Here are some short craft courses taking place at Miles Cross Farm, for further details see www.milescrossfarm.co.ukArt
Art Clay Silver Beginners Class
This course is for the total beginner and for people that would like to learn a new way of making their own jewellery or who just want to come along to make a few items of Silver Clay jewellery for themselves or as a gift.
This fascinating product starts life as malleable, mouldable clay and through the magic of preparation and firing turns into fine silver:999 (Sterling Silver is 925)!
Techniques covered in this class include:
- Rolling out the clay to a consistent thickness
- Texturing and cutting out shapes
- Forming and moulding
- Firing
- Sanding and polishing
By the end of the day you’ll have created at least 2 or 3 items to take home and have a sound basic knowledge of silver clay principles.
The size of the classes are kept small to allow plenty of one-on-one attention and the maximum number of students is 6.
Please bring a packed lunch – Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
Introduction to Gardening/Landscaping
This course introduces learners to the practical skills needed to propagate plants from seed, bulbs and cuttings. To care, transplant and maintain them afterwards.
This will take place in outdoor or protected cropping situations. Topics include: Calendar, Pruning techniques, Fruit, Vegetables, Propagation and seed sowing, Basic garden design techniques, Lawncare, Colour and planting, Winter gardens, Baskets and Bedding.
Vegetable growing producing table food at any time of year and mastering continuous cropping will be high on the agenda of this practical course.
- Please bring a packed lunch – Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
- A session costs £60 per person
- 10 am – 4 pm
- All tools/basic materials supplied
Introduction to Sustainable Construction
The course aims to deliver a basic knowledge of the fundamentals of sustainable building practices and an understanding of the skills
It will cover the basic components of sustainable building practices:
- Bricklaying
- Plumbing
- Plastering
- Woodwork
- Tiling
This course is a mixture of classroom and practical activities.
The size of the classes are kept small to allow plenty of one-on-one attention and the maximum number of students is 6.
- Please bring a packed lunch – Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
- A session costs £60 per person
- 10 am – 4 pm
- All tools/basic materials supplied
- Introduction to Crafts
- a) art/craft course
- b) Blacksmith course
- c) Silver bracelet + charms course
The courses are for the total beginner and for people that would like to learn various crafts from silver clay to blacksmithing …
Students will come away with an item(s) they have made and have a basic understanding of the processes involved in making it.
Students can choose from a variety of small projects, for example, or come up with their own if they have a specific item they want to make (subject to limitations).
Students should wear old clothes (in natural fibres) old jeans and a long sleeve cotton shirt/sweatshirt are ideal.
The size of the classes are kept small to allow plenty of one-on-one attention and the maximum number of students is 6.
- Please bring a packed lunch – Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
- A course costs £95 per person
- 10 am – 4 pm
- All tools/basic materials supplied
INTRODUCTION TO SMALLHOLDING
This course will give the student a broad overview of smallholding and can include
- • DEFRA and the regulations pertaining to agriculture and livestock keeping
- • Pasture management on small acreage, fencing, hedging, security and the law
- • Breeds of livestock (pigs, sheep, poultry and cattle) suitable for smallholders
- • Looking after the health of animals, their needs and good husbandry practice
- • Machinery needed and the costs involved
Where possible we will aim the day towards specific areas that the students may be interested in for their individual enterprises.
This course is a mixture of classroom and practical activities
The size of the classes are kept small to allow plenty of one-on-one attention and the maximum number of students is 6.
- Please bring a packed lunch – Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
- A session costs £80 per person (minimum 6 persons)
- 10 am – 4 pm
INTRODUCTION TO LAWNMOWER/CHAINSAW/STRIMMER AND BICYCLE MAINTENANCE
The courses encompasses all types of basic maintenance for your lawnmower, chain saw, strimmer or bicycle –
COURSE (A) including
Lawnmower Maintenance: How to clean the underside; change the oil; change the air filter; safely lift; mix two stroke fuel; remove a foam filter; remove fuel; re-oiling the filter; change the blades; add fresh oil;
use a siphon to remove stale fuel; remove dirty spark plugs; recognise stale fuel; dispose of oil and fuel; winterisation and storage.
COURSE (B)
Bicycle Maintenance: a) Conduct a basic road side repair – tube repair and replacement including: wheel removal and replacement, tyre and tube removal and replacement, tyre and tube inspection, tube puncture repair b) Conduct a wheel rim inspection and wheel trueness inspection
- c) Describe simple tool kit accessories.
- d) Understand how to use gears
- e) Understand of pedalling techniques and cadence
The courses are a mixture of classroom and practical activities.
The size of the classes are kept small to allow plenty of one-on-one attention and the maximum number of students is 6.
- Please bring a packed lunch – Tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
- A session costs £60 per person
- 10 am – 4 pm