Cumberland Folk School

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Cumberland Folk School

The Cumberland Folk School is a place to preserve, teach, and commune around traditional crafts

01/21/2026

*Beyond the Folk Method: Crafting Herbal Extracts with Science and Spirit w/ Amanda Verkest*
April 11 8-12 CST

Though the tried and true folk method is incredibly effective and accessible, working with the science and spirit of herbs can make your extracts even more powerful.

Herbalist Amanda Verkest, Oak Moon Botanicals, will guide you through the basics of chemical constituents and the energetics of medicinal plants in an easy-to-understand and approachable way. We will then use this information to determine the best ratios and types of menstruums (vinegar, alcohol, water, oil, etc.) to make 3 different extracts together.

We will make extracts from herbs provided by the instructor and from wild herbs, harvested from the farm during class.

You will leave the class with your own jars of these extracts and handouts of all the information covered so you can feel empowered to continue making potent medicines at home and beyond!

Snacks and tea will be offered during this class

***We are offering 2 scholarship spots for this class based on need. Please contact us if you are interested in learning but feel the cost makes the class inaccessible for you.

01/11/2026

*Botanical Painting for Kids! w/ Katie Sutton*
Saturday May 9th 1:30 CST-4:00 CST

Join , naturalist, artist, environmental educator, and farmhand at Sequatchie Cove Farm, for this hands-on learning experience for kids! Together we will learn the basics of watercolor painting and pencil sketching, discussing color mixing, shades, brush choices, etc., and then wander out to the property of , which boasts a huge diversity of plants, to paint en plein air! We will learn techniques for observing these plants and wildflowers, and then translate our observations on to paper with pencil and watercolor paint! This will be a meditative, fun, and creative class with a dose of ecology sprinkled in!

This class is recommended for ages 7 through 12, but exceptions can be made if you’re really excited!

01/09/2026

*Earth Pigment Water Colors w/ Amanda Brazier*
Saturday, April 18- 9:00am CST- 12:00 CST

This workshop is an exploration into creating with mineral pigments, guided by Chattanooga artist .brazier. Working - and playing - with gathered earth fosters a deeper narrative of place within our creative practice. We will spend time collecting and learning about iron-rich rocks and clays. We will then process the pigments and prepare our own set of watercolor paints.

Being on the farm, Amanda will also do a quick demonstration of making egg tempura paints, using Eggs!

This class is designed for adults and children ages 8-10 +. An adult may attend the class with a child (8-10+), but please only one set of water colors only per paid attendee.

01/08/2026

*Samosa Making 101: From Dough to Golden w/ Sujata Signh- MAY 3rd 10-1 CST*

Join Sujata Singh, chef and owner of in Chattanooga, for an immersive, hands-on Indian cooking class where you’ll learn how to make classic vegetable samosas completely from scratch: from kneading and rolling the dough to shaping, filling, and frying them to golden perfection. We’ll also prepare a fresh, flavorful chutney to pair with your samosas, just as they’re enjoyed across India.

This class is designed to be interactive and approachable, with step-by-step guidance so you can confidently recreate these beloved snacks at home. Once the cooking is complete, we’ll sit down together to enjoy the samosas along with a simple Indian lunch, allowing you to experience how these dishes are traditionally served and enjoyed.

This class is perfect for home cooks, food lovers, and anyone curious about authentic Indian flavors, no prior experience required. We are thrilled for Sujata to teach here

01/07/2026

*Birding by Ear Bird Walk w/ Richard Candler - MAY 2nd 8-11*

Join local birder Richard Candler, author of Birding Sewanee, on a morning bird walk around Sequatchie Cove Farm. A class for both beginners, who will learn some ID basics and also advanced birders to gather with others and bird Sequatchie Cove Farm’s Property. There will be a special emphasis on identification by bird song.

Spring is the best time of year to find exciting migrants mixed with both winter and breeding season bird species. It is also the time of year when birds are most vocal. There will be a particular focus on listening to and learning the songs and calls of our many bird species, especially Warblers.

There will be a two-hour walk followed by discussion and review of our species list with coffee and snacks.

**We have 1 full Scholarship spots available in this class for individuals under the age of 18 who are interested in getting into birding or who are new to birding and would like to increase their knowledge. Please email us at contact@cumberlandfolkschool with a brief description of your interest in the scholarship, a bit about yourself, and your age.

01/06/2026

*Pine Needle Basketry April 25 9:30-4:30 CST*

Learn the art of pine needle coiling to create a beautiful small lidded basket with basket maker Charlotte Shararr .s.web. In this hands on class, you will explore the fundamentals of working with pine needles, thread and coiling techniques to create your own coiled base, followed by sturdy walls and a lid to fit on top if you desire. Choices for thread colors will be provided.
A delicious farm to table lunch will be provided with this class.

01/04/2026

Next Class… April 4th 1:30pm - 4:30pm CST for Plant ID and Spring Plant Walk

Join Mary Priestely, Sewanee Herbarium Associate, and the editor and illustrator of the Friends of the Herbarium newsletter, The Sewanee Plant Press, to learn to identify our native spring wildflowers and other plants growing in our region. Sequatchie Cove Farm has quite a spectacular plant population, including a variety of spring wildflowers. We will begin in the Studio with a basic introduction to botany and plant Identification followed by a walk on the farm to observe, identify, and talk about the early wildflowers that we see.

This a great class for beginners, but also an opportunity for the more experienced to walk the farm and observe the spring wildflowers of Sequatchie Cove Farm’s property, which includes extensive woodlands.

We are thrilled to also have Miriam Keener from guiding us through the woods. With over 30 years of living here and an extensive knowledge of native plants, it’s a real treat to have her with us.

Also, you will notice several classes in our website, and we’re excited to note that there are couple more classes coming very soon!

01/03/2026

Happy New Year to all of you!! We are full of gratitude and appreciation to all of you have supported the folk school over the past 3 years! We wouldn’t be able to do this without you ❤️

We’re excited to announce our winter and spring classes for 2026!
Next class February 22nd….Join Mallory Grimm Tubbs, owner of .sewanee in making filled pastas with ingredients from and around the Cumberland Plateau.
Students will learn about ravioli, agnolotti and cannelloni, as well as practice rolling and shaping pasta, incorporating fresh herbs and vegetables into their pasta doughs and make several sauces to accompany the filled pastas. Students will leave class with recipes, pasta and sauce to share with family and friends.

Lunch, snacks and coffee will be provided by Mallory!

12/05/2025

Our 100% hand dipped beeswax candles are back for the holiday season!
You can find these .sewanee and Saturdays trading post!
Big thanks to for our new logo and for helping design these new candle labels 💕

10/14/2025

On a recent trip to Laurel York’s home, got a sneak peak at these incredible slippers! Not pictured is a whole collection of beautiful felted and embroidered hats! Excited to work with wool from Laurels Navajo churro sheep in November and create a beautiful pair of slippers!!

10/12/2025

Jan really out did herself this time with her beginners natural dye class!! We had 6 different dye pots going and an indigo vat going! We played with black walnuts, marigolds, onion skins, madder root, logwood, fustic, cochineal, and more! The results were magical and we are feeling so inspired by Jan’s incredible teaching! Also, what a fantastic group of students 💕! Big thanks to for the most lovely setting for our classes!

Address

320 Dixon Cove Road
Sequatchie, TN
37374

Website

http://www.cumberlandfolkschool.com/

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