My challenge is that I just can't make the drive to join either Appalachian, Alex Bealer, or Ocmulgee.

Any interest in kicking off a guild in the North Georgia area? My second question involves just how to go about it!:confused:

You create it, I'll join it.

Cool Hand you can always talk with the existing guilds here in GA and see about starting your own local chapter of one of them. Here along the coast some of us had been getting together and talking and forging a couple of times a month for quite a while without any affiliation. Now, just recently, we are starting a coastal chapter of OBG. Looking at the map you are a lot closer to OBG meetings than we are and a number of us have been car pooling to the OBG meetings for the last couple of months (2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hour drive usually) saves on gas and is a lot of fun talking blacksmithing in the car.

Edited April 29, 200917 yr by DKForge

cool hand
Why don't you try and get a group formed and the Ocmulgee Blacksmith Guild will be happy to help you out. We have done this so far with the group in the Savannah area and will be planning on doing a meeting with them at their location. Georgia is a big state and there is a need for satelitte groups that are a part of a larger guild. I am the vice pres this year for the OBG and will be president in 2010. Come to the Madison Conference in May and lets talk about your need and what we can offer.
Eddie Rainey

I like the possibilities! I will be at the conference and would be very interested in hearing more about satellite org's.

Meanwhile, like Donnie, if anyone else has interest in the N Ga. area please pipe up so we can started somewhere. Thanks!

My humble observation is that back in the 70s and 80s guilds around here started with someone:
1) Building or finding a shop either at their place or at a museum.
2) Inviting anyone and everyone to come over on specific date(s) each month.
3) Having a cooler full of soda, and hot dogs or sloppy joes (food works wonders at attracting blacksmiths).
4) Either demonstrating something at these get-togethers or finding someone to demonstrate something. Blacksmiths love the opportunity to learn something, as well as listening to the music of the anvil.
5) Sit back and watch the gathering of smiths become an organized guild! Smiths tend to be self-organizing. Just provide a place to gather, some food, and someone banging on the anvil, and people will come forward volunteering to do what is necessary to make a successful blacksmithing guild.

Skill at demonstrating is not important, and the better you are at pretending that you are terrible at demonstrating and organizing, the sooner kind souls will come forward to take over your burdens. Smiths tend to help out, especially if you feed them. :D

UnicornForge,

I nominate your response for permanence. This needs to go somewhere permanent as an FAQ, Sticky, or under the heading "just common sense".

I appreciate all of you.

Steve

When is our first meeting?

you guys come to the obg meeting on saturday May 2 its going to be in
Monticello...

Next weekend is Mothers Day. I am not gonna risk my life scheduling anything then! lol.
The next weekend is SEBSC and I am not gonna miss that. After those two I am wide open for an initial get together. Donnie, I will IM you when I can for the particlars!