Staff at Allerton Park and Retreat Center are not slowing down when it comes to The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, which kicked off with a 36-course offering last fall.
The Winter 2024 session is also offering a myriad of courses — both one-offs and multi-session ones — as it encourages people to learn a new skill, whether it be bookbinding, dancing, meditation, weaving, wine tasting and more.
A busy schedule of planning has not left Senior Program Coordinator Olivia Bunting much time to reflect on what it means to start the first folk school in Illinois, but she’s confident the historic endeavor is off to a solid start.
“Overall I think it went really well for it being the first session of trying new things and taking chances. It was a pretty positive response,” Bunting said, noting that nearly 800 people came out to the Monticello-area park to participate in courses offered at The Farms.
While the majority of students hailed from Champaign-Urbana (38 percent) and Monticello (20 percent), The Farms saw attendees from 43 communities throughout the state — from Pawnee to Orland Park and Collinsville to Danville, plus visitors from Missouri, Minnesota, and Washington.
“Most of the classes sold out or were close to sold out. I think more people are willing to learn new things in a setting like this than in a traditional classroom.”
The 1,500-acre, University of Illinois-owned facility provides a more informal place to learn, one aspect that has appealed to participants and instructors alike.
“The community feeling combined with the unbelievably scenic venue made for an unforgettable experience, and I no doubt expect to have another unforgettable experience in the next class,” said Kyle Tasch, who will repeat his “Improve Your Improv” course starting in February.
That’s music to Bunting’s ears, and not just because there were guitar and dulcimer sessions going on during the inaugural session.
“We want The Farms to be good for the public, to be a space where anyone can learn something new. We want to be able to offer unique experiences,” she said. “You are paying for the educational opportunity, and even though it is not always in a classroom setting, you are getting the expertise of someone else teaching you and the camaraderie of in-person, hands-on learning.”
Tasch noted it wasn’t just the participants who received an education.
“I learned that my students were eager to learn about certain aspects of improv. Their feedback was able to help me guide them in what they wanted to learn. I am grateful to my students for providing a dialogue that I could use to plan future sessions,” Tasch said.
Surveys filled out by Fall Session participants showed a desire for more art classes, which was taken into account for a Winter Session that will include Colored Pencil, Acrylic Pour Painting, Figure Drawing, Macramé Workshop and Barn Quilt Painting. A three-day Art Retreat is also planned for Feb. 19-21.
Allerton is also staying true to its ‘roots’ of inspiring an appreciation of art, nature and history. With that in mind, there are also upcoming sessions that include Soil Blocking for Seed Starting, Full Moon Hikes and Slow Birding hikes.
The folk school will continue to evolve. Starting this fall, The Farms will identify one topic to focus on for the year. The first focal point will be the culinary arts, which will include some hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations.
A list of Winter 2024 courses at The Farms can be found here.
About The Farms
The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, health & wellness, history, nature & outdoor education, or science. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.
