“Students enjoying fall in the Villages”

     Students from Iowa and Missouri take part in classes at the Villages Folk School and spend a weekend enjoying the beautiful fall weather here in the Villages of Van Buren County.

     It was a “double header” in Bentonsport this past weekend as Betty Printy and April Ziegler taught simultaneous classes. Betty’s kitchen in her historic brick home was the stage for the “Artisan Bread Making Made Easy” class and the performance was breath taking. When I arrived, everyone was gathered around the working island in the center of the kitchen and taking turns applying the techniques Betty had just shared. I never tire of sitting in on the classes and snapping photographs of the continuing process. The class moves from the use of the yeast in preparing the dough to the hand kneading of the loaf and, for the grand finale, into the cloche and the oven for a spectacular finish. This class is always popular, a treat for those who attend, and leaves them with a pleasant trip home to share the excellent loaf of bread with their families. Betty’s bread recipes are among the best I have tasted and will become a delight at your dinner table for years to come.

     A few paces north from Betty’s front door and you are at the front door of the log building where April Ziegler, Betty’s daughter, is teaching a class on rug weaving. April and her students were carefully “warping the beam” which is the process of properly loading the yarn onto the loom prior to beginning the weaving of the rug. The first day in class is spent selecting the color scheme and warping the beam. On the second day the students begin to weave their masterpiece and by the end of the day have completed a rug that can be proudly displayed at home.

     Bread making and weaving are only two of the many classes offered year round at the Villages Folk School here in scenic southeastern Iowa. The winding river valley and lush hardwoods in this picturesque county which is home to our 30 folk school artists will become a refuge for you to come relax and enjoy the arts with our talented artist instructors.

     Go to our web site at www.villagesfolkschool.com and choose you next class from our class calendar. You may print out a registration form and mail it in to our office or simply call us today at (319) 592-3700 for more information and registration assistance. Our office is in Bonaparte, Iowa at the Opera House and is open from 8:30 to 12:30 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. For those of you without internet access our upcoming class schedule as follows:

Natural Dyes in My Backyard

27-Oct-2011 28-Oct-2011

Container Candles

5-Nov-2011 -

Beginning Knitting

5-Nov-2011 -

Shaker Boxes

12-Nov-2011 13-Nov-2011

Tatting 12-Nov-2011 13-Nov-2011

7 Step Chair Caning

19-Nov-2011 -

Hand Piecing, Appliqué & Quilting

19-Nov-2011 20-Nov-2011

     Call us today and register for a class at the Villages Folk School. We look forward to your visit.