The weeks leading up to winter solstice are, for many of us, the most reflective and poignant days of the year. The physical work of summer and harvest are behind us, and with our days experiencing more darkness than light, the message is clear: Take a breath, slow down, rest. 

Let's gather together, ready ourselves for winter, and take whatever rest life allows. 

Hibernate is a self-paced, four week, online retreat - a place to celebrate the pause and renewal this time of year brings. We'll linger through the darkest days, welcome stillness and quiet, and allow for time to enjoy home and hearth.

Nourish, gather, renew, create, and rest have long been the guiding themes for Hibernate. This workshop is held on our private website, with new content delivered each Monday-Friday in the form of beautiful ebooklets filled with cozy essays, handcraft tutorials, whole food recipes, and seasonal ideas to enhance your days. In addition, there will be an interactive community to share your photos, ideas, and experience. This is an optional element but quite fun!

You will find the days in a single week thread together with projects and ideas that compliment each other. Starting where you are, and working with what you have, you will pick and choose the projects, prompts, recipes and inspiration that speak to you. There is no need to feel like you must "keep up" or complete all that is offered. 

Hibernate is filled with ideas to help you revel in the beauty of the season. As our bodies slow down, leaving the heightened activity of warmer months behind, our hands welcome meaningful work and our hearts open to the beauty of home.  

What to expect?

Did you take Hibernate last winter? If so, you may want to pass as this session is mostly last winter's content (with bonuses and plenty of fresh spin, for fun!), offered for those who did not have a chance to participate last year. 

Each weekday you will find new content on our private website, including beautifully designed ebooks filled with recipes, tutorials, prompts and essays, as well as a few videos throughout the course to better support the tutorials. Specifically for soapmaking and candlemaking. Below is a list of what to expect, day to day. 

Settling In :: Citrus & Pine Cleaning Vinegar :: Creating a Sabbath :: Medicinal Bone Broth :: Making Seasonal Flags :: Luxurious at Home Pedicure :: Home-Canned Orange Spice Cranberry Sauce :: Finding Your Pastime :: Building a Home Apothecary :: Bless the Weekend :: Tapered Beeswax Candle Tutorial :: Home-Canned Tomatoes :: Let's Make Soap! :: Seed Organizing, Record Keeping, Garden Planning :: Do Nothing :: Freezer Meal Prep :: Self Care (It Matters) :: Letter Writing :: Knitting Project Bag Tutorial :: In Closing

Bonus Days!

This session is intended to reach those who did not have a chance to participate in last winter's Hibernate. Still, I cannot miss the opportunity to create a few new additions, especially given the inspiring time of year this is being offered. We will have two bonus days of content, plus weekday check-ins from me in our private community. 

Winter Solstice Celebration - Winter solstice is a favorite day of the year for many. For me, it marks the beginning of the new year; a culmination of growth, hopes and dreams, and letting go in order to move forward. A time of  contemplation, sweet release, and rebirth. In our culture this day is not typically celebrated as the significant day that it is, yet so many of us feel called to mark the day with intention. Because it is culturally observed as just another day of the week, it can be challenging to prioritize our own reverence and celebration of this day. It's usually a work and school day, basketball practice still happens, meetings take place, etc. In this new ebook, I will be sharing how our own traditions have developed through the years, and how we came to establish our simple yet meaningful celebration of this day. I'm excited about this new section as it is a topic I am asked about often; it has been fun to pull it all together in a beautiful ebook for your family to enjoy, and hopefully glean inspiration from. 

Wintry Brews - All of my favorite warm, cozy drinks catalogued together in one gorgeous ebook. I've wanted to create this guide for a long time now, and Hibernate feels like just the time to do so. 

Weekday Check-Ins - Seasonal musings, photos, spontaneous recipes and more will be shared in our private community space on weekdays. 

I look forward to hosting you, welcoming you into my home and heart, sharing projects, and even sharing the stillness of hibernation. 

If you feel ready for the warmth and peace found during this cozy time of year, then please join us.

I'd love to Hibernate with you.

~ Four Weeks ~

Begins November 25th, ends on Winter Solstice. 

Registration is now closed. Thank you!

Fall decor may permeate store shelves, and cute children in new shoes may be stepping onto school buses, but the earth promises plenty of summer remains. Don't let it slip away too soon.

