PEACE - Practical Education Around Conflict Efficacy
An introduction to tools and techniques used for conflict resolution. We will explore different cultural modalities including the Hawaiian practice of ho’oponopono. Participants will have the opportunity to put these practices into real life examples with guided exercises during the class. These skills can be helpful in navigating life challenges and relationships and can help foster peaceful relations in our communities.
Taught by instructor Jami Bigham with 7+ years experience as a professional mediator and a student of nonviolent communication.
Cost: $25/person
Piecrust & Pastry - the forgotten arts of the rolling pin
It’s been called a Lost Grandmother’s Art: but pie has been the food of the humble and hungry since time immemorial, so why would it be hard to make now?
In this class we will learn to make a pie crust starting with flour, butter, and water, talk about why different fats give different crusts, why marble rolling pins were a thing (science!), why “keep cool” has been the motto of piemakers since the dawn of time (science!), why some pies call for changing the temperature while baking, and why we use sometimes use such things as a pastry cutter, crust (and how to get by without one). Tips for rolling out your dough without tears will be demonstrated, we will talk about washes to make your crust pretty and we will finish with laying a puff pastry top on an apple pie and watching it bake. Students with the time available are welcome to stay to eat it.
Class Cost: $35/person
Age range: suitable for anyone with the dexterity to cut and core an apple and roll out play-doh (cutting apples will not be part of the class and play-doh will not be provided, but that is the amount of dexterity needed).
Time: 3 hours
Cheesemaking 101
Join us as Sue Kurta leads us through the steps to making fresh, tender mozzarella cheese from scratch. This class will teach you how to make fresh mozzarella in your own kitchen with just a few ingredients and equipment you have at home. We will be stretching the cheese by hand and enjoy sampling what we make! This class is for participants 12 years and older. A fun and delicious class is guaranteed!
Sue Kurta took up cheesemaking as a hobby while living on the East coast in the 00's. That hobby became a passion, and Sue founded her own cheese company, Boss Mouse Cheese, in 2012, specializing in aged cow's milk cheeses. Today Sue is an instructor for the MSU Dairy Division, as well as leading private group cheese making classes all over Michigan.
Cost: $30/person
Songwriting Workshop with Seth Bernard
Learn the process of songwriting from local songwriter, performer and activist Seth Bernard. Participants will have the opportunity to gain tools to write their own songs and the group will write a song together at the workshop.
Cost: $30/person
Soapmaking 101
Ever wonder how to make your own soap? This course will show you step by step on how to make your own natural soap at home. Using modern tools and earthly materials, you'll feel good about the soap you make.
Upon completion of the course, you will receive a bar of soap to take home!
Come join us for a fun and educational experience.
Taught by Rachel Greilick, owner of Fishcreek Soapworks with decades of soap making experience.
Cost: $35/person (includes materials)
Space is limited.
Everyone Has a Story
Everyone has a story is a free community gathering for the sake of sharing stories and building community. Participants sit in a circle and we pass a Petoskey stone around. At the beginning we announce a theme of the evening (ie winter, traveling, flowers..) and participants take turns telling a true story from their lives based on the theme. There is no need to prepare a story in advance, in fact, the more spontaneous, the better! Whoever has the stone has 5 minutes of uninterrupted sharing time. Passing or skipping and just listening is totally okay too!
No need to bring anything but yourself and maybe a friend! We will meet in the community room off of the main library at 5:30pm.
This is a free event. RSVP is not necessary but if you’d like to you can use the link below.
Wilderness Exploration Walk at Mayfield Pond Park
Talk a walk through Mayfield Pond Park with wildlife expert Josh Green and explore flora and fauna along the way. Josh will point out trees, plants, animal signs and more that many of us may not notice in our everyday lives.
Wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing and footwear. Be prepared for a moderate 1+ mile hike through the forest with some steps and hills. In case of rain the walk will be rescheduled.
Meet at the sign by the railroad tracks near the parking lot at Mayfield Pond Park at 2pm.
Cost: $15/person
iPhone Product Photography
Are you a maker looking to improve the photos you take of your product for online sales, your website, or social media? In this class we will go over how to use your iPhone to create better photos. Topics include phone settings, using available light, creating a flatlay, and incorporating objects from nature. You will have time to create your own setup with help from the instructor. Bring items you may want to incorporate. Best suited for small products (basketball-sized or smaller).
Taught by Christina LaMie, owner of LaMieMedia.com
Cost: $40/person
Space is limited
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!
Fly Fishing Seminar
Join us for a fly fishing seminar for any level of skill taught by Craig Schaaf of Golden Rule Farm in Kaleva. Craig is master of many skills, has been fly fishing and fly tying since he was a teenager and has won competitions and created his own flies.
If you have never casted a rod we recommend taking the fly casting workshop on May 18th at Kingsley Folk School farm. Registration available under Classes + Events.
This class will include instruction on aquatic entomology, reading a river, choosing flies, casting techniques, choosing and using different gear.
For those that are interested we will be having a potluck after class and staying to fish into the evening.
Waders and weather appropriate gear encouraged.
