Hallockville Museum Farm Hosts Woodworking Classes
Hallockville Museum Farm will host North Fork woodworker Tom Barry of Green Revolution Woodworking for a series of classes and demonstrations throughout the summer and early fall. Participants will step back in time to split wood from the log, shape it on a traditional shavehorse and complete projects on a beautifully-simple and functional foot-powered springpole lathe.
In the workshop series, Barry will guide participants in an introductory two-hour exploration of the woodworking style known as “Greenwoodworking.” This style utilizes unseasoned wood straight from the log to make everyday utensils, tools and furniture in a centuries-old tradition largely lost to the new world of post-19th century progress. At the conclusion of each workshop, participants will depart with several handmade items and a sense of accomplishment that our ancestors enjoyed as the simple chores of daily life. Barry’s approach is appropriate for ages 12 and up.
Barry says, “Through our Greenwoodworking course I hope to reconnect individuals and small groups with the ‘Maker Gene’ found in all of us. More people are becoming interested in sustainability and the do-it-yourself ethos and this is a great way to start.” Tom plans to offer all-day workshops in the future that will yield larger pieces, such as a foot stool.
“Greenwoodworking with Tom Barry” will be offered at Hallockville in two-hour sessions on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer: July 5,6, 12, 19, 20 and August 2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24, 25. Each class is $35 per person (ages 12 and up) and includes all materials and instruction. Space is limited in each session and advance registration is required. Call 631-298-5292 or email beth@hallockville.com for available class times and to register.
In addition to the Greenwoodworking workshop series, Tom Barry will be demonstrating various techniques on an ongoing basis at the museum farm throughout the summer and fall. The public demonstrations will begin over the weekend of July 13 and 14, during the annual Long Island Antique Power Association’s Tractor Pull and Show. Visitors to the show, held on the museum grounds, will have the opportunity to meet Barry, try the springpole lathe and learn more about this fascinating technique of yesteryear. Barry will return for a weekend of public demonstrations at the 33rd Annual Hallockville Fall Festival and Craft Show, September 14 and 15. This old-fashioned country fair highlights traditional folk arts and crafts, and Tom will be joined by decoy carver Jack Combs and the Suffolk County Woodcarvers Guild, among others.
“Tom’s woodworking aligns perfectly with Hallockville’s mission of re-connecting the community to our shared agricultural heritage,” says Herb Strobel, Executive Director of Hallockville. “Nowhere else can you learn hands-on the timeless skills of woodworking while surrounded by 250 years of North Fork history.”
About Tom Barry: Riverhead resident and 34- year educator, Barry has spent the last 15 years discovering the lost craft of centuries-old country woodworking. An accomplished lifelong woodworker, Barry is ready to share his knowledge with aspiring woodworkers of all levels and abilities.
About Hallockville Museum Farm: Hallockville Museum Farm is a non-profit (501 (c)3) organization whose mission is to re-connect the community with its agricultural heritage. The 28-acre farm preserves 19 historic houses, barns and outbuildings ranging from the mid-18th century Hallock Homestead to the Depression-era Cichanowicz Farmhouse. Visitors can tour the museum’s buildings, gardens and collections; experience real farming in the museum’s fields; and meet Hallockville’s cows, sheep and chickens. The museum farm has educational programming for children and a summer camp; hosts festivals and craft fairs; and provides rental space for weddings and private parties. Partial support is provided by the County of Suffolk and the New York State Council on the Arts. Hallockville is located at 6038 Sound Avenue in Riverhead listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a Riverhead Town landmark. Visit hallockville.com.
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