Support Gardening, Nature Studies, & Soapmaking

Chances are, if you have ever been to the Folk Schools campus, you have engaged with our garden. This campus space provides a diverse array of crops, supporting numerous studios and many programs, including homesteading, nature studies, and soapmaking.

The endowed Donna and Cory Brown Dye Garden is filled with dye plants that create color for additional studios and programs on campus. This garden honors the memory of Folk School natural dye and surface design instructor Donna Brown and her son Cory Brown. The purpose of the dye garden is to bring people together, and it has become a space where students and instructors can gather resources for their class, learn about natural dye plants, and share seeds with community members interested in starting their own gardens.

With your support, the Folk School can ensure that our gardening & homesteading, nature studies, and soapmaking programs continue to thrive.

Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated; donations of $1,000 or more can be restricted to studio facilities and equipment needs, which are determined annually by staff.

Support Gardening, Nature Studies, and Soapmaking

Support the Donna and Cory Brown Dye Garden Endowment

A person is outdoors, wearing a teal vest with pins. Trees are visible in the background.

Cooking, Gardening & Homesteading, Nature Studies, and Soap Making Coordinator

Susannah Thompson

Susannah found the Folk School while looking for contra dance in western NC. Shortly after moving to the area, she earned her striped tights and wooden clogs as a member of Dame’s Rocket, one of the Brasstown Morris Dance teams. She has also been a teacher for over 20 years.

In forests and on camera, in school libraries, and in the kitchen, she enjoys creating new adventures for students of all ages. She started teaching at the Folk School in 2017 and is best known for her British Baking class. When she’s not in the cooking studio or on the dance floor, you can find her searching for salamanders, paddling local lakes, or assisting with wildlife monitoring projects.

A person smiling while holding a purple iris flower, with a sign partially visible in the background.

Creative Program Advisor in Gardening & Homesteading, Nature Studies, Soap Making, Storytelling

Karen Hurtubise

Karen and her husband have a small farm and grow diverse crops including native plants, berries, tomatoes, mushrooms, turmeric, and ginger. They began a large organic vegetable, flower, and herb garden over 30 years ago in Hayesville, NC, and won a Southeast Regional Rodale Organic Gardening Garden-of-the-Year contest. Karen is a passionate advocate of healthy agriculture, local food, and forest farming. She has been teaching at the Folk School since 1994.