Immerse yourself in a weekend of learning traditional craft and skills in a feral forest setting as we learn from female instructors about their folk skill talents! This weekend is all about trying new things, being more connected to the land, and coming into balance with a slower pace.
Six instructors will be leading workshops throughout the weekend, with Wanderers getting the chance to try their hand at each skill. Dip your toes into the following workshops:
Wool needle felting: Wanderers will get the chance to make their own felted landscape or small figure out of colorful wool
Herbal tinctures: Create a tincture with fresh plants and an herbal shaker blend made with culinary herbs and wild foraged additions
Basic Birding: Take a walk to learn how to look at birds to learn about them, the world and yourself
Yarn Spinning: Learn how to turn beautiful fibers into yarn with a spinning demonstration. Each participant will get the chance to try their hand at helping to create the textile!
Tea Making: Join Mary with Red Dragon Herbs & Teas as we craft our own loose leaf herbal tea blends
Foraging for Wild Greens: Head out on a hike and forage your first night’s salad from the forest! Plus, learn to make a delicious vinegar salad dressing to take home with you.
BONUS: Dutch Oven Cooking: Join your Wander Women guides for an interactive dinner group-cook as they show you the tips and tricks of cooking outdoors with a cast iron dutch oven!
And what better place to experiment with craft than northeast Iowa, where folk skills and the artisan community have been thriving for generations. We’ll be based out of a private rustic cabin, camping throughout the property. The camping area is adjacent to hundreds of acres of public land, and is the perfect setting for relaxation and opening our minds. We can’t wait to gather with you all and see what you learn!
Adventure Rating: Beginner
This trip is great for folk skills beginners—all workshops will be targeted to first timers and novices. The hiking and physical demands of this trip will be beginner friendly.
ACTIVITIES
Partake in 6 folk skills workshops taught by Iowa-based instructors. Participants will have the chance to try each skill during the weekend.
Camp amongst the trees on this private property abutting a wildlife protection area
Partake in a dutch oven campfire cooking demonstration led by Wander Women guides to cook your Saturday supper
Join in a fire and song circle led by one of our instructors
Go for mini hikes and flower finds around the cabin property
ACCOMMODATIONS & LOCATION
We’ll be camping on the grounds of a private rustic cabin outside of Decorah, IA. The cabin will be used as a staging space for workshops and meals. Particiapnts will be tent camping on the property.
There is no running water or electricity at the cabin. Don’t worry! We will have plenty of water containers set up for handwashing, drinking, and cooking, and two portable toilets brought in for the weekend’s use. There is no cell service down at the cabin, but it is available up on the road to the cabin.
This weekend is for Wanderers looking for a truly rustic and get-away-from-it-all experience!
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Your registration provides you:
Two professional Wander Women guides to help make the trip as seamless and fun as possible
Camping accommodations & parking
6 instructor-led workshops and workshop supplies
A Wanderer swag bag full of goodies
All meals cooked for you by Wander Women guides
Camping accessories: Camp kitchen, camping chairs, fire kits, first aid kits, dining ware, fire wood, games, coolers
A detailed pre-trip online guide with everything you need to know for your trip
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Participants will be responsible for providing/paying for:
Transportation to/from the trip (we always encourage carpooling and can connect you with other participants to ride with!) and to trip activity locations
Gear: Participants are able to rent camping gear from Wander Women
INVESTMENT
$425
PAYMENT PLAN
We offer payment plans for all our trips, so you can pay a deposit now and the rest over time! WeTravel (our booking platform) easily lets you make a downpayment (this is also your non-refundable trip deposit!) and set up automatic payments for the remainder. For the payment plan schedule, just check the WeTravel page for details. There is NO fee for choosing the payment plan option!
Deposit for this trip: $210