Upcoming Events
Business of Farming Conference
Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC
The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) Conference has always signaled to me the start of the farming year since it began almost ten years ago. i am honored to once again be preparing a wild foods dip for the pre-conference reception in exchange for my admission. Due to great demand the conference is currently full for regular registration but there is a waiting list!
Contact Info: http://www.asapconnections.org/conference.htmlTime: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Fee: $30
Day Hike Along the Yuba River and Evening Presentation
Starting at the South Yuba Campground evening at Stonehouse in Nevada City
The hike will follow a section of the "cross-California trail," a concept that was very dear to the heart of naturalist John Olmsted, and later walked by Frank Cook and Steven Hein. The trail extends from Jug Handle State Park just south of Fort Bragg, to Lake Tahoe. The 30+ miles of it that climb up through the Yuba River Valley are arguably some of the most incredible and stunningly beautiful moments of the entire cross state journey!
The hike will rendezvous at The South Yuba Campground at noon and leave from there by 12:30. We are hoping to spend about four hours on the trail, so come prepared for a full day, i.e. Hiking shoes/boots, warm layer/coat or rain gear, and something to snack on if you like. The route may be considered strenuous by some as it involves a noticeable climb.
Join the "next generation pilgrims"; Turtle and Marc as they guide an afternoon walk along scenic Yuba River, reflecting upon their September 2011 journey from Nevada City to Lake Tahoe. Walk along with them as they retrace their footsteps, recounting stories and events from that adventure, with a special focus on the plants found along the way, with tips for their uses as food, medicine, and inspiration. Expect to learn something about the geology and history of this beautiful valley.
With our fingers crossed for guest appearances by Stephen Hein and Daniel Nicholson, we are also excited about the sharing of stories and knowledge that each participant brings to a gathering like this!
But wait! It doesn't stop there!! After an afternoon of hiking, we will move to the Stonehouse for an evening of slides from Turtles trans-California hike-"300 miles and 16 days!" www.stonehouse1857.com The accompanying lecture will focus on Pilgrimage as a spiritual and environmental phenomenon, as well as looking at the concept of a "Cross-California Green Path". Where it comes from, where it goes, and how it gets there, plus what needs to happen to make it a reality.
A wild foods potluck and an assortment of wild crafted meads and elixirs will round out the experience!!!
We are aiming to be back in cars by 4:30 or 5, and en route to the Stonehouse. Events at the Stonehouse should be getting started by 5:30, with the talk and slideshow planned for some time after six. All said and done, we should be closed up by 9:30, sending you home to get rested for the great Mead Class that Marc Williams will be hosting the following day! See website www.botanyeveryday.com for further details.
This event is a fund raiser for Plants and Healers International (PHI), a non- profit organization. PHI is focused on preserving and carrying out the vision and legacy of Frank Cook. PHI is actively involved in several areas of work, including helping the vision of a trans-California hiking trail come into reality. Visit their website at www.plantsandhealers.com to learn more about this great organization.
A local group, The Mendocino-Tahoe Conservancy is also diligently working toward this same goal and will be holding a fundraiser in Grass Valley on Friday March 2nd, go to www.mendotahoe.org for more information about them and their event.
We hope to see you on Saturday, expecting that each and every one of you will be touched by the experience of "pilgrimage." "ua mau ke ea o ka 'aina i ka pono..."
Time: 12 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fee: By Donation...Benefit for Plants and Healers International
Super Natural Soda, Magical Meads and Local Liqueurs
Stonehouse in Nevada City
Come join us at the old Stonehouse Brewery and Tavern for a trip through the ancient art of brewing beverages. We will sample various beverages while also crafting a mead and reviewing step by step directions for making your own special brews. This class will empower each student to reclaim the wonder of uniquely created drinks to please any palate! See Stonehouse website for directions www.stonehouse1857.com.
