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Roll up your sleeves and learn how seeds, nuts, and herbs change a sourdough loaf. In this two-hour, hands-on workshop with instructor Melina you’ll leave with starter, tools, and a loaf-ready dough to bake at home.
Roll up your sleeves and learn how seeds, nuts, and herbs change a sourdough loaf. In this two-hour, hands-on workshop with instructor Melina you’ll leave with starter, tools, and a loaf-ready dough to bake at home.
Book with Parkwood National Historic Site
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Operated by Parkwood National Historic Site · Oshawa, Ontario
Seeds and Sourdough Workshop - Learn About Inclusions brings hands-on baking to the Carriage House in Oshawa, Ontario. In this two-hour class instructor Melina walks students through sourdough fundamentals and the art of mixing seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and herbs into an active loaf. The setting is intimate: check in inside the Gift Shop and gather around communal benches where natural light catches flour dust and starter bubbling in jars. The workshop opens with practical demonstration—feeding a mature starter, autolyse and stretch-and-fold rhythm, and how inclusions change hydration and timing. Melina’s teaching focuses on repeatable steps: measuring by weight, judging dough by feel, and scoring to control oven spring. You’ll get hands-on time shaping and placing your loaf into a proofing basket, then take home a jarred organic starter, a dehydrated backup, a proofing basket, a scoring blade, bowl, and a booklet with recipes. Everything needed to bake your loaf the next day is included; samples served with olive oil, balsamic dipper, and a butter board punctuate the tasting portion. What makes this workshop special is its local scale and practical payoff. It’s not a demo; it’s a working class that equips first-time bakers with real gear and real starter so the learning continues at home. The inclusion options—sunflower and pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dried apricots, rosemary, or thyme—let you translate local Ontario flavors into crust and crumb. The Carriage House venue ties the foodcraft to place: historic beams, simple tables, and a small-group energy that suits hands-on learning. Practical notes: classes are two hours, for ages 13 and up, with a maximum group size of 42 and wheelchair accessibility at the meeting point. There are no refunds, and check-in happens ten minutes early. Due to limited on-site parking, carpooling or nearby paid options at Lakeridge Health are suggested. If you’re planning to visit in a season when fresh herbs are available, mention your preference for a seasonal inclusion—Melina often advises on timing and flavor balance. This workshop is ideal for travelers who want a meaningful, portable skill to take home, food lovers who appreciate technique, and anyone curious about starter maintenance. It blends the tactile pleasure of baking with clear instruction and take-home tools, turning a single evening into a long-term habit: baking better bread, one seeded loaf at a time. Book a spot if you want hands-on guidance and the convenience of leaving with everything to continue baking: your 125-gram organic starter, dehydrated backup, proofing basket, bowl, scoring blade, and instruction booklet are included. Check in inside the Gift Shop ten minutes before the 6:00pm start. The class accommodates ages 13+, supports wheelchair access, and fits both beginners and repeat bakers aiming to refine technique and explore seasonal inclusions creatively.
easy.
2 hours.
Light activity; standing, kneading, and shaping—suitable for most fitness levels
Includes hands-on instruction, ingredients to prepare your loaf, a 125-gram fresh organic sourdough starter in a Mason jar, dehydrated starter, bowl, proofing basket, scoring blade, and a detailed instruction and recipe booklet.
Minimum age is 13; there is no specified maximum. The class suits teens and adults.
Yes — the meeting point is wheelchair accessible. Check-in takes place inside the Gift Shop.
On-site parking is limited; organizers encourage carpooling and note paid parking options at nearby Lakeridge Health lots.
No — you’ll prepare your dough in class and leave with dough or starter ready to bake the next day following the included instructions.
Please note there are no refunds. Check-in is required inside the Gift Shop 10 minutes prior to the workshop start time.
The Carriage House shows traces of its historic building fabric—exposed beams and simple timber joinery hint at the site’s past life as part of an older property.
The class uses an organic starter and encourages minimal waste: bring reusable containers and plan to maintain your starter to avoid disposable packaging.
Parkwood National Historic Site in Oshawa, Ontario preserves a rich cultural setting and offers a broad calendar of public programming that blends historic interpretation with hands-on experiences. The site presents guided tours and interpreted performances such as Servants' Tours and themed walks, alongside practical workshops in crafts, food, and floral design. Programming includes seasonal markets like Retro Fest Vendor Market and Winter Fest Vendor Market, community-focused events such as Parkwood Christmas Tours and The Way Home Film Location Bus Tour, and creative workshops covering stained glass, candle making, holiday wreaths, pottery, perfume making, and culinary demonstrations. Several workshops are taught by named instructors or partners noted in event listings — for example, stained glass sessions led by Emilie Shipman-Wight and Meghan Murphy and perfume-making presented by Dakaari Fragrance House. Parkwood also stages horticultural programs in its greenhouses, including floral arrangement workshops and guided garden tours led by site staff. Parkwood’s event listings show a mix of ticketed and free events and seasonal sell-outs, reflecting active community engagement. The site's public programs combine interpretive tours with hands-on learning opportunities across craft, food, horticulture, and holiday-themed experiences. All descriptions and event listings are presented in third person and reflect the programming and partnerships publicly listed for Parkwood National Historic Site.
Book with Parkwood National Historic Site