Courses

put your creativity to work

Try something new.  Learn skills from pottery to poetry to permaculture.  Explore your creativity, and engage your senses.  Find the space to write that book and meet a new community of like-minded friends.  

**The full program of 2026 courses will be announced by April 1st!

ADULT CLAY CLASSES

Courses, Workshops and Events
SESSION #4 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Saturday Mornings
Jun 20
SESSION #4 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Saturday Mornings

A Saturday morning, all-levels, 5-week pottery class.

SESSION #5 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Tuesday Evenings
Jun 23
SESSION #5 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Tuesday Evenings

A Tuesday evening, all-levels, 5-week pottery class.

SESSION #6 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Thursday Evenings
Jun 25
SESSION #6 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Thursday Evenings

A Thursday evening, all-levels, 5-week pottery class.

2026 WOOD KILN FIRING WORKSHOP with Kyle Brumsted
Aug 31
2026 WOOD KILN FIRING WORKSHOP with Kyle Brumsted

Join us for a week-long workshop in the Adirondacks to gain hands-on experience learning about the exciting process of wood firing with Kyle Brumsted.

CERAMIC SCULPTURE with Madalena Marques
Sep 8
CERAMIC SCULPTURE with Madalena Marques

Learn from Portugese ceramic sculptor Madalena Marques in the clay studio

Exploring the Science and Art of Baking with Sourdough + Alternative Grains
Sep 24
Exploring the Science and Art of Baking with Sourdough + Alternative Grains

Join us for a delicious weekend of baking with alternative grains

OF LANGUAGE and LAND: Writing in Baja with Kate Moses
Nov 9
OF LANGUAGE and LAND: Writing in Baja with Kate Moses

Travel with us for 7 days of creative writing, incredible food, and the restorative surroundings of Baja California Sur.

Joined by celebrated American writer and teacher Kate Moses, we are hosting a very special program in the stunning coastal and desert landscape of Baja.

SUMMER APPLEBARN SERIES

Courses, Workshops and Events
APPLEBARN TALKS: Jackie McKenna, Rose Robinson
Jun 12
APPLEBARN TALKS: Jackie McKenna, Rose Robinson
APPLEBARN TALKS: Steven Engelhart
Jun 26
APPLEBARN TALKS: Steven Engelhart
APPLEBARN TALKS: Sue Herne, Kaiahtenhtas Thompson, Crystal T. Henry, Kaia’tihtakhe
Jul 3
APPLEBARN TALKS: Sue Herne, Kaiahtenhtas Thompson, Crystal T. Henry, Kaia’tihtakhe
APPLEBARN TALKS: Aminata A. Gueye, Lucy Gibson, Karla Greenleaf-MacEwan
Jul 17
APPLEBARN TALKS: Aminata A. Gueye, Lucy Gibson, Karla Greenleaf-MacEwan
APPLEBARN TALKS: Meaghan Lynch, Erynn Richardson
Jul 24
APPLEBARN TALKS: Meaghan Lynch, Erynn Richardson
APPLEBARN TALKS: Samantha McLelland
Jul 31
APPLEBARN TALKS: Samantha McLelland
APPLEBARN TALKS: Kimberly Divad, Carolyn Bardos, Cat Rigdon
Aug 7
APPLEBARN TALKS: Kimberly Divad, Carolyn Bardos, Cat Rigdon
APPLEBARN TALKS: Liz Van Verth, Sarah K Williams, Melissa Dickey
Aug 14
APPLEBARN TALKS: Liz Van Verth, Sarah K Williams, Melissa Dickey
APPLEBARN TALKS: Grace Fossett, Ari Cordovero, Isabel Arévalo
Aug 21
APPLEBARN TALKS: Grace Fossett, Ari Cordovero, Isabel Arévalo
APPLEBARN TALKS: Viviana Jeon, Claire Cohen, Mei Fung Chan
Aug 28
APPLEBARN TALKS: Viviana Jeon, Claire Cohen, Mei Fung Chan

SHORT COURSES and WORKSHOPS

Courses, Workshops and Events
SESSION #4 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Saturday Mornings
Jun 20
SESSION #4 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Saturday Mornings

A Saturday morning, all-levels, 5-week pottery class.

SESSION #5 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Tuesday Evenings
Jun 23
SESSION #5 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Tuesday Evenings

A Tuesday evening, all-levels, 5-week pottery class.

SESSION #6 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Thursday Evenings
Jun 25
SESSION #6 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Thursday Evenings

A Thursday evening, all-levels, 5-week pottery class.

THE GEOMETRY OF CHEESE: Pattern, Aesthetics, and Architecture in Cheese Plate Design with Sarah K. Williams
Aug 6
THE GEOMETRY OF CHEESE: Pattern, Aesthetics, and Architecture in Cheese Plate Design with Sarah K. Williams

Join 2026 Teaching Fellow Sarah K. Williams for a hands-on workshop that explores the art of complex patterning in cheese plate construction. Using carefully cut cheeses and seasonal produce, participants will create repeated, radiating, and symmetrical designs through the thoughtful arrangement of edible shapes.