Contact Info: marc@botanyeveryday.comTime: 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Fee: $20-40 Sliding Scale (Give what you can)
Plant Walk
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Plant Families
Plant Family Patterns can greatly aid in demystifying the “green wall” of species around us. Approximately 250,000 species of flowering plants are known to global science. These species have been grouped into around 15,000 genera and close to 500 flowering plant families. About 200 flowering plant families grow in the temperate world where it annually frosts and or freezes . You will know something significant about the majority of plants that you see in the temperate world if you learn the top 30 families around you. It is often possible to guess whether a plant is edible, medicinal, or poisonous simply by the family it occupies. However, some exceptions are important to know as well. We will engage in a walk and talk at New College, where we will delve into the major plant families of the Southern USA. Students will reinforce plant identification skills by observing family patterns such as leaf, flower and fruit types. Uses including edibility, medicinality, craft, wildlife promotion and landscape beauty will be discussed. The phenomenon of exotic invasive plants will also be covered in relation to their family membership. Participants will gain a more holistic understanding of the major plants comprising the Southern US flora and their potential ecological and ethnobotanical applications.
Contact Chris Wagoner to register at the email below.
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Fee: $20-25 AHG members $25-30 non-members
Exotic Invasive Plant Talk and Walk
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Exotic Invasive plants are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity in the world. However, many exotic invasive are famous medicinals or are used for other functions in their places of origin. Our class will focus holistically on the phenomenon of exotic invasive plants. We will define exotic invasive plants and understand how they have come to be a problem. Subsequently we will reflect on the methods used to control exotic invasives. Many plants listed as exotic invasives have ethnobotanical uses beyond those typically pursued. The harvesting for these uses may be a potential additional strategy in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program for exotic invasive control. A review of the ethnobotanical literature helped underpin the opportunities to use these plants and effectively turn a problem into a resource. An excel spreadsheet was used to determine themes of exotic invasive recognition by various states and also the uses for plants that are listed. We will review this list of plants primarily focusing on uses for medicine. A plant walk will help to center the phenomenon of exotics with a tactile and pragmatically experiential approach.
Space Limited!!!
Contact Chris Wagoner at the email below to register. 706-207-7746
Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Fee: $20-25 AHG members $25-30 non-members
Plant Walk, Forage and Feast
Maverick Farms in Valle Crucis outside Boone, NC
We will meet at Maverick Farms in Valle Crucis We will talk for about ½ hour then walk for about 2.5 hours and then prepare a meal from what we find. Handouts will be given, including recipes. This class will provide a holistic understanding of what it takes to bring sustenance from field to fork. Special attention will be given to how understanding patterns within the plant world can allow one to demystify the "green wall" and begin to have confidence in the usefulness and abundance of plant resources all around us
Objectives:
Significant knowledge of the most prevalent plant families used for food and medicine. Ability to identify some of the most choice useful individual plants species in this region Knowledge of the biggest problem plants of this region and what some of their uses might be Understanding of the food production methods used to prepare wild edibles Awareness of resources available to further study the incredible world of Ethnobotany Contact Info: marc@botanyeveryday.comTime: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Fee: $20-40 Sliding Scale (Give what you can)
Ethnobotany Intensive
Hostel in the Forest
Ethnobotanical Intensive with Mycol Stevens & Marc Williams May 4-6 2012
Mycol Stevens has a masters in aquatic ecology and has worked as a restoration ecologist/botanist for the Florida Fish and Game across the state of FL since 2004. He has traveled much of Central and South America and Africa, and has learned from some of the best teachers including Frank Cook. Mycol has been teaching ethnobotany and edible mushrooms on the side since 2005. He also lives off-the-grid on an “ecocentric” permaculture homestead where he eats from the wild almost daily and propagates and cultivates his own organic foods. Mycol’s philosophy is to ween off the “system” and to eat your food as medicine. Mycol has been inspired by the Hostel since the mid 90’s and much of its philosophy is reflected in his way of life. Knowing the living world around you, connects you to the living world. Mycol hosts (Willing Workers On Oraganic Farms, (WWOOFers) at his finca. Contact him if you are interested in visiting. He also hosts an Earthskills gathering near the beginning of February every year. www.growfood.org/es/farm/997 , http://floridaearthskills.blogspot.com/