Directions to Boat Launch: You should be able to find GPS directions by searching Dutch John Boat Launch. Take M-66 South until Burkett Rd and take a left on Burkett Rd. Go 0.4 miles and turn left onto Dutch John Rd. After 2 miles turn right to stay on Dutch John Rd. Follow to the boat launch.
Cost: $50/person
Folk Day 2025
May 31st 12-4pm is our 2nd Annual Folk Day event. What is Folk Day?
A fun and free Community Event w/ mini folk skill classes + workshops like natural dying, fiber arts & firemaking
A fundraiser for the Kingsley Folk School w/ info booth, silent auction & concessions
A place for community to gather around a shared love for folk skills and connect with other like minded folks
Would you like to be involved? We need silent auction donations, volunteers & workshop presenters. Reach out to learn more
This event is open to all ages and free to attend. No registration needed. Mark your calendars!
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!
Fly Fishing - Casting Basics
Come learn beginning techniques for fly casting with Craig Schaaf of Golden Rule Farm (Kaleva, MI). If you’re completely new to fly fishing, Craig will have some available rods to practice on or feel free to bring your own equipment should you have it. Since this is an introduction to fly casting, it will take place out of the river and on the grassy fields of Bear Earth Herbals farm in Kingsley to help those practice the art of casting without having to commit to other fishing equipment (like waders, for instance). Plans for future fishing outings forthcoming!
WHEN: Sunday May 18th 2pm-4pm
COST: $30/person
About Craig: From age 16 to 25, Craig Schaaf was a professional fisherman performing on the United State’s Fishing Team beginning at age 17. By 23 he began teaching fly casting & fly tying for Orvis. He and his family run Golden Rule Farm in Kaleva, MI. Craig brings not only fly fishing expertise to Kingsley Folk School, but also 20 years of farming and general homesteading knowledge and know-how!
Soapmaking 101
Ever wonder how to make your own soap? This course will show you step by step on how to make your own natural soap at home. Using modern tools and earthly materials, you'll feel good about the soap you make.
Upon completion of the course, you will receive a bar of soap to take home!
Come join us for a fun and educational experience.
Taught by Rachel Greilick, owner of Fishcreek Soapworks with decades of soap making experience.
Cost: $35/person (includes materials)
Space is limited.
Herbs for Stress and Anxiety
These days stress and anxiety are at an all time high and in many ways there is only so much we can do to mitigate the experiences and circumstances causing them. You are not alone.
In this class we will uncover many approachable and accessible ways to support our brains and nervous systems with herbal remedies in order to better cope both physically and emotionally with stress. We will talk about adaptogenic herbs and when and how they should be used as well as the best forms to work with these plants in for effectiveness, safety and ease.
Herbal tea will be served at this event and it will take place in a barn with heaters. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring a notebook and writing utensil to take notes.
Cost: $35/person
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!
Everyone Has a Story
Everyone has a story is a free community gathering for the sake of sharing stories and building community. Participants sit in a circle and we pass a Petoskey stone around. At the beginning we announce a theme of the evening (ie winter, traveling, flowers..) and participants take turns telling a true story from their lives based on the theme. There is no need to prepare a story in advance, in fact, the more spontaneous, the better! Whoever has the stone has 5 minutes of uninterrupted sharing time. Passing or skipping and just listening is totally okay too!
No need to bring anything but yourself and maybe a friend! We will meet in the community room off of the main library at 5:30pm.
This is a free event. RSVP is not necessary but if you’d like to you can use the link below.
Herbs for Pain and Inflammation
Do you struggle with chronic pain and inflammation and feel overwhelmed by the amount of information out there about natural remedies that may or may not be effective? Then this class is for you! We will dig into the process of inflammation in our bodies, how we can naturally work with it, and why certain herbal supplements may not work for everyone.
We will talk about easy to access and implement herbal remedies that really work and touch on lifestyle and diet factors as well.
This class will take place in a barn with heaters so please dress for the weather and bring a pen/pencil and notebook for note taking. Hot herbal tea will be served at the event.
Cost: $35/person
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!
Storytelling at the Kingsley Library
Join Kingsley Branch Library & The Kingsley Folk School for a storytelling community circle. Inspired by NPR's The Moth storytelling hour, the Everyone Has a Story series welcomes you to share your personal stories with others to create connections in our community.
Presenters will be given 5 minutes to share stories from their lived experiences with an open-minded circle of fellow storytellers.
This event takes place on the 2nd Thursday of every month at the Kingsley Branch Library from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Event is free and open to the public of all ages, registration optional. For more information and requests for reasonable accommodations, please call the Kingsley Branch Library at 231-263-5484.
Qi Gong Mondays
Do you want to develop a healing relationship with your body? Do you want to learn how to heal yourself from inside out through using movement, flow, sound and color? Then, this is the class for you.
What is qigong? Qigong means working with life energy. You will learn to know and access your healing energy AND have fun.
This is a free event in partnership with the Kingsley Library. $10 suggested donation. Please wear comfortable clothes. RSVP here, or feel free to drop in!