Timber Framing for FLINTA
Timber Framing for FLINTA
This class creates a supportive and encouraging space for people who identify as FLINTA to learn and practice the craft of timber framing with traditional hand tools. Don’t know what FLINTA means? You’ll find a description further down this page.
Timber framing is the craft of joining wooden timbers without nails or metal fasteners. These structures are thoughtful, durable, and designed to last for generations.
Our 2026 courses will be supporting the Avon Hills Folk School’s 1889 Barn Restoration Project.
2026 Courses
Timber Framing for FLINTA 101
June 1-5, 2026
Students will learn the fundamentals of timber framing, including layout and joinery while working with chisels, saws, and other hand tools.
For this class, we will be supporting Avon Hills Folk School’s 1889 Barn Restoration Project by cutting new timbers needed to restore the old barn. The barn has already been disassembled and the timbers have been assessed. This is not a restoration class, but the new timbers cut during this class will become part of the final structure during the spring 2027 Barn Raising. Students will be invited to join the raising.
Participants will gain hands-on experience laying out square rule timber frame joinery, cutting mortise and tenon joints with traditional and modern hand tools, and understanding how timber frames work as a system. By the end of the class, students leave with the foundational skills needed to continue their timber framing practice.
Timber Framing for FLINTA 102
June 8-12, 2026
Students will learn to use modern power tools in cutting timber frame joints. Tools used include circular saw, beam saw and chain mortiser. Students will practice square rule layout techniques, tool safety, and precise cutting of mortise-and-tenon joinery. The focus is on working accurately, safely, and with growing confidence.
Like 101, this course centers on cutting replacement timbers from new material for a 136 year old timber frame barn that has been disassembled. The barn will be re-assembled and raised during a barn raising community celebration in spring of 2027. Students will be invited to join the raising.
By the end of the class, students will leave with practical power tool experience, stronger joinery skills, and the confidence to continue exploring timber framing.
This course builds on the skills introduced in 101.
No previous timber framing experience is required, but any of the following previous experiences will greatly improve what a student takes away from the course:
Take Timber Framing 101 and continue directly into 102
Are alumni of previous years’ classes
Have some prior experience and familiarity with woodworking and power tools
Meet Your Instructors
Jenna Pollard (she/her) has taught timber frame workshops in Minnesota, Washington, and Arizona, and has been timber framing since 2010. She has built or assisted with building over a dozen timber frames, from her own small cabin to large pavilions for community gatherings. Her passion for teaching has led her to offer women’s timber framing courses as a way to grow the number of women in the trades and provide a supportive learning environment for other women. She is excited to teach this timber framing class for FLINTA-identifying folks, and provide mentorship for students to learn and build skills in a safe and supportive environment. Jenna identifies as lesbian and lives with her partner in northern Minnesota.
Helen
Helen (she/her) embarked on her timber framing journey not too long ago, thanks to one of Jenna Pollard’s timber framing classes for women. But don't let the recent start fool you! Helen's roots lie in understanding trees. She's spent years studying their growth patterns, bark textures and the secrets hidden within their rings. Being from the region of Fachwerkhäuser (German timber frames), Helen brings a European perspective to her craft.
Jenna
Course Details
2026 Tuition: $595.00*
Timber Framing for FLINTA 101 - Materials Fee: $20
Timber Framing for FLINTA 102 - Materials Fee: $50
*NOTE: Avon Hills Folk School prioritizes removing financial barriers to participation. Please reach out to us with any questions about making this work for you.
If you’re willing and able to donate to the scholarship fund to help others attend, donate here.
Meals & Accommodations
Lunch: Provided on site each day.
Breakfast and Dinner: On your own most days. Breakfast will be provided on Day One (Monday), and an evening pizza party will be provided one night of the week. We may all choose to go out and enjoy a meal together in the local community on one or more of the nights (optional).
Lodging: See our website for local suggestions as well as check out local short-term rentals. Primitive, onsite camping is available for $10 per night. Students can sign up to camp during the registration process.
What is FLINTA?
An article from INTO provides an informative explanation of the acronym FLINTA:
Originating from Germany, the acronym FLINTA has gained recognition and use, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, for its inclusivity, acknowledging and respecting identities often overlooked in society. The acronym translates to Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Nonbinary, Transgender, and Agender. Each of these ultimately represents an array of non-cis and/or non-male gender identities:
F – Female: Individuals who identify as women.
L – Lesbian: Female-identifying individuals attracted to other female- or non-male-identifying individuals.
I – Intersex: Individuals born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies.
N – Nonbinary: Individuals who do not identify strictly as a man or a woman. It’s a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine.
T – Transgender: Individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.
A – Agender: Individuals who do not identify with any gender.
The traditional binary understanding of gender, considering only (cisgender) male or female, is significantly limited. It fails to acknowledge the vast diversity of human experiences and identities. FLINTA, on the other hand, represents a broader range of gender identities, challenging and expanding upon traditional gender norms. By acknowledging and naming these identities, FLINTA brings visibility, recognition, and respect to the spectrum of nonbinary and cisgender presentations, genders, and orientations. In turn, this reduces stigma and creates a safer space for these gender identities to be expressed.
This class is for adults 18+