Wiigwaasi-Jiimaan (Birch Bark Canoe) In recent years there has been a movement to learn about Anishinaabemowin and traditional skills including how to build a wiigwaasi-jiimaan. The Birch Bark Canoe Project (BBCP), at the Ely Folk School, is a gathering place of valuable knowledge for the Ely area community and those traveling through. The birch bark […]
Hello friends,This summer has been filled with hope for a return to normalcy. We’ve enjoyed seeing people’s faces coming through the door, and in class. Unfortunately, we’re at a place in our community where we need to take a few steps backward, or perhaps a little stalling would be the more appropriate term. As the Delta […]
View this email in your browserAugust NewsletterJoin in CommunityLearn Something NewThere is a lot to look forward to at the Ely Folk School. I can feel the seasons changing when I read the upcoming class list. It’s foraging season! This month you can learn to forage for wild medicinal plants, mushrooms, furniture wood, wild rice, and pitch. Come […]
“I have experienced many different types of work,” she tells me over a cup of coffee at The Front Porch — the very same place where I first met Betty over two years ago. Indeed, Betty’s professional experience runs the gamut. She taught first grade in a public school. She sold real estate in Chicago […]
The Blueberry/Art Festival is here! This Festival always brings out community and creativity – I’m excited both for our slate of classes this week and to peruse Whiteside Park. While you’re in Ely for the Blueberry/Art Festival, be sure to tune into WELY and listen for our Ely Folk School “Blueberry Blast” sponsorship liners! Also […]
By Sue Remes In the summer of 2019 my husband, a serial hobbyist, was packing his binoculars and preparing to head off to a nature reserve to do some birdwatching. “I need a hobby” I said to him as I watched him stuff a field guide into his backpack and walk out the door.Later that […]
View this email in your browserJuly NewsletterThank You!Thank you for supporting our recent fundraising campaign, your contributions make a difference.This week we celebrated our volunteers with a homemade pizza party. As Betty Firth says, “From data entry to scrubbing floors, hosting classes, taking recycling, greeting the public and organizing dances and community potlucks, and serving […]
View this email in your browserSummer is officially here in the Northwoods!While looking out my window from my perch in the Ely Folk School, it often seems that every third car is carrying a canoe. ‘Tis the season for new adventures. This only makes me more excited for the Birchbark Canoe Project to commence next week. By the end […]
Birch Bark Canoe Project – Ely Folk School 2021 Schedule Week 1 Sunday, June 20 1-4 pm Welcome & BBCP overviewInspecting & washing bark canoesProcessing spruce rootsLashing gunwales & cutwater endsCarving & fitting cedar planks Week 2 Sunday, June 27 1-4 pm Processing spruce rootsLashing gunwales & cutwater endsCarving & fitting cedar planks & ribs […]
‘Tis the season of fresh fruit pies, and the Ely Folk School is poised for a fresh start. We are hopeful, we are excited, and we are prepared for a safe and busy summer. We have received a pledge for a $10,000 matching donation from an anonymous donor! Please help us secure these funds by […]
