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2010 Broom Making and other Classes 

with Little John

"After a year of waiting to make a broom with Little John, I finally made it to one of his workshops. I must say that it was a really great experience. Great teacher, fun project, and a really nice guy. Thanks for a great couple hours, sharing an almost lost art. Much appreciated!" A satisfied student

"Your class was one of the highlights of my summer.  And I have such a sense of satisfaction now, as I harvest this broomcorn and prepare to make brooms that I grew!" 2008 College of The Arts Student

Happy Broom Makers at Outpost Natural Food Store in the fall of 2008

Wisconsin Classes

To schedule a private class for your group or club contact John @ moonwise_herbs@sbcglobal.net

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January 16, 2010 (1-5pm)  Broom Making Workshop  Make a hearth broom. Sponsored by Troy Gardens, Madison, WI  To register call 608-240-0409

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 Saturday February 13, 2010 at the Garden Expo (10am presentation) Grow Your Own Broom  Historically many farmers grew broom corn and crafted their own farmstead brooms. Join broom maker John Holzwart as he illustrates this lost art from seed to sweep.  (12pm demonstration) Broom Making Demonstration, see how an old fashion broom is made. We will also have a booth where brooms will be available for sale as well as our handcrafted herbal wares. For more information see: http://www.wpt.org/gardenexpo/index.cfm?body=saturday_grid&mode=grid
 
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March 13, 2010  Basic Hearth Broom Held at Outpost Natural Food Store, Milwaukee, WI  www.outpostnaturalfoods.coop/ed-workshops.html Call Outpost Education at 414-431-3377 ext 110

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March 27, 2010 Willow Basket Weaving Held at Outpost Natural Food Store, Milwaukee, WI www.outpostnaturalfoods.coop/ed-workshops.html Call Outpost Education at 414-431-3377 ext 110

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Saturday, March 20 Grafting Fruit Trees (12-2:00 p.m.) with John Holzwart

Do you wish ornamental crabapples had large juicy apples? Maybe your fruiting apple tree is too much to handle and you wish you had a crabapple. These are just a couple of reasons to practice the age old art of

grafting. For centuries, people have been changing fruit trees to suit their needs, and you can too! In this class, we will each graft and take home two semi-dwarf trees of your choice (apple, pear or plum). Root stocks

and scion wood (fruit tree cuttings) provided. Additional materials will be available for a fee, if you want to graft more trees. If you have a sharp knife bring it with you, but there will be some available as well.

 Fee: $16  Sponsored by and held at the University of Wisconsin, Sheboygan. To register call 920-459-6617.

Saturday March 20, 2010 Scion Wood Exchange  (2:00-4:00 p.m.) with John Holzwart

Join fellow fruit tree enthusiasts as we swap stories and trade scion wood from various trees. Bring as many types of cuttings as you wish. This event will immediately follow

our grafting class and is free to the general public. Sponsored by and held at the University of Wisconsin, Sheboygan. To register call 920-459-6617.

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April 10, 2010 Broom Making: A Lost Art  (10am-5pm)  Viroqua, WI
 
Discover the art of making handmade brooms! Little John will guide you through this beautiful and functional creation with students learning to make one round or one flat hearth broom (your choice) and a flat wisk also we may make a pot scrubber at the end of class if time permits. Handles of various woods have been gathered and cured for you to use, and all materials are provided. Discussion about decorative options will be included. Broomcorn will be for sale for your future brooming needs! Limit 12 people For more information see driftlessfolkschool.org or call (608) 637-3550
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“SweepIn"

The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View Arkansas will be the site of a historic gathering of craftspeople honoring the centuries old skill of broom making on Friday, April 23 through Sunday April 25, 2010.

The gathering, a first of it’s kind, has been named the “SweepIn” and will feature some of the most recognized Broom Squires in the United States

Little John will be teaching a Wisk Broom Making Class on Saturday April 24, 2010. Two wisk brooms will be made in this class. For more information see: http://laffing-horse.com/WordPress/

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Men's Herbal/Earthways Instensive

            

May 2-8, 2010

Join Little John for this week long journey into the realm of herbal wisdom and the sacred masculine. Find out what Robert Bly meant when he discussed "the wild man" in his book Iron John. This program is a unique opportunity for men to connect with the wild man inside of themselves. Participants will have the opportunity to experience living close to the earth while incorporating herbs and wild foods into their daily life. We will create a community that will encourage, inspire and challenge each other to look to the mother earth for deep healing and wisdom. Click here for more information.

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May 26, 2010 (6-9pm)  Broom Making: A Functional Art  Make a Hearth Broom. J Anderson Center, Edmonds, WA  for registration 425-771-0230

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June 5, 2010 (10am-4pm) Broom Making: A Functional Art Make a Hearth and a Wisk Broom

Sponsored by North Seattle Community College, Seattle, WA. For more information see:  http://www.learnatnorth.org/index.htm

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Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair

June 18, 19 amd 20th 2010

Join us at the 21st annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair The Fair will be held at the

ReNew the Earth Institute For more information see www.the-mrea.org/

We will offer our wares, handcrafted brooms and handmade herbal wares as well as a presentation on choosing Herbal Remedies for Sustainability. John will be doing broom making demonstrations at the Driftless Folk School Booth.

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June 26, 2010 (10am-4pm) Broom Making: A Functional Art Make a Hearth and a Wisk Broom Held at Swanstone Gardens in Green Bay, WI For more information/register call 920-866-9367 

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The Woodlanders Gathering July 9-12, 2010

Mineral Point, Wisconsin
John will be offering a broom making class, wattle fence making class and an herb walk.

