The wealth of springtime is gaining as the herbaceous layer swells, flowers start to open on the trees and shrubs, and fungi emerge across the cavities and crevices of the moist, warming forest. May is the forager’s delight, especially for the bounty of fresh greens that awaken us to the radiance of the season: things like chickweed, stinging nettle, dead nettle, henbit, violet, fiddlehead ferns, and more. From the ground below to the understory at arm’s reach, these are just a sampling of the foods and medicines we can find this time of year.
Whether you are interested in garnering a better understanding of local plant ecology, gaining knowledge about wild edibles or discovering alternative uses for plants through wildcrafting and medicine, join us for our May Forging Walk. Along the way, we will spend time telling stories beyond human use to pay tribute to local ecology and uncover the challenges it faces. We will also emphasize ethical foraging and ways of giving back to the land from which we’re taking–reinforcing how thinking like an ecosystem should guide our practice of gathering wild foods.
Beginners and experienced foragers are welcome.
Program Notes:
This class will take place outdoors. Please check the weather in advance and dress accordingly. Be prepared for walking on uneven terrain and potentially muddy conditions.
All programs are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances including inclement weather. Participants will receive an email in the days preceding the program for any changes or cancellations. You can review our current Cancellation and Refund Policy here.
Parking takes place in the field above the farmhouse.
The cost for this program is $25/person. Young children accompanying an adult may attend without charge.
About the Instructor:
Growing up in a rural town called Sweet Valley, just south of Ricketts Glen State Park, Andrew spent his life fostering a love for the PA wilds. He attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown and majored in English Literature and Music Composition while exploring regional ecology, slow food, composting, gardening, and foraging in the spaces between. This eventually led him to the staff of the Horn Farm Center, where, as Community Engagement Coordinator, he organizes educational opportunities, coordinates volunteers, runs social media, blogs, and assists with development and outreach projects.
Andrew is an avid forager and student of wild spaces, interested in rekindling ways of living on the landscape that are place-sourced and mutually nuturing. In 2023, he had the privilege of enriching his experience by taking the Horn Farm Center's Land Steward Training Program. Beyond the Horn Farm, Andrew leads a book club for the Lancaster Composting Co-Ops, volunteers as a land steward with the Lancaster Conservancy, and spends Saturdays selling produce at Green Circle Organics in Lancaster Central Market.
York, PA 17406
United States
Class Fee | $25.00 |