Blacksmithing – All Levels – Homeschool Program

Blacksmithing All Levels

Students gain a solid foundation in the art of creating useful tools by heating metal in the forge and shaping it on the anvil. Many techniques will be explored, and students will come home with beautiful and useful hand-made items.

All-Levels
With our low instructor-to-student ratio and experienced staff team, we’re able to work with students of varying skill levels. Whether they’re completely new to Blacksmithing or have joined us for several previously classes, all students will be appropriately challenged in further developing their skills.

Season Highlight Project:Tongs
Every blacksmith has 4 absolutely essential tools: The forge, the anvil, the hammer, and a good pair of tongs. Often overlooked, tongs are crucial for pulling red hot metal out of the forge and holding it in place to be hammered and shaped on the anvil. This seasons project highlight will have students creating their own a pair of sturdy tongs (in addition to several other projects) to use in our programs and to take home for their own forging projects.

Additional projects may include:

  • Hanging hooks
  • Toilet paper or paper towel holder
  • Twisted Fork
  • Riveted Spoon
  • Riveted Spatula
  • Copper Finger Ring
  • Fire Poker
  • Chisel or Screwdriver
  • Knife crafted from a railroad spike

Ages: 12-16

Time: 9:30 am - 4:15 pm

Dates - Two Options:
Tuesdays, Feb. 27 - May 21
Breaks for Earthskills Rendezvous April 16
12 program days total
or
Fridays, March 1 - May 24
Breaks for Earthskills Rendezvous April 19
12 program days total

For Drop-off & Pick-Up and other logistics info, see below.

Price: $770

  • Monthly payment plan available
  • $100 non-refundable deposit due at registration
  • Limited Partial Scholarships available (see below)

Registration

Registration is now open for Spring 2024.

Why Choose Forest Floor?

We help children have fun, be healthy, and achieve their fullest potential with nature connection mentoring.

  • Health benefits of nature connection
  • Learn wilderness skills & traditional crafts
  • Meet new friends and reunite with old ones
  • Unforgettable adventures every day
  • Skilled and caring mentors
  • Exciting wilderness experiences
  • Convenient in-town drop-off & pickup
  • Boost long term cognitive & social development
Homeschoolers showing off their work from a homeschool blacksmithing class in Asheville

Logistics 

Drop-off/Pick-up Locations

This program (and most others) takes place at Shope Creek Wilderness. The exceptions are Blacksmithing, which is based at Haw Creek Commons, and programs in our West Buncombe location at Otherside Farms.

For programs occurring at Shope Creek Wilderness, parents may drop-off and pick-up at the program location or at Haw Creek Commons for van transportation.

For Blacksmithing, parents must drop off and pickup at Haw Creek Commons. Programs at Otherside Farms have different logistics.

Haw Creek Commons (with van shuttle)
315 Old Haw Creek Road, Asheville NC
Drop-off between 9:30 am - 9:45 am
Pick-up between 4:00 pm - 4:15 pm

Shope Creek Wilderness (program site no shuttle)
472 Shope Creek Road, Asheville, NC
Drop-off between 9:45 am - 10:00 am
Pick-up between 3:45 pm - 4:00 pm

 

Clothing and Gear

Our programs are all-outdoors, with rain shelters available as needed. Children must arrive each morning fully prepared with a backpack, packed lunch, and clothes appropriate for being out in the weather. Families new to Forest Floor may need to purchase additional gear to ensure their children will be fully equipped for wet and colder weather as the season progresses. For a full packing and clothing list see our FAQ.

Scholarship Information

Overview

We offer limited partial scholarships to individuals who otherwise could not afford our programs. 

Donate

If you are a family with means, please consider donating to our scholarship fund. Donations of a 1/4, 1/2, or FULL scholarship can be made during the standard registration process. For more substantial donations please contact us to discuss details.

Apply

Limited partial scholarships are available. Scholarship funds are generated exclusively from generosity of donations toward the scholarship fund. Scholarships are limited to the sum of these funds and are awarded based on equitable distribution. Full scholarships will be considered for families in great need, but most scholarship applicants should expect to pay at least half of tuition.

To apply for a scholarship FIRST please register for the program/camp, choose the payment plan option, and only pay a $100 deposit at time of registration.

AFTER RESERVING A SPOT, please follow the link below to fill out the application.

If your scholarship request can't be approved or isn't the amount of discount that you need, we will provide a full refund of the deposit.