Marc Williams is an ethnobotanist. He has studied plants intensively while learning to use them for food, medicine, biological conservation, and beauty. His training includes a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies concentrating in Sustainable Agriculture from Warren Wilson College and a Master’s degree in Appalachian Studies concentrating in Sustainable Development with a minor in Geography and Planning from Appalachian State University. Marc’s major research in graduate school focused on the most useful plants of Appalachia. However it is clear that a holistic appreciation of nature irrespective of utility will be necessary to create the new paradigm that are current global situation calls for. He has since spent significant time learning the plants of the Western U.S. and tropical regions as well. Marc has spent over a decade working at a multitude of restaurants, various farms, and travels throughout 23 countries in North/Central America and Europe and 49 of the United States of America. In those travels he has visited over 70 of the best botanical gardens in the world. He has taught hundreds of people about the marvelous lives of plants and their respective uses. Marc first came to the Hostel in the Forest in March of 1998 and was immediately transformed through a first time sweat lodge experience with Tom Dennard the hostel founder. Like Mycol many of the principles that make the Hostel in the Forest such a special place have informed his expression of life in this world ever since. Further info can be found at www.botanyeveryday.com where an online botany class in the tradition of Frank Cook is conducted by donation.
Teachings will start Friday evening and end Sunday afternoon.
Workshops will include:
- Botany 101 presentation
- Wild Foods/Medicines walk
- Super Food preparation presentation
- Botanical Beach Walk
- Fermentation Overview with Honey Mead Making and sharing
- Potential Sweat Lodge Ceremony
- Botanical slide shows of various parts of the world including Latin America, Africa and Europe are also possible.
The cost will be $100 per person, which includes accommodations at the Hostel for the Friday and Saturday night as well as a beautiful vegetarian dinner on both nights. Make sure to call ahead to reserve your spot!!!
Bring your notebook, any relevant books you have, a camera, a loupe if you have one, water bottle, rain coat etc.
Handouts will be provided.
“Teach a man to fish, ya got food for life. Let your food be your medicine.”
“The forests and fields are a table always spread” Henry Thoureau
Contact Info: http://www.foresthostel.com/Time: 6 p.m. Fri -5:30 p.m. Sun
Fee: $100
Plant Walk, Forage and Feast
Soulflower Botanical Sanctuary in Leicester, NC
We will meet at Soulflower Botanical sanctuary in Leicester, NC. We will talk for about ½ hour then walk for about 2 hours and then prepare a meal from what we find. Handouts will be given, including recipes. Objectives:
Significant knowledge of the most prevalent plant families used for food and medicine.
Ability to identify some of the most choice useful individual plants species in this region.
Knowledge of some problem plants of this region and what some of their uses might be.
Understanding of the food production methods used to prepare wild edibles.
Awareness of resources available to further study the incredible world of ethnobotany
Contact Info: http://www.herbsheal.comTime: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Fee: $30-50 Sliding Scale (Give what you can)
Plant Walk, Forage and Feast
Kingston, TN
The owners of Mountain Yoga in Kingston, TN have specially requested this event after attending a similar one at the Soulflower Botanical Sanctuary outside of Leicester, NC. This is a two part class. The first part will include a plant walk and harvest of selected plants that may be used for food, medicine, or both. The second part will focus on the preparation of a meal from the plants that were harvested. This class will provide a holistic understanding of what it takes to bring sustenance from field to fork. Special attention will be given to how understanding patterns within the plant world can allow one to demystify the "green wall" and begin to have confidence in the usefulness and abundance of plant resources all around us. $20-40 sliding scale . To reserve a spot please make a payment to Marc's paypal account at www.botanyeveryday.com bring payment to
Mountain Yoga 151-A East Mountcastle Drive, Johnson City, TN 37601
423-262-9551
www.mountainyogatn.com
Or mail payment to PO Box 6362 Asheville, NC We need to know how many people will be attending, Thank you!
