Ojai & Southern California Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer

Arroyo Hondo Preserve Herb Walk
2021-06-05 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Arroyo Hondo Preserve, Gaviota, CA, United States
Please be sure to use the REGISTER link below or at the bottom of the page before clicking on the PayPal button to complete payment and secure your space. Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. To avoid that, you may mail a check. When you register you will receive instructions for mailing a payment.
REGISTER
Arroyo Hondo Preserve is amazing! The ocean is just across the highway and the lushness of the landscape and sheer diversity of plants and plant communities at the Preserve are exceptional. No wonder the Chumash had a village here.
In the creekside riparian habitat we’ll see an array of Southern California native trees, including White Alder, California Bay, Blue Elderberry, Bigleaf Maple, and Coast Live Oak. Under their canopy we’ll look for shade-loving natives like Gooseberry, Blackberry, Mugwort, and Hummingbird Sage.
Lanny discussing plants along the trail, July 2019. Photo: Jill Forman
In the sunnier sage scrub and chaparral areas, native Toyon, Black Sage, Coastal Sagebrush, Prickly-Pear, Lemonade Berry, and “Mountain-Lilac” (Ceanothus) are thriving. The Preserve is also home to numerous birds and other wildlife.
We’ll gather by the barn/visitor center on Saturday, June 5, at 9:00 a.m. After some easy walking, identifying plants, sampling their scents and tastes, and discussing their uses, we’ll stop along the creek for a snack break. We’ll make our way back to the barn by 12:00 p.m. or thereabouts when I’ll break out my mobile bookstore. After the walk, all participants will receive a detailed email with plant list, notes, and useful links.
No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION:
The cost for the walk is $35. The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County also requests a suggested $10 donation at the site to cover stewardship of the land. Please arrive prepared to be generous.
Please be sure to use the REGISTER link below before clicking on the PayPal button to complete payment and secure your space. Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. To avoid that, you may mail a check. When you register you will receive instructions for mailing a payment.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

Ojai Herb Walk at Chumash Garden
2021-05-30 10:00 - 12:00 | Downtown Ojai, 180 N. Blanche St., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Photo of Cluff Vista Park fountain by Doc Pierce
Please use the REGISTER link at top or bottom of this page to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link.
REGISTER
Beginning Sunday, April 11, 2021, I will lead a series of two-hour Ojai Urban Herb Walks on Sunday mornings in April and May in downtown Ojai. Meetup locations and itineraries will vary. We’ll walk less than a mile total distance and visit useful native and non-native plants in and around Libbey Park and the surrounding downtown area. Also included on some days: Cluff Vista Park and the Chumash Garden at the Ojai Valley Museum. See the schedule of events in the right sidebar for details of each walk.
The May 30 walk will visit the Chumash Garden at the Ojai Valley Museum and the surrounding area. The Garden provides an easy walking, wheelchair-accessible place to see how California’s native plants do in urban landscapes. We will focus on how to identify these plants and discuss their edible and medicinal uses. Plaques and signage in the Garden will serve as talking points for some of the cultural history of Ojai.
Until such time as they are no longer needed, safeguards will be in place to prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
REGISTRATION:
The cost for each of these walks is $25/person. Please use the REGISTER button at top and bottom of this page to sign up before securing your space with the PayPal button. Please note that the PayPal admission charge includes their fee. If mailing time permits, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a check for $25 instead of using PayPal. Registrants will receive parking directions by email. No dogs or smoking, please.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

May Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike
2021-05-25 18:00 - 20:30 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of sunset during March 2021 Supermoon Nature Hike by Carol MaHarry

Please use the REGISTER link at top or bottom of this page to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link.
REGISTER
On Tuesday evening, May 25, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., I’ll lead a May Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous moonrise and sunset. Technically, the moon will reach complete fullness at 4:13 a.m. on Wednesday morning, making Tuesday night the best time to see it.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street at 5:45 p.m. Then we’ll gradually hike about 1.25 miles each way to a vista point with some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with some uneven footing in places. We’ll stop along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, possibly including:
Blue Elderberry
Horehound
Black & Purple Sage
Coastal Sagebrush
Prickly-Pear
After witnessing the moonrise and sunset, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 8:30 p.m.
To prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus, attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
Rain or chance of thunderstorms will cancel the hike. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost of the hike is $35. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Please note: the PayPal payment will include their $1.32 fee. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, may 22. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space and I’m able to do so, you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email prior to the hike with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions. They will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen and other notes.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on time of registration.
REGISTER

