WILD PLANT WORKSHOP SERIES: demonstrations for using wild plants for a variety of techniques and applications
WILD EDIBLES
Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Time: 7PM until 9PM
Fee: $50 per workshop/$150 for entire series
Anyone can find, prepare, and enjoy wild edibles with proper training and enough time. During this cooking and sampling demonstration Nick Spero will talk about a host of wild edible plants that are available at this time of year. He'll convey the ease of integrating wild edibles into our diet--both for the fun of foraging, and the pleasure of cooking wild edibles for their unique flavors and health benefits. He will select plants that illustrate the ability to create a meal from wild edibles vs. nibbling along the trail. He will also touch on some look-alikes plants and some of the responsibilities of wild foraging.
MAKING CORDAGE FROM NATIVE PLANT FIBERS
Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Time: 7PM until 9PM
Fee: $50 per workshop/$150 for entire series
For 1000s of years, humans have twisted plant fibers into cordage to create rope, fishing line and nets, bowdrills, traps, bow strings, snares, and shelters. Come and learn how.
Nick Spero will demonstrate and then help us create cordage from Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum), Yucca leaves (Yucca filamentosa) and Milkweed stems (Asclepias syriaca).
FRICTION FIRE
Date: Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Time: 7PM until 9PM
Fee: $50 per workshop/$150 for entire series
Friction fire looks so simple in the movies… all you have to do is rub two sticks together to start a fire. Many have tried and nearly all have failed to start a fire this way. How did pre-historic humans make fire?
In this session we will explore the bow drill method of making fire by friction. Proper types of plants will be discussed and proper technique will be demonstrated.
MAKING DYES FROM WILD PLANTS
Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Time: 7PM until 9PM
Fee: $50 per workshop/$150 for entire series
A great source for natural dyes can be found right in your own back yard! Roots, nuts and flowers are just a few common natural materials used to produce colorful dyes. Yellow, orange, blue, red, green, brown and grey are available. We will use several locally available wild plants to create our own natural dyes. The use of mordants (a substance used to set dye) is common in dyeing, we will not use any hard chemicals in this session.
APPLYING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IN THE FIELD
Date: Sunday, October 23, 2016
Time: 7PM until 9PM
Fee: $50 per workshop/$150 for entire series
We will spend an entire day in the field applying what we have learned in the previous workshops.
