October 24
@
10:00 am
–
October 26
@
5:00 pm
About the Workshop: Buckskin Hide Tanning
Ever wonder what to do with all of those car-killed animals on the side of the road? Know someone who hunts, but doesn’t use the hide? Then this class is for you!
Experience one of the most magical ancestral skills in this hands-on, multi-day workshop where you will participate in the transformation of a wet sticky deer hide into beautiful buttery buckskin. Unlike most tanning workshops, this class uniquely combines two powerful traditional methods: combo-tanning—a blend of traditional brain-tanning and bark-tanning techniques. You’ll get the best of both worlds—learning how to use both brain and bark to create beautiful buckskin.
You’ll leave with a finished buckskin that you made yourself, and the skills to keep going on your own. Buckskin is an amazingly strong, suede-like material, and has been used for millennia to make clothing, bags, shoes, and more.
In this workshop, we’ll cover:
- The history and ancestral roots of hide tanning and some naturalist knowledge about the whitetail deer
- An overview of different tanning methods: buckskin, fur-on, bark tanning, smoke tanning, and more
- Some of the science and chemistry behind the process
- How to remove the grain (top layer) from a hide—what makes buckskin different from leather
- Making bark or plant teas for tanning
- Techniques for wringing and softening a hide
- Tips on how to preserve and clean your buckskin
You’ll leave with:
- Your own finished buckskin
- A working knowledge of the combo-tanning process
- The confidence and resources to start tanning on your own
- A deeper appreciation for the deer and the full cycle of transformation
Tanning hides is hard work, but there’s real meaning in it. It’s one way to counter throwaway culture—turning something that’s often discarded into something beautiful and lasting. It’s also a way to connect with skills nearly all of our ancestors once knew.
This class is open to everyone, whether you’ve never touched a deer hide before or you’ve tanned a few already. There’s a lot of satisfaction in working through this process—we change along with the hides we are working with our hands, as we connect to all people who have come before us with this ancient skill.
This class will be held outdoors on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 24-26, 2025, from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm near Weaverville, NC.
This is a physically demanding class. Expect to be standing for long periods and to be using your arms to push and pull. Moderate arm and hand strength is important. The minimum age is 16.
About the Instructors: Callan Shore & Nico Piedrahita
Callan:
Callan Burton-Shore (she/her) is an ancestral skills teacher and traditional craftsperson living outside of Asheville, North Carolina. She has been teaching hide tanning for the last 4 years and runs a small tannery out of her home. She also teaches friction fire, spoon carving, and other skills throughout Western North Carolina and the Southeast. When she’s not teaching or creating, you will likely find her swimming in a river, working in the garden, or climbing a tree!
Nico:
Since he was a kid, Nico Piedrahita (he/him) always wanted to live in the woods. For the last 10 years, he’s been fulfilling that dream, living off-grid in the mountains around Asheville, and studying the skills and knowledge it takes to meet his own needs from the land. That “simple” act, of meeting a need for himself, ties him closer to the land and all the beings around him. His main areas of focus have been hide tanning and woodworking, and he now runs a business tanning hides, carving spoons and bowls, and teaching these skills to the local community.
Equitable Pricing Model $385 – $165
* 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 $385: 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 $275: The Standard reflects one person’s share of what it costs to produce the class and cover basic expenses.
- Equity Discount $165: 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
This class requires a minimum of seven students.
If we do not meet the required minimum, tickets will be refunded (minus a 5% processing fee).
Registration closes on October 19th at 11:59pm.
Want to support our Equity Fund but not able to upgrade to Sponsor Price? Donate below!
