Driftless Folk School

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Viroqua, WI
Driftless Folk School

The Driftless Folk School is a community of lifelong learners cultivating personal and cultural resilience through hands-on educational experiences!

(Learn more at www.driftlessfolkschool.org/our-story) Our aim is to make the skills and knowledge necessary for a sustainable life more widely available to the people of the Driftless Region and beyond. Join us to explore traditional and contemporary strategies for sustainable living, to experience the beauty of the region through the arts and natural history, and to participate in an ongoing dial

ogue on meaningful issues and ideas in the classroom, in the garden, or over the dinner table. Typical Saturday Schedule
Full Day Classes: 9:00-4:30 (Free lunch included)
Morning Classes: 9:00-12:30
Afternoon Classes: 1:00-4:30

09/01/2026

Fall Mushroom Foraging (La Crosse) || with Andi Reisdorf

Date: Saturday, October 3
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Ages: Adults (responsible teenagers are welcome to enroll with a participating adult)
Location: La Crosse, WI

In this beginner-friendly mushroom foraging class, we'll explore the autumn woods together in search of edible and medicinal mushrooms. We'll discuss mushroom identification techniques, helpful tools, and practical foraging tips. We'll be on the hunt for fall mushrooms like hen of the woods/ maitake, honey mushrooms, lion's mane, lobster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, shaggy manes, hedgehog mushrooms, puffball mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and more! Come prepared for off-trail hiking and traversing uneven terrain. As with any foraging class, the abundance and variety of mushrooms we find in the woods is entirely up to mother nature!

Learn more @ www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/fall-mushroom-foraging-la-crosse-oct-2026

08/29/2026

Intro to Oxen || with Anneka Baird

Date: Friday, September 25,
Time: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
(Lunch will be provided!)
Ages: 12+
Location: Rural Soldiers Grove, WI

These majestic and powerful animals are rarely seen at work in the developed world, but in many places they remain essential sources of power for food production, freight and everyday living. In this class you will learn how oxen are traditionally driven in the western world and have the opportunity to practice driving a trained team.

We will cover some basics of cow psychology and demonstrate and practice some training strategies with a pair of untrained calves. We will consider yoking and hitching a team and take some time to talk about ox yokes-- fit, shape and design-- and how to approach making a yoke. This class is designed to be a good starting point for anyone interested in draft animal power, whether for pleasure or for practical contemporary use in sustainable small-scale farming and land management.

Learn more @ www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/intro-to-oxen-sept-2026

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Photos: Andy Goodwin Photography // agoodwinphoto.com

(Check out Andy’s new book - Driftless Artists! A five-year portrait project celebrating more than fifty artists across Wisconsin’s Driftless Region, photographed in the spaces where their work comes to life.)

08/27/2026

Please join us in welcoming our new Driftless Folk School Fellow - Chase Van Horn!

Chase comes to DFS and Thoreau College after years of moving with the seasons, learning from the landscapes and people he encounters along the way. He has taught marine science on an island, guided backpacking trips in the wilderness, walked across Spain twice, worked with young people in camps and schools, and made homes in a succession of remarkable places. He is excited to spend the next year in the Driftless exploring the relationship between place, attention, and community, while cultivating a more rooted creative practice.

We are excited to have him on the team for this year long fellowship!

08/25/2026

SEEKING — Marketing and Outreach Coordinator!

The Driftless Folk School seeks a motivated, creative, and reliable team member to design and lead social media, website, and other digital outreach and other marketing efforts for our organization, including promoting Driftless Folk School classes and events, supporting fundraising and membership initiatives, and coordinating outreach efforts with other branches of our grassroots nonprofit, including Thoreau College and the Viroqua Shakespeare Festival. This is an opportunity to play a key role in the development of a dynamic grassroots cultural initiative as part of a small and committed team, with a great deal of flexibility and scope for creative work.

COMPENSATION + SCHEDULE:

This is a part-time salaried position, starting at $1,800/month. In addition, the Coordinator is entitled to take up to 10 days of Driftless Folk School classes during each calendar year, as well as an unlimited number of additional classes at cost (instructor fees + materials + lunches). Scheduling is very flexible, with occasional periods of more intense activity over the course of the year. Most work can be completed remotely, although it is ideal if the person filling this role can physically attend some weekend classes and events during the year to capture images, video, and other content, as well as attend monthly meetings of the DFS governance circle. We also table booths at several regional trade shows and conferences each year, which are important outreach opportunities.

TO APPLY:

Interested applicants are invited to submit a resume, a letter of interest, and at least 2 professional references to:

Andi Reisdorf, Driftless Folk School Registrar
[email protected]
608-284-8524

(Please submit requested materials by September 15, 2026.
We hope to fill this position by the start of October!)

