that we're not going to be another Joel Salatin in size and scope. I have no desire to grow 100 steers or 10,000 chickens a year. I do, however, have a desire to meet like-minded people and help them to get a step closer to their dream of self-sufficiency, a locavore economy, greener agriculture and energy, and all that great stuff, so our focus is continuing to shift from production to education, although production will certainly be a part of the education.
Speaking of production, it gets really depressing when I read about people living on little city lots who can grow thousands of pounds of food a year for themselves, and it finally occurred to me that we should be keeping track, so we're going to do that in 2010. We're going to keep track of all the eggs, milk, meat, fruit, herbs, and vegetables that we produce, raise, or forage on our little 32 acres for the next year, starting today, which wasn't very impressive, because it is January 1, in the middle of Illinois. We're at just over four pounds of goat milk for 2010 so far!
And speaking of depressing, the garden gets me the most depressed. I have never claimed to be a great gardener. In fact, I generally complain (in real life, if not on the blog) about what terrible gardeners we are here. But to be honest, we haven't really worked as hard at gardening as we've worked at everything else. Even though I get upset when lettuce doesn't come up or the tomatoes get blight, it's nothing compared to how upset I am when an animal dies. The animals always come first, and that's how it should be, but I also admit that I could have put more time into educating myself about gardening. So, in November, Mike and I attended a full-day organic gardening seminar, and next week, I'll be spending three days at the Illinois Specialty Crop Conference, learning even more about vegetables, fruit and herb production. When it comes to furthering my education this year, the subject is gardening.
And speaking of education, I've decided to stop teaching college. I've been hanging in there teaching speech, thinking I should keep my resume fresh so that if a journalism teaching position ever opens up within an hour of me, I'd have a better shot. But considering the number of unemployed journalists in the Chicago area, I'm thinking there will be a few dozen people applying if they require a master's degree or hundreds if they only require a bachelor's, so it's not worth it for me to keep teaching a class that most students loathe. If the majority of people fear public speaking more than death, how do you think that a required public speaking class stacks up? Although it has certainly given me some great stories. Probably my favorite "excuse" of all time for three students missing a speech was that they were arrested on their way to class. They didn't know why they were arrested and had no paperwork documenting it, and the best part was that they couldn't even get it straight who was driving the car!
So, those are my plans for 2010. What you planning to accomplish?
Since Margaret has been home from college, she's been working on a complete redesign of the Antiquity Oaks website, so if you've never been there, go give it a hug, because it's going to be gone in a few days. It will be replaced with an entirely new website that includes information on our cows, llamas, classes, and internships, and a few other things that I've probably forgotten about at the moment. But don't worry -- I have all that in my notes. And I need to spend the next couple days finishing up all the copy for that site. The blog will become a page on the new site, but we're going to keep the same URL, so you won't need to change your bookmarks and you won't lose us. The appearance of the blog will, however, change, and you will be able to visit any page on the website directly from the blog.
This also means that I'm finalizing plans for our internship and apprenticeship programs. I finally decided that we're not going to be another Joel Salatin in size and scope. I have no desire to grow 100 steers or 10,000 chickens a year. I do, however, have a desire to meet like-minded people and help them to get a step closer to their dream of self-sufficiency, a locavore economy, greener agriculture and energy, and all that great stuff, so our focus is continuing to shift from production to education, although production will certainly be a part of the education.
Speaking of production, it gets really depressing when I read about people living on little city lots who can grow thousands of pounds of food a year for themselves, and it finally occurred to me that we should be keeping track, so we're going to do that in 2010. We're going to keep track of all the eggs, milk, meat, fruit, herbs, and vegetables that we produce, raise, or forage on our little 32 acres for the next year, starting today, which wasn't very impressive, because it is January 1, in the middle of Illinois. We're at just over four pounds of goat milk for 2010 so far!
And speaking of depressing, the garden gets me the most depressed. I have never claimed to be a great gardener. In fact, I generally complain (in real life, if not on the blog) about what terrible gardeners we are here. But to be honest, we haven't really worked as hard at gardening as we've worked at everything else. Even though I get upset when lettuce doesn't come up or the tomatoes get blight, it's nothing compared to how upset I am when an animal dies. The animals always come first, and that's how it should be, but I also admit that I could have put more time into educating myself about gardening. So, in November, Mike and I attended a full-day organic gardening seminar, and next week, I'll be spending three days at the Illinois Specialty Crop Conference, learning even more about vegetables, fruit and herb production. When it comes to furthering my education this year, the subject is gardening.