Ojai Herb Walk at Libbey Park
2021-05-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Libbey Park, S. Montgomery St. entrance, South Montgomery Street, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Please use the REGISTER link at top or bottom of this page to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link.
REGISTER
Beginning Sunday, April 11, 2021, I will lead a series of two-hour Ojai Urban Herb Walks on Sunday mornings in April and May in downtown Ojai. Meetup locations and itineraries will vary. We’ll walk less than a mile total distance and visit useful native and non-native plants in and around Libbey Park and the surrounding downtown area. Also included on some days: Cluff Vista Park and the Chumash Garden at the Ojai Valley Museum. See the schedule of events in the right sidebar for details of each walk.
The May 16 walk will start and end in Libbey Park. Stewart Creek, which runs through the park, has been replanted with native California plants over the years. Renovations are ongoing. The park provides an easy-to-access place to see how native plants do in urban landscapes. We’ll also see useful non-native plants such as rosemary and eucalyptus that are often found in Southern California’s urban and suburban areas. We will focus on how to identify these plants and discuss their edible and medicinal uses. Monuments and plaques sprinkled throughout the park area will serve as talking points for some of the cultural history of Ojai.
Until such time as they are no longer needed, safeguards will be in place to prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
REGISTRATION:
The cost for each of these walks is $25/person. Please use the REGISTER button at top and bottom of this page to sign up before securing your space with the PayPal button. Please note that the PayPal admission charge includes their fee. If mailing time permits, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a check for $25 instead of using PayPal. Registrants will receive parking directions by email. No dogs or smoking, please.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

Spring Medicinal Plant Workshop with Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy
2021-05-08 09:00 - 15:00 | Euterpe Farms “tienda”, 587 S. Rice Road, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Please use the REGISTER link to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link at bottom of page. If the event sells out, PayPal will display a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

Please join me and special guest Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy for a Spring Medicinal Plant Workshop in Ojai on Saturday, May 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dr. Adams has been a frequent and popular contributor to my events for the past eight years. This workshop is based on his ground-breaking pharmacological studies on local native plants and his personal commitment to sharing the traditional medicinal practices he learned from Chumash healer Cecilia Garcia. He will be joined by plant educator Enrique Villaseñor and acupuncturist Michelle Wong, co-authors with him of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use.

This plant identification walk and workshop will take place at Euterpe Farms. In the morning, Dr. Adams will identify and discuss the medicinal and spiritual uses of a variety of native plants. The afternoon hands-on preparation session will be held outdoors as well, in the “tienda.” After the workshop, participants will receive a follow-up email with a complete list of all plants that are identified and/or utilized as well as recipes and other info.

The morning outing from 9 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. will be a slow-paced walk around the property which borders the Ventura River Preserve. It will involve stopping and standing for discussion for periods of time. A lightweight campstool could be useful for those who are uncomfortable standing.

After a 1/2 hour break, the afternoon session from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. will focus on preparing seasonal edible and medicinal products from wild foraged plant material. Participants will be able to soak their feet in pain-relieving black sage tea and go home with their own jar of sagebrush liniment. Seasonal plants and products to be featured may include, among others:

Elderflowers
White Sage
Sagebrush liniment
Black Sage foot soak
Nopal (Prickly-Pear) smoothie

At 3:00 p.m. Dr. Adams, Enrique, and Michelle will sign copies of their book.

Due to COVID-19, we are limiting the number of participants and holding the entire event outdoors. Everyone will be asked to have their forehead temperature checked on arrival, wear a facial covering, and maintain 6 feet of physical distance. Read about our complete COVID-19 Safety Protocol here.

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 Michelle Wong and Enrique Villaseñor, of the fourth edition of the groundbreaking book, Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use. The cultural portion is based on the teachings of Cecilia Garcia and the scientific portion on Dr. Adams’ laboratory studies. It 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 University of Southern California for 32 years, Dr. Adams taught pharmacy students, medical students, doctors and other healthcare professionals 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 the book, they collaborated on 30 journal articles. 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.”

Left to right, co-presenters Enrique Villaseñor, Jim Adams, and Michelle Wong introducing the Summer 2020 Medicinal Plant Workshop at Euterpe Farms in Ojai.

