FARMINGTON — The Gold LEAF Senior College at the University of Maine at Farmington has announced its fall/winter course offerings, geared for those 50 and older interested in lifelong learning.

A kickoff event and registration will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the UMF Olsen Student Center North Dining Hall, 111 South St. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Full details, including a registration form, are listed at www.goldleaf.wikispaces.com.

Registration is open now or can be done at the kickoff. Some classes fill up early, so those wishing to take courses are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Annual membership is $30 for the year beginning July 1. However, a special introductory rate applies for the fall/winter term when new members can join for $20.

Fall/Winter Term 2015 courses:

Reality, the Brain and Consciousness: 1:30 to 3 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 15, 22 and 29. The cost is $6.75. Examine facts, inferences and conjectures concerning reality, the brain and consciousness.

Platforms and Promises: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Fridays, Oct. 16, Nov. 6 and 20, Dec. 4 and 18, Jan. 15 and Feb. 5. The class is free. Discussion group on U.S. politics, the Electoral College and voting rights, plus global issues ranging from climate change to terrorism.

Tai Chi: Beginners and Returnees: Wednesdays, Oct. 21 through Feb. 17, 2016, 9 to 10 a.m. for new participants, 10 to 11 a.m. for those returning from a prior term. The cost is $12. Tai Chi, in the Yang Style Short Form, enhances balance, memory and overall health.

The Art of Smocking: 2 to 4 p.m. Fridays, Oct. 23 and 30, Nov. 6, 13 and 20. The cost is $9.50. Beginners in this needlecraft class on the art of smocking will make a smocked egg in Christmas colors, and the advanced class will make a smocked Christmas ball.

Language Study: French/Spanish: French study will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturdays, Oct. 24 through Dec. 19. Spanish study will be Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. for advanced students and Mondays at 10:30 a.m for beginners/intermediate. The cost is $12.

Fiber: From Sheep to Sweater: 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 27. The cost is $5.50. Learn about different fibers and how they are processed; watch how they are carded and spun.

Enjoying Genealogical Research: 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 28, Dec. 2, and Jan. 13. The cost is $7.50. Methods of genealogical research using both library and online resources will be explored.

Black Lives Matter: A Discussion about Race and Racism: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. The cost is $5.75. In this session we may ask our questions, share our experiences, discuss ways of serving as positive influences and otherwise seek constructive dialogue on the topic of race and racism.

Holiday Concerts and Lecture: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, concert by harpsichordist Gavin Black, $12. Gavin Black concert and lecture on early Italian and English keyboard music played on an antique 18th-century Italian harpsichord at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8. Concert by Celtic group Coig at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10.

An Evening of Steel Pan: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. The cost is $5.75. The Western Mountain Trash Can Band, a steel drum band, will perform and discuss the history of steel-drumming and its introduction to Maine.

On Our Minds: The Other Wes Moore Book Discussion: 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. The class is free. The book is UMF Mantor Library’s On Our Minds annual reading program choice for 2015-16. It is a tale of two boys named Wes Moore, with similar backgrounds but very different lives.

Pie Crusts Made Easy: 1 to 2:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12. The cost is $5.25. Learn how to make your pie crust turn out just right.

This Changes Everything: 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Nov. 17, and Dec. 1 and 15. The cost is $7.50. This book by Naomi Klein will provide the impetus for a series of discussions on the environment, the economy, climate change and our individual and community responsibilities to address these critical issues.

Book Arts: One Sheet Wonders: 10 a.m. to noon Monday and Thursday, Dec. 7 and 10. The cost is $5.50. Learn how to create simple books using just a single sheet of paper and scissors.

Electronic Lab: A Grab Bag of Programs: 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Jan. 7. The cost is $5.50. This class in UMF Mantor Library will give an overview of several of the more useful new computer programs.

Snowshoe and Cross-Country Ski Outings: Where to Go and How to Prepare: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12. The cost is $5.25. Doug Dunlap will describe over two dozen outings, including the Maine Huts and Trails System, Nordic Ski Centers throughout Franklin County, and hikes in the Rangeley, Bigelow, Weld, and Farmington-Foothills regions.

Armchair Travels: Experiences While Visiting Israel, Jordan and the West Bank: 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21. The cost is $5.50. Shirley and Richard Waddell will share their experiences, impressions and photos about their trip to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.

The Plight of Honey Bees and its Impact: 10 a.m. to noon Fridays, Jan. 22 and 29. The cost is $6.50. Overview of beekeeping, including the issues facing honey bees and other pollinators today and the impact on agriculture, and what is required to become a beekeeper.

Tibet: 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 and 11. The cost is $6. We’ll discuss Tibet, its history, the Dalai Lama, and contemporary circumstances and controversies, with primary reference point “The Snow Lion and the Dragon,” by Melvyn Goldstein.

A Brief History of Poetry: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays, Feb. 1 and 8. The cost is $6. A study of poetry using the book “The Death of the Hat: A Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects” by Paul B. Janeczko as a jumping off point.

Flagstaff Hut Ski and Snowshoe: 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2. The cost is $3. Enjoy skiing or snowshoeing approximately 2 miles from the Long Falls Dam Road Trailhead parking lot into the Maine Huts & Trails Flagstaff Lake Hut.

FMI: 207-778-7063, goldleaf@maine.edu.