The Manual Literacy Project brings people together to learn useful skills, work with their hands, and feel more capable in everyday life.
We create ways for people to access what is real, lasting, and tangible—to reconnect with DIY values and the can-do, improvisational spirit of our grandparents’ generation. Through workshops and educational platforms, we bring people of all generations and walks of life together to learn useful manual skills and self-sufficiency, leaving them empowered and inspired.
From the garden to the kitchen, practical skills help us rely on ourselves, make good use of what we have, and share knowledge with one another.
Learn to grow, forage, and harvest with care, and build a closer relationship with the land and the seasons.
Prepare ingredients, cook from scratch, and preserve the harvest so good food can be enjoyed and shared.
Build confidence through making, repairing, adapting, and learning by trying things for yourself.
Learn from people with experience, care for the resources around us, and keep practical know-how moving between generations.
Modern Pioneering on public television brings viewers into the worlds of growers, makers, cooks, and keepers of traditional knowledge. The Manual Literacy Project extends that spirit through hands-on learning—so people can move from watching a skill to trying it, practicing it, and passing it along.
Send a note to The Manual Literacy Project. We’d love to hear what you’re interested in learning or sharing.
There is deep satisfaction in making, growing, cooking, fixing, and learning together. We believe everyone deserves the chance to feel that confidence for themselves.