What if, on your next vacation, you not only left Traverse City with vibrant memories of splashing in the refreshing, blue waters of Grand Traverse Bay? What if, you left with a new skill in your back pocket? What if you learned how to do leatherwork? What if you learned to be a beekeeper? What if you learned how to cope with grief? What if you learned how to design your backyard into a sustainable food forest? Or maybe you could find a way to grow your favorite mushrooms in your own yard.
This is all part of a nationwide travel trend called Skillcations. Travelers use the time to pick up a hands-on traditional craft or skill. The Green Door Folk School near Cedar in Leelanau County recently started teaching a variety of classes that could last a day or up to four days. They are immersive lessons that claim roots to Scandinavian countries in the late 1800’s. It was a way to pass on traditional skills that were being lost. Today, there are about 100 Folk Schools in the US and only a handful in Michigan.
“The classes reflect the bounty of our specific corner of the world, using local materials, local produce, and skills relevant to this place,” said Kristina Schnepf, Green Door Folk School Director. “We had a yarn spinning class in here two weeks ago, and the wool was all from a local sheep farm. Students were spinning wool into yarn that they were using for weaving or knitting. These practices remind us where our raw materials come from.”
Participants won’t be stopping off at a craft store to gather their materials. No, they are more likely to be foraging for reeds that can be made into baskets. Or looking for tree stumps that would be an ideal base to grow mushrooms. Instructors want the students to have a sense of where the materials they are working with came from. These are materials native to the region. Indigenous people may have used the same materials to craft baskets or create leather bags. It’s a testimony to our ancestors who would not have traveled to the local Meijer to get their provisions, but could only harvest what the local land provided.
This is a place where you can expect to get your hands dirty. It’s where you’ll share stories. It’s where you can shed the false façade of perfectionism and accept that you can fail as you learn something new.
Green Door Folk School designs classes into three major categories: 1) Nature, 2) Craft, and 3) Spiritual. All three areas are tied to tradition and history. The classes are led primarily by local experts who have deep knowledge about Northern Michigan traditions
“We’re truly building a community within these classrooms,” said Schnepf. Her desire is to create an intergenerational experience where people are not only learning new skills but making connections that extend beyond the class. “There’s an energy, a community aspect, and connections that exist after the class.”
To keep that sense of community, Schnepf is committed to offering a variety of classes. Some are free or low-cost events, but even the multi-day classes are priced based on a sliding scale. “We want to offer something for everybody,” she added.
Skillcations are not limited to the Green Door Folk School. A wide variety of learning opportunities are available around the Traverse City region. They include culinary classes, whiskey blending, curling instruction, cheese making, golf instruction, pickleball classes, horseback riding, and a variety of wellness classes.
