Villagers: Mercantile for a Grounded Life

Villagers: Mercantile for a Grounded Life V I L L A G E R S offers supplies + workshops for thoughtful living. Books and educational workshops that complement the store’s products are also offered.

We offer supplies, resources, workshops + inspiration for a variety of homestead and sustainable lifestyle activities such as vegetable gardening, composting, chicken keeping, canning + preserving foods, herbal medicine, home dairy and more. VILLAGERS’s work is dedicated to inspiring and enabling healthy change of our built environment and personal lives, toward a more harmonious, more resilient w

ay of modern living. Our focus is on incremental, small-scale projects in the realms of homesteading and sustainable living.

Oh, Autumn…The world feels so heavy right now, and yet Autumn reminds us of all that we get to let go of. Like leaves th...
10/26/2023

Oh, Autumn…

The world feels so heavy right now, and yet Autumn reminds us of all that we get to let go of.

Like leaves that drop from every tree around us, we too have the opportunity to shed that which is too heavy to carry.

Humanity is in a profound portal of transformation… will we emerge in love?

Can we finally learn from seasons past, tree ring upon tree ring, generations upon generations of violence, corruption, and greed, and turn our branches towards the light of interdependence, connection, and earth-based living?

Will these spackled, brown leaves fall to the Earth and create rich soil, so that we can begin again?

The seasons give us hope that anything is possible, from the miracles of spring to the great shedding of fall.

It grounds me to know that the Earth has our back through it all. Amidst the chaos, we too can ground our energy into our roots like the trees around us this Autumn, building our foundational reserves to forge resiliency.

Grow those roots deep, so you can stretch your branches tall.

By Villagers contributer

Photo by , participant at our “Magnificent Trees” class last weekend.

This absolutely epic ensemble is Tod Kershaw's pre-apocalyptic blacksmithing forge! Learn to build one of these in your ...
10/13/2023

This absolutely epic ensemble is Tod Kershaw's pre-apocalyptic blacksmithing forge! Learn to build one of these in your backyard at our Neo Pre-Post Apocalyptic Blacksmithing workshop on Saturday, October 28th at the Villagers outdoor river venue, 12-5p.

It’s post-apocalyptic because it could theoretically be done in a post apocalyptic setting. Its pre-post-apocalyptic since we’re not (yet) in that setting....and it’s Neo to make it more pretentious 😉

Check out more of Tod's incredible work

For more info + to register, visit forvillagers.com.

The dog days of summer are behind us here in the Toe River Valley… 😂❤️We love living closely with the seasons and our wo...
09/29/2023

The dog days of summer are behind us here in the Toe River Valley… 😂❤️

We love living closely with the seasons and our work ebbing and flowing as they do.

All spring was spent beautifying and planting up our river venue, summer has been full swing hosting classes + retreats, and now we are winding down the season and looking forward to more nourishing stillness ahead.

What are you most looking forward to about Autumn? What was your summer highlight?

❤️

There’s still a few spots left for.. Music, Munchies, Magic and Mead ✨Sunday, Oct 8 // 1-6:30pJoin Villagers +  and  for...
09/29/2023

There’s still a few spots left for.. Music, Munchies, Magic and Mead ✨

Sunday, Oct 8 // 1-6:30p

Join Villagers + and for a day celebrating our interdependence with the natural world, diving into Food as Medicine at our beautiful venue on the South Toe River.

Come for one class or join us for the all day event + grazing selection of what seasonal food is locally available from farm + forage.

Menu items include:
Dry Ridge Farm deviled eggs w/ ramp salt, wild mushroom dust, and green onion

Hickory Nut Gap pasture raised, spatchcocked chicken

Saucey Spread: chickpea mash, beet hummus, medicinal pesto

Golden spiced sipping broth from herbs, roots, and fungal friends

Sourdough breads w/ herb-infused butter

Pickled and preserved fruits: figs, lemons, and peaches, oh my!

Fruit + nut board w/ L***y Monk mustard, olives, pickles and more!

Grab a friend and snag your spot to welcome in the shift of the seasons and learn how to bring medicinal cooking + preparation practices into your own home.

For more info + to register, visit forvillagers.com

**SALE!** Honoring the Deer w/  This weekend’s immersion into crafting your own primitive toolkit with the lower legs of...
09/13/2023

**SALE!** Honoring the Deer w/

This weekend’s immersion into crafting your own primitive toolkit with the lower legs of the whitetail deer is now $170 for both classes, $250 for both classes + camping.

This is an absolute STEAL for this incredible class with a master craftsman. Scroll through ’s Instagram and you’ll be in awe of his creations!

Class runs 10a-4p on Sat + Sun at our river property in Celo.

Learn how to utilize all the gifts that the deer people provide.

For more info + to register, visit forvillagers.com. See you at the river!

Join us for… MUSIC, MUNCHIES, MAGIC & MEAD! This all-day event on Oct 8 // 1-6:30p includes two classes, mead tasting, l...
09/13/2023

Join us for… MUSIC, MUNCHIES, MAGIC & MEAD!

This all-day event on Oct 8 // 1-6:30p includes two classes, mead tasting, live music, and a delicious food spread of what’s locally available from farm + forage!

Wren Lizbeth AKA will be teaching a Food as Medicine class and supplying our menu for light grazing.

Menu items include:
Dry Ridge Farm deviled eggs w/ ramp salt, wild mushroom dust, and green onion
Hickory Nut Gap pasture raised, spatchcocked chicken 
Saucey Spread: chickpea mash, beet hummus, medicinal pesto
Golden spiced sipping broth from herbs, roots, and fungal friends
Sourdough breads w/ herb-infused butter
Pickled and preserved fruits: figs, lemons, and peaches, oh my!
Fruit + nut board w/ L***y Monk mustard, olives, pickles and more!

Come just for Jillian’s class and the food spread ($75) or stay all day for our “Meadotation” Mead Making Class + tasting.

For more info + to register, visit forvillagers.com

**SALE** Weekend Immersion REDUCED to $170 (both classes) // $250 (both classes + camping)Last chance to sign up for thi...
09/13/2023

**SALE** Weekend Immersion REDUCED to $170 (both classes) // $250 (both classes + camping)

Last chance to sign up for this immersion with Jeremy Crosby at our river property in Celo this weekend. Check out his stellar portfoilio at on Instagram.

Class runs 10a-4p Sat + Sun. Come just for class or camp Friday and Saturday night by the South Toe River!

Come learn one of the most fundamental earthskills in your journey of becoming more self-sufficient and in reclaiming the ways of your ancestors.

Learn more + register at: https://forvillagers.com/collections/upcoming-events/products/honoring-the-deer

Join Luke Cannon for… Magnificent Trees of the Southern Appalachias // October 15th 9:30a-4p!Now, more than ever, there ...
09/08/2023

Join Luke Cannon for… Magnificent Trees of the Southern Appalachias // October 15th 9:30a-4p!

Now, more than ever, there is a need to bring our human culture into balance with the exquisite ecosystems of our Earth. There is a calling to reawaken to the language of nature, learn the planet’s most magnificent stories, and become so familiar with plants, trees, wildlife, and fungi that they become as friends.

Luke’s class is designed to facilitate facilitate both relational and informational learning, while connecting with others to celebrate and enjoy the majesty of the wilds.

Come enjoy a fun and fascinating day of learning about the incredible trees of our area.

In this workshop, we will take time to meet and explore some of most prominent species, learning key identification features, edible and medicinal uses, wood qualities, ecological connections, folklore and more!

We will spend the morning meeting the trees along the Toe River at the Villagers river venue before heading to an uplands trail after lunch.

For more info + to register, visit forvillagers.com

Larry Cooper is a master craftsman with decades of experience. This weekend, he’s here this teaching SPOON CARVING (Sloy...
09/05/2023

Larry Cooper is a master craftsman with decades of experience. This weekend, he’s here this teaching SPOON CARVING (Sloyd Swedish Style)!

Saturday, 1:30-4:30p // $45
The hand carving of wooden eating and cooking utensils is truly an ancient skill. Larry will introduce you to a modern (mid 1860s) Scandinavian style of carving called Sloyd.

Sloyd introduces a carefully thought out series of ‘holds’ that allow small, accurate cuts and maximizes safety and control while carving your utensil.

You will learn how to move the knife so that the energy of movement with your knife hand will end with your intentional body movement. When you try to paint a very fine line you may use two hands, one to paint and one to rest your control hand on.

The Sloyd style is similar to this and the safest way to carve with controlled and intentional, small movements.

We’ll make a couple of tools: a basic spreader for your peanut butter and a cooking spoon. Larry will bring wooden blanks for this class to make things easier and will demonstrate the use of an axe to make more complex spoons when you’re ready to begin a greater understanding of carving.

There will be knives available for use or for purchase.

Address

Burnsville, NC

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18286782149

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Villagers: Mercantile for a Grounded Life posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share

Our Story

We offer supplies, resources, workshops + inspiration for a variety of homestead and sustainable lifestyle activities such as vegetable gardening, composting, chicken keeping, canning + preserving foods, herbal medicine, home dairy and more. Books and educational workshops that complement the store’s products are also offered. VILLAGERS’s work is dedicated to inspiring and enabling healthy change of our built environment and personal lives, toward a more harmonious, more resilient way of modern living. Our focus is on incremental, small-scale projects in the realms of urban homesteading and sustainable urban living.