Ojai & Southern California Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer

CANCELLED: April Supermoon Sunset Herb Walk & After-Party
2020-04-07 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Ojai Park-and-Ride for carpool to trailhead, 500 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 93023, United States
Ojai moonrise photo: Joe P. Powers (https://joepowersphotography.com)
REGISTER HERE
UPDATE (March 28): As recently as a week ago, considering that walking and hiking in nature are considered essential activities, I consulted with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and, based on their approval of my plan, I was going to offer the April 7 walk with a limit of 10 people who would be asked to maintain 6 feet of social distancing. We would not have a carpool to the trailhead and the Azu restaurant “after-party” would be left out of the equation. Since then I’ve come to realize that even though my strategy was most likely safe it’s best if I cancel the event and do my part to encourage maximum compliance with sheltering at home, maintaining social distancing, and avoiding crowds on trails.
If you were already signed up and pre-paid for this walk, please see the email that went out to you today from register@herbwalks.com.
On Tuesday evening, April 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., I’ll lead another Supermoon Sunset Herb Walk to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous sunset and moonrise. The the sun will set at about 7:00 p.m and full moon will rise at about 7:25 p.m., giving us a perfect window of time to take it all in. Following the walk is an optional “after-party” at Azu Restaurant and Ojai Valley Brewery for delicious food and local, native herb-infused beers and non-alcoholic beverages.
When the full moon occurs during the Moon’s closest approach to Earth, when the center of the Moon is less than 360,000 kilometers (ca. 223,694 miles) from the center of Earth, it is often called a “supermoon.” This is the second of two supermoons in 2020.
We’ll meet at the Park-and-Ride lot downtown between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. and carpool to the trailhead to minimize the crowded parking situation there. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1 mile to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable native plants including:
Coastal Sagebrush
Toyon
Wild Oats
Elderberry
Purple Sage and
Hollyleaf Cherry
After witnessing the rising of the moon and setting of the sun, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the Park-and-Ride lot by 8:30 p.m.
Then at 8:45 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia across the street from the Park-and-Ride lot at the combined Azu Restaurant & Ojai Valley Brewery where manager Elizabeth Haffner, brewmaster Jeremy Haffner and the chef have planned a special prix fixe Beer Paired Tasting Menu (see below) featuring a flight of 4 beers paired with a seasonal menu. Those who complete payment for the walk will receive instructions for reserving the custom dinner. If they choose not to reserve, they can still order beverages, appetizers or entrees à la carte from the regular menu.
Jeremy’s brews change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on his list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.

REGISTRATION INFO:
This event is full. I have started a waiting list in case someone needs to cancel. Once registered, you will receive an email when your name reaches the top of the list or it might be a text message if it’s a late cancellation.
The cost for the walk portion of the event is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62-up, or $15 for students 13-17. Kids 5-12 can come along free, one per adult, by prior arrangement.
Please use the REGISTER HERE button at top or bottom of this page to sign up for the waiting list. FYI: Requests for refunds by those already pre-paid will be honored up to 72 hours before the event. After that, refunds will be issued if I am able to fill the space from the waiting list.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with instructions for reserving the prix fixe dinner followed by a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions, a few days prior to the walk. Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain will. They also will receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTER HERE