Summer Soul Camp is an online workshop that I created years ago, a brief respite for us grown-ups so we too could enjoy the whimsy, creativity, and quiet reflections of summer camp. Many of you know I will no longer be offering new online workshops, but I have promised to make all of my past workshops available as "join anytime, self-paced" options. I've pulled some of the most popular elements from the archives of Summer Soul Camp and wrapped it all up in a permanently accessible self-paced format. Today it is available for you!

Think of Summer Soul Camp as the place where old fashioned living meets our modern day desire to slow down and enjoy life's simple moments. Summer Soul Camp is a self-paced online retreat - a place to celebrate the light and warmth that summertime brings. A place to savor the sunshine, linger into the evening, welcome creativity, and allow time for stillness and spontaneity. Every summer has a story, perhaps this retreat is a chapter in yours.

If you've enjoyed Hibernate, you'll find this workshop to be the perfect summertime compliment. Summer is fleeting, always gone too soon - gathering for two blissful weeks feels like the perfect length of time.

You will pick and choose the projects, prompts, recipes and inspiration that speak to you, there is no need to do every little thing offered. Simply moving through camp in a way that fulfills you, is perfect.

Summer Soul Camp is filled with ideas to help you connect deeply to the beauty of the season. A place where it feels perfectly normal, encouraged even, to linger under a shade tree, sipping lemonade and shelling peas all afternoon. While I love to fill my workshops with plenty of projects and ideas so you receive a wonderful value, I also hope you understand that these offerings can last a summer or longer. You may feel inspired to try only two or three of the projects this year, and revisit the rest next year. That is perfectly fine. After all, we need to leave plenty of time for staring at the sky in search of the perfect cloud unicorn.

A peek inside:

I'd love for you to join this self-paced offering. Take your time, move at your own pace, enjoy the season.

$20.00

(Please note: Summer Soul Camp log-in will be sent to the email associated with your PayPal registration.)

For more than seven years I've had the pleasure of teaching online workshops related to cooking, nutrition, intentional living, homeschooling, and even gardening. It's been an incredibly fun ride! When asked,  I describe my work as having spent the past 7+ years hosting 2-4 week long parties, 4-6 times per year, in my home, while simultaneously writing 8 books. Phew! (Whenever I'm asked if I'll write a book, I have to laugh because I've written about 8 so far... they are just offered in a different form.)

After much thought, and after much tugging to explore new directions, I've decided that this will be my last online workshop. Try as I might, I can't find the time to tease out these new ideas while also hosting so many parties! It's a little scary to make such a big change, but I have faith that it is the right time.

Before I introduce you to our final offering, I'd like to take a moment to thank you. For years and years you have encouraged me,  supported my creativity, and directly provided my livelihood; I can only hope my offerings have met your investment with inspiration, nourishment, perspective, and even some fun. Thank you.

_______________________________________

Given the busyness of summer, our farewell class will be held in a single week rather than two. I hope this swift (but robust!) class, paired with a lower price point, will encourage any and all to participate. Especially those of you who've been on the fence about taking an online class... it's time!

Note: I am not able to offer "Bring a Friend" this time around; I've gone ahead and given you my very best and fairest price right here and now. It's a wonderful value. Let's have fun and do some cooking together, one last time!

The older I get, the more I appreciate this time of year. I think it has to do with the abundance of daylight. It's funny how you take such things for granted as a kid, at least I did. Now, I'm up with first light, plotting my day and making a list of what I'd like to accomplish, knowing that anything garden and kitchen related needs to happen before the heat of the day sets in. There is always more to do than there is time for, and that's okay. It has to be. More than any other time of year, meals are prepared on a whim, dictated by the contents of the day's harvest basket. Flavors are at their peak so little fuss is required. Dishes are colorful and finished with a handful of fresh herbs, a drizzle of good olive oil, a pinch of real salt.

Summer is high time for medicine-making and herb drying, so I'll be sure to share what we have going on in the apothecary, and we should probably make some ice cream, too. And juice! And colorful, interesting salads! Let's grill too, because what is summertime without food cooked outdoors over flame. Just listing these few things has me excited for our start date.  I would love to spend some of this creative and abundant time of year in the kitchen with you. 

Today, registration for the summer session of Country Kitchen is open! 

(If you've taken previous Country Kitchen sessions, please know this is all new content!)

Medicine making... always.

Country Kitchen is an intimate online class that feels personal and relevant to how we live here in our home. It is about the celebration and pleasure of cooking and sharing good food, with a focus on seasonal ingredients. I share our favorite family recipes, give video demonstrations, and write essays relating to food, home, and life. I never quite know what I’m going to write about exactly, but it is always relevant to our time together in the kitchen. We also have a private community to connect with one another, which is a bustling place filled with inspiration and new ideas.  It is also ongoing, meaning once class is over you can stay connected to our group forever. Country Kitchen is a place to gather, pause, and revel in all things related to the center of our homes. 

And it’s not just about food! So much happens in our kitchen that supports the running of our home. We process and preserve food, make soap, cleansers, medicine, candles, lotion, salves, functional crafts, gifts, and so much more. These things are born from our kitchen, and as is seasonally relevant, I’ll be sharing those recipes and tutorials with you.

Fruit leather! Spiced peach is a favorite around here.

What to Expect: 

• One week - classes released on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Each class will include a beautifully designed ebook containing featured whole food recipes, tutorials, a seasonally relevant food related essay or article, tips and ideas, and an instructional video. 
• Private Facebook group (optional but recommended) to answer questions and discuss all that is happening in your seasonal kitchen. This group is ongoing and does not end with the class. I, along with anyone else interested, share This Week In My Kitchen posts between sessions. A handful of photos from the week, and a few words. It's fun! 
• Weekday check-ins from me in our Facebook group to answer your questions, exchange ideas, share what I'm up to, and my favorite part - learn from you!
• This workshop is part well-planned experience, part go with the flow and see where the season takes us.

Summer is for juicing! So much variety to choose from.

If you’ve taken a workshop with me before, you know my classes are not offered in a "how to" or "you should" sort of tone. It's important to me that you show up as you are, feel welcomed and included, and leave only with what you need. Think of Country Kitchen as a class that highlights what I'm up to in the kitchen this season, and invites you to share the same. 

We'll be making drawstring produce (or bread) bags! Use regular fabric or a repurposed vintage tea towel.

I look forward to meeting up with you in July, just as the garden is beginning to overflow with abundance. Let's see what kind of fun we can get into this summer!

 


 One Week   ~   Begins July 23rd

Registration is now closed. Thank you!

Note: As mentioned above, I am not able to offer "Bring a Friend" this time around; I've gone ahead and given you my very best and fairest price right here and now. It's a wonderful value. Let's have fun and do some cooking, one last time!

Enjoy, the workshop! 

Hibernate is a place to celebrate the pause that wintertime brings. A place to linger through darkness and revel in quiet, to welcome stillness, and allow for time to enjoy home and hearth.

Over the years Hibernate has become a wintertime standby for so many of us. A time that feels set apart, sacred, and wonderfully inspirational and restorative. This winter I will be taking a break from creating a new session, but today I am happy to release a "best of" self-paced version for those who have not had the chance to participate - in any or some sessions - before, but would like to. I've pulled some of the most popular elements from the archives and wrapped it all up in a permanently accessible self-paced format. I hope you enjoy this quiet time of year, however you choose to spend it.  

Each "lesson" will follow the themes Nourish, Gather, Refresh, Create, and Rest. Content is accessed through a private website and beautiful mini e-books. You will find the lessons thread together with projects and ideas that compliment each other. Starting where you are, and working with what you have, you will pick and choose projects, prompts, recipes and inspiration that speak to you. Immediately upon purchase you will have full access to twenty beautifully presented lessons, meant to be enjoyed at your own pace throughout the wintry days ahead.

Hibernate is filled with ideas to help you revel in the beauty of the season. As our bodies slow down,  leaving the activity of warmer months behind, our hands welcome meaningful activity and our hearts open to the beauty of home.  While this retreat may seem plentiful in its offerings, by no means should you feel compelled to do each little thing. Hibernate shares a variety of activities (or non-activities), to meet the interest and schedule of many people. 

If you feel ready for the warmth and peace found during this cozy time of year, Hibernate may be perfect for you. 

 

Whole Food Freezer Cooking has quickly become one of my most popular workshops, and today I'm releasing it in full as a ready to go, self-paced program. Perfect for those of you who've not been able to join the live sessions in the past!

Freezers are often considered to be the most underutilized appliance or tool in the modern kitchen. We all have them, yet few of us use them to their full potential. Whether your freezer is large or small, we all have some room to store a few homemade meals, prepared in advance, that will be ready and waiting to provide nourishment during busy times. Or, if you’re like me, times when the family chef would simply like a night off.

The recipes in Whole Food Freezer Cooking place an emphasis on fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, high quality meat and dairy, healthy fats, and plenty of herbs and spices. Most of the recipes are naturally gluten free, and many are vegetarian or can easily be made so. While this is not an exclusively Paleo, Vegan, or Gluten-Free program, we've had participants who lean toward these diets take the class and found plenty of the recipes work for them as is, or with a few substitutions. 

This ready to go, self-paced workshop is divided into six very full classes, each containing an extensive ebook, as well as video demonstrations.

Essential Details:

• six very full classes
• beautifully designed recipe ebooks for each class, easy to download and keep forever
• printable sheets for recipe/menu planning and freezer organization
• dozens of delicious recipes 
• email support if you have questions
• informative and encouraging video cooking classes
• self-paced - you do not need to be in class at a specific time
• permanent access to the website (save your passwords!)

The Six Classes Within the Workshop:

1. Dinner Hour :: A bit of advance work sets you up for incredible peace of mind throughout the week.
2. Single Serving Meals :: Whether it’s for the lunch box, travel, or a weeknight dinner for one, learning to prepare a variety of homemade “TV dinners” is a tremendous time and money saver.
3. Breakfast Just Got Interesting (and easy!) :: So many of us are heading out the door each morning. Meals that are easy to prepare, with the benefit of rich homemade flavor, beats a bagel at the coffee shop any day.
4. Soups & Stews  :: A classic freezer meal! Surely we couldn’t forget about some of the best soups and stews that are suitable for freezing.
5. Meal Starters & Organizational Methods  :: Learn to prep single ingredients, or simple combinations of ingredients, to store as meal starters. In this class we’ll also cover tips and methods to plan your freezer cooking day(s) and how to stay organized while doing so.
6. Snacks & Desserts :: Because what is better than a sweet treat or nourishing snack tucked away in the freezer? So great to have on hand when company stops by, or a last minute invitation to head to the park for the afternoon.

A few sample pages:

Whole foods, lots of inspiration, support as you need it. That is my focus.

It's going to be fun! And it's all ready and waiting for you right now!

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$30.00

I hope to see you in the workshop!

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If you've taken workshops with me in the past, you might be familiar with my early bird "bring a friend" offer. This self-paced program doesn't easily lend itself to something like that, so I am releasing this with my very best price right out of the gate. Thank you!

Cinnamon, Maple, Peach Leather. (From Country Kitchen :: Summer 2017)

Best I can tell, we’re in the path of about 75% totality for today’s big event, and while we don’t have any of those special glasses, I’m told we can go down to the library where they have plenty to share. We’ll see. Truth be told, what I really feel like doing is spending the afternoon right here digging potatoes - at least a row or two - bathed in the dark silence of waning midday light. What better time to gather my thoughts, and to let a few go, as well. I may not feel drawn to viewing the eclipse with a crowd, but I do appreciate the power such an anomalous event presents to our species that tends to move out of sync with the natural world. Today, people will stop and notice. I think that will be my favorite part.  

And with that, I must now share the news that Country Kitchen :: {Late} Summer Session has been cancelled. I realize this is probably a trivial announcement, but one that I must make nonetheless. I was going to share in explicit detail about the why, with profuse apologies, but I'll try not to do that. Sometimes things just don't work out. I will say this: In short, hours of video footage have been suspended in the ether for days, not making it to my computer’s editing software, as they should. The fix is going to require experts, it seems.  So we’ll take care of that this week and be in top shape for the autumn session, due out in early October. I’m bummed, and briefly considered releasing it as a smaller course with the ebook and community aspect, but in the end, didn’t feel 100% about that. I also had my friend Ben join me on this one and you guys would have really enjoyed his contribution. But I’ll do my best to see if he can be convinced to meet up for another Country Kitchen in the future. 

The silver lining is that I will now be able to release something I’ve been getting inquiries about but putting off: Whole Food Freezer Cooking. (I try not to offer workshops too close together.) This is a popular late summer/early autumn class, a time of year when many of us want to feel a bit more nested, organized, and polish a few systems around the house, especially the dinner hour. The class will be available tomorrow, with full and immediate access to the entire workshop. If you’ve not had a chance to take Whole Food Freezer Cooking in the past, you might want to check it out. It’s been a game changer for many!

