rivers & roots
gifts of the plants
find your way to the original garden with our apprenticeship program Gifts of the Plants.
Beginning this spring, join us for a wild adventure as we learn to identify, sustainably harvest and process a variety of wild edibles and medicines from our region. The day concludes with a celebratory Wild Harvest Dinner catered by Ixim Cafe+Bistro, included in the price.
FALL DATES:
April 30, 2022
May 28, 2022
June 25, 2022
July 23, 2022
August 20, 2022
Sept 17, 2022
Location: Wakefield, QC
Time: 1pm-5:30pm, with Wild Harvest Dinner starting at 6pm
Cost: $125 per session plus hst
- includes wild inspired lunch
- sliding scale price & worktrade available
- Sign up now
Details:
Gifts of the plants monthly classes are designed to immerse you in the vibrant multi-sensory world of plants, from the tiniest unfurling sprout to the oldest majestic tree. We will explore many, many ways to engage, observe, and learn in this abundant aspect of our world. We aim for you to come out of these classes inspired and invigorated, ready to continue building life long relationships with the plant world!
Please note that you will be taking home both processed and unprocessed foods and medicines. Some of our “special plant studies” will include projects that will have to be finished at home. You will also be given many resources for continued study, for the keen learners.
The following is the general structure of the class, and a tentative month by month curriculum. Please note that the classes will very much be responsive to the interests and the energy of the participants, what’s happening in nature, and sudden bursts of passion from the instructor, so the exact curriculum will vary.
Generally, the classes will be as follows:
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Welcome, shaking off the dust, sharing of passions, stories, inspirations
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Plant foraging/plant walk
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Preparation of wild inspired item for dinner menu (wild salad, peeling chopping wild vegetables)
April 30
May 28: Spring Fever! Foods: dandelion, fiddleheads, basswood, wild leeks, wood nettles, pine, sprucetips, Medicines: plantain, yarrow, Processing: gathered foods, medicinal honeys, oils and salves, Special Plant Studies: i) conservation, caretaking and propagating your own “wild” plants, ii) wild beers, vinegars, ciders, and other fun, healthy ferments! iii) if there is time and interest, dandelion wine.
June 25: Climax and the Solstice! Foods: wild strawberries, burdock stalk, carrot stalk, rose petals, cattails, milkweed, daisies, Medicines: pine pollen, comfrey, red clover, Processing: tinctures, cattail stalks, Special Plant Studies: i) bark: baskets, fibres, food. ii) spirit of plants: a short discussion European and First Nations perspectives on plant spirit, consciousness, as well as folklore and magic! (in honour of the coming summer solstice)
July 23: Summer’s Glory: Foods: raspberries, plantain seeds, amaranth and lambsquarters seeds, (Susun Weed’s porridge), milkweed pods and flowers, Medicines: fresh summer sun teas, syrups
July 22-24: ... Chanterelles and summer mushrooms, milkweed pods and flowers, Medicines: fresh summer sun teas, syrups, Processing: jellies, pickling, Special Studies: bark part 2: more baskets, fibres, food
Aug 20: Summer Matures: Food: chokecherry, wild plums, hazelnuts, butternut, elderberry, wild rice Medicines: elderberry, pine pitch, Special Plant studies: i) pitch, ii) making a “blickie” for berry harvest , “melon” style woven baskets, iii) plant dyes!
Sept. 17: Soak in the sun and put on some fat! Food: acorns, black walnut, butternut, stinging nettle, wild grape, wild apples,roots, harvest feast, Medicine: i: rosehips, ii) herbal first aid and herbal first aid kit, Processing: black walnuts for food, medicine and dye. Special Plant Studies: dyes, fibres, the amazing cattail doll.
- sliding scale price & worktrade available
Sign up now