DO WHAT YOU LOVE, RIGHT? I had such fun co-teaching the recent garlic-and-tomato workshop that I’m planning a series of day-long events on all the topics dear to me: gardening, and also writing and cooking and putting up garden-fresh food. Next up, in fall-winter 2014-15: cheesemaking, and memoir-style writing.
Hit cookbook author Alana Chernila and I are planning a yearlong series of duets, starting with cheesemaking and basic home dairy.
My sister, Marion Roach Smith, author of numerous books including “The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing–and Life,” has been teaching sold-out classes and workshops for nearly 15 years. We’ll co-host We co-hosted an intermediate-level event in November.
With other expert friends in 2015, I’m planning subjects including:
- more cooking and canning with Alana;
- more writing (with Marion and my friend Katrina Kenison);
- container gardening;
- seed starting and also seed saving;
- …and more.
All classes are held at my office/guest house in Copake Falls, New York; some include sessions in the garden, of course.
A brief look at the fall-early winter offerings, with links to reserve a space:
cheesemaking and home dairy
with Alana Chernila and Margaret Roach
(Repeats Saturday November 15, Saturday December 6, and Saturday, February 7, and Sunday, February 8, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM; as of 1/13/15, spaces remain in the Sunday section) Next sections in 2015: April 25 and 26; June 13. Details and ticket information.
COME JOIN Alana Chernila and Margaret Roach for a day of cheesemaking, plus an overall introduction to home dairy. In this full-day workshop, you’ll learn how to make creamy ricotta, quick mozzarella, feta, yogurt, creme fraiche, and cream cheese. You’ll go home with all the skills you need (and an optional cheesemaking kit if you like, too), and you may never go back to store-bought cheese or yogurt again!
The workshop price includes a full day of “classroom” learning, as well as breakfast and lunch. This is a hands-on class, so come prepared to roll up your sleeves and be part of the delicious magic.
memoir: taking the next step
with Marion Roach Smith and Margaret Roach
Saturday, November 1, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
YOU’VE GOT a piece of memoir written. Perhaps it’s a whole book; maybe it’s a series of essays. It’s time to further it, finish it, get it out there and promote it. This is the workshop for you.
Spend the day with a small group of like-minded people who want their work to succeed, but who need the skills to hone their argument, fix their structure, finish the work, edit it–and begin to build their brand as a memoir writer ahead of publication, online and off.
This course will include a morning and afternoon class session, as well as breakfast and lunch. The sessions will address what you need to know to successfully shape, finish and promote your memoir writing, plus:
- Workshop 750 words of your own memoir writing to the group
- Get first-hand insights into tactics for getting published
- A session by Margaret will cover website best practices: how to begin your web presence, or fine-tune what you are already doing
- Ample time for questions
