Turtle Island is honored to welcome renowned instructors Ervin and Willie Ellis of Ellis Brothers Builders to this weekend workshop where a small group of adults will build their own traditional German-style shaving horse.
Hailing from the banks of the ol' Clinch River in Castlewood, Virginia, the Ellis Brothers have been teaching traditional woodworking for the last decade. Past visitors may recall, the brothers have been a favorite among demonstrators for years at our annual "Families Learning Together Outdoor Expo". As they become more and more in-demand at universities and craft schools around the southeast, we feel even more fortunate to be able to host the duo this spring in teaching this hands-on class here at Turtle Island Preserve.
Over two days (that include hot meals and overnight lodging) on our rustic, off-grid campus each student will create his or her own shaving horse from beginning to end using an assortment of traditional hand tools. All students will have the opportunity to handle and use:
framing squares for layouts
froes and mauls for riving
an antique barn beam hand drill (pictured)
hand hewing, hole-boring, and peg-making tools for fabrication, and lots more!
One unique aspect of this class is that students have the option to take the finished piece home OR donate it to the camp for a reduced tuition. Be mindful, students that intend to take their project home need to have space in their vehicle to acommodate an object 5'x2'x3'. Turtle Island is the only education center in the southeast that offers this class with no materials fee with meals and lodging included for under $1000. A new or antique shaving horse ranges anywhere from $250 - $600. You will not find this class for this price anywhere else! Limited to 8 students and pricing varies, so please explore the options below...
Details:
Date/Time: 5pm March 20 - 5pm March 22, 2020
Available Spaces: limited to 8 adults (no unchaperoned minors)
Cost: Sliding Scale: $360 - $650 (hot meals & overnight rustic lodging included)
Cancellations: non-refundable deposit (1/2 of total) is retained for all cancellations
Road Conditions: 1.5 miles off-road gravel - watch the video (link is external)
Location: 8 miles east of Boone, NC - Base camp at Turtle Island Preserve is just 2 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway - Bamboo Gap Exit
Schedule: Orientation begins at 5pm Friday for students to get acquainted with campus and settled into sleeping quarters with plenty of daylight, before supper is served. Breakfast is served at 8am Saturday morning, class officially begins at 9am Saturday. The last meal served is lunch on Sunday and class is over by 5pm.
How To Register:
Option 1 "Makey-Takey" Build and take your new shaving horse home with you:
Pay $650 online w/ credit card by clicking the yellow "Buy Now" button below- then email these forms to: mail@turtleislandpreserve.com
OR
Pay $600 w/ check or money order by Postal Mail - print and enclose these forms to the address below
Option 2 "Create it - Donate it" Learn the skill, donate the tool to the camp for future guests to use:
Pay $375 online w/ credit card by clicking the yellow "Buy Now" button above - then email these forms to: mail@turtleislandpreserve.com
OR
Pay $360 w/ check or money order by Postal Mail - print and enclose these forms to:
Turtle Island Preserve
Attn. Shaving Horse Workshop
2683 Little Laurel Road
Boone, NC 28607
After You've Registered:
What to Bring on overnight stays
Blacksmithing Workshop ~ Building Skills Workshop ~ Fire By Friction Class ~ Forestry School With Eustace ~ Hide Tanning Workshop ~ Knife Making Weekend ~ Knife Sheath Workshop ~ Spoon Carving Workshop ~ Woods Woman 101 Weekend ~ Thaw And Saw Forestry Workshop
Attention All Camp Visitors - Please Note:
WARNING: Under North Carolina Law, There Is No Liability For An Injury To Or Death Of A Participant In An Agritourism Activity Conducted At This Agritourism Location If Such Injury Or Death Results From The Inherent Risks Of The Agritourism Activity. Inherent Risks Of Agritourism Activities Include, Among Others, Risks Of Injury Inherent To Land, Equipment, And Animals, As Well As The Potential For You To Act In A Negligent Manner That May Contribute To Your Injury Or Death. You Are Assuming The Risk Of Participating In This Agritourism Activity.
WARNING: Under North Carolina Law, A Farm Animal Activity Sponsor Or Farm Animal Professional Is Not Liable For An Injury To Or The Death Of A Participant In Farm Animal Activities Resulting Exclusively From The Inherent Risks Of Farm Animal Activities. Chapter 99E Of The North Carolina General Statutes.