Rushmere Farm Workshops reviews

James reviewed: Spoon Carving Workshop in Hampshire

"Fantastic course. A nice-sized, friendly group of like-minded individuals. Ivan was a great tutor, very patient and ensured that everyone was able to follow along. Very knowledgeable and helpful, teaching the skills in a very relaxed way so that we could enjoy the day. Regular tea breaks throughout the day, and lunch was delicious."

Mr Barrington Booker reviewed: Spoon Carving Workshop in Hampshire

"A lovely day, thoroughly enjoyed my day. Amazing surroundings, restful open space. Excellent tuition. Thank you."

Liz reviewed: Spoon Carving Workshop in Hampshire

"We gave this course to my son for his 13th birthday - he had been whittling Harry Potter wands for months! He loved his day in the bluebell woods and came back happy and proud of his accomplishment (and full of stories of organic farming!). "

Dave Allport reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"This was my second course for stool making with Rushmore Farm organised by George. I really enjoyed the experience first time round and was able to share the weekend this time with my adult son so he is also the proud owner of a green wood stool. The course didn’t disappoint us. We were well tutored by Ivan who guided us through the various stages of the construction offering assistance when needed. A creditable stool can be achieved with little or no previous experience. Daily lunch was transported to the site in the woods by chef Mark who cooked the delicious meals too. Our accommodation was a yurt adjacent to the working area in the wood. It was clean tidy and certainly warm. We spent the evening sitting around the campfire on the Saturday night with a glass of wine. Perfect! As I reviewed before a great ‘get away’ weekend with a lovely result to take home afterwards. Highly recommended. Thanks yet again."

Rushmere Farm Workshops responded:

"Thank you so much for your lovely words. We enjoyed the weekend very much and look forward to seeing you again soon."

Rachel Hollis reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"Fantastic setting and facilities for what was an excellent weekend of learning a new craft. From the felled log to a useable stool. This course has it all. Variety of tools and techniques. Really approachable and friendly course leaders and very experienced in their skills. Refreshments and sustenance was sublime - home made hearty food for outdoor working. Plenty of tea and cake round the campfire and accommodation in shepherds hut over night was the cherry on the top! Thanks for a great weekend."

Rushmere Farm Workshops responded:

"Thank you so much for these lovely words. We were so delighted you could come and join us for this weekend of woodworking in the woods. We'd love to see you again soon on the farm."

Sarah & David Blaikie reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"What a wonderful weekend! I cannot thank Ivan, George and Uncle David enough for such an amazing two days. Everything about it was just magical; the setting was beautiful, the yurt was so cosy, the food was delicious and I'm still amazed that I managed to make such an impressive wooden stool - completely from scratch! I've never done any type of woodwork before, and Ivan is the perfect teacher - calm, patient and great fun. I wish George and his family every success with their fantastic organic farming venture too. You deserve the best of everything. Thank you for such a memorable, restorative and unique weekend."

Elle Gray reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"This was a beautiful weekend. I thought we would be making a simple three legged stool but ended up with a beautiful herringbone weave topped 4 legged stool. Just two of us in the course meant lots of extra tuition And showing us around the farm Such fun on the shave horse and we were well looked after with the most beautiful food... Foraged mushroom s, curry, homemade bread, & chocolate brownies...and a well stocked camp kitchen for breakfast after a comfy night in the yurt. We stayed in the lower camp with the lovely loo with a forest view. Can't recommend highly enough, the skills and care taken by the host to create a wonderful experience."

Luke van de Wiel reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"The course was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. George is very patient and relaxed. You can either ask as many questions as you like and get as much help as you like or just be alone with your thoughts as you're carving. I expected to be making something really basic and rickety looking but they are really sturdy, tidy looking products. Everyone I've shown it to has been pleasantly surprised. The food provided was fantastic too. A word of warning for anyone staying overnight in the yurt in the woods: The yurt itself is very comfy and warm, everything else is very basic; by which I mean no running water. If, like me, you enjoy being in nature then it is the most fantastic thing ever, otherwise, request the yurt in the farmyard."

Ajit reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"I had absolutely no experience with green wood working and George and Ivan did a great job of guiding me all the way to getting a stool made. They were relaxed, knowledgable, and great instructors. The setting for the course couldn't have been better and the combination of learning about British woodland, to staying in a yurt, to working in a wood was fantastic. Couldn't have asked for a better time! Also, very very tasty food for all the meals!"

Steve Glennie reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"Really comprehensive and immersive course. I’ve previously been on a one day stool making course which taught basics of using the shave horse and cleaving with a froe but was a little dissatisfied. This course was a much more involved educational experience from felling the tree to cleaving eight spindles for a stool. These are dried overnight and then pressed into legs prior to an afternoon of weaving seats with natural fibres. The whole weekend is spent in the outdoors including a walk to the local pub and sleeping in one of the two available yurts, plus cooking on open fires fuelled by the ash off-cuts. I loved this course and the stool has become a feature and a talking point. Thanks George and Ivan"

Carolyn and Gordon Raybould reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"We did this weekend in October 2019. It was a great experience to share with each other. First day was spent in the woods, cutting and shaping the wood and the second was in a workshop putting the stool together and hand weaving the seat. Two lovely lunches provided, one cooked on an open fire. Nice pub meal in the evening in the local village. George was very friendly and a good teacher, explaining how to do things and helping out when you got stuck. Would recommend this course"

Dave Allport reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"What can I add to the reviews already submitted. I had a fabulous weekend living and working in the woods on my stool project. George and his lovely family made us most welcome showing genuine interest in our progress over the weekend. With Dave giving us an interesting insight to woodland management. The wholesome food served was most welcome and delicious. The night in the yurt was quite an experience, basic but, being used to the camping life, wasn't a problem. I was however on the course with a female and we both agreed it wasn't a problem for us to share the yurt. George did have a bell tent on standby so all situations were covered if there was an objection. I would really recommend these weekends to get back to nature and meet likeminded people and learn new woodwork skills. I will be looking out for future courses. Thanks for the enjoyable experience."

Debbie Waldron reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"This weekend course on stool-making is an amazing and unique experience. Beginning with some background on the woodland from which the Ash Tree we used had been felled, George skilfully and patiently accompanied us through the process of stool-making from start to finish. He served us wholesome meals to boost our energy and other family members contributed food, drink and vast encouragement! I cannot think of a more enjoyable or rewarding way to spend a weekend. It is a brilliant way to de-stress and being in the woods was like stepping out of time. I cannot recommend this course highly enough."

Suzie Knight reviewed: Green wood stool making weekend

"One of the best weekends I've had in a long time. With George's excellent tuition and infinite patience, my two friends and I managed each to turn a freshly felled piece of tree trunk into a fabulous stool. Two days later and I'm still looking at my stool with a huge amount of pride. I love the fact that ancient methods were used in making the stool, no drills, glue, or power tools! George (and his family) are huge fun to be with, there was a lot of laughter all weekend! The accomodation in a yurt was just perfect and George's home cooked food delicious. I highly recommend this course.....in fact I can't stop talking about it!"