Work Exchange Program for This Workshop…

If you are passionate about dry stone masonry but cannot afford the workshop, you can participate in our work exchange program to have your registration fee waived.

Simply volunteer for two full days at one of our future Volunteer Workdays in the Bluegrass Region. This program is designed to make the craft accessible to everyone.

To take advantage of this option, select "Work Exchange" during checkout. We will contact you via email with more details. Please remember that space is limited, so we appreciate a firm commitment to attend the workshop if you sign up.

If you’d like to attend the workshop but don’t want to do the work exchange, you are more than welcome to pay full price and attend the workshop in the usual way.

Introductory Workshops are designed for drystone enthusiasts with little to no previous experience who would like to gain a basic understanding of dry stone construction techniques.  The pace will be comfortable and participants will learn the fundamental skills needed to build and repair a typical rock fence or retaining wall.

Below is a rough example of the two-day itinerary.

DAY ONE:

8:30a - Classroom session and presentation covering the basics and fundamentals, safety, and what you can expect for the rest of the workshop. Coffee and donuts provided.

10:30a - Review of basics, on-site. Tear down section of wall, prepare site for foundation, lay proper foundation.

12p - Lunch, provided

1p - Setting up frames and lines, build first lift, prepare tie stones

4p - Review / Q and A

DAY TWO:

8:30a - Review of previous day, start on second lift

12p - Lunch, provided

1p - Finish second lift, install cover stones and coping stones

4p - Review / Q and A / Course Evaluations

This introductory workshop will be held at Springhouse Gardens in Nicholasville, Kentucky.  Workshop participants will rebuild a section of a historic retaining wall on this beautiful an adjacent property.

Payments are refundable (less a $25 cancellation fee) only if we hear from you at least two weeks prior to the first day of your workshop.  Deposits and payments are otherwise nonrefundable.