POSTPONED: Spring Foraging & Survival Workshop with Christopher Nyerges
2020-03-28 10:00 - 15:00 | Euterpe Farms, 587 S. Rice Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
REGISTER HERE
PLEASE NOTE: Given the rapidly tightening restrictions on small events and considering that Christopher and I are in the age group asked by the governor to self-isolate, in an abundance of caution, we are postponing this event until further notice. We will be re-scheduling it when the future is more certain. Please use the REGISTER HERE links at top and bottom of this page to be added to the list to be notified when it is rescheduled.
Join me and special guest author/forager/survivalist Christopher Nyerges on Saturday, March 28, in Ojai to learn seasonal foraging and primitive firemaking. Participants will identify and process edible greens, soap sources, and other useful plants, learn to ignite a fire using only natural plant materials, and enjoy other activities from Christopher’s vast repertoire as time permits.
The workshop will begin with a foraging walk on the fringes of Euterpe Farms followed by an afternoon workshop under a live oak where Christopher will direct preparation of a wild salad and demonstrate the primitive skill of starting a fire. Everyone will have a chance to practice.
Christopher Nyerges is an author, forager, survivalist and ethnobotanist with a lifelong interest in how native peoples lived off the land. He has been teaching classes and leading field trips since 1974 to over 40,000 students. Nyerges has authored nearly two dozen books, including Foraging California, Guide to Wild Foods, Nuts and Berries of California, How to Survive Anywhere, Extreme Simplicity, and many others. He most recently was the editor of American Survival Guide magazine, and served as editor of Wilderness Way magazine for 7 years. He has written several thousand newspaper and magazine articles in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Pasadena Star News, Pasadena Weekly, Whole Life Times, Countryside, Mother Earth News, Acres USA, American Survival Guide, and others.
Nyerges has appeared on the late Huell Howser’s public television series, KCET’s “Life and Times,” and National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers.” For two years, Nyerges appeared on Fox TV’s “X Show,” where he demonstrated survival skills on the streets of Los Angeles. He currently serves as a consultant to the “Naked and Afraid” show on Discovery. Christopher Nyerges’ web site is at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.
Please note: This workshop will go on RAIN OR SHINE with the exception of a heavy downpour in the morning and/or a 100% chance of heavy rain that day. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the workshop, including all materials, is $85 for adults and $45 for children under 18. Please use the REGISTER HERE link at top and bottom of this page to be added to the list to be notified when it is rescheduled. A PayPal button will be added to this page at that time.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions, a few days prior to the workshop. They also will receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants identified and recipes. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTER HERE

POSTPONED: Spring Equinox Nature Hike & Native Plant Sale
2020-03-21 09:00 - 13:00 | Maricopa Plaza for caravan to trailhead, 1207 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Photo of Taft Gardens by Godfred Tong
REGISTER HERE
UPDATE (March 16): Given the rapidly tightening restrictions on small events and considering that I am in the age group asked by the governor yesterday to self-isolate I called a local physician this morning who advised that I postpone Saturday’s event. So, in an abundance of caution, that is what I am doing. Personally, I feel we could pull it off safely under normal flu season conditions but this is not such a time. For your own health and safety, please continue to consult current California Department of Health Guidelines for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
I will be re-scheduling this event when the future is more certain. In the meantime, I am contacting those already signed up and leaving the event info below for those who would like to sign up for the re-schedule which will follow pretty much the same itinerary. Thanks, Lanny.
Now that Mother Nature has had three winters worth of rain with which to recover from the 2017 fire, we’re going back to this amazing private property for a private tour of the Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, operated by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF) in the mountains above Lake Casitas west of Ojai.
This rare and special place has no public trails connecting it to the outside world. The land includes plants and features beyond what we usually encounter on my outings, including the world renowned, Mediterranean-climate, Taft Botanical Garden. We’ll see an unparalleled collection of Australian and South African plants. A docent will be present to share some of the rare exotic plants found in the garden. Of course, we’ll also take a walk on the adjacent Nature Preserve to identify and learn about the diverse edible and medicinal native plants of the area.
We will meet at Maricopa Plaza in Ojai between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. for a caravan to the property. The travel time from the caravan meeting place to the trailhead will be 20-30 minutes. Directions will be given to those coming from Santa Barbara who wish to meet us at the Gardens. Beginning at 9 a.m., total walking distance will be approximately 1.5 miles including gradual elevation gain.
PRIVATE NATIVE & MEDICINAL PLANT SALE:
Immediately following the walk, from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m., native and medicinal plant grower Nathan Whitman will host a private sale of selected plants. Registrants will have the opportunity to order in advance. The list of native and other medicinal plants available at direct-from-grower prices includes White Sage, Milkweed, Dudleya, California Buckwheat, Echinacea, St. John’s Wort, Yerba Mate, Tea Tree, Spearmint, Peppermint, Catnip, Ashwaganda and more.
LUNCH:
Lunch will not be provided but participants are invited to stay and enjoy their sack lunch or snacks in a beautiful setting after the tour.
Light rain will not cancel, heavy rain will. Registrants will be updated. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62-up, and $15 for students 13-17. Kids 5-12 can attend free, one per adult, pending request and approval. An additional $10 donation per person is requested by CEF and strongly encouraged by me. There is a donation box at the start of the tour where cash or checks can be deposited. CEF survives on donations to support the operations and upkeep of the garden and open space.
Please use the REGISTER HERE button at top or bottom of this page to be added to the list to be contacted when this event is re-scheduled.
REGISTER HERE

