Folk School Retreat Information
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Introduction to Folk School Retreats
Introduction to Folk School Retreats
A Hopework Folk School retreat is a weekend of individual and group inquiry, exploration, and discovery shaped by a theme or topic. The physical space and workshop process is ideal for 16 to 20 participants who span generations, life-stages, and age ranges. Each retreat will include new participants and some who have participated in a retreat once or more in the past. We are committed to an open process where participants in the folk school create for themselves activities for retreats that will renew and energize their work to build for social justice a better world. Thus, each Folk School retreat begins with a small group of 5 to 7 volunteer planners who meet several times in advance of the retreat to create the "shape" of the weekend by designing a flow activities intented to stimulate our inquiry, provide us with rich experiences, and lead us toward fresh insight and discovery.
A Folk School retreat works best when all participants are present and actively engaged for the whole time, from the beginning to the end. Please try to arrive by 6:00 P.M. on Friday evening in time for dinner with participants. The last circle go-around will end about noon on Sunday.
What Happens at a Folk School Retreat
In general, a Folk School weekend retreat begins with welcoming each other as we arrive Friday evening and choosing and settling into our rooms. Introductions are made at dinner, a simple meal prepared by participants and served about 6:30 pm. Evening activities, which help us get to know each other and to set the theme of our inquiry, start after dinner and go until 9 or 10 pm. Free time until bed often consists of informal conversations in small groups or games and activities.Saturday morning begins with a simple help-yourself breakfast from 8-9 am. A "learning circle" activity focusing on sharing stories from our own experiences is a common morning session activity. Lunch preparation and clean up are shared by the participants. The afternoon session usually includes free time and small group work and conversation to further our process of inquiry, experience, and discovery. Dinner preparations and clean up are a community activity. An evening session may lead into informal singing, drumming or other group activities and free time as we allow new insights, ideas, and experiences to "simmer" before we sleep.
Sunday breakfast is often quite a feast. A circle from 9-11 where participants share something of what they taking home with them often am brings the weekend to a close. Cleanup is shared by all and includes distributing any leftover foods to those who can make use of them. Everyone is on their way home by about noon.
Folk School Retreat Location
Folk school retreats have often been held at Shalom Hill Farm near Windom, Minnesota, about 50 miles west of Mankato and 21/2 to 3 hours drive from Minneapolis. Detailed directions are included below. Click on the link to see pictures of Shalom Hill Farm Be sure to check specific details included in retreat invitation announcements posted to the Hopework Event Schedule and Announcements Mailing List .
You won’t need to bring your sleeping bag. Shalom Hill Farm provides pillows, sheets, towels, and blankets. Private showers are available. Dress for the weather outdoors and bring comfortable indoor clothing. Bring personal items and toiletries including soap and shampoo. Musical instruments are welcome. You may want to include your favorite book, pen, notebook, camera or music.
A Word about Cost and Price
Folk School retreats are home-grown and self-sustaining. This means that the cost you pay to attend is the cost that is actually incurred for your food and lodging. People interested in creating a retreat volunteer to plan and facilitate the weekend's activities, others volunteer to purchase food and coordinate meals, and everyone helps with cooking and clean up. COST. Updated info 1/06. Our group usually buys our own food and prepares our own meals for Friday dinner through Sunday brunch. The total cost of a retreat, including food and lodging, is about $70 per person. Specific rates are included in retreat invitation announcements posted to the Hopework Event Schedule and Announcements Mailing List SLIDING FEE. To recognize the fact that different people have different abilities to pay, we offer a self-selected sliding fee ranging from $25 less than your cost to $25 (or more) over your cost. What you pay is up to you--there is no application or review process. If you choose to pay less than your cost, you are accepting a scholarship. If you choose to pay more than cost, you are providing a scholarship for someone else.BANKER. John Wallace will serve as the banker for retreats. Please make your checks out to him. You may pay in advance or at the retreat. If you want to send a check, please send it to John at 4536 Dupont Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55409.
MEALS. Simple meals are prepared on site by retreat participants. Meals are often entirely vegetarian, but if not, a vegetarian option will be available. Please note any special dietary needs when you register.
Registration
To register, please e-mail John Wallace (walla003@umn.edu) or Lynn Englund (engl8813@umn.edu) saying that you would like to participate. We will assign you a single room unless you indicate that you will be rooming with another participant or that you are willing to have a roommate. Please register no later than 2 days prior to the start of the retreat so that food can be purchased in advance. Your registration will be acknowledged to confirm that a room is available for you.
Please include in your registration message the following information:
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Name
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Food requirements: vegetarian, vegan, other food desires or allergies?
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If you are driving, let us know your estimated departure and arrival times and whether you will have room for others.
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If you need a ride, indicate the time you can leave and where you will be on Friday.
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When we should expect you if you are unable to arrive by 6 pm or need to leave early.
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An emergency contact number of someone who knows of your plans.
Transportation
The plan is that some people will drive their cars and give others rides. There is a place on the registration form to let the planners know whether you can drive or if you will need a ride. As the retreat date approaches, John will put out a summary of who is driving and who needs a ride so that good travel matches can be made. Also, please let him know if you would like to caravan with other cars.
Allow for rush-hour traffic delays. Please plan to leave the Twin Cities early enough on Friday afternoon to get to Shalom Hill at the latest by 6 pm, if possible. Under ideal traffic conditions, it takes about 2.5 hours to drive from the Twin Cities to Shalom Hill, but plan on 3.5 hours if you will be leaving the cities after 3 pm. The tricky traffic issue is getting out of the cities and through the western suburbs, along 494 and then 169 heading down to Mankato. This can be slow during peak traffic times, which start early on Friday afternoons.
Communication and
Contact Information
John Wallace is the contact person for retreat questions, registrations, and emergencies. Important: If you are delayed in arriving, undable to attend at the last minute, or need to leave during the reatreat for an emergency, please contact John Wallace to let him know that you are safe.
If you cannot reach John by calling Shalom Hill Farm at (507) 831-2232, try Lynn or Peter's cell phones:Lynn: (612) 710-7287
Peter: (612) 250-4207
Contact Information
John Wallace
Department of Philosophy
University of Minnesota
831 Heller Hall
271 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0310
(612) 624-5210
FAX (612) 626-8380
E-mail: walla003@tc.umn.edu
Shalom Hill Farm Foundation
42194 County road 3
Windom, Minnesota 56101
Phone: (507) 831-2232, or (507) 831-5127Mark Yackel-Juleen, Executive Director of Operations
Margaret Yackel-Juleen,Vice President-Secretary-Treasurer