Winter Solstice
Hide Tanning Experience

December 11-13, 2026 | North Saanich, Vancouver Island, BC

Solstice is a precipice.

Old solstice traditions say that what we do during solstice season carries us the next year.

So they made it a time for creating.

And a time for gathering.

And a time for rest.

That’s what we’ve made for you:

  • One part hide tanning workshop: make yourself a natural leather sheepskin rug.

  • One part retreat: hit down time on the farm + in the sauna.

  • One part community gathering: we feed you a farm fresh meals + lead an intention-setting solstice ritual at the bonfire.

‍ ‍Investment: $524 CAD

Payable in 1 or 3 payments.

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We made this annual
solstice hide tanning gathering for you
if you:

  • love working with your hands

  • want to spend time out of the holiday hustle, and if you want to

  • know you need to set intention for your year ahead.

The Details

📍 Location: North Saanich, W̱SÁNEĆ Peninsula, BC

📅 Dates: Friday to Sunday, December 11-13, 2026


⏰ Schedule: 11am to 4pm daily. Dinner on Saturday @ 7pm. Solstice ritual Sunday morning.


💰 Investment:$524

⛺ Camping available -> book your spot at our farm here

  • All our hides are ethically sourced + re-routed from waste streams to co-create a resilient fibreshed.

  • All materials, tools, and equipment are provided.

  • $10 of your course investment goes toward the W̱SÁNEĆ Lands Trust to support Indigenous land-back. This donation is made during their annual holiday fundraising drive.

What You’ll Gain from this course:


✔️ Transform a local farm-raised sheep hide into a plush + functional, leather sheepskin rug


✔️ Learn a time-honoured, land-based skill


✔️ Build physical strength + endurance


✔️ Leave with a finished sheepskin - made ethically by your hands

Words from our hide tanning students

“I tried tanning on my own and never understood it. After coming to one of the hide courses, I understand the process, and what went wrong with my previous attempts.”

  • Dallas

“Mara’s gentle guidance made me feel at home in hide camp.”

  • Tahlia

“I tanned my first hide with Fern + Roe. I didn’t know how much depth there would be in the course, beyond just the hide tanning itself. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a serious retreat/getaway.”

  • Skylar

The Hide Tanning Process

.Day One:‍ ‍

  • Choose your sheepskin. Find the one that calls to you.

  • Learn to work with a traditional hide frame; weave the hide into the frame

  • Use scrapers + dowels to begin drying the leather

Day Two:

  • Learn the science of bark-tanning, our hide tanning methods for this course

  • Soften your sheepskin leather with softening + dry-scraping tools

Day Three:

  • Comb + pumice the finished sheepskin leather rug

 FAQs

  • Anneth Farm in North Saanich, BC can be reach by:

    Ferry

    • BC Ferries, Tsawassen to Swartz Bay

    • Mill Bay ferry, Mill Bay to Brentwood Bay

    • BlackBall ferry, Port Angeles to Victoria

    • Clipper ferry, Seattle to Victoria

    Plane

    • Commercial jet to YYJ

    • Float plane to Patricia Bay or downtown Victoria (Inner Harbour)

  • We are 35 minutes north of Victoria, BC

  • Yes, we welcome everyone to camp at Anneth Farm. It is $24/night.

    In addition, we have indoor accommodations available that change by season. For this course, you are welcome to book a private Farmhouse room for $150/night. Email us to enquire.

  • 11am to 4:00pm

Transform a Sheep Hide into Sheepskin Leather

With everyday ingredients

With simple equipment

And learn how close you already are

to the natural world, within and around you