Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:
> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
>> 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
>
>
> The way this thing usually works is that once a month the 'ladies' in the
> church meet for coffee and a speaker then those who wish to, do something
> with their hands. The last one I went to we made a 'blessing wreath' and
> were told upfront, if you wanted to do the craft the cost per person would
> be $6 to cover the items needed. Once they did a cooking demo and it cost
> $5 a head to cover the cost of the items cooked. Most of these 'sharing'
> ideas are just that, you share your knowledge and is just a subtle push to
> get going on something. The emphasis is on the getting together outside of
> Sunday mornings and without men and children rather than on the topic at
> hand.
>
> I do, however, agree that if you are teaching a class, you should never
> devalue your worth. I would teach this in a flash and bring all my canning
> gadjets with me, but they would have to provide the jars and the ingredients
> (I may be generous with my time, but NEVER my jars). But this is for the
> church where I attend. I will take your advice if asked to do this outside
> of the congregation I attend.
>
> What I really would like to do is take the teenaged girls from the youth
> group and conscript all the 'seasoned' ladies who loved to hear about my
> fair adventures and tell me what they 'used to do when they were kids' to
> help teach this. Sort of serving two purposes, teaching the younger girls
> (and boys if they are interested) that all food that comes out of a jar does
> not originate in aisle 7 of the grocery store, and make some ladies who
> often feel like they are 'past it' feel like they are a vital part of the
> 'community' again. Also, how else can you pass down an oral history if you
> let those who know it pass on into that dark night without tapping the
> hidden resource.
> -ginny
>
> the working space. The congregation I belong to has a reprobate chef as
> member. Everytime he felt guilty about something he made a donation to the
> church kitchen fund. He must have been one bad mofo, because when they
> added on a fellowship hall with a new kitchen he donated the whole kitchen,
> with two industrial sized refridgerators, and an industrial ten burner gas
> range (I want to say subzero, but I'm not sure) an industrial dishwasher
> and more than enough counterspace to make Mother Teresa curse. The kitchen
> can handle it.
> -g
>
>
Let me know if they ever decide to sell the church hall. That sounds
like my dream kitchen.

I have a drawing stashed away for when I win the Powerball lottery.
3,000 square foot house, three 12X12 bedrooms, three bathrooms, and the
rest is kitchen with living, eating, and office facilities built in. The
pantry alone is 600 square feet. All I have to do is remember to buy the
!@##$ tickets.

George, having a bad eye day, had to enlarge the font on my mail reader
to about 24 to be able to read the messages.