Making Hyptertufa Pots, Kitsap Regional Library
March and April 2013
This program is part of my Radical Home Economics series. The series is designed to provide hands-on group learning to adults. We understand that children learn best through play and interaction; why wouldn't the same be true for adults? Especially as our day-to-day lives become more digital, this is a crucial opportunity to experience the satisfaction of making something tangible with your own two hands. It's deeply empowering, and also a fantastic community builder.
Hypertufa is a faux stone that can be molded into almost any shape. Because it is light, durable, and porous, it makes excellent planting pots. It's also actually quite easy to make, once you get past the mess and any fear of working with cement. Adults getting their hands dirty? Learning a new skill that they can apply at home? Working together and getting to know each other? That sounds like my kind of program.
My first session filled up immediately, and the waiting list was as long as the attendance list. I quickly opened up a second session a few weeks later. That also filled up with a long waiting list. Obviously, there is a need for hands-on adult learning in our community! I love that it attracted people of all ages: the twenty and thirty-somethings that are often so hard to attract to the library, middle-aged experienced gardeners, seniors, men and women. I'll offer the program again next year.
In short, we mixed up a large batch of hypertufa (peat moss, portland cement, perlite, and water). I had participants do the measuring and mixing while I talked about technique and safety, offered tips, and answered questions. As you can see in the pictures, some people really got into it - very literally! I provided yogurt-container molds in a variety of shapes and sizes, so each person could mold their own pot and take it home. I also handed out a detailed instruction sheet for home use. It was so exciting to hear everyone start planning more ambitious projects for this summer! The pot in the pictures above is the finished product from one of my participants.
To me, this confirmed the very real need in our community for hands-on learning for adults. I'm expecting much success with the upcoming Radical Home Economics programs!
Hypertufa is a faux stone that can be molded into almost any shape. Because it is light, durable, and porous, it makes excellent planting pots. It's also actually quite easy to make, once you get past the mess and any fear of working with cement. Adults getting their hands dirty? Learning a new skill that they can apply at home? Working together and getting to know each other? That sounds like my kind of program.
My first session filled up immediately, and the waiting list was as long as the attendance list. I quickly opened up a second session a few weeks later. That also filled up with a long waiting list. Obviously, there is a need for hands-on adult learning in our community! I love that it attracted people of all ages: the twenty and thirty-somethings that are often so hard to attract to the library, middle-aged experienced gardeners, seniors, men and women. I'll offer the program again next year.
In short, we mixed up a large batch of hypertufa (peat moss, portland cement, perlite, and water). I had participants do the measuring and mixing while I talked about technique and safety, offered tips, and answered questions. As you can see in the pictures, some people really got into it - very literally! I provided yogurt-container molds in a variety of shapes and sizes, so each person could mold their own pot and take it home. I also handed out a detailed instruction sheet for home use. It was so exciting to hear everyone start planning more ambitious projects for this summer! The pot in the pictures above is the finished product from one of my participants.
To me, this confirmed the very real need in our community for hands-on learning for adults. I'm expecting much success with the upcoming Radical Home Economics programs!