2026-2027 Hide Tanning Courses
Join a hide tanning course on Vancouver Island.
Experience real hide tanning: hands-on, finely-tuned, and thoroughly immersive.
We re-route hundreds of discarded hides each year back to our local fibresheds and into the hands of natural tanners - that’s you.
In every course, you are provided with an animal hide, you learn to tan it naturally - and you take home your leather textile to last a lifetime.
Scroll to the bottom to see a travel guide + hide camp details
Annual Solstice Hide Camp:
Bark-tanned Sheepskin
December 11-13, 2026
Alum-tawed
White Sheepskin
March 5-8, 2027
Easter Weekend:
Smoke-tanned Buckskin
March 26-29, 2027
Alum-tawed
Brown Sheepskin
April 9-11, 2027
Sheepskin Tanning Intensive:
2 woolly sheepskins + 1 leather cloth
April 19-23, 2027
Mothers Day Weekend:
White Alum-tawed Sheepskin
May 7-9, 2027
Labour Day Weekend:
Smoke-tanned Buckskin
September 3-6, 2027
White-Cream Woolly
Bark-tanned Sheepskin
October 1-3, 2027
How to get to the WSÁNEĆ Peninsula,Vancouver Island
✈️ By Plane
YYJ Victoria International Airport
SeaPlane to Patricia Bay, North Saanich or to downtown Victoria
🛥️ By Ferry (reserve in advance)
BC Ferries, Tsawassen to Swartz Bay
BlackBall Ferry, Port Angeles to downtown Victoria
Clipper Ferry (passenger only), Seattle to downtown Victoria
🚌 By Bus
Bus route #83 serves North Saanich and stops on the same block as our farm. This bus route is infrequent but direct.
In addition, we are 4 km from the McTavish Bus Exchange where you can call an Uber or Taxi + get to our farm in 5 minutes.
Our farm + tannery are 12 minutes from Swartz Bay ferry terminal; 7 minutes from YYJ Airport; 35 minutes from downtown Victoria.
You receive the exact address upon registration.
What to expect in a hide tanning course
The basics:
Group size is between 8-16 people
Youth and kiddos are welcome at no extra cost to share a hide with their grown-up
Hide tanning days are 5-6 hours long
Hide tanning is hard work!
What to wear:
Wear work clothes and dress for all weather
In rainy months, wear waterproof shoes/work boots
We provide you a waterproof apron for the messy parts
What to bring:
Water bottle
Snacks and meals
A camping chair or blanket to sit on
A personal knife is always handy
Sunscreen in the summer
A notebook if you like taking notes
No need to bring tanning tools
Staying overnight:
Camp at our farm during your hide course for $32 CAD/night
There are plenty of guest houses and AirBnBs near us. Book early!
What our hide tanning course provides:
A prepared hide, ready for you to take it through the next steps of tanning and finishing
Our tannery tools and equipment for you to use
A morning circle each day with an overview of that day’s hide tanning steps
Instruction within a group context
A “learning by doing” container: one in which your hands do the work
A decolonizing pedagogy: one in which the learning is embodied
What our hide tanning course does not provide:
Instruction on hunting, farming, harvesting animals, skinning hides, or processing hides prior to tanning
1:1 mentorship
In-depth theory and methodology
Written resources
Instruction on hide tanning methods not applicable to the hide in hand
What to expect and what this container expects of you:
Hide tanning is a rigorous undertaking - physically, mentally, and emotionally
It is expected that attendees be aware that hide tanning may activate physical, mental, and emotional wounds; it is each attendee’s responsibility to tend to these if this occurs and to take breaks when needed
It is expected attendees arrive on time and stay for the duration of the day
If an attendee is 20 minutes late or longer without cause they may be required to forego the remaining hide camp, as it is not always possible to catch up an individual in a linear group process
It is expected that any accessibility needs of an attendee (such as those that require alteration to hide camp equipment) be communicated to Fern + Roe at least one week in advance of hide camp
Hide camp requires attendees to spend most of their time actively learning and doing, applying verbal instructions onto the hide they work and patiently stewarding the outcome
Hide camp requires a reasonable capacity to absorb details and focus while working
Hide camp is hosted in a rural setting and presupposes a high level of personal responsibility and maturity from each attendee
Being part of a group requires one to be aware of the material and energetic space of oneself, and be a beneficial contributor to the social dynamics of a group
This includes refraining from expressing bias or prejudice towards other members of the group
Learning a skill such as hide tanning takes repetition and devotion.
Attendees are expected to understand they will not be professional hide tanners after tanning only one hide.
What happens if expectations are not met:
If you as an attendee feel you are not receiving the instruction you need, you are welcome to stop participating in hide camp at any time
You will receive your partially-tanned hide with written resources to finish the hide at home and a partial refund
If you as an attendee feel you are being bullied or harassed during hide camp, please email hello@fernandroe.com to arrange a private time to meet and discuss and respond to the issues
If you as an attendee are noticeably bullying or harassing other attendees, instructors, farm residents, or farm animals; or if you decline to be part of a group learning container nor follow instructions, you will be required to leave.
You may take your partially-tanned hide with you; you will not receive a refund
If you as an attendee are more than 20 minutes late for the day without cause, you may be asked to forfeit the remainder of hide camp
You may take your partially-tanned hide with you; you will not receive a refund