Hands On! A Community Skills Fair

Ravenna Eckstein and Meadowbrook Community Centers, and Sustainable NESeattle are organizing a fun day of hands on workshops to learn the skills your grandparents knew.

Sounds pretty random, until Sustainable NESeattle explains further:

“What happened to the practical know-how our grandparents had? In our modern industrial age, cheap energy, factory automation and transnational economics have allowed us to out-source almost every aspect of our lives, including how we feed, clothe, and entertain ourselves.

But a new wave is sweeping the country. People are recognizing the joy, satisfaction and security of being able to provide for our own needs, shifting from dependence on giant corporations to a healthy interdependence with our local community.”

I dig it.  So what can we learn at the Hands On event?

• Hands tools and how to use them
• Bread baking
• Making cheese
• Home plumbing repair
• Jam making
• Fruit tree pruning
• Canning
• Candle lanterns
• Soap making
• Gluten free baking
• Tai chi
• Sushi making
• Hose repair (probably referring to garden hose, not panty hose.  But one never knows!)

The list goes on & on.  It’s extensive.  Check out the full list of workshops here.

It appears that workshops will take place at both community centers 10am – 5pm Saturday, February 12th.   Followed by a party at Meadowbrook that includes a pot luck (5pm – 6:30) and square dancing (6:30 – 8pm) with live music by The Tallboys.  Event website is available here.

This event is funded in part by a Neighborhood Matching Fund award of the Seattle Department on Neighborhoods.