EVENTS
Bluebird Boxes: Learning & Woodworking Workshop
at the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum
Jan. 31, 10-11:30 a.m. // Cost: Free
Reserve your tickets
Join us at the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum for a hands-on woodworking and wildlife education workshop presented by Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre.
During this 90-minute program, participants will learn about local bird species and the challenges wildlife face, then put that knowledge into action by building a bluebird nesting box to take home. Along the way, you’ll explore how small, thoughtful actions can make a big difference and what it means to be a good wildlife neighbour in a changing climate.
About Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre
Based in Napanee, Ontario, Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre rehabilitates more than 6,000 wild animals every year, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Animals come to Sandy Pines when they are injured, sick, or orphaned, and their work is more important than ever as warming temperatures continue to impact local ecosystems.
Registration Details
- Program fee: Free
- Reservation fee: $10 per ticket (refunded upon attendance)
- Participants who do not attend will forfeit the $10 reservation fee
- Each ticket includes materials to build one bluebird nesting box
- Up to four people may attend per ticket and work together on one box
Who Can Attend
- All ages and woodworking experience are welcome
- Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult guardian
We look forward to welcoming you to the MacLachlan for a morning of learning, making, and meaningful action for wildlife. 🐦🪵
Reserve your tickets
Introduction to Greenwood Spoon Carving (current sessions full)
at the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum
Get your tickets:
Curious about spoon carving but not sure where to start? This hands-on introductory workshop is designed for beginners who want to build a strong foundation in greenwood spoon carving before joining a casual carving club or untaught carving circle.
Led by experienced instructor Luke Howie, this small-group workshop offers a low-key, supportive learning environment with plenty of one-on-one guidance. It’s ideal for anyone looking to learn the fundamentals, slow down, work with their hands, and explore spoon carving as a creative and meditative practice.
What to expect:
Participants will receive focused instruction on:
- Wood selection and understanding greenwood
- Safe use of sharp-edged hand tools
- Foundational and advanced carving grips and techniques
- Spoon design, layout, and shaping
- Introductory hatchet work (at the instructor’s discretion)
- Finish carving and treating completed spoons
You’ll have dedicated time to work through a spoon carving project while learning both the theory and practice behind the craft.
Why take this class
This workshop is a prerequisite for attending the Monthly Greenwood Spoon Carving Club.
As an added bonus, registration includes one free Spoon Carving Club session within the year.
What to bring
- If you have them, your own straight or spoon carving knives (Scandi-ground).
- No tools? No problem. All required tools will be provided
Details:
- Cost $50 (Includes one free session to the monthly Spoon club, normally $10 drop in)
- When We have two sessions currently January 17, and February 3. After this the Introduction course has a session every other month.
- Where At the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum,
Greenwood Spoon Carving Club
at the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum
Cost: $10 per session
Capacity: Maximum 16 participants
Schedule: Monthly
First session: Saturday, February 14 | 1–3 pm Tickets here
Format: Casual drop-in (Attendees must have attended an introduction class)
The Greenwood Spoon Carving Club is a relaxed, social carving session for folks who already have basic spoon carving experience. This is not a formal class, but rather a chance to gather, share space, and carve together.
To attend, participants must have completed an Introduction to Greenwood Spoon Carving workshop with Luke Howie (either at the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum or elsewhere), or have prior experience with greenwood carving and the use of sharp-edged hand tools.
What to expect
- An untaught but supported environment
- Time and space to work on your own spoon projects
- A welcoming, inclusive group of fellow carvers
- Guidance and supervision focused on safe tool use
While there’s no formal instruction, participants can expect informal support around:
- Spoon layout and design
- Roughing out blanks and finish carving
- Treating completed spoons
At its heart, Spoon Club is about community. It’s about slowing down, making something useful, and connecting with others through a craft that’s quietly radical in its simplicity.
What to bring
- Your carving tools (tools will also be available to borrow)
- Snacks and drinks if desired (no food available on site)
- Optional: a freshly cut green branch or limb (minimum 4” diameter) to share
Good to know
- Spoon Carving Club runs monthly, except January
- Intro workshops are offered every other month (see Introduction Workshop above)
- Participants who have taken Luke’s intro class at other locations are welcome
PROGRAMS
We are currently offering the following programs for school/small groups:
Habitat Heroes: Participants will learn about local species and habitats while developing awareness of how their actions can help or harm local ecosystems. Content will include guided tours of the MacLachlan property, a stewardship-focused game and the opportunity to create bug hotels to take home.
This program can be tailored for participants in Kindergarten to Gr. 5.
Nailed It: Nailed It! will teach participants about a variety of trees, the differences between soft and hard woods, and how to use both heritage and modern tools while woodworking. They will use what they learned throughout the program to design and build a wooden creation to take home.
