“Wild Food and Medicine of Early California:” A 2-Part Experiential Class for OLLI

What was it like for Indigenous Californians and early settlers to find and prepare plant foods and medicinal home remedies? This immersive, hands-on course invites you to find out by stepping into a “village-for-a-day” experience. Over two interactive sessions, participants will work together to process flavorful black walnuts and to prepare a pain-relieving sagebrush liniment. Along the way, you will learn about regional plants, seasonal rhythms, and the cultural knowledge that sustained communities for generations. Class size is limited to 30 participants. There will be a small additional fee for course materials.

This OLLI class, taught by me, is offered on two consecutive Wednesdays beginning April 22 and ending April 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Each week’s class will include a one-hour “herb walk” on the campus to meet the native plant community in the flesh, so to speak, and learn about their uses. The second hour will be an outdoor, hands-on workshop

Enrollment began March 16. For more information and registration, please visit OLLI at CSUCI. I will not be handling any registration or payment for this class.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSUCI is a branch of the Extended University – originally designed for adults over 50 but now open to students of all ages – that offers college-level noncredit courses with no assignments or grades. In their own words, “OLLI at CSUCI is dedicated to enriching the lives of lifelong learners by providing opportunities for intellectual stimulation and social connection designed for adults aged 50 and above. We foster a love of learning through university-level courses, social & educational activities, and special events.”