Carpentry
Course Content and Outcomes:
Our Carpentry 101 course is designed for beginners to learn the safety, maintenance, and practical applications of essential hand and power tools used for general carpentry and basic woodworking. Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to demonstrate competency in safety and basic use of the tools required to build their own folding camp chair during the course.
Upon completion, students will be able to:
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Describe basic personal protective equipment, safety measures related to utilization of basic woodworking and carpentry tools;
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Describe common types and characteristics of wood as a material;
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Identify, describe and demonstrate the safe operation, maintenance and proper use of common hand tools including:
measuring & squaring tools
hammers
nail pullers
chop saw
sanding tools
table saw
jig saw
skilsaw
drill
impact driver
Safety
Safety is our number one priority. Instructors will provide hands-on technical instruction in a manner that allows participants to feel comfortable and empowered.
Physical Requirements
The course is physically demanding – students must be able to lift 20 lbs, bend at the waist, and be able to be on their feet for several hours at a time. Our courses take place in variable weather conditions and at times on uneven terrain.
We hope you are able to join us, if you require an accomodation in order to participate please reach out so we can work with you directly. Questions? Contact us!
WHEN
The 2026 course will begin the evening of Thursday, September 10th and conclude the afternoon of Sunday, September 13th.
WHO
This course offers an intentionally-built, supportive learning environment for anyone who identifies as a woman. Participants must be 18 years or older.
WHERE
White Sulphur Springs, Montana.
Lodging & Food
On-site tent or car/truck camping is available for registered participants.
This course is fully catered with fresh and unique dishes from a local chef. Snacks will be provided between meals. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated with prior notice.
Please visit our Local Information page for additional options.
Equipment & Tools
Participants will need to provide appropriate clothing, safety glasses, and hearing protection.
The Red Ants Pants Foundation will provide all other equipment and tools. More details will be provided upon registration.
COST
The Worker Ant: $750 covers the operational cost of each program and serves as our base rate.​
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When possible, choosing the Colony Builder: $1,125 helps strengthen the collective and expand access for others.
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The Emerging Queen: $525 is a reduced rate made possible by the collective support of the colony.
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Learn more about all three tiers offered through our Colony-Based Pricing Model.
PAYMENT
Payment is required upon registration.​
Check or credit/debit cards accepted.
Details provided during registration.
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View our Cancellation & Refund Policy prior to purchase.
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REGISTRATION
The course is limited to twelve participants per section. Once the course is full (first come, first served), we will add names to a waitlist.
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Registration will open January 14th, 2026!
​​​To stay in the loop regarding Red Ants Pants Foundation programs, please subscribe to our mailing list here.
For questions or additional information, please feel free to contact us.
Carpentry Instructors
Heidi Rogers
Throughout her career, Heidi has worked to blur the line between Architecture and Construction. After graduating with her Masters of Architecture from MSU, she dove headlong into carpentry in Gallatin and Paradise Valley. Working primarily as a framer of custom homes, she also joined crews to learn Timber-framing, roofing, cabinet install and interior finishes. She now works as both a Carpenter and an Architect in Park County. The world of carpentry has brought beauty and self-reliance to Heidi’s life and she looks forward to sharing that world with other women.
Mary Webb
Mary entered the construction and carpentry world in 2010 by joining AmeriCorps and working for Habitat for Humanity for two years. This led to an interest in fixing up old houses rather than building new ones, attracted by the details and craftsmanship in historic buildings. After working as a historic preservation carpenter for the National Park Service for many years, she made her way to Helena to work for the Montana Preservation Alliance as their restoration director, planning and coordinating restoration projects around the state. Mary’s carpentry interests span from restoring old wood windows to handcrafting jewelry and children’s toys, and everything in between.
Jenna Pollard
Jenna discovered timber framing while apprenticing at an organic veggie farm in Southeastern Minnesota in 2010. The exposure to traditional craft and use of hand tools immediately captivated her, and she's been timber framing ever since. She has built over a dozen timber frames, from her own small cabin to large pavilions for community gatherings. In 2020, she taught her first class, and has been teaching ever since. 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. Jenna lives with her partner in northern Minnesota.
Amanda Pfaff
Amanda's journey with carpentry began when she worked with Habitat for Humanity as a Crew Member of Americorps NCCC and helped with home rebuilds following Hurricane Katrina. She continued her conservation corps journey in training and supervision roles with corps including Montana Conservation Corps (MCC), Nevada Conservations Corps (NCC) and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC). She is now the Regional Director for the Greater Yellowstone region of MCC and continues to pursue woodworking in her free time.