Homesteading fest brings DIY to the VIC

All-day event coming Saturday, Sept. 29

PAUL SMITHS, NY (09/19/2012)(readMedia)-- So, you want to do it yourself. Be self-sufficient.

Can food. Press cider. Butcher a chicken. Chop wood.

You're not alone – and on Saturday, Sept. 29, a daylong event at the Paul Smith's College VIC will focus on the growing homesteading movement. While many of the skills being showcased at workshops during the event hearken to an earlier era, they offer benefits for modern lifestyles.

"Rural skills and homesteading is less about going back in time and more about moving forward," said Prof. Brett McLeod, organizer of the Adirondack Rural Skills & Homesteading Festival. "It's a way to live more simply, practically and sustainably."

The event is one of hundreds happening across the country as part of International Homesteading Education Month, sponsored by Mother Earth News and Grit magazine. Followers of the movement cite varying reasons for getting involved: Some appreciate the environmental benefits of a back-to-the-earth mentality, and others appreciate the savings that comes from providing one's own food.

Paul Smith's College faculty, staff and students, as well as representatives of area organizations, will offer a series of lectures and hands-on workshops throughout the day. More than two dozen sessions will be held, including sessions on using draft horses in the field; making butter; building fires without matches; and tying flies.

Additionally, the Paul Smith's College woodsmen's team will stage an exhibition, the Adirondack Farmers' Market will be open, and Cary and Curt Stager will perform music.

The event will run from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and costs $5 per person, or $10 per vehicle. To see a complete schedule, and for other information: http://adirondackvic.org/Adirondack-Rural-Skills-and-Homesteading-Festival-2012.html

ABOUT PAUL SMITH'S COLLEGE

At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. Our programs – in fields including hospitality, culinary arts, forestry, natural resources, entrepreneurship and the sciences – draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere.