Foraging is the act of finding and gathering wild food and medicine – but it is also so much more.
The Horn Farm Center’s Forager Training Program is an invitation to rekindle our age-old relationship with the land beneath our feet – to animate the skills, knowledge, and practices that are a critical part of our sense of place.
Through this work, we can provide ourselves with healthy, free, and reciprocal food and medicine while connecting on a deeper level to the landscape in which we live.
Taking place over 8 consecutive Tuesdays from May to June, 2025, this immersive course will provide foundational knowledge for those interested in beginning (or deepening) their path towards building a relationship with the land, incorporating wild plants into their everyday life, and gaining the knowledge to confidently share with others. Expect a diverse array of lectures, conversations, general plant walks, hands-on exercises, and the opportunity for plenty of tasting of both raw and prepared wild foods.
The first session of this course will begin with introductions, foundational knowledge, observation exercises, and a general plant walk. Each subsequent class will feature a specific plant family or ecosystem of focus as well as discussions on harvest, preparation, history, and ethics. We’ll conclude the course with a wild foods potluck, sharing in the knowledge and practice gained.
Topics Explored
- Safe practices
- Ethical considerations and techniques
- Basic botany including: terminology, plant parts, and plant families
- Plant observation and identification
- Understanding and using plant keys
- Culinary uses – Harvesting, preparation, cooking and tasting
- Alternative uses
- Bioregional ecology and succession
- Introductions to a wide array of local, wild plants
What to Bring
- Refillable water cannister
- Light, portable snacks (classes will take place primarily outdoors)
- Notebook – preferably with lined and unlined pages for both notes and sketches.
- Foraging and harvesting tools (not required)
- Pocket knife (non-serrated)
- Scissors
- Gloves
- Bags/baskets
- Clothing suitable for spending time outdoors: hat, closed-toe shoes, layers, etc.
Program Schedule:
Classes take place on consecutive Tuesdays, May 6th to June 24th, 2025. All classes are 5:30-8pm at the Horn Farm Center:
- Tuesday, May 6th (5:30-8pm): Introductions, Observation Practice, Foraging Ethics & Foundations
- Tuesday, May 13th (5:30-8pm)
- Tuesday, May 20th (5:30-8pm)
- Tuesday, May 27th (5:30-8pm)
- Tuesdaty, June 3rd (5:30-8pm)
- Tuesday, June 10th (5:30-8pm)
- Tuesday, June 17th (5:30-8pm)
- Tuesday, June 24th (5:30-8pm): Final Harvest & Wild Foods Potluck
*Note: information in this course is cumulative from week to week. We ask that anyone registering for this course plan to attend all or most of the sessions. Classes cannot be joined or audited individually, and discounts are not provided for missed classes.
Make sure to read the Horn Farm Center’s Cancellation and Refund Policy before registering.
Standard Program Cost: $360/person
- Limited sliding scale options are available to lower the program cost for eligible participants. See the program registration page for more details.
- Customized payment plans can be discussed if breaking down payment supports financial accessibility. Please note that using a payment plan will require a non-refundable downpayment in order to secure a spot in the program. Please email education@hornfarmcenter.org to inquire about payment plans. This option is only provided in cases of financial need.
What To Expect:
- Outdoor learning: Barring severely inclement weather, most classes will take place primarily outdoors. Please check the weather in advance and come prepared for rain, humidity, and other conditions of the season.
- Wild ecosystems: Each class will involve a fair bit of movement across uneven, varied terrain, along with occasional “bushwacking” in wild spaces. Come prepared for muddy conditions and some uphill walking. Closed-toe shoes and long pants are encouraged to safeguard against ticks.
- Punctuality: Plan to arrive ~10 minutes early to each class so the group can get started on time. There is so much to explore during the spring!
- Extracurricular Practice: While this program meets weekly, studying plant identification, ecological knowledge, and foraging is like studying a language. It requires time, repetition, humility, and an ongoing commitment to self-study. We don’t assign official “homework” week to week, but do encourage students to practice what they’ve learned and hone their skills between classes to truly reap the benefits of the training program. Shared resources and supplementary readings are offered for optional engagement throughout the program.
- Fun!: Safe and ethical foraging is a great way to experience joy and fulfillment in community. In short, expect to have a good time with the land and each other!
About the Instructors:
Jonathan Darby
Jonathan is a wild foods enthusiast and educator, avid gardener, former farmer and has served the Horn Farm Center in varying capacities for over 15 years. He currently serves as Land Manager & Educator. Jonathan received his Permaculture Design Certification in 2011 from Susquehanna Permaculture and in 2014 completed his Permaculture Teacher Training through Dynamic Ecological Design. He is married with 2 kids and 3 cats
Andrew Leahy
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. Moving to the Lower Susquehanna Region from the mountains of Northeastern PA in 2021, he currently serves as Community Engagement Coordinator for the Horn Farm Center. With an academic background in English Literature and Music, Andrew has since embraced ecological learning and lifelong wildcrafting through experiences in the Horn Farm’s Land Steward and Ecological Gardener Training Programs. He is also completing 300 hours of study and field work through the Northern Appalachia School’s Foundations of Bioregional Herbalism program.