March Supermoon Sunset Herb Walk & After-Party
2020-03-08 16:30 - 19:30 | Ojai Park-and-Ride for carpool to trailhead, 500 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 93023, United States
Photo: Joe P. Powers (https://joepowersphotography.com)
REGISTER HERE
PLEASE NOTE: This event is full. I have started a waiting list in case someone needs to cancel. See REGISTRATION INFO section below for more details.
On Sunday evening, March 8, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., I’ll lead a Supermoon Sunset Herb Walk to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous sunset and moonrise. The full supermoon will rise at about 6:15 p.m. and the sun will set at about 6:45 p.m., giving us a nice window of time to take it all in. Following the walk is an optional “after-party” at Azu Restaurant and Ojai Valley Brewery for delicious food and local, native herb-infused beers and non-alcoholic beverages.
When the Full Moon occurs during the Moon’s closest approach to Earth, when the center of the Moon is less than 360,000 kilometers (ca. 223,694 miles) from the center of Earth, it is often called a “supermoon.” This is the first of two supermoons in 2020. The next is on Tuesday, April 7. While the March moon is technically full on Monday, March 9, at 10:47 a.m., the night before gives us the best timing for seeing it full before it’s too late in the evening for a walk.
We’ll meet at the Park-and-Ride lot downtown between 4:00 and 4:30 p.m. and carpool to the trailhead to minimize the crowded parking situation there. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1 mile to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable native plants including:
Coastal Sagebrush
Toyon
Horehound
Elderberry and
Purple Sage
After witnessing the rising of the moon and setting of the sun, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the Park-and-Ride lot by 7:30 p.m.
Then at 7:45 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia across the street from the Park-and-Ride lot at the combined Azu Restaurant & Ojai Valley Brewery where manager Elizabeth Haffner, brewmaster Jeremy Haffner and the chef have planned a special prix fixe Beer Paired Tasting Menu (see below) featuring a flight of 4 beers paired with a seasonal menu. Those who complete payment for the walk will receive instructions for reserving the custom dinner. If they choose not to reserve, they can still order beverages, appetizers or entrees à la carte from the regular menu.
Jeremy’s brews change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on his list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.

REGISTRATION INFO:
This event is full. I have started a waiting list in case someone needs to cancel. The cost for the walk portion of the event is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62-up, or $15 for students 13-17. Kids 5-12 can come along free, one per adult, by prior arrangement.
Please use the REGISTER HERE button at top or bottom of this page to sign up for the waiting list.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with instructions for reserving the prix fixe dinner followed by a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions, a few days prior to the walk. Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain will. They also will receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
Ojai moonrise photo by Joe P. Powers https://joepowersphotography.com
REGISTER HERE

Presidents' Day Herb Walk & "Stone Soup" Picnic
2020-02-17 09:00 - 13:30 | Euterpe Farms, 587 S. Rice Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
REGISTER HERE
PLEASE NOTE: This event is full. Please see registration info below.
Join me on Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 17, for an Herb Walk and “Stone Soup” Picnic at Euterpe Farms in Ojai. We’ll walk the borders of the farm adjacent to the Ventura River Preserve identifying edible and medicinal plants such as sagebrush, purple sage, white sage, and elderberry. Then we’ll gather around an oak wood fire for wild food processing demos and a “stone soup” picnic based on the folk tale of the same name. The soup will be built around a California bay leaf (in place of the stone) and onsite-foraged dwarf nettles.
A foraged salad topped with local wild black walnuts might include seasonal greens such as miner’s lettuce, chickweed, thistle, sweet fennel, and mustard. Time permitting, we may also prepare acorn pancakes.
The walk will begin at 9 a.m. At approximately 11:30 a.m. we’ll begin preparing for the picnic which will conclude around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. The cost is $35 including all materials other than vegetables and herbs contributed to the stone soup.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Please click the REGISTER HERE button below to join the waiting list. Per my usual policy, if someone cancels in time for me to fill the space I will issue a refund and add the person(s) at the top of the waiting list. They will then receive an email with a link to a PayPal button to secure their space. Please note: final PayPal amount includes a processing fee.
Confirmed registrants will receive an email in the days before the event with detailed instructions and directions. Afterwards, they will receive a follow-up email with plant list, recipes and other info.
REGISTER HERE

February Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk & After-Party
2020-02-08 15:30 - 18:30 | Ojai Park-and-Ride for carpool to trailhead, 500 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 93023, United States
REGISTER HERE
PLEASE NOTE: This event is full. I have started a waiting list in case someone needs to cancel. See REGISTRATION INFO section below for more details.
On Saturday evening, February 8, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., I’ll lead a Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous sunset and moonrise. The full moon will rise at about 5:15 p.m. and the sun will set at about 5:25 p.m., giving us a nice window of time to take it all in. Following the walk is an optional “after-party” at Azu Restaurant and Ojai Valley Brewery for delicious food and local herb-infused beers and non-alcoholic beverages.
We’ll meet at the Park-and-Ride lot downtown between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m. and carpool to the trailhead to minimize the crowded parking situation there. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1 mile to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable native plants including:
Coastal Sagebrush
Toyon
Horehound
Elderberry and
Purple Sage
After witnessing the rising of the moon and setting of the sun, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the Park-and-Ride lot by 6:30 p.m.
Then at 6:45 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia across the street from the Park-and-Ride lot at the combined Azu Restaurant & Ojai Valley Brewery where manager Elizabeth Haffner, brewmaster Jeremy Haffner and the chef have planned a special prix fixe Beer Paired Tasting Menu (see below) featuring a flight of 4 beers paired with a seasonal menu. Those who complete payment for the walk will receive instructions for reserving the custom dinner. If they choose not to reserve, they can still order beverages, appetizers or entrees à la carte from the regular menu.
Jeremy’s brews change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on his list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.

REGISTRATION INFO:
This event is full. I have started a waiting list in case someone needs to cancel. The cost for the walk portion of the event is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62-up, or $15 for students 13-17. Kids 5-12 can come along free, one per adult, by prior arrangement.
Please use the REGISTER HERE button at top or bottom of this page to sign up for the waiting list. You can also register for the Supermoon Sunset Herb Walk & After-Party on Sunday, March 8, which will be virtually the same as this event.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast, a few days prior with detailed info and directions. Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain will. They also will receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
Ojai moonrise photo by Roshelle Castillo.
REGISTER HERE

Lunch and Learn: "Edible and Medicinal Plants of Arroyo Hondo Preserve"
2020-01-15 12:30 - 13:30 | Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, 1528 Chapala St., Rm 305, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, United States
This Lunch and Learn talk on “Edible and Medicinal Plants of Arroyo Hondo Preserve” is open and free to the public but those interested must email Jennifer Stroh at jstroh@sblandtrust.org to reserve a seat as the room has limited seating. The Lunch and Learns are from 12:30pm-1:30pm next door from the Land Trust office at 1528 Chapala St., Room 305.
The talk will be followed by an optional walk at Arroyo Hondo on Sunday, February 2, 2020. See a separate event listing here to sign up for the walk.

Winter Medicinal Plant Workshop with Professor James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy
2020-01-11 10:00 - 16:00 | Euterpe Farms “tienda”, 587 S. Rice Road, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
REGISTER

PLEASE NOTE: This workshop is almost full. Please use the REGISTER button above to register. A PayPal payment link will be emailed to you if there is still a space available at that time.

Please join me and special guest Professor James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy for a Winter Medicinal Plant Workshop on Saturday, January 11, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dr. Adams has been a frequent and popular contributor to my events for the past seven years. This workshop is based on his ground-breaking pharmacological studies on local native plants. He will bring Enrique Villaseñor and Helen Sweany to assist with aspects of wild food preparation.