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

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.
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 used, recipes, and more.
The cost for the workshop, including all materials, is $85. Please use the REGISTER link at top and bottom of this page to sign up before clicking on the PayPal button. Please note: online payment includes PayPal fees. If you prefer to mail a check, please let me know when you register.
If the event sells out, PayPal will display a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.

REGISTER

Foraging & Firemaking Workshop with Christopher Nyerges
2021-05-01 10:00 - 15:00 | Euterpe Farms, 587 S. Rice Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Christopher demonstrating primitive firemaking at a previous Ojai workshop. Photo: Lanny Kaufer
Please use the REGISTER link to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link at the bottom of the page. If the event sells out, PayPal will display a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER
Join me and renowned author/forager/survivalist Christopher Nyerges on Saturday, May 1, in Ojai for an outdoor Foraging & Firemaking Workshop. This workshop is based on Christopher’s new book released in March, 2020: Guide to Making Fire Without Matches.
Participants will:

learn to identify edible, medicinal, and useful plants
learn the 4 basic principles of making fire and practice 2 or 3 ways of matchless firestarting
make their own wooden hand drill and hearth and practice hand drill firemaking
try bow drill firemaking with Christopher’s kit
enjoy a foraged meal cooked over a campfire
process black walnuts for eating, time permitting

The workshop will begin with a morning herb walk among the native plants on the fringes of Euterpe Farms, bordering the Ventura River Preserve. The afternoon workshop will take place under an oak tree (see photo). Everyone will have a chance to participate in all activities.
The following COVID-19 safeguards will be in place unless conditions and state requirements change by then:

Attendance will be limited to 20 participants.
Those with flu-like symptoms will be asked to remain at home.
Forehead temperatures will be checked upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask or face covering and observe 6 feet of physical distancing.

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, Guide to Making Fire Without Matches, 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.
Christopher 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, he 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 sites are at ChristopherNyerges.com and SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.
REGISTRATION INFO:
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.
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 used, recipes, and more.
The cost for the workshop, including all materials, is $85. Please use the REGISTER link at top and bottom of this page to sign up before clicking on the PayPal button. Please note: online payment includes PayPal fees. If you prefer to mail a check, please let me know when you register.
If the event sells out, PayPal will display a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

April Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike
2021-04-26 18:00 - 20:30 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of full moon rising over Topa Topa Bluffs by Lanny Kaufer

Please use the REGISTER link at top or bottom of this page to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link.
REGISTER
On Monday evening, April 26, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., I’ll lead an April Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset and moonrise. The sun will begin to set in the west at about 7:10 p.m. and the full supermoon will rise above the Topa Topa Bluffs at about 7:50 p.m., giving us a nice long window of time to take it all in.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street at 5:45 p.m. Then we’ll gradually hike about 1.25 miles each way to a vista point with some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with some uneven footing in places. We’ll stop along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, possibly including:
Blue Elderberry
Horehound
Black & Purple Sage
Coastal Sagebrush
Prickly-Pear
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 8:30 p.m.
To prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus, attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
Rain or chance of thunderstorms will cancel the hike. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost of the hike is $35. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Please note: the PayPal payment will include their $1.32 fee. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 23. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space and I’m able to do so, you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email prior to the hike with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions. They will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen and other notes.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on time of registration.
REGISTER

Ojai Urban Herb Walk #2
2021-04-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Downtown Ojai, 180 N. Blanche St., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Photo of Cluff Vista Park fountain by Doc Pierce
Please use the REGISTER link to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link at the bottom of the page. If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER
Beginning Sunday, April 11, 2021, I will lead a series of two-hour Ojai Urban Herb Walks on Sunday mornings in April and May in downtown Ojai. Meetup locations and itineraries will vary. We’ll walk less than a mile total distance and visit useful native and non-native plants in and around Libbey Park and the surrounding downtown area. Also included on some days: Cluff Vista Park and the Chumash Garden at the Ojai Valley Museum. See the schedule of events in the right sidebar for details of each walk.
The April 25 walk will visit Cluff Vista Park and the surrounding area. Cluff Vista Park is a premier native plant demonstration garden. The park provides an easy-to-access place to see how California’s native plants do in urban landscapes. We will focus on how to identify these plants and discuss their edible and medicinal uses. Plaques and signage sprinkled throughout the park will serve as talking points for some of the cultural history of Ojai.
Until such time as they are no longer needed, safeguards will be in place to prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION:
The cost for these walks is $25/person. Please use the REGISTER button at top and bottom of this page to sign up before securing your space with the PayPal button. Please note that the PayPal admission charge includes their fee. If mailing time permits, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a check for $25 instead of using PayPal. Registrants will receive parking directions by email.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

