Description
The purpose of the Wild Foraging Study Group is to meet regularly at the same location, to explore nature’s ever changing expressions as the seasons progress through the year. We will walk the land and take notice of the growth stages of the various edible and medicinal wild plants that are present, and have the opportunity to harvest and process in-season species. Seeing plants at different stages of growth is an excellent learning tool for a more complete understanding of each plant, even if they aren’t ready to harvest at that time.
Our late fall class will focus on two fruits of the fall harvest: black walnuts and juniper berries. The black walnut is our native walnut species, which produces delicious and flavorful nuts that are richer in protein than other walnut species. Processing the nuts takes a few steps, including removing the outer hull, cleaning and drying for storage, and then cracking the extremely hard nut shell to access the nutritious nutmeats inside. Juniper berries are not actually berries, but fleshy seed cones from female juniper/cedar trees. They are a little bit sweet and highly resinous and aromatic (like a Christmas tree!), and can be used as a seasoning or made into drinks.
You will learn how to identify, collect and process black walnuts and juniper berries, and incorporate them into foods and drinks. You will also learn about their nutritional and medicinal properties, and get to take some home to play with in the kitchen.
We encourage you to attend our monthly study group events for a more complete learning experience. If you can only attend one class, or can only attend periodically, please come anyway, as you will learn a lot of valuable information and skills during each class!
When: Sunday, December 13th @ 1pm to 3:30pm
Where: Private property in Anna (Collin County), Texas (address will be sent to participants one week before the class date)
Contribution: $50 per adult (or $40 if you attended a previous study group class), $80 per couple, $20 for teens, $10 for children under 13
Your signup includes 2.5 hours of hands-on experience foraging and preparing wild edibles during our class, learning plant identification, the opportunity to ask questions, and a copy of Courtney’s 63-page ebook, North Texas Edible Wild Plant Basics.
Cancellation policy: You may cancel your reservation up to 48 hours prior to the class time, and will receive a refund minus a 20% cancellation fee. Alternately, you may roll your class reservation over to a future class (whether currently scheduled or not) with no penalties. Since our classroom is outdoors, classes will occur in a variety of weather conditions, including heat, cold, and light rain, but we will reschedule class in cases of heavy rain or thunderstorms. By purchasing a ticket to this class, you are agreeing to this policy.