Weather permitting, the plant identification session will take place on the pathways at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Cluff Vista Park and the Ojai Valley Museum’s Chumash Garden, two native plant gardens in downtown Ojai, where Dr. Adams and I will identify and discuss the medicinal uses of a variety of native plants. The afternoon hands-on preparation session will be held at a community kitchen nearby. After the workshop, participants will receive a complete list of all plants that are identified and/or utilized as well as recipes and other info. In the event of heavy rain, a slideshow presentation will substitute for the morning walk.

The morning outing from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. will be a slow-paced walk around the two gardens. They are both wheelchair-accessible. The morning session will involve stopping for discussion for periods of time. A few benches are scattered about. A lightweight campstool could be useful as well for those uncomfortable standing for periods of time.

After a one-hour lunch break, the afternoon kitchen session from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. will focus on preparing seasonal edible and medicinal products for winter health from wild foraged plant material. Products to be prepared onsite include, among others:

Yerba Santa steam inhalation
Toyon (“California Holly”) berries
Everlasting Flower tea
Acorns with Helen Sweany
Nopales with Enrique Villaseñor

We’ll sample Jim’s homebaked Lemon Toyon Berry Muffins and see me demonstrate a traditional method of processing acorns and describe how I harvest and dry Toyon berries. At 4:00 p.m. Dr. Adams will sign copies of his books.

ABOUT JAMES ADAMS, PH.D:
Dr. Adams brings to Ojai a wealth of scientific knowledge and field experience as well as a singular perspective on herbal medicine. As he tells it, “My family came to Virginia in 1635 and has always survived by using American Indian healing. On the frontier, there were no doctors. American Indian healing was better than European medicine anyway. I continue this tradition.”

Dr. Adams is the co-author — with the late Chumash healer Cecilia Garcia — of the groundbreaking book, Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use. The book can be purchased beforehand at that link and will also be available for purchase and signing at the event.

As an Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the prestigious University of Southern California, Dr. Adams has been teaching pharmacy students, medical students, doctors and other healthcare professionals for over 25 years while researching the natural pharmaceutical compounds in native plants. He has over 200 publications.

Running parallel with his academic career, Dr. Adams has worked with the Chumash people since 1998 and studied Chumash healing with Cecilia Garcia for almost 15 years. In addition to their book, they wrote 30 journal articles together. Jim is now the carrier of the healing knowledge passed to him by his teacher.

“Humans have used plant medicines ever since humans came into existence, about 200,000 years ago,” Dr. Adams explains in Healing with Medicinal Plants. “That means that our ancestors experienced an intense natural selection. Those who responded to plant medicines survived and passed their genes on. We are the products of this natural selection. Our bodies are designed to respond to plant medicines.”

Here is an excellent 2017 article about Dr. Adams from USCStorySpace.com: “A Scientist’s Calling to Practice Chumash Healing.”

Please note: This workshop will go on RAIN OR SHINE with the exception of a heavy downpour in the morning and/or a 100% chance of heavy rain that day. As stated above, if heavy rain prevents the morning walk, a slideshow will present the plants. No dogs or smoking, please.

The cost for the Winter Medicinal Plant Workshop is $85, including all materials for preparing plant medicines. A limited number of scholarships for pharmacy, medical, and herbal medicine students are available. After the workshop, participants will receive a detailed follow-up email including plant lists and recipes.

To register for this event, please use the REGISTER button below or at the top of this page. You will be notified if a space is available for you.
REGISTER

PhytoPhunk Dance & Herbal Elixir Bar
2019-11-16 20:00 - 23:00 | Greater Goods, 145 W. El Roblar Dr., Meiners Oaks, CA, 93023, United States

The Forest Table: A Wild Food Dining Experience: Saturday, November 16
2019-11-16 18:00 - 21:00 | CA

Herbal Marketplace
2019-11-16 11:00 - 2019-11-17 18:30 | Chaparral Auditorium, 414 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States

