Wild Food & Medicine Apprenticeship

Embark on a transformative journey into the heart of the California’s wild bounty with this ten month immersive apprenticeship on foraging, tending, and utilizing wild foods. This comprehensive program will guide you through the seasonal rhythms of the wild food and medicine of the Santa Cruz Mountains and beyond, teaching you how to identify, ethically harvest, and cultivate a deep connection with the edible and medicinal plants that surround us. From spring's tender shoots to autumn's abundant fruits, you'll learn the skills to safely and sustainably integrate wild resources into your life.

What will we explore?

Throughout the year, we'll dive into diverse topics, including plant identification, ecological awareness, traditional food preservation techniques, and the creation of delicious wild foods & potent herbal remedies. You'll gain hands-on experience in a great variety of ecosystems, learning to recognize local flora and understand their ecological roles. We'll explore the art of ethical harvesting, ensuring the long-term health of wild populations, and discuss how to support these ecosystems through responsible tending. You'll also learn to transform your harvests into delicious meals and effective medicines, connecting with the land in a profound and practical way.

By the end of this year-long program, you'll possess the knowledge and confidence to navigate the wild landscapes around you, understanding the intricate relationships between plants, people, and the environment.

Join us as we rediscover the ancient art of foraging and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the wild foods that nourish both body and spirit. This class is designed to provide a rich, immersive experience, fostering a lifelong connection with the natural world.

What do I need to know to join in?

1) That you have the deep desire to be able to immerse in the wild web of food and medicine everywhere you go, and are willing to get out of your comfort zone to make that happen.

2) Given the wild variability of seasonal availability, specific items like mushrooms and seaweeds will be focused on during their appropriate seasons, and the focus of a particular month might have to shift to explore what’s growing then - for example, while thimbleberries usually fruit in June and acorns typically fall throughout December, this can vary slightly by year, and if it does our plans will need to shift a bit to reflect this. This will be more applicable to folks who want to drop in to classes, or for those who have to miss classes, than to those who are along for the year.

3) This class is for the adventure-oriented and involves getting out in the field (and sometimes multiple fields in a day, or in the ocean, or on the side of a road, or way back on a trail). The field portion of class will likely involve visiting locations as north as Oakland and as south as Corralitos (though likely not in the same day), so willingness and ability to either drive or ride along with another student is a must. Students must be responsible for themselves as they walk in potentially precarious areas. Though I will try to make sure paths are accessible as possible, they will sometimes be rocky and awkward, steep and precarious… and if that seems like a good adventure for you, you’re in the right place.

4) There is optional field and home work to be done between classes, which I will be posting about a bit later and will describe in depth to students at the first class. I recognize that we all lead such different lives with regards to family, home, work, etc, and that time-ability to do this work will really vary by person. That said, the more you are able to get out in the field in between classes and do your home study, the more this will all become second-nature to you.

When do we meet?

The fieldwork portion of class takes place one Saturday each month in person at various open spaces in the Santa Cruz foothills, mountains, and seaside - from Santa Cruz proper north through Los Gatos and up the peninsula to Woodside. When we are done in the field we will drive to my place; kitchen portions are in Los Gatos until the end of August, and in the field when possible. My family and I will be moving at the end of the summer to somewhere in the Santa Cruz mountains, and at this point the kitchen portion of the class will move to wherever this location is. If it becomes incompatible for you to come at this point due to the location being too far, your fee will be returned at a prorated amount for the remainder of the classes (though I hope you are able to stay with us!).

Classes begin at 10am Saturday morning and go till 3 or 4pm depending on content, the exception being the seaweed class which is dependent on the tides and will begin at 7am on the coast and go till early afternoon.

Classes can be purchased individually, though preference is given to those wishing to undergo the program in its entirety as classes build on each other.