Arroyo Hondo Preserve Herb Walk
2021-04-17 09:00 - 12:00 | Arroyo Hondo Preserve, Gaviota, CA, United States
REGISTER
Please use the REGISTER link at top or bottom of this page to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link.
Arroyo Hondo Preserve is amazing! The ocean is just across the highway and the lushness of the landscape and sheer diversity of plants and plant communities at the Preserve are exceptional.
In the creekside riparian habitat we’ll see an array of Southern California native trees, including White Alder, California Bay, Blue Elderberry, Bigleaf Maple, and Coast Live Oak. Under their canopy we’ll look for shade-loving natives like Gooseberry, Mugwort, and Hummingbird Sage.
Lanny discussing plants along the trail, July 2019. Photo: Jill Forman
In the sunnier sage scrub and chaparral areas, native Toyon, Black Sage, Coastal Sagebrush, Prickly-Pear, Lemonade Berry, and “Mountain-Lilac” (Ceanothus) are thriving. The Preserve is also home to numerous birds and other wildlife.
We’ll gather by the barn/visitor center on Saturday, April 17, at 9:00 a.m. After some easy walking, identifying plants, sampling their scents and tastes, and discussing their uses, we’ll stop by the creek at Hollister Meadow for a snack break. We’ll make our way back to the barn by 12:00 p.m. or thereabouts when I’ll break out my mobile bookstore. After the walk, all participants will receive a detailed email with plant list, notes, and useful links.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, I have made some changes from previous walks, in effect until further notice:

Attendance will be limited to 12 participants.
Those with flu-like symptoms will be asked to remain at home.
Temperatures will be checked upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask or face covering and observe 6 feet of physical distancing.

No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION:
The cost for the walk is $35. The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County also requests a suggested $10 donation at the site to cover stewardship of the land. Please arrive prepared to be generous.
Please be sure to use the REGISTER link below before clicking on the PayPal button to complete payment and secure your space. Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. To avoid that, you may mail a check. When you register you will receive instructions for mailing a payment.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

Ojai Urban Herb Walk #1
2021-04-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Libbey Park, S. Montgomery St. entrance, South Montgomery Street, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
REGISTER
Please use the REGISTER link at top or bottom of this page to sign up before securing space with the PayPal link.
Beginning Sunday, April 11, 2021, I will lead a series of two-hour Ojai Urban Herb Walks on Sunday mornings in April and May in downtown Ojai. Meetup locations and itineraries will vary. We’ll walk less than a mile total distance and visit useful native and non-native plants in and around Libbey Park and the surrounding downtown area. Also included on some days: Cluff Vista Park and the Chumash Garden at the Ojai Valley Museum. See the schedule of events in the right sidebar for details on each walk.
The April 11 walk will start and end in Libbey Park. Stewart Creek, which runs through the park, has been replanted with native California plants over the years. Renovations are ongoing. The park provides an easy-to-access place to see how native plants do in urban landscapes. We’ll also see useful non-native plants such as rosemary and eucalyptus that are often found in Southern California’s urban and suburban areas. We will focus on how to identify these plants and discuss their edible and medicinal uses. Monuments and plaques sprinkled throughout the park area will serve as talking points for some of the cultural history of Ojai.
Until such time as they are no longer needed, safeguards will be in place to prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
REGISTRATION:
The cost for these walks is $25/person. Please use the REGISTER button at top and bottom of this page to sign up before securing your space with the PayPal button. Please note that the PayPal admission charge includes their fee. If mailing time permits, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a check for $25 instead of using PayPal. Registrants will receive parking directions by email. No dogs or smoking, please.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

March Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike
2021-03-27 17:00 - 19:30 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of full moon rising over Topa Topa Bluffs (2/26/21) by Enrique Villaseñor