Ojai Herbal Symposium
2019-11-16 09:00 - 2019-11-17 17:00 | CA

Acorn Processing Workshop with Christopher Nyerges
2019-11-02 10:00 - 15:00 | Euterpe Farms, 587 S. Rice Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
REGISTER
PLEASE NOTE: This workshop is currently full but we are starting a waiting list in the event someone has to cancel. Please use the REGISTER link above. We will keep track of time of waiting list registrations and send a PayPal link if something opens up.
Join me and special guest author and forager Christopher Nyerges for an Acorn Processing Workshop in Ojai on Saturday, November 2, to learn all aspects foraging, processing and preparing acorns. The workshop will begin with a morning plant walk on the Ventura River Preserve followed by an afternoon workshop under a Coast Live Oak at Euterpe Farms. In addition to processing acorns onsite, participants will learn to identify oaks and other useful plants, make cordage from yucca, see an introductory demonstration of primitive firemaking, and other activities prepared by the multi-talented Nyerges.
Christopher Nyerges is an author, forager, survivalist and ethnobotanist with a lifelong interest in how native peoples lived off the land. He has been teaching classes and leading field trips since 1974 to over 40,000 students. Nyerges has authored nearly two dozen books, including Guide to Wild Foods, Foraging California, Nuts and Berries of California, How to Survive Anywhere, Extreme Simplicity, and many others. He most recently was the editor of American Survival Guide magazine, and served as editor of Wilderness Way magazine for 7 years. He has written several thousand newspaper and magazine articles in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Pasadena Star News, Pasadena Weekly, Whole Life Times, Countryside, Mother Earth News, Acres USA, American Survival Guide, and others.
Nyerges has appeared on the late Huell Howser’s public television series, KCET’s “Life and Times,” and National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers.” For two years, Nyerges appeared on Fox TV’s “X Show,” where he demonstrated survival skills on the streets of Los Angeles. He currently serves as a consultant to the “Naked and Afraid” show on Discovery. Nyerges’s web site is www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.
Please note: This workshop will go on RAIN OR SHINE with the exception of a heavy downpour in the morning and/or a 100% chance of heavy rain that day. No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost of the workshop including all materials is $75. To register, please use the REGISTER button at top and bottom of this page or call 805-646-6281. Then, if you move to the top of the waiting list, I will send you a PayPal link to secure your space.
REGISTER

"All About California Native Plants" Free Seminar
2019-10-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Green Thumb Nursery, 1899 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA, 93033, United States

Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk
2019-10-13 17:00 - 20:00 | Ojai Park-and-Ride for carpool to trailhead, 500 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 93023, United States
REGISTER
On Sunday evening, October 13, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., I’ll lead another Herb Walk up to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous sunset and moonrise. The sun will set at 6:27 p.m. and the full moon will rise at 6:47 p.m., giving us a nice window of time to take it all in. Following the walk is an optional “after-party” at Azu Restaurant and Ojai Valley Brewery for delicious food and native plant infused beers and non-alcoholic beverages
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution on September 24, 2019, proclaiming the Second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Ventura County, joining over 130 other cities, counties and states who have taken that action. In honor of this walk occurring on the eve of Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Monday, October 14), I have invited a special guest, Chumash elder Patrick Tumamait, to join us and begin the walk with the Ojai Chumash Welcoming Song passed on to him by his father Vincent Tumamait. I always start my walks and hikes in Chumash territory with that song which I learned from his sister Julie Tumamait-Stenslie so it will be an honor to have Pat lead the song for us. Also, I will be donating a portion of the proceeds from the walk to the Barbareño/Ventureño Band of Mission Indians.
We’ll meet at the Park-and-Ride lot downtown between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m. and carpool to the trailhead to minimize the crowded parking situation there. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1 mile to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable native plants including:
Coastal Sagebrush
Elderberry
Hollyleaf Cherry
Purple Sage and
Toyon
After witnessing the setting of the sun and rising of the moon, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the Park-and-Ride by 8:00 p.m. On our August walk we saw a tarantula, a bat, an owl, and heard the distinctive songs of at least two species of crickets on our moonlit return to the trailhead.
At 8 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia across the street from the Park-and-Ride lot for beverages, appetizers or dinner at the combined Azu Restaurant & Ojai Valley Brewery where brewmaster Jeremy Haffner has created some truly delicious lager-style craft beers and ales using some of the same local plants found earlier on the trail. His brews change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on his list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.
The cost is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62-and older, and $15 for students 13-17. Kids 5-12 can come along free, one per adult, by prior arrangement. There is no pre-payment required for this walk, just your promise to let me know if your plans change. If it fills up, priority will be given to those who registered in advance.
Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info a few days prior and a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTER
