Tillers Instructor Herb Nehring
Herb Nehring first studied the art of the blacksmith and farrier in 1948 at the Michigan College of Agriculture, now Michigan State University. As a farrier student, Herb was required to forge all his own hand tools (except hammers) and make all his own horse shoes from B2R stock. He went on to work as a farrier for ten years.
Raised on a small fruit and vegetable farm, Herb is also experienced in dairying and draft horse power. He served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army 10th Division Armored Infantry in France and Germany, 1944-1945. He's worked in construction and various metal shops, and has been trained in machinery repair and maintenance. After working as a farrier, Herb went on to work with metals in various shops, on equipment from drill presses to precision tool grinding, with many years of experience in training.
Herb has continued his blacksmithing education by studying frequently at John C. Campbell Folk School. He also taught a one-week blacksmithing course for children at the school. He is a member of the Artist Blacksmith Association of North America (ABANA) and has attended and demonstrated at several of their annual conferences. Dedicated to youth education, he has lead community 4-H programs and was a Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America.
Herb and his wife Neva were named the 1994 Volunteer Couple of the Year by the Volunteer Action Committee and the Kalamazoo Gazette for their work with Tillers International and local community organizations. In 2008, Herb was honored with the Michigan Heritage Award by Governor Jennifer Granholm and Michigan Representative Thomas George, recognizing his unsurpassed skill in blacksmithing and farrier work and his long-time dedication to the perpetuation of these skills and traditions. Herb was nominated by Steve Stier through the Michigan State University Museum, and seconded by Dick Roosenberg, Ed Chew, and Scott Lankton. He was honored during an awards ceremony at the Greak Lakes Folk Festival in East Lansing, the same city where he had begun his blacksmithing career sixty years prior.
Herb has taught at Tillers for about 25 years, our longest standing instructor with the sole exception of our Executive Director Dick Roosenberg. His no nonsense practical approach to smithing has long been the driving force behind our metal working education programs. Though largely retired as a primary instructor, Herb continues to offer his advice and experience to Tillers' students. When Tillers relocated to its current home at Cook's Mill Learning Center in 2003, we chose to honor Herb as the namesake of our new smithy, the beautiful Herb Nehring Blacksmith Shop that has inspired so many of our students.
Herb's classes
|
