In article >,
"Virginia Tadrzynski" > wrote:

> I just attended a "Ladies' Night Out' at church with a speaker and an
> optional craft (blessing wreath). I was speaking to the organizer about
> upcoming events and we got around to discussing the last 'cooking' night.
> They had a 24 speaker who had a cook book collection of (drum roll
> please)....20 cookbooks. I snorted and called her a rank amateur (I think
> I have around 3k but don't quote me). I suggested a night where we trade
> crafts. I crochet and can do cross stitch and have done other artsy fartsy
> things, but the one thing I cannot do is knit. I told her I would like to
> learn how. She looked whistful and said the one thing she would like to do
> is learn to jar thingies. I asked her 'you mean canning and preserving' and
> she said yes. I told her I would get back with her, as we could work out how
> it could be taught to the group.
>
> So here is a hypothetical question for you, my illustrious group of canning
> giants. What would you trade teaching canning skills for? What would you
> like to learn that you don't know how to do? I think I would can all day
> for someone if they would just clean my damned house for me. What about
> you?

Ginny, I'm not sure that in my other post I made clear that rather than
trade (too much negotiating fair) mostly I'd prefer to do it with no
exchange other than expense money. Pay it forward. Part of my pitch
last night was an offer to come help someone with the canning ‹ free of
charge. I'm pretty sure that one woman may take me up on it; I made the
same offer a month ago at the apple butter class and never had a call.
Which tells me that those folks (your case may be different) were just
looking for a congenial night out; or maybe after the class they decided
it was too much work. Dunno.

Now, re-reading your post, you're talking about teaching an organized
group -- sounds like my last night's adventure. I'm back to cash again
-- people around here pay $30 for a 2-hour Community Ed class (a common
charge) in artsy fartsy stuff, I think. In the spirit of Good Christian
Fellowship, that might be steep, but I'm not so sure that $15 is
unreasonable, especially if the group is small and they do hands on and
they go home with what they made.

It's an interesting question to think about. I'd suggest a demo class
unless you've got LOTS of working space and not more than about 4 people.

Heck, ask Ellen what she does. I don't know if hers is a paid position
but she's working with folks in a community kitchen, I believe.


--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007