2025 Spring Writer’s Intensive
with Kate Moses
April 28 - May 5, 2025
Join us for a week-long writing retreat in the Adirondacks and experience fresh local food, beautiful spring views, and a full literary curriculum!
Craigardan will welcome acclaimed writer & mentor Kate Moses of Birds & Muses for a week-long spring writer’s intensive at Craigardan.
This writing-intensive retreat is designed for writers of literary narrative projects – fiction, memoir, creative nonfiction, and hybrid works (also including poetry, drama, or images) – at any stage of the writing process, whether in an advanced draft of a long-form manuscript, in the early phase of exploring a nascent literary idea, or anywhere in between. All participants will receive individualized conferencing with Kate and can choose from the daily group craft & process sessions appropriate to their current needs.
this experience will include:
Accommodation and writing space in private, individual cabins
A luxury camping experience in the heart of the Adirondack’s high peaks
All meals created with fresh, seasonal, and organic food from our farm and partner farms
Independent writing time and a full curriculum with Kate Moses
Excursions to local hiking opportunities
Interdisciplinary learning opportunities in the clay studio, on the farm, and in the kitchen
Learn more and view the full program brochure with more photos at the link below:
artists cabins
Craigardan’s interdisciplinary, community-focused creative programming combines the creative process and experiential learning with a stunning wilderness setting, incredible food from our farm, and exceptional creative support.
Writers sleep in their own tiny Artist Cabins, designed as a very modern take on the Adirondack Lean-to. Each beautiful cabin has a bed, writing table, good lighting, outlets, heat, closet space, and a small entry porch. The cabins are located on the main campus site, 1/3 mile drive or walk into the property from the farm + farmhouse. They are situated at the top of the campus clearing next to a Bath House which has four individual full bathrooms. Residents have access to shared living and studio space in the beautiful new Applebarn. Our professional summer kitchen and dining area is in the Kiln House open-air pavilion.
Art + Craft, and Local Cultural Heritage
Ecological + Anthropological Past, Present, and Future
Agricultural + Culinary Traditions, their Preservation and Sustainability
Place-Based + International Crosscurrents and Conversations
the details
A CRAIGARDAN RETREAT. All of our programs are designed to allow plenty of time for independent, yet supported work within an individual’s respective area of focus, while encouraging cross- and interdisciplinary exploration and creative dialogue.
In addition, opportunities for hiking, biking, local exploration, and swimming provide fresh inspiration (and sometimes necessary distraction). With two mountain streams, many miles of trails to explore, and close proximity to the heart of the Adirondack Park’s High Peaks, the Craigardan campus is an ideal location for writers to stretch the legs and the mind in the largest state park in America. Although we are in a very remote setting, Craigardan is only 4 miles from the county seat of Elizabethtown, 6 miles from Keene and Keene Valley, and 30 minutes from Lake Placid.
We are thrilled to welcome Kate Moses back to the Craigardan campus in 2025 for one of her sought-after writing intensives.
FOOD. The retreat includes all meals, with a gorgeous, seasonal menu utilizing food from our farm and partner farms wherever possible. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be prepared by staff — buffet-style for breakfast and lunch, and sit-down group dinners. For those of you who love to cook, we invite you to join us in the kitchen for the evening meal! A self-serve breakfast will be available each morning from 8 am - 9 am and include local yogurt and fruit, our own eggs, fresh baked bread and treats, and cereals. Lunch will be served from noon-1 pm and feature our seasonal vegetables in soups, salads, and sandwiches. Nightly dinners are a creative, community affair with plenty of good conversation, good wine, and even better dessert. The cookie jar is always full but somehow you’ll go home feeling even healthier than when you arrived.
PROGRAM + CURRICULUM. The writer’s retreat will offer sanctuary and time in which to write, make room for the imaginative wandering that leads to writing, and provide guidance and mentorship as desired and appropriate for each writer. This opportunity is designed for writers deeply committed to their craft, whether they are published or yet to be published. It's important to note that this is not a pampered retreat but a focused environment where serious writers can intensively immerse themselves in process and develop their work.
registration + fees
ALL INCLUSIVE. The program fee is all-inclusive except for transportation to the Adirondacks.
This includes:
Accommodations in a private cabin
All meals
Writing space
Instruction and programming
Program Fees. Fees include accommodations, all meals, and the program + curriculum for the week for each participant. Travel and optional longer manuscript reviews are not included.
$1500 Day-Participant Only: Six Days / includes daytime program experience and lunches
$2800 In-residence: Six Days, Seven nights / includes day and evening program experience, private accommodations, and all meals
There are a limited number of need-based scholarships available, please inquire by emailing: program@craigardan.org
To Register. We require a 50% non-refundable deposit to hold your spot, with the balance due in full by March 1st, 2025. Once the deposit payment is made, participants receive a link to an online form to submit more information which will help us prepare for your retreat experience.
Cancellation Policy. The deposit is non-refundable. If you need to cancel after the balance is paid in full, you will receive a refund only if we are able to fill your spot.
We reserve the right to cancel the retreat up 1 month prior to its scheduled start due to unforeseen circumstances. Under no circumstances will refunds for travel expenses be made.
Given the uncertainties that can arise, we highly recommend securing travel insurance for anyone booking airline flights. This precaution ensures that, in the event of cancellation, your travel investments are protected.
Click the link below to pay online with a credit card and reserve your spot!
your guides
THE MAGIC IS IN THE PEOPLE. Your guides and staff for our retreat week are:
Kate Moses
Kate Moses and Birds & Muses. (she, her) An internationally recognized writer of award-winning, best-selling literary fiction and creative nonfiction, Kate is best known for her acclaimed novel Wintering, published in 17 languages, her memoir Cakewalk, and her tenure as a founding editor of Salon’s Mothers Who Think. With four decades of experience in book, magazine, and online publishing, nonprofit arts administration, community organizing for women artists, and advanced-level teaching of writing, Kate established Birds & Muses in 2017 to share her expertise with aspiring women-identified writers through ongoing, one-on-one mentorship and hands-on, collaborative editorial guidance. In addition to her individual mentorships Kate hosts small-group, writing-intensive retreats and directs Bookgardan, an annual, 13-month writing mentorship program for women writers at Craigardan, now in its sixth year.
Craigardan Staff will include:
Michele Drozd. Michele is the co-founder and executive director of Craigardan. An artist with a degree in Ceramics from the New York State College of Ceramics (NYSCC) at Alfred University, she worked under Petras Vaskys, Laszlo Fekete and Marie Baron studying design, mold making, and sculpture. After traveling the world and finding her home in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, she became intensely interested in art and entrepreneurialism, the revitalization of small rural towns, food and agriculture, conservation and historic preservation - and the connections between them. Since 2002 she has worked within these fields in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Her belief that the creative process helps us imagine and build a better world has led to numerous community and social justice initiatives that use cross-disciplinary collaboration as a tool for systems change.
Jeremiah Reiner. (he, him) Jeremiah is Craigardan’s program coordinator. Jeremiah provides ongoing support and radical hospitality to all of Craigardan’s program participants. He has a background in photography and mental health and brings those creative and supportive skills to his work here.
Cassidy Mae Jackson. (they, them) Cassidy is Craigardan’s administrative coordinator. In addition to ensuring that the work of the organization runs smoothly, they also manage our small but mighty farm store. Cassidy will be sourcing all off-farm ingredients from our partner farms and providers. Cassidy has a background in the arts and arts administration.