2023: Year in Review

Neil Godden discusses the year 2023 at The Heartwood School.

I am pleased to announce that we had a very successful year at the Heartwood School. The Heartwood School has settled into the new schoolhouse at 299 Pratt Road in Alstead NH. It is a wonderful space with a heated 35’ x 100’ indoor shop with an adjacent classroom and outdoor yard. We are very happy to be there.

Over 300 Students

This past year we had over 300 students, as well 4 apprentices and 4 instructors that are new Heartwood. We offered a total of 25 classes, of which 3 were new offerings. One of the new classes that I would like to highlight is the Scribe Joinery 2- French Scribe class. This class is one class of a 3-part series of scribing classes. We also offered an Advanced Stereotomy for Timber Framers course. This class was attended by mostly long practicing timber framers wanting to advance their knowledge and develop new skill sets.

2024 Course Schedule

We recently launched our new website, complete with our 2024 Course Schedule. Our upcoming schedule has a few new and exciting offerings. We are offering: our first ‘On the Road’ Timber Framing class in South Carolina, an ‘English Scribe’ class that is part of the 3-course series on Scribing; as well as a Carpentry for Women+ class. Based on many requests, we will be offering two SketchUp for Timber Framing Courses virtually in 2024. In addition, we will be offering two new woodworking classes: a ‘Make and Take’ Workbench class and a ‘Make and Take’ Japanese Stool course.

Instructors & Apprentices

I would like to thank all of the hard working, talented instructors that have taught classes this past year at the Heartwood School. We could not do it without you! I enjoy working with all of you. Thank you to Hank Silver for lending us his telehandler while he has been over in France working on the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is greatly appreciated. I would also like to thank the Bensonwood Team. You have been gracious hosts inviting the Heartwood School into your community. We appreciate all the help you have offered over the past year. It is nice to move into a new home and be surrounded by such a supportive group. Thank you to our donors - your contributions have been vital to our programming and have allowed us the ability to share our knowledge with those who may not have been able to participate otherwise.

Every year, Heartwood has several apprentices. I would like to send a big thank you to our Heartwood’s 2023 apprentices; Emily Barkei, Joseph Landry, Ryan Moritz, and José Saldarriaga Gómez. You have all helped out tremendously and we could not have had such a successful year without the four of you.

Boards

I would also like to thank the Heartwood School and TFG Boards for their support during this transition and for helping the Heartwood School grow. I am grateful for your volunteer service and support as we are transitioning to a longer schedule, developing new programming, and building new local relationships.

I would like to send a big thank you to our many new and returning students! We’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to share knowledge, inspiration and community with you. We hope to have you back again soon. Please come take a class and join us in 2024!

Neil Godden

Executive Director, Heartwood School

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Heartwood on the Road: South Carolina!

By Heartwood School • 15 Apr, 2024

Heartwood on the Road: South Carolina! This February, students raised the first Heartwood School frame of 2024, marking the end of the inaugural course in our Heartwood On the Road program. Hosted in collaboration with MoreSun Timber Frames, we took our one-week timber framing course from chilly New Hampshire to sunny South Carolina. Students from all over the United States, including as far away as Alaska and Hawaii spent the week learning to cut traditional wooden joinery with hand tools. Their hard work concluded in a hand raising of a 12’ x 16’ dutch-style frame at the Foothills Farmstead in Oconee County. The Foothills Farmstead is dedicated to historic preservation and will host a living living history farm and museum, with a variety

Small Frame - Huge Possibilities

By Mike Grinley • 26 Feb, 2024

Small Frame - Huge Possibilities As a home-based graphic designer, I really wanted to build my own studio. I wanted it to be beautiful, cost-effective, and something that was relatively quick to construct. After conferring with my friend, Neil Godden (Executive Director of the Heartwood School), he suggested I attend a 5-day timber framing workshop. I was able to purchase the student-built 12’ X 14’ frame, providing a quick and relatively inexpensive start to my project. I made a down-payment on the frame in April and began preparing for the September workshop. In order to raise the structure on my property in the fall, I needed to prepare a solid foundation. I prepared the site by clearing small trees and brush, followed by excavation of the top soil layer/earth. The space was filled with crushed stone and compacted to further stabilize the building site. I chose to construct the project on granite plinths, pouring 10 cement piers, one each for the 10 posts of my timber frame. The preparations were completed by laying 2” X 12” pressure-treated boards to receive the timber frame sills. The September workshop was a thrilling experience! I learned a great deal, had a lot of fun, and met a community of like-minded, truly talented friendly people. Shortly after, the frame arrived, and I had the raising in October. With the assistance of some hired help, we managed to work through the winter. We closed it in, insulated it, wired it, and added the finishing touches by mid-summer. Although it took a little longer than expected, I now spend every day in my studio, a space I absolutely love! Mike Grinley