2026 WOOD KILN FIRING WORKSHOP with Kyle Brumsted
Aug 31
2026 WOOD KILN FIRING WORKSHOP with Kyle Brumsted

Join us for a week-long workshop in the Adirondacks to gain hands-on experience learning about the exciting process of wood firing with Kyle Brumsted.

CERAMIC SCULPTURE with Madalena Marques
Sep 8
CERAMIC SCULPTURE with Madalena Marques

Learn from Portugese ceramic sculptor Madalena Marques in the clay studio

Exploring the Science and Art of Baking with Sourdough + Alternative Grains
Sep 24
Exploring the Science and Art of Baking with Sourdough + Alternative Grains

Join us for a delicious weekend of baking with alternative grains

OF LANGUAGE and LAND: Writing in Baja with Kate Moses
Nov 9
OF LANGUAGE and LAND: Writing in Baja with Kate Moses

Travel with us for 7 days of creative writing, incredible food, and the restorative surroundings of Baja California Sur.

Joined by celebrated American writer and teacher Kate Moses, we are hosting a very special program in the stunning coastal and desert landscape of Baja.

EVENTS

Courses, Workshops and Events
TUESDAY BEGINNER MTB RIDES with Mark Nassan
Jun 2
TUESDAY BEGINNER MTB RIDES with Mark Nassan

Join us at Blueberry Hill Trails in Elizabethtown every Tuesday evening (weather permitting) for group mountain bike rides with local guru Mark Nassan. This is geared towards beginners but all levels are welcome for this fun, supportive, laid back group ride.

ALUMNI WEEK 2026
Jul 6
ALUMNI WEEK 2026

Calling all alumni! Craigardan’s alumni return to the Adirondacks for some fun, camaraderie, and rest — as well as help out with our annual Summer Firing Celebration!

(4th) ANNUAL SUMMER FIRING CELEBRATION
Jul 11
(4th) ANNUAL SUMMER FIRING CELEBRATION

Join us for our annual summer event! We’ll celebrate the fire that brings us together, the summer harvest, and the community of artists, scholars, and creatives all around us.

WEEKLY EVENTS

Courses, Workshops and Events
TUESDAY BEGINNER MTB RIDES with Mark Nassan
Jun 2
TUESDAY BEGINNER MTB RIDES with Mark Nassan

Join us at Blueberry Hill Trails in Elizabethtown every Tuesday evening (weather permitting) for group mountain bike rides with local guru Mark Nassan. This is geared towards beginners but all levels are welcome for this fun, supportive, laid back group ride.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Past Events
APPLEBARN TALKS: Tiago Genoveze, Julia Chai
Jun 19
APPLEBARN TALKS: Tiago Genoveze, Julia Chai

Free and open to the public

EMPTY BOWL, FULL HEART MAKERS DAY IN THE CLAY STUDIO
Jun 13
EMPTY BOWL, FULL HEART MAKERS DAY IN THE CLAY STUDIO

Come join Craigardan and Empty Bowl Full Heart in creating bowls for the 2027 fundraiser to support local food pantries.  No experience is necessary!

BACKYARD BEES
Jun 6
BACKYARD BEES

This introduction to beekeeping with our beekeepers may just inspire you to maintain a hive or two of your own - if we can do it, so can you! Pre-registration is appreciated, but not necessary.

APPLEBARN TALKS: Cassidy Mae Jackson
Jun 5
APPLEBARN TALKS: Cassidy Mae Jackson

Free and open to the public

BICYCLE MAINTENANCE with Mark Nassan
Jun 3
BICYCLE MAINTENANCE with Mark Nassan

Join us and learn to fix your bicycle with Mark Nassan of Leepoff Cycles!

APPLEBARN TALKS: Uncertainty Academy
May 29
APPLEBARN TALKS: Uncertainty Academy

Free and open to the public

UNCERTAINTY ACADEMY: Adirondacks
May 25
UNCERTAINTY ACADEMY: Adirondacks

In collaboration with artist Tal Beery and scholar Joshua Moses, Uncertainty Academy: Adirondacks is a unique residency program and roundtable discussion series at Craigardan exploring responses to the uncertainties—both material and psychic—arising from the climate crisis and other cascading crises.

SESSION #3 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Saturday Mornings
May 16
SESSION #3 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Saturday Mornings

A Saturday morning, all-levels, 5-week pottery class.

SESSION #2 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Thursday Evenings
May 14
SESSION #2 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Thursday Evenings

Thursdays evenings in the clay studio! Join us for this all-levels, 6-week pottery class. We’ll get our hands dirty and make great pots!

BICYCLE MAINTENANCE with Mark Nassan
May 13
BICYCLE MAINTENANCE with Mark Nassan

Join us and learn to fix your bicycle with Mark Nassan of Leepoff Cycles!

SESSION #1 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Tuesday Evenings
May 12
SESSION #1 POTTERY ON THE WHEEL CLASSES - Tuesday Evenings

A Tuesday evening, all-levels, 6-week pottery class. We’ll get our hands dirty and make great pots!

