Making Wildcrafted Soap with Chris Gavin

This workshop will be a fun blend of learning about nature, natural ingredients, and wildcrafting.  Chris Gavin will share a range alternate ingredients to make your own custom soaps.

Date and Time: The class will be held from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, February 15th.

Programming Cost: $35/person. Start registration by clicking the RSVP link; Payment will be made on the day of the event due to the risk of inclement weather and possible cancellation. We will send you the invoice in advance, based on the information you provide in your RSVP/reservation.

Location: on-site at “Iowisota”, 2472 IA-26, Lansing, Iowa. We will be meeting in the Gathering Room and guest kitchen.

What to expect for the Sunday afternoon event: You will learn about the process and components to make soaps from fats, base/alkali, and fragrance. This is a hands-on interactive session, where we will learn about how to vary the components to make custom soaps for different purposes. Each person will take home a bar of handcrafted pine tar soap and the knowledge to be able explore more on your own. Chris Gavin is an animated teacher, renowned for his knowledge of outdoor skills, wild food cuisine, and all things nature. A minimum of 8 participants is needed to cover the cost of this event.

Overnight “B&B” stay:  Come early to enjoy some of the cool things that Iowisota and the Driftless Area have to offer.  Additional $75/person (or $100/room) per night; Breakfasts are included. Lodging taxes will be added. If you are interested in an overnight stay, fill out the "Booking Request Form" ( https://forms.wix.com/r/7166520443166261937) that you will find on the Accommodations tab of the website.

·        Stay in one of our 6 guest bedrooms, with all the modern amenities. (See the accommodations tab of the website for information on all the rooms).

What to expect from an overnight stay: The setting of Iowisota includes nearly 200 acres of private forest and many trails to hike and explore. The sleeping rooms are a delightful blend of historic, rustic, and modern. The “gathering room” with its stone fireplace, expansive windows, and comfortable seating provides a place to hang out and chat or explore the “library”. Nearby attractions include the Driftless Area Visitor Center, Downtown Lansing, Effigy Mounds, and so much more.

About the speaker/guest expert: Chris Gavin lives near Madison, Wisconsin. He was born and raised in Wisconsin and got an early start foraging for wild berries and morels as a kid. He took his interest as a naturalist on the road traveling across the US and abroad before returning to the Upper Midwest to delve deep into the rich natural history of the region. Chris’s interests are as varied as the natural landscape, but he has a particular interest in hunting and gathering, preparing wild foods, bushcraft skills and ecology. He founded Eagle Outdoor Skills to foster connections in the natural world and to help integrate people into their local environments.

About your hosts: Linda and Dennis Haugen both recently retired from careers as forest health specialists with the US Forest Service. Linda grew up on the Iowisota property, moving here with her parents in 1968. Linda and Dennis built the new residence/retreat center and moved back to northeast Iowa in 2023. They have a wealth of knowledge about natural resources in general, and about the Iowisota property specifically.   

How to sign up and pay: Registration is limited to 15 participants. On-site accommodation is limited. Click the link for registration, and then fill out the registration form. This will hold your space. A few days before the event, we will email you an invoice that you can pay by cash, check, credit card, or paypal on the day of the event.