Wild Foods Nature Walks
Wild Foods Nature Walks
Learn to ID plants & mushrooms in season & discover the wonders of nature in the DC area.
Learn to ID plants & mushrooms in season & discover the wonders of nature in the DC area.
CLICK HERE to get email notifications for upcoming walks. I generally schedule public walks at least twice a month, most often on Saturday or Sunday mornings. I usually post them just a few days in advance. Private walks (scroll down) are available too. Email me at matt@mattshabitats.com if you have questions or want more information.
ACORN PROCESSING & OTHER WILD FOODS - Silver Spring, MD
Sunday Sept 28, 9.30am-noon
The acorns have been falling from the oaks and yes, you can eat them...and also the little grubs you sometimes find in them! On this stroll in a small city park, we'll focus on identification of trees (especially various oaks) and go over the steps to process acorns so they are safe to eat. You will get to taste acorns in various stages of processing as well as some acorn pancakes! We'll also come across persimmons, hickory nuts, yew berries, wild greens, and possibly see some mushrooms. Easy walking up to 1 mile on easy, flat pathways and grassy areas. The park is a 20 minute walk from Silver Spring or Takoma Park metros and easily accessible from the 70 and S2 metrobus.
Fee: $30/person + $3.85 eventbrite fee (up to 20 participants)
BEFORE REGISTERING, SCROLL DOWN TO READ WALK INFO/POLICIES BELOW.
CLICK HERE to register
EATING AND COLLECTING WILD EDIBLES
All walks include the opportunity to sample wild edibles, often including wild foods I prepare ahead of time. Not all walks include collecting plants or mushrooms to take home -- it will depend on species abundance and park rules.
NO REFUNDS OR CREDITS
All purchases are final and non-refundable. I don't give credits for future walks, but you can transfer your payment to another person and have them attend in your place.
HAZARDS
Please consider your ability to physically handle weather, trail conditions, and length of the walk before registering. We often come across poison ivy. Occasionally there'll be ticks, mosquitoes, stinging nettles, and stinging wasps/bees. Other hazards such as falling branches/trees and venomous snakes are unlikely, but possible. You may want to bring along a walking stick if you aren't so sure-footed.
DIRECTIONS WILL BE EMAILED
After you register for a walk, you'll receive an email with details including directions the day before the walk. If you don't, please contact me: matt@mattshabitats.com
RAIN DATES AND CANCELLATIONS
I generally will cancel a walk if steady rain is expected. I'll send out an email at least an hour and a half before the walk to let you know. If the walk is cancelled, your payment will be refunded.
CAN I BRING MY DOG/CHILD?
No dogs please! Kids are welcome but keep in mind that walks are tailored toward adults and involve a fair amount of stopping and talking about plants/mushrooms. This might not be a good fit for fidgety kids with short attention spans! I am available to lead private walks oriented toward children.
I'm available for hire to lead walks for private groups. I've done them as birthday celebrations, work retreats, family outings, home-school groups, scouts, and people who want a personalized tour of a specific area. Sometimes we do a walk similar to my public walks, and sometimes we've focused on more specific topics -- I'm an avid birder and would be happy to lead birding walks too.
Note: walks with the sole goal of finding wild edible mushrooms is not guaranteed--mushroom fruiting in the DMV is unpredictable. But just about any time of year, there will be at least some non-edible mushrooms to find and I'm happy to help you learn how to identify them and their role in the natural world.
Fees start at $300 for a 2-hour weekend walk and $250 for a 2-hour weekday walk. Add $50 for each additional half hour. The fee covers a group size of up to 12 participants -- add $25 for each additional participant . Driving time from Silver Spring, MD 20910 to the walk location might add to my fee. I'm most flexible on weekdays (including evenings) but can also make some weekend days work too.
Contact me at: matt@mattshabitats.com to discuss and see if we can work something out.
Check out my instagram for happenings in nature. I'm not very active, but there's a lot of information in my feed to check out and you'll get an idea of different things to forage and look for throughout the season.