And speaking of education, I've decided to stop teaching college. I've been hanging in there teaching speech, thinking I should keep my resume fresh so that if a journalism teaching position ever opens up within an hour of me, I'd have a better shot. But considering the number of unemployed journalists in the Chicago area, I'm thinking there will be a few dozen people applying if they require a master's degree or hundreds if they only require a bachelor's, so it's not worth it for me to keep teaching a class that most students loathe. If the majority of people fear public speaking more than death, how do you think that a required public speaking class stacks up? Although it has certainly given me some great stories. Probably my favorite "excuse" of all time for three students missing a speech was that they were arrested on their way to class. They didn't know why they were arrested and had no paperwork documenting it, and the best part was that they couldn't even get it straight who was driving the car!
So, those are my plans for 2010. What you planning to accomplish?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Communication internship available
Thanks to blogpal Jon for suggesting an intern. I had thought about it, but pushed the idea aside until he mentioned it. I also want to explore the possibility of gardening and animal husbandry internships, but it's going to take more time to write up those descriptions. If you know any college students looking for a summer internship in communication, please pass this along.
For the student interested in environmental journalism or public relations, this is an internship off the beaten path. We have an old-fashioned, 32-acre homestead in central Illinois where we grow our own food organically. We also sell goat milk soap, wool, llama roving, yarn, and animals for breeding, milk, or meat. We maintain three websites that are in need of updating, because the farm is shifting its focus from sales to education. To learn more about our communication needs (and us), visit:
http://www.antiquityoaks.com (needs complete redesign, new copy, new photos)
http://bathandbody.antiquityoaks.com (needs complete redesign, new copy, new photos, possibly re-integrate into antiquityoaks.com)
http://www.nigeriandwarfdairygoats.com (needs new copy and photos, some design work)
The perfect intern will:
What will you be doing?
If you don’t have a broad knowledge of sustainability, you might start by reading a couple of books and viewing some documentaries that we have available. By the end of the internship, you will have a good understanding of locavores, the green movement, sustainability, and organic foods. As stated above, you will be redesigning two websites, taking photographs, and writing copy, which you can add to your portfolio. You may also be helping with our online presence via search engine optimization, our blog, http://antiquityoaks.blogspot.com , Twitter posts, and our store on LocalHarvest.org.
Most of the internship can be completed via a Cybercommute, although the intern will need to spend several days on the farm initially to take notes and photographs. The internship is unpaid; however, there is a travel stipend available. A private bedroom and three homemade meals a day are provided while on the farm.
To apply, send an email to Deborah at antiquityoaks dot com with answers to the following questions:
Name:
Permanent address:
Phone:
Email:
College/university:
Courses taken in media writing, PR, or journalism:
Writing sample: Imagine you have been accepted for this internship. Write a press release for your local newspaper about why you applied for the position, what you are looking forward to learning, and anything else you think is important.
For the student interested in environmental journalism or public relations, this is an internship off the beaten path. We have an old-fashioned, 32-acre homestead in central Illinois where we grow our own food organically. We also sell goat milk soap, wool, llama roving, yarn, and animals for breeding, milk, or meat. We maintain three websites that are in need of updating, because the farm is shifting its focus from sales to education. To learn more about our communication needs (and us), visit:
http://www.antiquityoaks.c
http://bathandbody.antiqui
http://www.nigeriandwarfda
The perfect intern will:
- Have completed at least two classes in media writing, PR, or journalism
- Have a working knowledge of HTML, CSS, Adobe Illustrator, and PhotoShop
- Be interested in organic living and sustainability
- Be capable of working independently
What will you be doing?
If you don’t have a broad knowledge of sustainability, you might start by reading a couple of books and viewing some documentaries that we have available. By the end of the internship, you will have a good understanding of locavores, the green movement, sustainability, and organic foods. As stated above, you will be redesigning two websites, taking photographs, and writing copy, which you can add to your portfolio. You may also be helping with our online presence via search engine optimization, our blog, http://antiquityoaks.blogs
Most of the internship can be completed via a Cybercommute, although the intern will need to spend several days on the farm initially to take notes and photographs. The internship is unpaid; however, there is a travel stipend available. A private bedroom and three homemade meals a day are provided while on the farm.
To apply, send an email to Deborah at antiquityoaks dot com with answers to the following questions:
Name:
Permanent address:
Phone:
Email:
College/university:
Courses taken in media writing, PR, or journalism:
Writing sample: Imagine you have been accepted for this internship. Write a press release for your local newspaper about why you applied for the position, what you are looking forward to learning, and anything else you think is important.
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