Workshop & Certification Schedule

The Conservancy holds workshops for the general public to learn basic dry stone technique and for advanced mason training. Participants learn international standards in dry stone masonry and then participate in building projects to upgrade their skills.

Our complete Spring 2012 schedule will be posted soon. Please check back to see when and where our training and certification workshops will be offered. Join our e-mail newsletter and we will notify you when our scehdule is posted.

Dates and locations for 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.

About Our Workshops

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. View a list of past workshops.

Spring 2012 Schedule

Sat-Sun Mar 3-4	Learn How to Process, Cut & Dress Stone for Drystone Masonry (First time offered!) Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky This Advanced Workshop is designed for people who have already taken a workshop and would like to gain some basic skills on how to process, cut, split, shape and finish stone for various commonly-encountered drystone applications. Participants will be working with hand and power tools. More information & Download Special Registration Form
Sat-Sun Apr 28-29	Briar Hill Road Workshop - Lexington, KY This introductory workshop is part of an ongoing effort to restore the historic rock fences bordering a historic turnpike and settlement period farm in Fayette County, Kentucky.
Fri-Sat May 11-12	Hebron Cemetery Workshop - Lawrenceburg, KY This introductory workshop is part of an ongoing effort to restore the historic rock fences surrounding this settlement-period cemetery in Anderson County, Kentucky. Previous workshop participants at this site have commented on the excellent idyllic location as well as the tasty lunches prepared by the women of the church!
Sat May 19	Low Garden Retaining Wall Workshop - Lexington, KY Location and details to be finalized. 1 day cost will be $150.
Sat-Sun May 26-27	Shaker Village Footbridge Workshop - Mercer Co, KY (Please note, this is Memorial Day weekend.) This advanced workshop will be held at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Workshop participants will be working on the installation of a new footbridge that was first built as part of DSC’s demonstration at the Central Kentucky Home & Garden Show this spring. Due to the advanced nature of this workshop, participants must have already attended at least one previous 2-day workshop. For on-site lodging and more information about Shaker Village, go to www.shakervillageky.org.
Sat Jun 2	First Volunteer Workday this Spring - Fayette County, KY A Volunteer Work Day has already been scheduled at a historic fence site in Fayette County, KY with more likely to come as the spring progressess. Volunteer Work Days provide previous workshop participants with the opportunity to gain more experience at no charge while working alongside experienced masons while restoring historic rock fences throughout the Bluegrass. If interested, please contact the office for more details and to register.

Additional Photos of Our Current Workshop Activities