Harvesting Hues event happening at Retreat Farm

Looking ahead to a colorful summer, the Retreat Farm, 45 Farmhouse Square, announces “Harvesting Hues,” a natural dye workshop series led by artist and educator Kate Milliken, featuring fiber artist Gail Callahan. The Saturday series invites participants of all ages and experience levels to explore the remarkable colors hidden in food scraps, garden plants, and the natural world.

On Saturday, June 20, from 2 to 4 pm, explore compost dyeing, by turning onion skins and avacado peels into dyes. The July program, sun printing with turmeric, will be held on Saturday, July 18, from 2 to 4 pm. On Saturday, August 1, from 1 to 3 pm, harvest dye plants from the Hope Garden at the farm and learn about processing natural dyes. Finally, head into fall by pressing Hope Garden plants into fabric in an eco-printing workshop on Saturday, September 6, from 2 to 5 pm. And keep an eye out over the summer; more opportunities to explore the vibrant world of plant-based arts will be added.

“Harvesting Hues” is part of Retreat Farm’s new Land & Its People Initiative—a program exploring the deep, layered histories of this land and the communities who have shaped it and have been shaped by it. Natural dyeing is one of humanity’s oldest relationships with plants, and these workshops invite participants to reconnect with dye plants in a hands-on, creative way.

Program fees are $35 for compost dyeing, sun printing, and the eco-printing workshop; and $25 for the harvesting dye plants event. Register at retreatfarm.ticketspice.com/harvesting-hues. A limited number of free tickets are available; contact ksullivan@retreatfarm.org to inquire.