First Ways

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Classes

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Note: Dates for 2012 classes will be announced soon. Send an e-mail to RebeccaELerner[at]gmail[com] to get on the mailing list.

Urban Foraging 101 is a fun, unique, info-packed class that teaches you how to identify and sustainably harvest an amazing array of common wild edible and medicinal plants of the city with the utmost respect for nature. You will learn: safety tips, what to do with the plants at home, how they were historically used and resources for further learning. Our class begins with a walking tour; later we sit down as a group to meditate in a quiet place and tap into our intuitive connection with plants to explore an ancient way to learn about plants, using a mystery tincture. You will also have the opportunity to smoke (legal) wild herbs if you wish.

Details: Classes are held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends both in urban neighborhoods and in local wilderness areas in spring, summer and fall.

Cost: $25 donation

Depending on the season, we’ll cover: Hawthorn, sumac, California poppy, pineapple weed, mallow, plantain, dead nettle, stinging nettle, dandelion, cat’s ear, shepherd’s purse, bittercress and other wild mustards, prickly lettuce, chickweed, burdock, yellow dock, sheep sorrel, oxalis, mullein, lemon balm, blackberry, raspberry, rose, red clover, everlasting pea, oak, chestnut, black walnut, dogwood, elderberry, gooseberry, sempervivum, mugwort, day lily, wild carrot, Russian sage, mugwort, and much more.

Sounds fun, eh?! Here’s what participants had to say about Urban Foraging 101:

“Becky’s class is awesome. [It] has the power to completely alter your paradigm and allow you to see below the surface of your everyday life.” – L.S.

“I loved the workshop! I really had a blast!” – S.L.

“It exceeded my expectations.” – C.B.

“Thanks for a fun and entertaining class, I enjoyed it a lot.” – N.S.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the urban foraging class this Sunday. I had a wonderful time wandering around and eating wild plants. The meditation circle at the end I think was a wonderful conclusion. Thank you again, I look forward to attending another walk in the future.” – A.K.

“I really liked that you incorporated a spiritual piece to it and that we all could sit in circle and share. You were very attentive to the group.” – D.L.

“We had a lot of fun. Thanks for making it casual and for providing so much info.” – A.T.
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Other local organizations also offer plant classes:
The local nonprofit Cascadia Wild has a foraging club.
John Kallas of Wild Food Adventures also offers foraging workshops.
You can go in-depth learning plant medicine at Portland’s local herb schools:
*Arctos School
*Elderberry School of Botanical Medicine
*The School of Forest Medicine
* School of Traditional Western Herbalism.

In Eugene, consider the Columbines School of Botanical Medicine.

Here’s a good list of other herb schools across the country. Some even have distance-learning programs.