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Blacksmithed Spoons and Ladles w/ Tod Kershaw

March 8 @ 10:00 am 4:00 pm

blacksmithing

About the Workshop: Blacksmithed Spoons and Ladles

Back by popular demand, and led by our always entertaining Tod Kershaw, engineer turned off-grid dumpster diver extraordinaire! In this Blacksmithing class, Todd will walk us through the ins and outs of DIY Blacksmithing, how to forage for metal in the scrap heaps, and so much more! This class will empower students to find metal, tools & fuel, and teach you what to do with it. All of the materials in the class will be 100% found, foraged, reclaimed & reused…even the coal.

In this class, students will create a beautiful and functional steel serving spoon or ladle through the process of Blacksmithing. We’ll start by blacksmithing the handle out of the thick wire ties used to bundle rebar; next we’ll cut out the bowl of the spoon from reclaimed pieces of sheet metal, then swage it into a form. Finally, students will make rivets (copper from salvaged electrical wire or aluminum from transmission wire brought down by hurricane Helene–there’s a lot of that!), then join the bowl to the handle, completing their masterpiece! 

Participants will:

  • identify useful materials including types of metals and fuels
  • learn how to extract and process these materials 
  • learn basic Blacksmithing techniques including metalworking and coal fire tending
  • learn basic cold swaging techniques
  • learn basic riveting 
  • learn to use various hand tools
  • complete a beautiful and functioning serving spoon or ladle to be proud of!

This class will be held outdoors on Saturday, March 8th, 2025, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm near Barnardsville, NC.

This class is suitable for both intermediate blacksmiths and beginners alike! The minimum age is 14.

About the Instructor: Tod Kershaw

My father told me that when I was very young he took me to a craft gathering and I spent the entire time hanging around and pestering the blacksmith. Years later I worked as a professional welder and enjoyed working with hot metal. Then, around 35 years old I went to a gathering like Firefly and hung around the blacksmith the whole time. Then I started doing it myself.

One thing that draws me to this craft is that it can be done almost entirely with scavenged materials. I like scavenging. And with relatively little experience or money one can create beautiful and useful things.

Equitable Pricing Model $130 – $55

* Please click here to learn about your pricing options before you register for your first Perennial Workshop. The pricing options are the same for all events, so you only need to do it once!

In order to make our workshops more accessible, we offer two price options for each class, with an additional Equity Discount for qualifying individuals. Please consider these options and select your price at checkout.

  • Sponsor Price $130: For those who have enough to share, thank you for being a Sponsor. This is an opportunity to contribute towards the cost of the class for someone else.
  • Standard Price $90: The Standard reflects one person’s share of what it costs to produce the class and cover basic expenses.
  • Equity Discount $55: We offer an additional Equity Discount for those from the following communities who support reparations and/or an equitable redistribution of wealth and would not have access to this workshop without this discount:

Thank you for helping transform the world into a culture of abundance, resilience, and opportunity for all.

Which Price Option is Right for You?*

*Please check your pricing options before you register for your first Perennial Workshop. The pricing options are the same for all events, so you only need to do it once!

Class Price includes all Materials for the Class

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking “Get Tickets” will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
BLACKSMITHED SPOONS – 03/08/2025 Sponsor Price
Supports accessibility for others as well as yourself
$ 130.00
1 available
BLACKSMITHED SPOONS – 03/08/2025 Standard Price
Covers your share of basic class expenses
$ 90.00
1 available
BLACKSMITHED SPOONS – 03/08/2025 *Equity Discount
*Available for those of the global majority who identify as coming from a racialized community or an underrepresented ethnicity and would not have access to this workshop without this discount
$ 55.00
1 available

*Workshop Sold Out? Sign up for the waitlist below!

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Barnardsville, North Carolina United States

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Lily Harlin

Bookkeeper

Lily is an artist, creator, and dreamer. Since a very young age, she has been immersed in the natural world and draws heavy inspiration from the wild. Though her medium changes frequently, Lily’s art and expression always incorporate an element of the organic and unpredictable. She got her associate in fine arts in 2023, and now volunteers at her school as a ceramic studio monitor. She hopes to open a studio of her own one day to have a place to teach and inspire others. In addition to doing commission work, Lily has been creating many graphics for The Firefly Gathering since 2019. Lily grew up in the Earthskills community from the time she was eight years old, so having the opportunity to grow and give back in so many ways has been incredibly fulfilling. No matter where she ends up, this group of people and ideas will always hold a special place in her heart.