So, no Country Kitchen today, but we do get an eclipse! And really, if we had to choose... xo

 Begins July 17, 2017

~ Two Weeks ~

$40.00

Think of Summer Soul Camp as the place where old fashioned living meets our modern day desire to slow down and enjoy life's simple moments. Summer Soul Camp is a self-paced, two week online retreat - a place to celebrate the light and warmth that summertime brings. A place to savor the sunshine, linger into the evening, welcome creativity, and allow time for stillness and spontaneity. Every summer has a story, perhaps this retreat is a chapter in yours.

If you've enjoyed Hibernate, you'll find this workshop to be the perfect summertime compliment. Summer is fleeting, always gone too soon - gathering for two blissful weeks feels like the perfect length of time. 

Each weekday of our retreat, content will be delivered through our private class website in the form of beautifully designed mini ebooks. In addition, there will be an interactive community to share ideas and experiences, if you choose. This workshop finds community both on our website, and in a private Facebook group. Each are optional.

You will pick and choose the projects, prompts, recipes and inspiration that speak to you, there is no need to do every little thing offered. Simply being with us in a way that fulfills you, is perfect.

A peek inside Summer Soul Camp

• we'll start things off by setting up "camp"
• then we'll dig deep and create our own summer vision walls/boards
• herbal healing: we'll make two of my favorite salves, one for general healing and one for itchy skin
• we'll brew and blend nourishing summer elixirs: this will be set up as a beautiful ebook that you'll have permission to print and share as hostess gifts all summer long
• establish your summer on the go basket: I'll be taking you inside mine, and helping you create your own
• next we'll learn to make wild and purifying smudge sticks, and we'll discuss the many variations of plant materials that can be used as well as the why and how of smudging
• settling in now, we'll develop a meditative mandala practice with items found in nature
• you will find a step by step tutorial to make your own version of my newest bag design (photo below)
• tasty recipes including a full "Concert on the Green" (or evening by the lake) summer menu
• all of this and more will be peppered with seasonal essays, plus photography and writing prompts

Summer Soul Camp is filled with ideas to help you connect deeply to the beauty of the season. A place where it feels perfectly normal, encouraged even, to linger under a shade tree, sipping lemonade and shelling peas all afternoon. While I love to fill my workshops with plenty of projects and ideas so you receive a wonderful value, I also hope you understand that these offerings can last a summer or longer. In our ten day camp, you may feel inspired to try only one or two of the projects and that is perfectly fine. After all, there needs to be plenty of time for staring at the sky in search of the perfect cloud unicorn.

If you'd like to include this as part of your summer story, please join us.

I'd love to attend camp with you!

Begins July 17, 2017

~ Two Weeks ~

$40.00

Over the last few years I’ve felt compelled to bring my work closer to home, offering classes that reflect more of the day to day in our seasonal kitchen. When I first started this work, we lived in the city and though we frequented farmers’ markets and participated in a CSA, we lived two blocks from the only food co-op in our state (at the time). The co-op featured, in addition to local goods, a plethora of choices from around the world. I was happy to bring these faraway foods into my classes, which helped represent the global community in attendance. I chia-pudding’d with the best of them and developed more recipes for superfood smoothies than is probably necessary. I was happy to utilize such variety, creating recipe guides and video classes for folks all over the world who, like me, benefitted from some help and inspiration in the kitchen. But then we moved here, where we have a little more land, and began to grow an incredible amount of food. Without much planning or forethought, we became those people who do not purchase fresh tomatoes in winter, or much “fresh” of anything really. In combination with our food storage, we have a supplemental winter CSA, and that’s about it. There has not been a particular agenda driving this evolution; it’s just happened. This isn't to say it's all kale, sauerkraut, and venison around here. It's not. If we get a hankering for fresh figs in February we go for it. We love to buy some citrus during the winter, and there is no moral tug of war going on if I grab a container of briny olives at the co-op. We use rice, coconut oil, coffee, and so on. But it has become true that the bulk of our day to day fare is a combination of food that we grow, forage, and hunt ourselves, and a rich supply from local farms. 

I began to notice I’d only buy certain ingredients during recipe creation for my workshops. Over time, keeping up with the fast-paced whole food culture started to feel overwhelming and impractical. A desire to offer classes that celebrate the here and now of a seasonal New England kitchen was born. Today, I’m taking a leap of faith and opening registration for a brand new workshop called Country Kitchen :: A Seasonal Visit to the Center of Home. This will be an intimate class that feels personal and relevant to how we live. It might be a bit of a risk because you better believe I am wondering if someone in Texas would have an interest in a food workshop mostly devoted to the New England garden and landscape. But then I remember my own interest in River Cottage, for instance, and how so many of the ingredients and techniques Hugh talks about are not readily available to me, yet I’m still tremendously inspired by his ideas and approach to food. 