Contact Info: marc@botanyeveryday.com
Time: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Fee: $35 (work trade and scholarships may be available)
Growing and Enjoying Unusual Vegetables from Mountains to Sea
Doubletree Biltmore Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina
i will be presenting as part of the North Carolina State Master Gardeners conference. You do not need to be a Master Gardener to attend but members get significant discounts. The full conference starts on Sunday May 20th at 4 p.m. and goes until Wednesday May 23rd at 1 p.m. William Cullina, the incomparable author of several native plant books, will be in attendance and presenting on a number of subjects including macro photography.
My class will focus on discussing and sampling some unusual vegetables, both cultivated and wild. These plants offer the chance to increase diet diversity and interest while offering potential economic opportunities too. Come try something new!
Contact Info: http://ncmgva.camp8.org/Default.aspx?pageId=510014&eventId=355751&EventViewMode=EventDetailsTime: 2:45 - 5 p.m.
Fee: $110 - $170 for full conference
National Rainbow Gathering
Somewhere in a National Forest in KY, TN, VA, NC or NH
The Rainbow Gathering is in some National Forest in a different state each year. The location this year will be probably somewhere in the Appalachian section of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia or North Carolina with a small possibility of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but the exact site is still to be announced. The actual location will be on the welcomehome website by mid June. Rainbow is certainly the most economical opportunity to learn plants in a deep way…All classes at Rainbow cost no money and there are of ton of different opportunities…We walk and talk about plants everyday and try to identify whatever we see. i will be there roughly from around 6/30-7/7
Contact Info: http://www.welcomehome.org/rainbow/index.htmlTime:
Fee: Priceless...Free
Plant Walk, Forage and Feast
Pickard's Mountain Eco-Institute, Chapel Hill, NC
This is two part class. The first part will include a general introduction to the world of plant identification, foraging, a plant walk and harvest of selected plants that may be used for food, medicine, or both. The second part will focus on the preparation of a meal from the plants that were harvested. This class will provide a holistic understanding of what it takes to bring sustenance from field to fork. Special attention will be given to how understanding patterns within the plant world can allow one to demystify the "green wall" and begin to have confidence in the usefulness and abundance of plant resources all around us.
http://pickardsmountain.org/home
Contact Info: http://pickardsmountain.org/home/?page_id=379Time: 2p.m. - 7p.m.
Fee: $40 (Scholarships/Work Trade maye be available))
Seasonal School of Culinary Arts
Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC and the surrounding area
This cooking school offers an incredible opportunity to learn many different skills of the kitchen while inhabiting an incredible setting . Go to the website to get a greater appreciation. i will be leading a plant walk at 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. on 7/19 around the Warren Wilson College campus while also describing the incredible Asheville local mead and wine brewing scene. With the brewers of mead in particular it is all about building a story in a bottle. Special places, times of year, fellow harvesters, makers and bottlers. Then we come together in circle to introduce each preparation and its history with love and respect. The rest of the week will be focused in other ways about food and wine and features a host of inspiring presenters.
Contact Info: http://www.schoolofculinaryarts.org/Time:
Fee: Variable
18th Annual Southeastern Permaculture Gathering
Arthur Morgan School, Celo, NC
Come to our 18th annual gathering at the beautiful Arthur Morgan School in Celo, NC. This is certainly one of my favorites of all time, even in a place and a life with many amazing events! i will most definitely be helping to facilitate a plant walk and will also be working in the kitchen if you want to help make Friday lunch! http://www.southeasternpermaculture.org/
Contact Info: http://www.southeasternpermaculture.orgTime:
Fee: Variable
