Garden fertility out of thin air!
Wild Crafting Series
Apr 13 2008 - 10:00am
Apr 13 2008 - 5:00pm
OFFERED: March - November 2008
LOCATION: Commonweal Garden
INSTRUCTOR: Matt Berry
Wildcrafting provides a unique bridge between Permaculture and Nature Awareness. Matt Berry, who has been practicing and teaching primitive skills and nature awareness for over a decade, blends his passion and expertise in field biology, primitive skills, horticulture and Permaculture. After spending some time with Matt, you may never look at the weeds in the corner of your garden or the oak trees in your neighborhood the same way again!
This year, we offer a series of seasonal Wild Food Walks, as well as day long and weekend skill intensives. These classes will not only help to build your wildcrafting skills, but they will also deepen your connection with the natural world.
Classes are intended for adults, however children are welcome with a registered parent.
Wild Food Walks
Join us on the second Sunday of the month for a wild food walk in and around Commonweal Garden. Learn the many uses of the seasonal flora - edible, medicinal, and more. Each walk will include important information on safety and how to 'tend the wild' in a responsible way. Join us for a wander, and finish the day with some hands-on processing of nature's bounty.
Wild Food Walks are held 12:30 - 4:00pm.
2008 Wild Food Walk Dates:
July 13 Aug 10 Sept 7 Oct 12 Nov 9FEE: $25 prepaid, or $35 at the garden gate.
REGISTRATION:
Please register at least one week in advance to confirm meeting spot.
Register on-line and pay via credit card or contact the office at 415-868-9681.
Register for July 13
DAY-LONG AND WEEKEND INTENSIVES
2008 schedule will be posted shortly. Below is an overview of topics from 2007:
Basketry Basics
This day-long intensive will cover how to sustainably harvest and process wild basket materials like willow, dogwood, and more. Learn basic basketry techniques and take home a creation of your own!
Wild Food Walk
Come explore what wild edibles can be found at the Commonweal Garden and surrounding areas. Learn how to make wild weed raw energy bars, how to identify some key edible plants, what plants not to eat, nutritional values, strategies for enhancing wild food production and sustainable harvesting methods. View a preview on the identification and uses of plantain!
Primitive Fire Making
This course is offered in conjuction with the Coyote Tracks Teacher Training April 13-15 . Come learn about how to make fire by friction with local materials. There are 23 ways in which to make fire without matches or a lighter, we will be learning the bow drill. We will also look at other common methods; hand drill, fire plow and fire saw all of which come in handy in a survival situation. Learn about tinder, coal extenders, and igniters and tipi fire construction.
Primitive Pottery
In this special course we will explore the ancient art of pottery. On Saturday, learn where clay can be found, how to make temper, make a coil pot and fire it. Learn techniques for smoke clouts, burnishing, natural paints and take home a finished product.
On Sunday, we will be firing our pots for a second time at the beach with seaweeds and other natural materials. Partcipants are invited to camp out at Commonweal Garden Saturday night, and then walk down to the beach at 9am to build the fire. We'll experiment together with materials like salt, banana peels, cow manure, and any other materials partipants would like to bring. This firing will last until early afternoon. Pack a lunch and enjoy the beach! There is no additional cost for participating on Sunday.
Cattail Adventure
Wild Fermentation, Plum Mead and More
Local Bay Area Wild foodie Kevin Feinstein will lead a day in fermentation skills. Wild plums are one of the most abundant wild foods in the Bay Area, often making a mess of themselves on
sidewalks, trails, and lawns. In this class, learn how to use and preserve this amazing surplus by making plum mead and other plum delicacies. We will also cover general beer/wine making basics as well as the ins and outs of preserving wild foods.
Bark Container & Bone Awl
Using the eucalyptus tree, learn how to peel off live bark to produce a basket of both high function and beauty. Great for holding your fire kit. We will also learn how to make a bone awl, from the cannon bone of a deer leg, excellent for bark buckets, brain-tanned leather, basketry and many other applications. In addition, we will be learning how to make rope from different fibers to lace up the bark containers with. Go home with a bark container and bone awl of your own creation.
Primitive Fire Making
Come learn about how to make fire by friction with local materials. There are 23 ways in which to make fire without matches or a lighter, we will be learning the bow drill. We will also look at other common methods; hand drill, fire plow and fire saw all of which come in handy in a survival situation. Learn about tinder, coal extenders, and igniters and tipi fire construction. Go home with a complete fire kit to practice with.
Primitive cooking and Wild Food Procurement
We will be at the fire cooking wild foods with hot coals, hot rocks, pit bake, and other methods. Learn how indigenous peoples procurred foods by smoking and drying.
Acorn Harvest
Come learn the ancient practice of harvesting and processing acorns, the sacred food of the native peoples of California. Learn which oaks are best to gather acorns from, when to gather, and how to process acorns into food. We will be making acorn mush the old way with hot cooking rocks, also pit baking breads, and making ash cakes on the coals.
Shelter
In a survival situation a well made shelter can make all the difference. We will be learning different types of debris huts and shelters according to landscape and materials.
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