The Michigan Folk School
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Categories
 archery
​ blacksmithing
 boats, skoolies & trailers

 broom craft​
 bushcraft
children's classes
fiber
​
food
​glass 
health & home
homesteading & farming
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​​​ & dressmaking
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​food

We will resume many of the FOOD related courses and workshops once COVID restrictions begin to ease. 
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Preserving the Harvest: Lacto-Fermentation
Make the most of the summer's bounty of fresh produce by learning how to preserve vegetables through the traditional yet simple method of lacto-fermentation. You'll prevent food waste and be able to eat locally all year.  Lacto-fermented foods are the foods that can be called “probiotic” based on their production of health-enhancing bacteria. In this class, you will learn how to make sauerkraut and other fermented veggies. We’ll also discuss the healing qualities and nutritional importance of live-culture foods. All participants will bring home a jar of sauerkraut and receive a booklet with instructions and recipes for dozens of fermented foods easily created at home. 
Course Fee: $55  - Supply Fee: $20  Location: Folk School
SAT, 8/14, 9AM-12PM
SUN, 9/19, 9AM-12PM
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Earth Oven Workshop
This workshop serves as an introduction to the realm of natural earth building by teaching participants to build their own low-cost, wood-fired over from clay, sand, straw and water. Earth ovens bake like expensive commercial wood-fired ovens while costing a fraction of the price, and serve beautifully for making breads, pizza, and just about anything that can be baked or roasted. Earth ovens use radiant, conductive and convection heat, simultaneously producing crisp, caramelized crust with a moist inside. Building out of unfired clay, they can be hand-sculpted into beautiful works of art that become wonderful additions to any backyard or patio. Each student will build a miniature working model that they can take home for a truly hands-on experience.
Course Fee: $100  - Supply Fee: $20  Location: Folk School
SUN, 8/15, 9AM-4PM
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Knife Sharpening Demystified
Nothing is more satisfying than working with a truly sharp kitchen knife! In this class, participants will learn a simple and exact series of steps that will enable you to reliably bring your knife's edge to shaving sharp. While the focus of your lesson will be kitchen knives, you will also learn how to apply the same principles to other tools. While there will be knives on hand for practice, you should also bring knives from your home kitchen to perfect your skills!
Course Fee: $40  - Supply Fee: $20     Location: Folk School
register soon
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Sourdough Bread 101 - Virtual Class
Using tools and equipment that are standard in every kitchen, you'll leave class with the know-how to create delicious sourdough bread. This class covers everything you need to know to create beautiful, mouth-watering sourdough bread at home.  You will learn all about bread science, baking techniques, quality ingredients, and simple everyday equipment. Then it's time to roll up your sleeves and get baking! You'll learn every step involved in the bread-making process, including kneading, fermenting, shaping, proofing, and scoring. You'll use your sensory knowledge to assess the readiness of the dough through look, taste, feel, and smell. Bread will be baked and the results will be evaluated with ideas for troubleshooting. 
    Once you register below you will have access to the video for one week.  Watch and rewatch at your own pace.  Have a question for the instructor?  Reach out to us with any questions and receive a personal response directly from the instructor.  
register now
​Access Video from July 22nd - July 28th
Video Access: One Week

Course Fee: $25  - Location: Virtual 
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Cheesemaking Workshop
Join homestead cheesemaker Julia Gold and find out how how simple and easy it is to make cheese in your own kitchen. We will discuss and sample several simple cheeses that can be cultivated at home. After our discussion we will get to work making Mozzarella and Chevre.  You’ll also learn some cooking ideas for whey, a byproduct of cheese making. Students can build on this introduction to create many varieties of cheese at home. While the class will focus on goat cheese, cheese made from milk will also be discussed. 

Each student will take home the supplies necessary to begin their own homestead cheesemaking: culture, recipes, resources, and cheesecloth.  A good concise cheesemaking book is optional, but highly recommended.  A list of information and materials will be provided.
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Cheesemaking Intensive
This hands-on intensive class will cover everything you need to get started making simple cheeses that are easily created in a home environment.  You will learn about cultures, equipment, ingredients and cheese making concepts, and will work with both cow and goat milk to complete a number of cheese making projects including: yogurt, feta, ricotta, Brie, buttermilk, sour cream, chevre, mozzarella and cultured butter.  The process of making hard cheeses will also be discussed. The end of this two-day workshop will culminate in a community feast in where we share food, sample the cheeses and enjoy the friends we have made working together!