REGISTER
On Saturday evening, March 27, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., I’ll lead a March Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous moonrise and sunset. The full supermoon will rise above the Topa Topa Bluffs at about 6:50 p.m., and the sun will set in the west at about 7:00 p.m., giving us a perfect window of time to take it all in. Technically, the moon will reach peak fullness at 11:48 a.m. on Sunday, March 28, but it will appear just as full on Saturday night and the timing is better for us to get up there and back before it’s too late at night.
We’ll meet at 4:45 p.m. and gradually hike about 1.25 miles to a vista point with some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with some uneven footing in places. We’ll stop along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, possibly including:
Blue Elderberry
Horehound
Black & Purple Sage
Toyon
Prickly-Pear
After witnessing the moonrise and sunset, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 7:30 p.m.
Rain or chance of thunderstorms will cancel event. Nighttime temperature will probably be cold, so be prepared. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost of the hike is $35. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Please note: the PayPal payment will include their $1.32 fee. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space and I’m able to do so, you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email prior to the hike with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions. They will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen and other notes.
To prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus, attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on time of registration.
REGISTER

Spring Equinox Nature Hike at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve
2021-03-20 09:00 - 13:00 | TBA
REGISTER
Now that Mother Nature has had three winters worth of rain to recover from the December 2017 fire, we’re going back to this amazing private property in the mountains above Lake Casitas west of Ojai. Some of the plants we’ll meet and identify on the Nature Preserve include manzanita, purple sage, woolly blue curls, tule, cattail, and coastal sagebrush. In the middle of our hike, we’ll celebrate the Spring Equinox on a medicine wheel with a spectacular 360 degree view. Lunch will not be provided but you are invited to stay and enjoy your sack lunch or snacks in this idyllic setting after the hike. You can also take a self-guided tour of the world renowned Taft Gardens where you’ll see an unparalleled collection of Australian and South African plants.
The Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, operated by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), is a rare and special place. There are no public trails connecting it to the outside world. We will be there by special arrangement.
Total walking distance will be approximately 1 mile with sections of elevation gain, including one short, steep hill. This hike is suitable for beginning hikers. Light rain will not cancel, heavy rain will. Registrants will be updated. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the day is $45, payable by PayPal or personal check. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to register before using the PayPal button to secure your space. Please note that the PayPal price includes their fee of $1.61. If you prefer to pay by check, just say so when you register and you will receive instructions.
An additional $20 donation per person is requested by CEF for use of the property. It entitles my nature hike participants to spend the rest of the day on this exquisite property. Please bring it with you in cash or personal check (made out to Conservation Endowment Fund) on the day of the hike. CEF depends on donations to support the operations and upkeep of the gardens and preserve. Your donation is tax-deductible.
To prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus, attendance will be limited to 12 screened participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
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Rice Canyon Nature Hike
2021-03-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Oso Trailhead, Ventura River Preserve, 701 Oso Road, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
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Join me Saturday, March 13, for a nature hike in Rice Canyon on the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Ventura River Preserve. With the help of walking sticks, we’ll boulder-hop or wade across a narrow stretch of the Ventura River and head up toward the shade of the canyon. We’ll meet a diverse group of plants representing the Coastal Sage Scrub, Chaparral, and Riparian Woodland plant communities of Southern California. Other than the water crossing, this is an easy-to-moderate hike of 2 miles round-trip with sections of mild elevation gain and a few short hills to climb. We’ll stop often to identify edible, medicinal and otherwise useful plants. We’ll also discuss conservation concerns and the local ecology, including the recovery of this area since the December 2017 Thomas/Koenigstein fire.
Please note: This hike will go on RAIN OR SHINE with the exception of a heavy downpour that morning and/or a forecast of an 80-100% chance of heavy rain that day. No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost for the hike is $35/person. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. After the hike, participants will receive an email with a complete list of all plants that are identified as well as other info. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before clicking on the PayPal button to secure your space. The PayPal price includes their fee. If you prefer, you may pay by check for $35/person. Use the REGISTER form to request info on check payment.
To prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus, attendance will be limited to 12 participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

February Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike
2021-02-26 16:30 - 19:00 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of full moon rising over Topa Topa Bluffs by Lanny Kaufer

