Wed-Thur July 16-17 Barre, Vermont - Vermont Granite Museum Download special registration form Fri-Sat Aug 29-30 Dayton, VA - Virginia Drystone Walling Workshop Download special registration form Sat-Sun Sept 6-7 Loretto, KY - “Maker’s Mark On the Rocks!” – General Public Rock Fence and/or Retaining Wall Workshop. Participants will rebuild sections of historic rock fence and/or retaining walls on the grounds of the world famous Maker’s Mark Distillery. Lunch and a VIP tour of distillery included. There is a reduced workshop fee for people who register for the Kentucky Preservation Conference. For more information about the Preservation Conference, go to www.heritage.ky.gov. Fri-Sat Sept 19-20 Louisville, KY - “Stone in the Dell” – General Public Rock Fence Workshop. Participants will build a new sitting wall in the garden, including a drainage arch and wallheads. Lunch and free access to Yew Dell Garden’s “Stone in the Dell” Saturday event are included. For more information about Yew Dell Gardens, go to www.yewdellgardens.org. Thur-Fri October 2-3 Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, KY - “Drystone Bootcamp!” Part 1 of 3 - Masons Rock Fence & Retaining Wall Workshop. Register for the workshop only, or do all three “Drystone Bootcamp” activities! This workshop will prepare candidates for the 5th Annual Walling Competition (register separately, see below) to be held on October 4th and the Certification Exams to be held on October 5-7 (register separately, see below). As of July 1st, only three spots remain available for beginners who don’t intend to compete or take any certification exams. All participants will rebuild a section of historic fence on the property; mason participants will also gain the required certification exam experience on retaining walls and wallheads. For on-site lodging and more information about Shaker Village, go to www.shakervillageky.org. Rooms typically go quickly so book early! Other Important Events October 4 (Saturday) Fifth Annual Dry Stone Walling Competition - Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Novice, Intermediate and Professional Classes - trophies, ribbons, tools and cash prizes!!! Participants and spectators please come join us for the fun! Registration information and forms will be available by early summer at www.drystone.org or by calling (859) 266-4807. October 4-7 (Sunday - Tuesday) Professional Drystone Mason Certification Exams - Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Dry Stone Conservancy Exams: Qualified (Level I), Journeyman (Level II) and Master Craftsman (Level III). Candidates may arrange to build their wallheads on-site Sunday and Monday; timed tests for all candidates will be on Tuesday. Registration forms will be available by mid-summer. For more information about the Conservancy's Certification Program, please visit our website at www.drystone.org click on the Career Certification link, or contact Jane Wooley at (859)-266-4807. Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain Certification Exams Initial, Intermediate and Master. Contact the www.dswa.org.uk before September 7, 2008 for more information. In addition to DSWA's exam fee, there is an additional Conservancy fee to organize and conduct their tests. Contact the DSC office for the Conservancy fee schedule and details.

Download and Print 2008 Registration Form
Dates and locations for Spring 2008 workshops are listed on the accompanying registration form.  Workshops run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, beginning with a classroom introduction to the techniques of dry stone masonry, followed by hands-on instruction while restoring or building a dry stone wall.  Participants bring their own work gloves, safety glasses and a rock or brick hammer and their own food (unless otherwise noted). DSC will provide extra hammers for those who don’t already own or plan to buy one.  

If interested, please reply as soon as possible; registration is limited and on a first-come first-serve basis. Dates and locations are subect to change; all registered participants will be notified as soon as possible.

---

The Conservancy regularly offers workshops and training courses taught by highly qualified instructors teaching internationally-accepted standards for the craft. Introductory two-day workshops are geared to three groups: those interested in careers as professional dry stone masons; those interested in building or restoring their own drystone fences and garden walls; and professional designers, engineers, inspectors and project owners who design and oversee drystone masonry restoration projects. Conservancy workshops involve hands-on instruction in the fundamental structural techniques involved in building a durable early Kentucky rock fence or retaining wall. Courses include a classroom component where participants learn the history and uses of drystone walls, the fundamentals techniques of drystone construction and the opportunities available for restoration and new construction. After viewing a brief training video participants then proceed to the workshop site to dismantle and fully restore a failed section of historic stone wall. A training manual is provided for all workshop participants.

Workshop Experience

Introductory training workshops sponsored by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Heritage Council were first conducted by the Dry Stone Conservancy in 1995 and 1996 to pre-qualify masons interested in bidding rock fence work for the Paris Pike widening project. Shortly thereafter, Kentucky State Parks sponsored two training courses at Fort Harrod to restore their fences and train local masons for future work.

Since 1996, the DSC has conducted dozens of additional introductory training courses for amateurs, professional masons and design professionals in the following Kentucky and beyond.

Clip from Walls of Stone video

TOP

INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOPS HELD IN KENTUCKY
(1996-2007)

Shaker Village Historic Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Auvergne Farm Historic Fence Workshop, Bourbon County.
William Crow Property, Kentucky 52 Historic Fence Workshop, Boyle County.
Christman’s Mill Road, Historic Fence Workshop, Boyle County.
McConnell Springs Historic Fence Workshops, Fayette County.
Raven’s Run Historic Fence Workshops, Fayette County.
Kentucky Horse Park New Fence Workshop, KyTC D.B.E., Fayette County
Wolf Run Creek Retaining Wall Workshops and Mason Training, Fayette County.
Old Frankfort Pike Historic Fence Workshop, Fayette County.
Leestown Pike Historic Fence Workshop, Fayette County.
Bryan’s Station Pike Workshop, Fayette County.
UK/LFUCG Arboretum Workshop, Fayette County.
West Hickman Creek Retaining Wall Mason Training, Fayette County.
Fort Hill Park Historic Fence Workshop, Franklin County.
Peak’s Mill Historic Fence Workshop, Franklin County.
Locust Grove Historic Retaining Wall Workshop, Jefferson County.
Widow’s Watch Golf Course Historic Fence Workshop, Jessamine County.
Cavalier Farm Historic Fence Workshops, Jessamine County.
Taylormade Farms Historic Fence Workshops, Jessamine County.
Logan Hubble Park New Fence Workshops, Lincoln County.
Beaumont Inn Historic Retaining Wall Workshop, Mercer County.
Greenville Springs Historic Rock Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Fort Harrod Historic Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Shakertown Historic Fence Workshop, Mercer County.
Robert Hall Farm Historic Fence Workshops, Scott County.
Cardome Center Historic Fence Workshops, Scott County.
Shelby County Campus, Jefferson Community College, Shelby County.
Parkers Landing, Washington County.
Moore’s Mill Road Historic Fence Workshop, Woodford County.
Pisgah Pike Historic Fence Workshops, Woodford County.
Spring Station Pike Historic Fence Workshops, Woodford County.

---

INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOPS HELD NATIONWIDE
(1996-2007)

Rest Haven Cemetery, Stone Wall Renovation, Franklin, TN
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Channel IslandsNational Park, California.
Colorado National Monument, Colorado.
Tallgrass Prairie National Park, Kansas.
AcadiaNational Park, Maine.
Blandair Estate, Preservation Trades Network IPTW, Maryland.
Minnesota Arboretum, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Grand Tetons National Park, Montana.
Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County, Tennessee.
Big Bend National Park, Texas.
Harper’s Ferry, Historic Preservation Training Center, Virginia.

Mason Training Partnerhsips / Project Management listed here.