2026 WOOD KILN FIRING WEEKEND
May 7
2026 WOOD KILN FIRING WEEKEND

Join us for a weekend wood firing in the Adirondacks!

SPRING LAMB JAM!
May 2
SPRING LAMB JAM!

Come welcome the arrival of Spring with us on the farm! Joined by other local sheep farmers, fiber artists, and wool enthusiasts, the Lamb Jam is a mini-festival celebrating all-things lambs, sheep, and wool.

Portugal Clay Retreat with Sam Taylor and Mark Shapiro 2026
Feb 20
Portugal Clay Retreat with Sam Taylor and Mark Shapiro 2026

CLAY + FOOD + FIRE! Join us in Portugal this February for an unforgettable 10-day experience with Sam Taylor and Mark Shapiro

APPLEBARN TALKS: Lauren McElroy, Elissa Lash, Elise Jeanmaire
Sep 19
APPLEBARN TALKS: Lauren McElroy, Elissa Lash, Elise Jeanmaire

Free and open to the public

APPLEBARN TALKS: Carly Marie DeMento, Dr. Lise Deguire, Hannah Plummer
Sep 12
APPLEBARN TALKS: Carly Marie DeMento, Dr. Lise Deguire, Hannah Plummer

Free and open to the public

FLEECE TO FABRIC with Lauren McElroy
Sep 9
FLEECE TO FABRIC with Lauren McElroy

Join 2025 Teaching Fellow Lauren McElroy to learn the timeless techniques for transforming raw wool into beautiful handspun yarn.

Photo Courtesy of The Crafters Box

2025 Wood Kiln Firing Workshop
Sep 1
2025 Wood Kiln Firing Workshop

Join us for a week-long workshop in the Adirondacks to gain hands-on experience learning about the exciting process of wood firing with Kyle Brumsted.

APPLEBARN TALKS: Jenny Breen, Shawndel N. Fraser
Aug 29
APPLEBARN TALKS: Jenny Breen, Shawndel N. Fraser

Free and open to the public

APPLEBARN TALKS: Hannah Apuzzo, Shelby Loebker, Amanda Lichtenberg
Aug 22
APPLEBARN TALKS: Hannah Apuzzo, Shelby Loebker, Amanda Lichtenberg

Free and open to the public

APPLEBARN TALKS: Linda Pagani, Kate Moses, Carrie Hall
Aug 15
APPLEBARN TALKS: Linda Pagani, Kate Moses, Carrie Hall

Free and open to the public

COOKING CLASS: FOOD STORIES, THE FOOD SYSTEM AND NOURISHMENT with Jenny Breen
Aug 14
COOKING CLASS: FOOD STORIES, THE FOOD SYSTEM AND NOURISHMENT with Jenny Breen

Join 2025 Teaching Fellow Jenny Breen for hands-on cooking classes that will bring together stories about our food, where it comes from, how we prepare and experience it, and why it matters for our health and the health of our planet.

APPLEBARN TALKS: Holly Hanessian, Rachel Berggren
Aug 8
APPLEBARN TALKS: Holly Hanessian, Rachel Berggren

Free and open to the public

APPLEBARN TALKS: Mackenzie Pikaart, Abraham Francis, John Kane, Maya Miller
Aug 1
APPLEBARN TALKS: Mackenzie Pikaart, Abraham Francis, John Kane, Maya Miller

Free and open to the public

BRIDGING DIVIDES DISCUSSION SERIES: Storytelling; Narrative and Nuance
Jul 31
BRIDGING DIVIDES DISCUSSION SERIES: Storytelling; Narrative and Nuance

We will have a discussion with artists Michael “Yoko” Amos, Erica Berry, and Gayle Burnett about their work as writers and storytellers, and about using the power of the medium to have difficult conversations that touch on topics such as climate change, racial inequity, and politics.

APPLEBARN TALKS: Arista Wilson, Amos Landon
Jul 25
APPLEBARN TALKS: Arista Wilson, Amos Landon

Free and open to the public

APPLEBARN TALKS: Curt Confer, Daniel Mistir
Jul 18
APPLEBARN TALKS: Curt Confer, Daniel Mistir

Free and open to the public

(3rd) ANNUAL SUMMER FIRING CELEBRATION
Jul 12
(3rd) ANNUAL SUMMER FIRING CELEBRATION

Join us for our annual summer event! We’ll celebrate the fire that brings us together, the summer harvest, and the community of artists, scholars, and creatives all around us.

ALUMNI WEEK 2025
Jul 7
ALUMNI WEEK 2025

Craigardan’s alumni return to the Adirondacks this summer for some fun, camaraderie, and rest — and they also help us setup and execute our 3rd Annual Summer Firing Celebration!

APPLEBARN TALKS: Kyle Brumsted, Bodi-Yemisi Anton Babatola, Chelsea Dodds
Jul 4
APPLEBARN TALKS: Kyle Brumsted, Bodi-Yemisi Anton Babatola, Chelsea Dodds

Free and open to the public