Foraging Education
Learning to forage safely and ethically
We are all the descendants of foragers. Gathering and preparing wild food was one of the staple human diets before agriculture was invented. Even today, cultures around the world continue to forage for food. Foraging is a basic human activity as well as a means of connecting deeply to the earth. While foraging creates links back to our most ancient ancestors, it also grounds us in the present day as we discover wild food that’s growing just under our feet. By foraging safely and ethically, we learn to respect the plants and fungi–and the planet–that nourishes and feeds us.
“I appreciate the way that Natalie structures her class, picnicking on foraged foods, sharing resources, and walking around to meet the plants. Her focus on plants that are accessible made it easy to apply what you learn afterwards. I cannot recommend her classes enough if you want a safe and positive environment to learn about foraging ethically in community!”
- Mo
Natalie hosts foraging-related events for the public throughout the year. Check out the events calendar for upcoming edible plant walks, immersive camps, and other foraging events.
Yard Consultations: Eat Your Weeds!
Did you know that the weeds people try to banish from their yards are often nutrient-dense wild foods? Yard consultations include a walk-through of your property to identify edible plants that may already be growing in your yard. Natalie brings a variety of materials to reference and learn about the plants you discover. Following the walk, Natalie will email a report including the edible plants we found, which part(s) can be harvested, and suggestions on how to prepare them for eating.
Yard consultations are available for $75 and take approximately one hour.
Group Events
Does your company, organization, or group want to learn more about identifying and preparing wild edible woods? Group presentations, private foraging walks, wild edibles classes, and other services are available.
Reach out to discuss what will best fit your group’s needs and budget!
Wonderland Community Project
Natalie is a member of Wonderland Community Project, a collectively-owned agroforestry land community in McHenry County, Illinois. Wonderland is a place for creating reciprocal relationships rooted in mutual aid and solidarity while working to restore ecosystems lost to land development and neglect. The collective focuses on adaptation and mitigation of climate change, meeting at the intersection of social justice and climate resiliency. The project’s ethical priorities are to take care of the land, each other, and society as a whole, while giving back to the Indigenous communities on whose occupied lands we live.
Visit Wonderland’s website to learn more and watch for upcoming foraging education opportunities taking place at Wonderland on Natalie’s events calendar.