Want to learn the craft of dry stone wall construction? If so, join us for our 4 day introductory Dry Stone Wall Workshop. In this course, you’ll get hands-on experience building a dry stone retaining wall with highly talented & professional dry stone wallers. Teachers will lead our workshop crew through all the necessary steps in creating a beautiful, long-lasting dry stone retaining wall using traditional methods. This class is a must for anyone interested in learning the ins and outs of working with local stone to create beautiful landscaping features.
Workshop Information at a Glance:
- Workshop Dates: Sign up below for future workshop dates!
- Location: South Slope Farm, 15 minutes outside Berea, Kentucky (map)
- All-inclusive: Workshop includes camping accommodations, and 3 delicious home-cooked meals a day
- Led by Martin Beevers of Old England Rock Walls
- Natural Building Tour: Explore natural building projects during your stay
- Cost and Discounts:
$?? Early Registration Discount (register 30+ days in advance – $100 off savings!)
$?? Regular Registration (register less than 30 days in advance)
Food and Dining
Unlike other classes, we provide all meals during our workshops. The lovingly prepared meals will largely consist of organic vegetarian dishes featuring local ingredients, including food from our own gardens. You will not go hungry with us! In fact, you might have a hard time leaving the table after each meal. We do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions and food allergies. (We’ll follow up after registration to make sure we have your preferences on file.) It’s recommended that participants bring snacks and specialty items only if they wish (example: your favorite tea or coffee, any food you can’t live without) to supplement the otherwise complete meals.
Lodging and Accommodations During Your Stay
All accommodations are included in the cost of the workshop. Here is what you can expect during your stay:
- Ample camping space close to indoor facilities
- Access to composting toilets
- Heated outdoor shower facilities
- Phone and internet available on-site
- Large collection of natural building and homesteading books
- 15 minute drive into town for whatever town needs you might have
Workshop Location
The Dry Stone Wall Workshop is located 15 minutes outside of Berea, Kentucky (map) at our land, South Slope Farm. We live in the gorgeous Clear Creek Valley on 30 acres of hillside pasture and woods. Our farm sits in the middle of a rural community with many folks dedicated to art, music, community building, permaculture, and activism. We’re fortunate to be surrounded many motivated friends and neighbors who want to live creative, heartfelt lives.
Berea is a small town in central Kentucky with an active population of craftspeople, artists, woodworkers, musicians, social activists, and homesteaders. The town has a longstanding tradition of diversity, social justice, environmental responsibility, and community service. The historic Berea College is the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, and its influence on the town remains to this day.
Workshop Schedule
Students must arrive the afternoon prior to the official workshop start date. For example, students must arrive on April 29th for the April 30 – May 3 workshop. We’ll start with a leisurely dinner and introductions. The workshop will end the morning after the official posted date, with the departure of students on May 3rd. Please factor this in to your travel plans.
Our daily schedule will follow the same general structure each day:
- 7:30 A.M.: Breakfast
- 8:00 A.M.: Begin morning work session
- 12:00 P.M.: Lunch break
- 1:00 P.M.: Afternoon work session
- 5:00 P.M.: Pre-dinner free time, shower, relax
- 6:30 P.M.: Dinner
- 8:00 P.M.: Evening presentation or free time
Meet Your Dry Stone Workshop Instructors
Martin Beevers
Martin Beevers has been rebuilding dry-stone walls of his native South Yorkshire and Derbyshire for over 15 years. It began out of idle curiosity. After several years gaining professional qualifications with the Dry-Stone Walling Association of Great Britain, it developed into a major life-changing passion. Martin has brought that passion from the green fields of Northern England to the beautiful state of Tennessee. With his many years of experience, Martin now finds himself on a journey to help reintroduce the forgotten art of dry-stone walling to this wonderful part of the American South.
Timeless Dry Stone Walling Skills
This course is an excellent opportunity to work with local stone and learn fundamental dry stone masonry skills. We welcome all DIYers, land owners, aspiring and experienced builders alike. During the class, we’ll construct a two tier retaining wall surrounding a future patio space. Participants will use a variety of techniques to shape and stack local limestone without the use of any mortar. If you’ve ever been fascinated by rock walls that harken back to another era, or want to tackle your own stone wall and landscaping projects, this class will set you on the path to success. Martin and Bryce have professional experience working all over the country (and beyond), creating beautiful landscape features that will stand for generations.
Some of What You’ll Learn…
- Dry stone retaining wall design and construction
- Dry stone stair building
- Hand tools for modifying and shaping stone
- Feather and wedge use for splitting large stone
- Stone acquisition, material estimates, and project planning
- Worksite safety and efficiency
Connect with Like Minds
Expect to get your hands dirty in this completely hands-on experience. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with other like-minded folks and enjoy a few days in the gorgeous foothills of Kentucky during our beautiful fall season. We do our best to foster a down-to-earth, community atmosphere and want you to enjoy your time here to the fullest extent possible. Explore the farm, gardens, and more while you’re here. Not to mention, we’ll celebrate our work together with a pizza party using our outdoor wood-fired pizza oven.
p.s. Please contact us about rates for children if you’d like to bring your family along!