If you’re looking to stay close to home for your summer vacation think about taking a four-day timber frame construction workshop at Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson. On July 23-26, Thursday to Sunday, eight students will work with instructors to build a complete frame from stump to finished frame.

Students will work with two very experienced instructors to learn the basics of sustainable forestry and saw mill operation, building design principles, and hands-on building techniques for constructing a simple frame. By the end of the workshop students will have completed and raised the finished frame. Most class time will be spent with tools in hand and working in small groups.

Tuition is $450 for HVNC, MOFGA, SWLA, PWA, SVCA and DLWA members, and $500 for all others. Scholarships may be available. Tuition includes lunch each day, use of all necessary tools, a cookout on Sunday and an HVNC membership.

No experience is necessary. Complete information and registration is available online at www.hvnc.org/registration.

The student-built frame from this workshop will be erected at Whitefield Elementary School as a student pavilion.

Timber framing, sometimes referred to as post and beam building, is a historic way of building that uses specific joinery to erect a building made from large beams.

For more information about HVNC’s events, or to find out how you can support HVNC visit www.hvnc.org, write to info@hvnc.org, or call 207-200-8840.