Sunday, August 9, 2015

Blacksmith workshops

Basic introduction to blacksmithing. 3 workshops to choose from. Skill level, beginner to intermediate. 
8 and up is best, adults are welcome to sign up with kids!
I can only take 2 people at a time in the shop.
Learn how to taper, draw out and scroll hot steel to form shapes for functional items, such as a fire poker, a towel rack or scrolled trivet.  A lesson in Physics!       I am not a knife maker. knives require special heat treating and annealing, however we can make the shapes if return student would like to try it.
S1,  10-2  Saturday/Sunday September 26/27 (2 day workshop) $210 10-2 pm (includes materials)FULL
S2  10-2   Saturday/Sunday beginning October 17/18 (2 day workshop) $210 10-2 pm  (includes materials)
S3  10-1pm  begins Wednesday's in October Drop in workshop $95 plus  $25 materials fee. Just try out the smithy.  (must confirm with Vera)
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Must sing a waiver. Village Green/Vera Johnson is not responsible for any injuries
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We'll hammer iron, learn proper posture and holding techniques, shop safety and more
I'll demo then you can try your 'arm and hammer'
Must wear canvas or denim pants, fitted cotton long sleeve shirt, wear layers. Flannel shirt, denim shirt, leather shoes. No synthetic materials. They can melt and burn skin.
Hair must be tied back. NO Fleece, no baggy clothes.
I would be willing to discuss the hourly rental of the studio with interested adults.
I have been a practicing blacksmith for over 15 years, taking classes from Scott Shattuck at the Duwamish trade center through SSCC, Continuing my education through weekend workshops with David Lisch, master damascus knife maker (I do not make knives, we practiced other skills) and apprenticed for Shannon Buckner of 'Bent productions'
camp cook set
Vera 206-819-8544
10223 26th Ave SW Seattle Wa 98146 
Street parking. Shop is onsite at Village Green

Monday, August 3, 2015

Organic versus GMO...yawn... another try...

You don't understand and want to know why it's so expensive to buy organic, and it's not readily available to people with low income or food stamps?  READ between the lines
*People need to demand answers from the government about why it's so expensive to buy organic.
 


*Why is cheap genetically modified and processed food so inexpensive and readily available?
 

Well... Just to obtain certification for organic labeling by a farmer the costs are so outrageously expensive putting financial pressure on the farmers who already can't afford it,  we're talking many thousands of dollars annually...which is why so many take subsidies and GMO seeds just to stay in production.
  
 Have you noticed you can go to any hardware store or convenience store and buy chemically infused foods and obtain gallons of environmental chemical warfare to put in your body and on your plants and garden for super cheap?

    And all that crap doesn't have to be labeled with a warning label telling us that it's Bad for our health and CAUSES cancer? Guess who sets the standards? We do when we don't demand truth equality and a right to know.
   And there's a QUESTION as to why things should be labeled GMO???  I smell a profits over people game, we're the pawns,we are the real losers. Yeah, your babies, children and your pets are playing on lawns, soccer fields, parks and in gardens saturated in chemicals, the bouquets you buy at the groceries are sprayed with a Molotov cocktail of roundup and who knows what. Dow chemical company (or another one) is in your carpets, cleaning products, paper plates, linens, even foods, detergents, plastic cups, car wash soaps, furniture, garden plants and miracle grow!! and many many more things you wouldn't even guess. 


Chemicals and fake foods. Think about that for a bit.            Or, go back to sleep.    It's easier.