Furthermore, this workshop isn’t just about food! So much happens in our kitchen that supports the running of our home, but does not wind up on a dinner plate. Or at least, immediately so. We process and preserve food, make soap, cleansers, medicine, candles, lotion, salves, functional crafts, gifts, and so much more. These things are born from our kitchen, and as is seasonally relevant, I’ll be sharing those recipes and tutorials with you.

My vision for Country Kitchen is that it will be a quarterly offering, a small but mighty two weeks each season, to revel in all things related to the center of home. Beginning in the springtime is interesting because it is probably the most unique time of year for us. The gardens are not yet thriving, so we rely heavily on the forest floor as well as a deep dive into our food storage, attempting to use up and make room for the abundant promise of summer and autumn.  

 What to Expect: 

• Two weeks - classes released on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Each class will include a beautifully designed ebook containing featured recipes, tutorials, a seasonally relevant food related essay, lots of tips and ideas, and an instructional video (20-30 minutes in length). 
• Private Facebook group (optional) to answer questions and discuss all that is happening in your seasonal kitchen. You will also have the ability to interact on our private website if Facebook is not for you.
• I'll be live for one hour each weekday in our Facebook group to answer your questions, exchange ideas, share what I'm up to, and my favorite part - learn from you!
• This will be part well-planned experience, part go with the flow and see where the season takes us. 
• And so much more. 

If you’ve taken a workshop with me before, you know my classes are not offered in a "how to" or "you should" sort of tone. It's important to me that you show up as you are, feel welcomed and included, and leave only with what you need. Think of Country Kitchen as a class that highlights what I'm up to in the kitchen these days, and invites you to share the same. 

I'm pretty excited about this workshop as it's been quite a few years in the dreaming and drafting stage; it feels good to finally bring it to life. If you'd like to join us, I would love to spend time with you in the kitchen this spring. 

Two Weeks ~ Begins May 15th

This Session is now closed.  

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Bring a Friend: If you register by Thursday, April 27th, you may invite a friend at no charge. Many people like to buddy up with someone and share the cost of the workshop (you'll need to set that up on your own as I am not able to split invoices). Please follow these simple instructions:

1. One person registers. 
2. Once registered, email me your guest's/friend's full name and email address by 5/1 to heatherbrug@gmail.com 
3. I will add them to the roster and they will receive a brief welcome letter from me on 5/4. 

~ 4 weeks ~

Hibernate is a self-paced, four week, online retreat - a place to celebrate the pause that wintertime brings. A place to linger through the dark and quiet, to welcome stillness, and allow time to enjoy home and hearth.

(Have you taken Hibernate in the past? If so, please know that this year is ALL NEW content!)

Each weekday will follow the themes Nourish, Gather, Refresh, Create, and Rest. Content will be delivered through our private class website in the form of beautiful mini e-books and videos. In addition, there will be an interactive community to share ideas and experience, if you choose.

You will find the days in a single week thread together with projects and ideas that compliment each other. 

Starting where you are, and working with what you have, you will pick and choose the projects, prompts, recipes and inspiration that speak to you.  

Renew

Each Monday will bring an assortment of simple and natural projects, recipes, and inspiration to rejuvenate mind, body, and spirit.    

• Develop a totally low-pressure House Blessing practice. This takes very little time or effort, and the rewards are deeply comforting and inspiring.

• Renee Tougas, soapmaker extraordinaire, will join us for a cleansing and refreshing cold-process soapmaking class. You will receive both a step-by-step written tutorial, as a well as a video demonstration. 

• Learn to make Tummy Soothing Ginger Drops.

• Herbalist Rachel Wolf, owner of LuSa Organics, will offer a collection of Cozy Winter Wellness recipes. Rachel is a talented teacher and has a way of providing clear and informative instruction, while utilizing ingredients that are readily available to most people.

Gather

Each Tuesday I'll share ways to come together with intention during this time of quiet hibernation. With friends, family, or alone in solitude -  be inspired by simple, interesting themes that will add a spark of light and connection to the darkest days.  

• Learn to make Sourdough Pizza Crust and invite all of your hibernating friends over for a mid-winter pizza party. Plenty of tips and ideas provided as well as a great pizza sauce recipe.
  