REGISTER
On Friday evening, February 26, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., I’ll lead a Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset and moonrise. The sun will begin setting at about 5:30 p.m. and the full moon will rise above the Topa Topa Bluffs at about 6:00 p.m., giving us a perfect window of time to take it all in. We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street at 4:15 p.m. Then we’ll gradually hike about 1.25 miles to a vista point with some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with some uneven footing in places. We’ll stop along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, possibly including:
Blue Elderberry
Horehound
Black & Purple Sage
California Buckwheat
Toyon
Prickly-Pear
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 7:00 p.m.
Rain or chance of thunderstorms will cancel event. Nighttime temperature will be cold, so be prepared. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost of the hike is $30. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Please note that PayPal payment will include their $1.17 fee. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions, a few days prior to the walk. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen and other notes.
To prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 virus, attendance will be limited to 12 pre-screened participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on time of registration.
REGISTER

Afternoon Medicinal Plant Walk with Jim Adams
2021-02-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Riverview Trailhead, Ventura River Preserve
Please note: Due to an unexpected circumstance, Enrique Villaseñor will lead this walk in Jim Adams’ place. I will still be there, too. Those of you who have attended Jim’s walks or workshops in recent years have met Enrique and know that he is very well-informed about the plants we will see and is a co-author with Jim of the 4th edition of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West. – Lanny

REGISTER
Please join me and special guest Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy for a Winter Medicinal Plant Walk in Ojai on Saturday afternoon, February 20, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Dr. Adams has been a frequent and popular contributor to my events for the past eight years. This walk is based on his ground-breaking pharmacological studies on local native plants and his personal commitment to sharing the traditional medicinal practices he learned from Chumash healer Cecilia Garcia. Dr. Adams is the co-author, with Michelle Wong and Enrique Villaseñor, of the fourth edition of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use. The cultural portion is based on the teachings of Cecilia Garcia and the scientific portion is derived from Dr. Adams’ laboratory studies.
The walk will be held at the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Ventura River Preserve in Meiners Oaks, west of Ojai. It will be a slow-paced walk on a well-used dirt trail identifying and discussing local medicinal plants. It will involve stopping for discussion for periods of time. A lightweight campstool could be useful for those uncomfortable standing. Weather permitting, at 4:00 p.m. we will open a mobile bookstore where Dr. Adams will sign copies of his books.
A morning session is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Cluff Vista Park in downtown Ojai. Please visit this page to read more and register for that separate event.
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.” Now retired from active teaching and enjoying his new status as Professor Emeritus, Dr. Adams taught pharmacy students, medical students, doctors and other healthcare professionals for over 25 years at USC 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. They wrote a book and 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 USC School of Pharmacy magazine: “A Scientist’s Calling to Practice Chumash Healing.”
Please note: This walk will go on RAIN OR SHINE with the exception of a heavy downpour that morning and/or a forecast of an 80-100% chance of heavy rain that day. No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost for the walk is $45/person. After the workshop, participants will receive an email with a complete list of all plants that are identified and/or utilized as well as recipes and other info. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before clicking on the PayPal button to secure your space.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

Morning Medicinal Plant Walk with Jim Adams
2021-02-20 09:00 - 12:00 | TBA
REGISTER
Please join me and special guest Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy for a Winter Medicinal Plant Walk in Ojai on Saturday morning, February 20, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Dr. Adams has been a frequent and popular contributor to my events for the past eight years. This walk is based on his ground-breaking pharmacological studies on local native plants and his personal commitment to sharing the traditional medicinal practices he learned from Chumash healer Cecilia Garcia. Dr. Adams is the co-author, with Michelle Wong and Enrique Villaseñor, of the fourth edition of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use. The cultural portion is based on the teachings of Cecilia Garcia and the scientific portion is derived from Dr. Adams’ laboratory studies.
The walk will be held at Cluff Vista Park, a handicapped-accessible native plant garden in downtown Ojai. It will be a slow-paced walk identifying and discussing local medicinal plants. It will involve stopping for discussion for periods of time. A lightweight campstool could be useful for those uncomfortable standing. Weather permitting, at 12:00 p.m. we will open a mobile bookstore where Dr. Adams will sign copies of his books.
A second session is scheduled from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Ventura River Preserve. Please visit this page to read more and register for that separate event.
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.” Now retired from active teaching and enjoying his new status as Professor Emeritus, Dr. Adams taught pharmacy students, medical students, doctors and other healthcare professionals for over 25 years at USC 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. They wrote a book and 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 USC School of Pharmacy magazine: “A Scientist’s Calling to Practice Chumash Healing.”
Please note: This walk will go on RAIN OR SHINE with the exception of a heavy downpour that morning and/or a forecast of an 80-100% chance of heavy rain that day. No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost for the walk is $45/person. After the workshop, participants will receive an email with a complete list of all plants that are identified and/or utilized as well as recipes and other info. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before clicking on the PayPal button to secure your space.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on date and time of registration.
REGISTER

Cancelled: Full Wolf Moon Sunset Nature Hike
2021-01-28 16:30 - 19:00 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of full moon rising over Topa Topa Bluffs by Ken Black (10/30/20)

Please note: Due to multiple weather forecasts showing an 80% chance of heavy rain on Thursday evening, this event has been cancelled to allow those signed up to make other plans. Please visit the February Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike to sign up for the next one.