Each student will take home the supplies necessary to begin their own homestead cheesemaking: culture, recipes, resources, and cheesecloth.  A good concise cheesemaking book is optional, but highly recommended.  A list of information and materials will be provided.
Cottage Food Industry: Make Money Selling Your Homemade Foods
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Learn how to set up your own cottage-based industry and how it relates to the permaculture concept. Examine which foods are allowable for sale and the requirements for labels and listings. Find out about sales records and how to plug into the network of existing cottage food operations. 
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Farm to Table Cooking Workshop
Farm-to-table cooking focuses on using fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Our class will begin at the Dixboro Farmers' Market, where we'll pick out fresh seasonal veggies and meats from local farmers. We'll then retreat to the Dixboro kitchen to prepare our fresh ingredients and learn how to create delicious, family-friendly dishes. The kitchen will become a place of creativity as you learn how to cook without a recipe, using intuition vision and your relationship with the food as your guide.
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Growing MicroGreens
Microgreens are an essential part of the kitchen grocery. Tiny as they are, these young plants pack remarkably intense flavors, vibrant colors, interesting textures and are absolutely bursting with nutrients. Now you can grow your own at home, inside, all year long. You'll receive a brief introduction in how to use them, seeds and soil medium. Turn an ordinary meal into something gastronomically delicious with your homegrown microgreens. 
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The Kitchen Grocery: Buy Once, Grow Forever
The “kitchen grocery” is a term used to describe growing food inside your home kitchen all year round.  Since good quality food is expensive, it makes sense to acquire the knowledge necessary to reduce your grocery bills, improve your nutrient intake and maintain a fun project.  While it may be unlikely that you can completely eliminate a grocery bill, you can grow certain foods yourself and in a most special way: regrowth. From upcycling basil stems to regrowing celery, a little effort can go a long way. This class will teach you the tricks and guide you through the steps of regrowing.  You will take home a few goodies to get you started.
Hearty Soup in a Sourdough Bread Bowl
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Winter is here and there is nothing quite as comforting as a hearty bowl of soup served in a homemade bread bowl!  Join us in the kitchen as we warm up our souls while we bake a classic sourdough French boules. As our bread bakes, we will prepare a pot of New England–style clam chowder. Some bread baking experience is recommended as this class is more about developing culinary skills. Bring your apron, a sense of culinary wonder and a hearty appetite
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Sourdough Bread 101
Using tools and equipment that are standard in every kitchen, you'll leave class with the know-how to create delicious sourdough breads. This class covers everything you need to know to create beautiful, mouth-watering sourdough bread at home. It begins with a brief discussion of bread science, techniques, ingredients and equipment. Then it's time to roll up your sleeves and get baking! You'll learn every step involved in the bread-making process, including kneading, fermenting, shaping, proofing and scoring. You'll use your sensory knowledge to assess the readiness of the dough through look, taste, feel and smell. Bread will be baked and the results will be evaluated with ideas for troubleshooting. 
    Each participant will bring home recipes and sourdough starter for countless loaves of home-baked sourdough bread. 

Our Mission: The Michigan Folk School is committed to creating a community engaged in authentic, hands-on experiences through the teaching and sharing of traditional folk arts, crafts, music, and skills in an inspiring natural setting and to promote the preservation of forest and farmland.


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Email

registrar@MiFolkSchool.com
734-436-8973

Campus Address

7734 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Corporate Address

6685 Vreeland Road, Superior Township, MI 48198

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  • Home
    • Contact Us >
      • Show Your Interest
    • General policies & information
    • COVID-19 Measures
    • Mailing List Sign-Up
    • Our Ann Arbor Campus
    • Gallery of Classes
    • Our Other Facilities
  • Learn
    • Instructor Profiles
    • gift certificates
    • Calendar
    • Categories >
      • archery
      • blacksmithing
      • boats, skoolies & trailers
      • broom craft
      • bushcraft
      • children's classes
      • fiber
      • food
      • glass
      • health & home
      • homesteading & farming
      • jewelry & metalwork
      • leather
      • millinery & dressmaking
      • woodworking
  • Finding Flow
  • Teach
  • Donations