MONTICELLO — As The Farms: An Allerton Folk School observed its first anniversary in September (of 2024), organizers spent time reflecting on the first year of operation.
And they liked what they saw.
Since its start at the Monticello-area Allerton Park & Retreat Center in September of 2023, participants from 110 communities in Illinois have taken part in more than 200 courses taught by 45 instructors. In all, just over 2,400 enrollments were registered during the first year of The Farms.
Even so, Allerton Senior Program Coordinator Olivia Bunting says she still comes across people who haven’t heard of the folk school, or don’t know what one is. On the park website, The Farms is described as offering classes, workshops, and gatherings focused on art, health & wellness, history, nature & outdoor education, or science. But Bunting has a simpler explanation.
“I always describe a folk school as a place for community and learning,” she said. “Today’s folk schools borrow from the European foundation of teaching skills that could be used to contribute to society, and has modified it for a modern audience, oftentimes including not only individual classes but multi-day retreats.”
Allerton Associate Director of Retreat Center and Programming Jordan Zech expanded on how The Farms is striving to be an inclusive space, where the focus is “so much more than learning something new.”
“It’s engaging with others in the community, escaping the everyday hustle, and feeling like you are at another place you can call home,” Zech explained. “We hope that being in a ‘classroom’ at Allerton – whether in the historic Mansion, the newly renovated Studio, or outside– you have a positive experience and feel the effects on your mental and physical well-being.”
Students from across Illinois have responded to that sentiment, traveling from a wide geographic area that includes 35 counties and seven other states. As staff looks towards the future and plan for continued growth, they expect the number of students to continue to grow, driving even more tourism to the surrounding area.
“We have already seen an increase in our overnight accommodations in relation to The Farms, and hope that local dining and shopping has been impacted as well,” Zech said. “The Farms is helping Allerton become even more of a destination than it already was, and we don’t plan to slow down!”
As The Farms keeps growing, staff will continue to gather feedback about what subjects people want to learn about, as well as when they want to take courses.
“Fiber classes are big,” Bunting said. “They are getting more and more popular everywhere: sewing, quilting, embroidery, weaving. I think part of the appeal is you can create, but it can also be meditative once you learn it.”
Besides weaving and needlefelting, fiber-centric classes on knitting, spinning yarn and crocheting granny squares are currently being offered at The Farms.
Registration is now open for the Fall Session, offering more than 30 courses until the end of the year. Bunting encourages those who would like to learn a skill and enjoy fellowship with others to sign up for a course.
“I always describe a folk school as a place for community and learning,” she said. “I hope people will come out and support The Farms.”
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.
See the complete Fall Session schedule here.
About Allerton
Allerton Park and Retreat Center is a 1,500-acre public park located just southwest of Monticello, Illinois. The park features formal gardens, natural areas, nearly 16 miles of hiking trails, sculptures, and a historic 1900-era Georgian mansion/retreat center that hosts conferences, weddings and other events. The Mansion and other park properties also feature 34 rooms available to the public for overnight stays.
Allerton Park and Retreat Center is part the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The park’s vision is to inspire the community to utilize and value nature, history, and the arts through accessible and sustainable programming, research, and facilities.
