Blacksmithed Spoons and Ladles w/ Tod Kershaw
March 7, 2026 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
About the Workshop: Blacksmithed Spoons and Ladles
Back by popular demand! Join engineer-turned-off-grid dumpster diver extraordinaire Tod Kershaw for a lively, hands-on adventure in blacksmithing with reclaimed materials. Tod’s inventive spirit and knack for making beauty from the scrap heap will inspire you to see discarded metal in a whole new way.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to find, reclaim, and transform scrap metal into something both beautiful and functional — a one-of-a-kind serving spoon or ladle forged entirely from salvaged materials. From rebar ties and 55-gallon drums, to copper plumbing pipe and aluminum transmission wire brought down by hurricane Helene, every element in this class — even the coal — is reclaimed, foraged, or reused!
Through the process, you’ll:
- Identify and source useful metals and fuels
- Learn how to extract and process reclaimed materials
- Practice foundational blacksmithing techniques, including hammering, shaping, and coal fire tending
- Explore cold swaging and riveting methods using handmade rivets
- Gain confidence using a variety of hand tools
- Craft your own beautiful, functional serving spoon or ladle to take home
Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned tinkerer, this class will give you the skills and confidence to keep creating with what’s around you — proof that artistry and sustainability can go hand in hand.
This class will be held outdoors on Saturday, March 7th, 2026, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm near Barnardsville, NC.
The minimum age is 14 with an accompanying adult. Moderate strength is recommended for this workshop.
About the Instructor: Tod Kershaw
Tod Kershaw (he/him) has been a Firefly Gathering instructor since its beginnings, in addition to teaching at Forest Floor Wilderness Programs and various earthskills gatherings throughout the southeast. An engineer turned dumpster-diving fringe dweller, Tod left the mainstream, but kept his cleverness.
From Tod:
“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 $55 – $130
* 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:
- Indigenous or Native American, Black, Latino/a/x
- Other peoples of the global majority, or racialized communities
- Ethnicities underrepresented in the Southeastern earthskills community
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
Registration closes at 8am on March 7th
