Fall Harvest Festival - 105 Enjoy a pleasant afternoon on the farm with oxen, horses, blacksmiths, and woodworkers. See demonstrations of Tillers' work and talk with fellow supporters. Receive updates on international work. Learn how you can help. Enrollment: open, All ages. $10 per car to encourage carpooling-- bicyclists and pedestrians are free. a/ September 21, 2008 -- Sunday, 11am-6pm U.S. Based Classes Re-Inventing Animal Power - 901 Innovative refinements and adaptations of historically proven techniques offer great potential for rural communities. This class shares Tillers' approach to encouraging an attitude of experimentation through its low-cost technical training. It builds for students a catalog of innovative techniques they can share. Offering options and choice is a key to Tillers' participatory approach. In this survey class, participants explore conceptual arguments for using animal-power and evaluate farm implements, excavating tools, and transport vehicles for their local usefulness. They visit Amish farms and metal shops, which are innovating with advanced draft animal technologies. Enrollment 2 to 16 a/ June 24-28, 2008 -- Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm -- $375 Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dick Roosenberg, Instructor Exploring Overseas Projects - 908 This week-long session introduces individuals or groups to the issues and challenges of working overseas in development projects.  It will be held at DreamAcres, in Wykoff MN, which is off the electric grid and without other conventional conveniences. However, like many places in the developing world, it is a beautiful spot with a swimming hole in the stream and many other fascinating attractions. Former Peace Corps volunteers and international instructors will cover the practical, political, and personal aspects of international development. If you know of someone interested, we will be pleased to send descriptive materials. Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 14. Not Offered in 2008. Refining Animal Power for International Projects - 920 This discounted package of classes is selected to be informative for people working in overseas rural development projects. The sessions add new perspectives on animal power for international guests, and will include: Cartwrighting, Farming with Oxen and Horses, Blacksmithing, Re-Inventing Animal Power, Road Building, Oxen Basics, the Ox Drovers' Gathering, and Horse Progress Days. See the Calendar of Classes by Date for more information on each session. Enrollment: 1 to 12. Minimum Age: 18. a/ May 5-July 6, 2008 -- $2300 Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI Building Village Roads and Infrastructure - 982 Animal-drawn slip scrapers, V-blade ditchers, and low-cost road graders are demonstrated in projects with techniques to enhance their effectiveness. Analyze their construction, adaptations for smaller animals, and uses. Enrollment: 4 to 16. Minimum Age: 16. a/ May 8-10, 2008 -- Thursday-Saturday, 9am-5pm -- $210 Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dick Roosenberg, John Sarge, Brian Webb, Instructors. Solar Power for International Projects - 192 This is similar to Solar for Farmsteads, but with a greater emphasis on working within the limits of an international environment,and with the advantages of a tropical sun. Enrollment: 4 to 18. Minimum Age: 16. Not Offered in 2008 Special Training Tutorial training can be arranged for international development students or groups to supplement the scheduled classes or to fit particular scheduling needs. Please call to discuss this possibility. 1/800-498-2700 Limited scholarships or discounts may be available for students of international development. Call or write to learn what is available for your region at this time and ask for our scholarship form. Tillers rarely can support travel costs. Overseas-Based Projects Fundamentals of Blacksmithing - 312 This class combines the skill-building of Blacksmithing I with the practice and coaching of Blacksmithing II.  It gives you more time to refine the basic skills of hammering to draw and upset iron, forge weld, and to begin tool making with high carbon steels.  You will practice several heat treatments to temper projects to the hardness and flexibility they need.  There is extra advantage and enjoyment in becoming a smith for a week. Not Offered in 2008. Overseas Projects - 950 Part of Tillers' mission is to broaden the base of experience in and appreciation for international rural development. Having volunteers help in international projects both facilitates the work and broadens the base of experienced people.  We encourage participating volunteers to build skills through Tillers' classes, especially classes such as Animal Power for Overseas Projects, which give an understanding of its approach as well as of potentially appropriate tools. If you are interested, please call Tillers to explain your skills and interests.  We'll work on pairing you with an appropriate challenge.  (Your contribution for expenses may be tax deductible if you are providing a substantial service through your personal efforts on the trip.) Call 800/498-2700 for details. Enrollment: 1 to 12. Minimum Age: 18. a/ tba Location: Nicaragua. Dick Roosenberg, Instructor. b/ February-March Location: Africa. Dick Roosenberg, Instructor. Tillers International has been working in Uganda helping to bring dislocated people from refugee camps to return to their home farms.Tillers is joining efforts with CAPP-- Cross-border Animal-traction Project for Peace. Through this work to rebuild farming in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan, Tillers will help develop plows, yokes, ox training, donkey harness, carts, and road building equipment. Tillers is working on funding and project selection for these dates. Uganda, Benin, and Senegal are possibilities. International Development Staff Dave Kramer taught woodworking, metalworking, and started animal traction programs during several years of international service with Peace Corps, Lutheran World Federation, and the Mennonite Central Committee. He knows the challenges facing the rural poor. Herb Nehring studied blacksmithing from the farrier instructors at Michigan State University in 1948. After a few years of horseshoeing, he followed a career in metal working. Since retirement he has taught smithing for 10 years at Tillers. Mr. Nehring showed the value of his craft for using what is available during a 1995 session with agricultural educators in Uganda. Mr. Nehring is a treasury of skills and knowledge. Dick Roosenberg is dedicated to finding low-capital technologies to increase the productivity of the world's rural populations within ecological constraints. He works to make the skills of animal traction and its support accessible and locally adaptable. John Sarge, a blacksmith with excellent mechanical skills and ingenuity, helped Tillers establish artisan support in classes in Uganda and Nicaragua. He is also a graduate of Jordan College's Energy Program. Brian Webb is Tillers' International Outreach Coordinator. He was a Tillers intern in 1994, then spent time with the Peace Corps in Mali and the Central African Republic from 1995-1998.