• Snow Day? Perfect time for some slow cooking on an open fire outdoors. Invite the neighbors or hunker down with your family. One pot recipe, perfectly suited for an afternoon in the snowy woods, will be provided.

• Celebrate Hygge -  as we do every year during Hibernate, we'll enjoy the Danish art of creating sanctuary and community, of inviting closeness and paying attention to what makes us feel open hearted, centered, and alive. (With a new story and a few recipes too!)

• and more...

 Nourish

Each Wednesday we'll spend in the kitchen preparing delicious, healing, whole foods for winter enjoyment. You will enjoy recipes, video demonstrations, and mindful reflections from the kitchen.

• Winter Jam! The dark cold months of winter are a perfect time to get out the canning pot, warm the kitchen, and line the pantry shelves with colorful, honey and maple sweetened fruity delights.  We'll make Persimmon Jam, Orange Marmalade, and Grape Jelly (from juice!). Recipes and demonstration included.

• Corina from Marblemount Homestead joins us for a Cheesemaking Class! I've had the pleasure of getting to know Corina over the last couple of years, and have taken her in depth Online Cheesemaking Course (totally recommend), so I'm thrilled to bring her teaching to Hibernate. We'll be making Chevre, which is a perfect starter cheese, and Corina will provide both a step-by-step written tutorial as well as a video class. Plus delicious bonus recipes!

• Chaga Brews. Brew it up as a replacement to black tea, swirl it with cacoa, maple syrup, and raw cream for a delicious hot chocolate, or spice it up with traditional Chai spices for a Chaga Chai Latte. Learn about the nourishing properties of Chaga, and tasty ways to use it in your kitchen.

• ... and more

Create

Rest

Each Friday we turn inward for reflection and calm, settling in for the weekend. 

• Turning in a bit of a different direction this year, our Rest portion of Hibernate will focus on seasonal essays and stories that evoke the quiet, contemplative spaces of winter. An end of the week pause.

• Fridays will honor words, rest, and the importance of doing nothing.

Hibernate is filled with ideas to help you revel in the beauty of the season. As our bodies slow down,  leaving the activity of warmer months behind, our hands welcome meaningful activity and our hearts open to the beauty of home.  

While this retreat may seem plentiful in its offerings, by no means should you feel compelled to do each little thing. Hibernate shares a variety of activities (or non-activities), to meet the interest and schedule of many people. 

If you feel ready for the warmth and peace found during this cozy time of year, than please join us.

I'd love to Hibernate with you. 

The photos in this post are samples from last year's kitchen tour participants. I love working everyone's words and photos into a pretty design/layout. Imagine how amazing they would look if I actually knew what I was doing!

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The concept of Whole Food Kitchen Tours, or, perhaps even more specifically, Kitchen Stories, would make an incredible book. Totally big and heavy and gorgeous with lots of pages and color photos. It would be the only coffee table book we'd ever need! A collection of stories and photos to pick up and peruse whenever our own kitchen spirits could use a breath of fresh air. I've probably mentioned this book idea before. It's something that has been on my mind for years now, but seems like the creation of it would be an incredible labor of love that I haven't been able to make the time for. I'm going to be one busy retired lady.

Thank you for all of your kitchen tour submissions! Truly, there is no wrong way to share your kitchen - they were all perfect! Just as it played out last year, what it came down to in the decision process was simple diversity. So, we'll be represented by an off-grid kitchen, a non-American kitchen, a single professional's kitchen, and a farmer's kitchen. You will love each of them.

I have already contacted those people and wanted to extend my gratitude to all of you who submitted. There were dozens and dozens of you that sent me photos and words at a moments notice, which honestly impressed the heck out of me. You people work fast! Can you imagine all of this pulled into one book? I'm telling you... I'm not much for bucket lists... but I think this idea might be on mine. Not because our kitchens are perfect and organized and every dinner sees a well balanced meal that includes multi-step recipes, but because sometimes it can feel that way, but sometimes it also just feels like a comforting bowl of roasted carrots with a big brownie (raises hand). And you know what, that's pretty darn nourishing, too.

To those of you who have not heard from me yet, keep an eye on your inbox toward the end of next week for a little thank you gift, I am ever so thankful for your submission. And please know that I'll be calling each of you if I can ever bring this book idea into the world. Seriously, we're onto something. Now let's all go make those brownies I linked to, they're amazing.