MORE DETAILS AVAILABLE HERE:

https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/teach
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TikLYKsmAxJJbPIVfA0iGJavHNi-C6yBlsVZArM8dM8/edit?usp=sharing

08/23/2026

Foraging Aquatic Flora of the Mississippi || with Nicholas WazeeGale

Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Ages: 12+ (12-17 with a participating adult)
Location: La Crosse, WI

Enjoy learning to identify, find, and forage from the abundant beds of aquatic plants like arrowhead and lotus along the Mississippi River. We will learn to recognize these plants in the watery environments they grow in, learn what foods they offer, and when and how to collect them. We will also do a small amount of gathering from them for educational purposes. Students will leave knowing how to explore other areas of the river and gather these amazing wild foods for themselves. Be prepared for the wet and muddy adventure that this kind of harvesting entails!

Learn more @ www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/foraging-aquatic-flora-of-the-mississippi-september-2026

08/21/2026

Understanding Electricity and Basic Home Wiring || with Jon Passi

Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Ages: 16+
Location: Rural Readstown, WI

Learn the history and basics of electricity, and electrical theory, including Ohm's Law, amps, volts, and watts, and how they are calculated in simple home wiring jobs.

The class will also learn about wire, wire sizes, and some basic home wiring, including how to properly wire a switch, an outlet, a light, and a circuit breaker. The class will also get to safely explore a circuit breaker box, including the use and wiring of circuit breakers, and proper grounding, including placement of the ground wire and the ground rod.

(This class is for anyone, including absolute beginners!)

Learn more @ www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/understanding-electricity-sept-2026

08/19/2026

See what's new this Fall at the Driftless Folk School!

Driftless Spoon Gathering, foraging, woodcarving, sustainable living, homesteading skills, and MORE!

Join DFS for a class (or two) this Fall! Learn More...

https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/campaigns/view-campaign/cw_9yukxaWshPWbsQ5sbVGtaQXkxKKz_c1D3wfF0OeP6HxwkNZN0kKPBOUswaS_nH2wNFStr4CWK1hAEPr1bP9-2Dd4lrlzY

(Find all classes and events on our website: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes)

08/16/2026

SAVE THE DATE! 14th Annual Driftless Spoon Gathering

Learn more & join us September 11-13: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/driftless-spoon-gathering-2026

08/14/2026

Celebrating 20 Years of the Driftless Folk School!

Dear Friends and Neighbors -

It is hard to believe, but the Driftless Folk School turned 20 this year!

From a humble beginning around the hearth at the home of Dan Peper and Ruth Kittleson near Liberty Pole in 2006, DFS has touched the lives of thousands of people over the past two decades. Many have discovered new skills and hobbies, cultivated a deeper familiarity with nature and culture here in the Driftless, and built rich networks of relationships and community. DFS has helped some of our talented artisans, naturalists, and land stewards build livelihoods doing what they love and introduced many people to the area as a prospective new home. A few people have even found their business partners or future spouses!

All of these are examples of why DFS exists to cultivate personal and community resilience by connecting people and building relationships through shared hands-on learning experiences.

As DFS turns 20 and looks forward to the next 20 years, we are reaching out to build stronger connections between the many people who understand and support this work. You can do this by donating to support the Driftless Folk School at a level that feels comfortable to you or simply helping spread the word about our upcoming classes, new group offerings, and monthly e-newsletters. In doing this, you will help us look forward to the future with extra confidence and enthusiasm.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this joyous story over the past 20 years! We have so much gratitude for you all.

Yours,

Jacob Hundt, DFS Director

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READ MORE:

https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/campaigns/view-campaign/5tYV2pbkm6kO_lIej5KuqegSpbtM9BX3PeNOBLYHfF21WWdOywSIJB3dDWo-ePKb6Xv88tURij-GhYFbSPGk_J_T_ruY5c6O

(Photos taken at this year's Community Celebration!)

08/07/2026

Tanning with Tannins Two Day Workshop || with Nicholas WazeeGale

Date: Saturday and Sunday, August 22-23, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM each day
(Lunch will be provided both days!)
Ages: 12+
Location: La Farge, WI

This method of tanning, frequently called bark or vegetable tanning, is an ancient method that was prevalently used in the northern parts of Europe and Asia. It creates a strong and long-lasting tan that is relatively dense in nature but can also yield softer, lighter leathers.

Using deerskin and tannin-rich plants like sumac from our environment here in the Driftless, we will have hands-on experience with all steps of the process. Emphasis will be on tanning hair-off skins but we will also cover in some detail how to use this method on hair-on skins, like sheepskins and pelts. Some of our second day will be spent harvesting sumac and maybe bark, and students will take home enough fresh sumac leaf for tanning a first skin (if they have cargo room!).

No single skin will go through all steps in this workshop, instead skins will have been prepped at all crucial stages for hands-on experience building, and students will leave with a comprehensive understanding of this method (but not with finished leather).

Learn more @ www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/tanning-with-tannins-aug-2026

Address

Viroqua, WI

Website

http://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

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