Experience Level: All Levels

Make your vacation photos into works of art at Watercolor Travel Journal on Friday through Sunday, Aug. 22-24 from 1 to 5 p.m. in The Studio.

Instructor Deb Marett will teach the basics of watercolor painting, drawing skills and putting a layout together to create pages in journals that capture memories and turn them into a cherished keepsake that can be expanded.

On the first day, students will experiment on practice paper, focusing on how to break down images into simple shapes, the principles of watercolor, painting light to dark, mixing colors, handling brushes and other basics.

The second day, students will put together a page layout with thumbnail sketches and create pages in their journals, as well as a painted page.

On the third day, students will continue painting their journals, go outside and paint on location, and learn some basics of plein air painting.

$95/person. Register by Aug. 11. All sales are final.

*Students should bring:
— 5”x8” or larger book with quality cold press with 140# watercolor paper (spiral bound or bound to lay flat is the best). Suggested book: Hahnemuhle
— Watercolor paint set – suggested brand: Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor OR this similar pallet
— Sketchbook 4”X6” or larger
— Watercolor brush set (not waterbrush pens), including a flat brush at least 1” wide and large mop brush – suggested set: ARTIFY
— Mechanical pencil­
— Waterproof ink pen
— Eraser small in diamet

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Deb Marett is a professional artist whose work focuses on equestrian scenes, figurative scenes, and portraiture. She always travels with watercolors and a travel journal.

“It is an amazing way to remember moments of the trip, and spend time soaking up the places I visit,” Marett said.

She loves sharing her knowledge and teaching, and finding ways to make painting and drawing fun and accessible to anyone who wants to explore their creative side.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Those who completed beginner mushroom foraging classes at The Farms or have experience in identification can continue their journey at Intermediate Mushroom Foraging on Saturdays, Aug. 9, 16 & 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. outdoors (rain or shine). Meet at the Greenhouse Cafè Patio (in case of rain meet inside the Visitor Center).

Instructor Lee Schuler will lead two-hour hikes to find, collect and come together to identify mushrooms from the property. Classes will also cover environmental and growth habit, morphology, and edibility for each species that is found. The class will also log every species found to begin a wild fungi survey for Allerton.

$120 for the entire series or $50/class*. Register here by Aug. 6 or three days prior to subsequent classes. All sales are final.

— Aug. 9

— Aug. 16

— Aug. 23

*Students should bring a knife or scissors for collecting samples and wear clothing appropriate for walking up to two miles in various weather conditions.

PLEASE NOTE: Foraging at Allerton is not allowed except as part of this Farms class.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Lee Schuler recently moved from Illinois from Pennsylvania, where she taught fungal identification and edibility at environmental education centers for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and for private land owners. She is certified as a wild edible mushroom expert and licensed to harvest and sell to restaurants and markets in the State of Pennsylvania. Schuler is also a contributing culinary author for a wild mushroom trade journal.

A graduate of East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, Lee has worked as a field biologist and environmental educator and currently works in public health. She is an artist and cook and enjoys acquiring new and useful skills as much as she loves sharing them.

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, outdoor education, science, storytelling, and wellness. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

Find the complete Summer Session schedule here.

Experience Level: Beginner

Gather with your fellow dulcimer musicians and create some music at Mountain Dulcimer Jam Sessions on Saturday, August 23 from 10:30 to 12:00 p.m. in the Studio. This gathering is perfect for those who have taken Beginner Mountain Dulcimer at The Farms and want a space to practice with fellow players.

$5/person. Register a day prior to each jam session. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

About the instructor

Lou Ann Koebel currently leads a weekly dulcimer jam for the East Central Dulcimer Illinois Dulcimer Club at Lincoln Square. She also plays in a local band that visits and performs at local assisted living facilities.

Last fall, she taught a beginning dulcimer class for The Farms, where she had a wonderful time teaching the group and realized her love of teaching and passing on the tradition of playing a mountain dulcimer. Lou Ann also plays at area music festivals.

Join us on a bi-monthly basis as we observe how honey bees manage hive activity during the summer at Bee Hive Observation on August 31. Classes will include an overview of seasonal influences, followed by a peek inside the hives to observe honey bees at work. Traditional and Flow Hives will be discussed.

Participants should wear long sleeves and pants, loose-fitting garments and no open shoes. You should also bring a protective bee veil and unscented rubber gloves.

$20/class. Register two days before each individual class. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

About the instructor

When Maggie Wachter began her social work degree at the University of Illinois in 2008, she had no idea that she would become a beekeeper. As for honey, she kept a single jar in the back of her kitchen cabinet for recipes. Today she is a master beekeeper who never eats sugar.

Maggie received her first hive as a gift in 2008. By 2010, she was enrolled in the Master Beekeeper course at the University of Florida. From there, things happened quickly to turn her life around. In 2012, she started teaching beekeeping for Parkland Community Education and today she is a beekeeping teacher, honey judge, mead maker and master beekeeper.

She has also participated in honeybee research at the University of Illinois and the USDA.

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, wellness, outdoor education, storytelling, and science. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

See the complete summer session here.

Ready to be a kid again?! Camp Lost Garden might just be the place for you! Disconnect for a weekend and take time for good old-fashioned fun, relaxation, and adventure!

Campers will enjoy classic camp activities like arts and crafts, group games/races, campfires (with stories and s’mores!), nature hikes, and more! In some cases, these kid-inspired activities come with an adult twist (e.g., bloody mary bar, cocktail crafting workshop, “boots and brews” hike, etc.)

Grab your gear and get ready for a packed weekend of fun! Whether you are an organization looking to boost team morale, a group of friends who want a good time, or an individual interested in meeting new people while finding time for self-reflection, there is something for all to enjoy!

We wouldn’t be a real summer camp without some ground rules! Be sure to check them out here.

PRE-REGISTRATION will be open through March 28, 2025. Campers are able to secure their spot with a non-refundable deposit of $175 during this time. The remaining balance will be due one month prior to camp arrival. After March 28, camp fees will be due in full at the time of registration.

$350/camper. All sales are final.
Registration includes all activities, meals, snacks, and drinks.

Overnight accommodations must be purchased separately:

— Hotel rooms are available at a discounted rate of $80/night + tax. Please call us at 217-333-3287 to make your reservation.

— Tent camping is available on the Bowling Lawn adjacent to the Mansion. Communal showers will be available on the third floor of the Mansion. You can sign up for a primitive tent camping spot ($50) as an add-on when registering for camp.

Interested in being a camp counselor? Fill-out an application here.

If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email jmgiffor@illinois.edu.