The Woodlanders Gathering is not quite a workshop, not quite a conference... but a three-day mix of information, tools, demos, hands-on workshops, and visiting. Themes center on the elements: earth, air, fire, water, food and aether(spirit). Join us for career development in arts, crafts and community. This is an opportunity for mid-career artists, craftspeople, builders, people interested in earth and nature based activities to try something new and enjoy themselves. Little John will be teaching Broom Making and Wattle Fence classes For more info... http:/ /woodlanders.co m/

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40th Midsummer Festival of the Arts , Sheboygan, WI  July 17 and 18, 2010

Join us for this fun weekend art festival. John will be offering a wide spectrum of art brooms for sale at this event. You can stop by and purchase a broom or just meet and talk with John as well as 135 other artists. For more information see: https://www.jmkac.org/ArtsFestival

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July 24th and 25th, 2010 The 7th Annual Kickapoo Country Fair  Broom Making Demonstrations as well as sales. We will also be offering our herbal wares at this weekend Country Fair. For more information see: http://www.organicvalley.coop/kickapoo
 
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July 26-30, 2010 School of the Arts: A week of Broom Making: Students will enjoy this week long introduction to the lost art of broom making. We will enjoy the sweet aroma of broom corn, learn it's origins and how it grows. Just because a broom is functional doesn't mean it can't be a work of art! Participants in this program will have the opportunity to make their own statement using the materials and methods of tying and weaving to create a unique expression. Students can expect to make a pot scrubber, cake tester, several wisk brooms, a cob web broom and a hearth broom.  Info at: http://www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/soa/workshops.htm
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Erie County Fair, Hamburg 
August 11-22, 2010
Broom Making Demonstrations and sales for more info.... http: //www.americas- fair.com/

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L.A. County Fair
Sept 4 - Oct 3, 2010
 
in Pomona, CA
Broom Making and Soap Making demos. For more information http: //www.lacountyf air.com/2007/ho mepage.asp

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From The Land

October 23 and 24, 2010

Green Lake, WI

Art and Craft show where we will be vending our wares, offering plant walks and doing broom making demos.
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December 4, 2010  Deer Butchering Class (1-5pm)  

Have you ever wanted to know how to process your own deer?  Learn how to take advantage of an abundant local source of all-natural meat. John has butchered 30+ deer in his 35 years on the planet and he will share his knowledge here. We will cover how to skin and de-bone the animal, as well as how to identify, process, and preserve steaks, stew meat, and grind. Students can also bring their own deer to process. Bring a sharp knife and wear old clothes!  This class will be held in Sheboygan, WI $25 per person

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November 27 , 2010  Broom Making: A Lost Art  (10am-5pm)  Viroqua, WI

  Discover the art of making handmade brooms! Little John will guide you through this beautiful and functional creation with students learning to make one round or one flat hearth broom (your choice) and a flat wisk also we may make a pot scrubber at the end of class if time permits. Handles of various woods have been gathered and cured for you to use, and all materials are provided. Discussion about decorative options will be included. Broomcorn will be for sale for your future brooming needs! Limit 12 people For more information see driftlessfolkschool.org or call (608) 637-3550

 

Willow and Dogwood Fencing, Trellising and Arbors

 

Wattle Fence Making

 

"Thanks for the class. I love my new wattle fence." a happy student

 

See below for wattle fence making classes in 2009!!

 

Wattle Fence installation at Maywood Environmental Center

 

 

                                                                                  Willow Arbor                            Willow Trellis

 

 

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Wattle Fence Making
No classes scheduled at this time. To schedule a private class for your group or club contact John @ moonwise_herbs@sbcglobal.net
Willow Wattle Fence- Learn how to work with willow in both a large and small format. Wattle fencing has long been familiar to gardeners throughout England. Learn how to make a wattle fence panel and help to build an installation of a larger piece. These charming structures create more organization in the yard. This hands-on workshop will cover material selection, harvesting, preparation and construction of both a simple wattle fence panel and the larger installation piece. We will discuss other willow crafts also. Take away a section of wattle fence and the know-how for building larger structures.

 

 

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Seattle, WA Broom Making Classes

 

Broom Making: A Functional Art

Discover the art of making handmade brooms! You will be guided through this beautiful and functional art.  Students will learn to make one round or one flat hearth broom (your choice), weaving and sowing the broom corn into place by hand. These brooms look beautiful hung on the wall, either by a hearth or other area of your house and are a function piece of art that you will treasure for years to come. Handles of various types of wood have been gathered and cured for you to use, and all materials are provided. Discussion about decorative options as well as  the history of broom making and broom corn (the grass used to make all natural brooms) will be included. Limit 12 people

Choose from the following programs: 

May 26, 2010 (6-9:30pm) J Anderson Center, Edmonds, WA  for registration 425-771-0230

June 5, 2010 (10am-4pm) at North Seattle Community College for information or registration see www.learnatnorth.org or call 206-527-3705

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“This class was a blast! John was knowledgeable, fun, easy going, patient and clearly loves his work. I had a great time & LOVE my broom! Thanks, John!” ~J.L.

“This class was excellent. I had been looking for information online about broom making and was thrilled to see this class was offered – perfect timing! John was a very pleasant person and made the experience valuable. I would definitely recommend this class to others if he is available to teach again.” ~L.V.

see calendar of events for more events where you can view and/or purchase handmade brooms.