REGISTER
On Thursday evening, January 28, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., I’ll lead a Full Wolf Moon Sunset Nature Hike above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset and moonrise. The sun will begin setting at about 5:15 p.m. and the full moon will rise above the Topa Topa Bluffs at about 6:00 p.m., giving us a long window of time to take it all in. Attendance will be limited to 12 pre-screened participants. Temperatures will be checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street at 4:15 p.m. Then we’ll gradually hike about 1.25 miles to a vista point with some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with some uneven footing in places. We’ll stop along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, possibly including:
Blue Elderberry
Horehound
Black & Purple Sage
California Buckwheat
Toyon
Prickly-Pear
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 7:00 p.m.
Rain or chance of thunderstorms will cancel event. Nighttime temperature will be cold, so be prepared. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost of the hike is $25. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Please note that PayPal payment will include their $1 fee. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 25. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions, a few days prior to the walk. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on time of registration.
REGISTER

Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk
2020-11-30 15:30 - 18:30 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of full moon rising over Topa Topa Bluffs by Ken Black (10/30/20)

REGISTER
On Monday evening, November 30, 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 sunset and moonrise. The sun will begin setting at about 4:30 p.m. and the full moon will rise at about 5:40 p.m., giving us a long window of time to take it all in. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants, temperatures checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street at 3:15 p.m. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1.25 miles to the vista point with some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with some uneven footing in places. We’ll stop along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, possibly including:
Blue Elderberry
Black & Purple Sage
California Buckwheat
Toyon
Prickly-Pear
Hollyleaf Cherry
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 6:30 p.m.
Rain or chance of thunderstorms will cancel event. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the walk is $25. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 3:30 p.m. Friday, November 27. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions, a few days prior to the walk. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. Be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to automatically be added to the wait list based on time of registration.
REGISTER

Full Moon Eve Sunset Herb Walk
2020-11-29 15:00 - 18:00 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of full moon over Topa Topa Bluffs by Lanny Kaufer

REGISTER
On Sunday evening, November 29, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., I’ll lead a Full Moon Eve Sunset Herb Walk to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset and moonrise. The sun will begin setting at about 4:30 p.m. and the full moon will rise at about 5:10 p.m., giving us a nice window of time to take it all in. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants, temperatures checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive diagnosis is asked to stay home and a refund will be issued.
Note: Technically, the moon will be full at 1:29 a.m. on Monday, November 30, making the full moon eve on November 29 the closest time to the actual full moon.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street at 2:45 p.m. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1.25 miles to the vista point with some elevation gain on a well-worn, dirt fire road with some uneven footing in places. We’ll stop along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, possibly including:
Blue Elderberry
Black & Purple Sage
California Buckwheat
Toyon
Prickly-Pear
Hollyleaf Cherry
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 6:00 p.m.
Rain or chance of thunderstorms will cancel event. No dogs or smoking, please.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the walk is $25. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 3:00 p.m. Thursday, November 26. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email with all necessary info, including weather forecast and parking directions, a few days prior to the walk. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. Be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to automatically be added to the wait list based on time of registration.

Fall Harvesting & Survival Workshop with Christopher Nyerges
2020-11-14 10:00 - 15:00 | Euterpe Farms, 587 S. Rice Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Christopher demonstrating primitive firemaking at a previous Ojai workshop. Photo: Lanny Kaufer
REGISTER
Join me and renowned author/forager/survivalist Christopher Nyerges on Saturday, November 14, in Ojai for an outdoor Fall Harvesting and Survival Workshop.
Participants will:

learn to identify edible and medicinal plants
practice making cordage from yucca leaves, and
process acorns and black walnuts for eating.

Conditions permitting, Christopher will demonstrate starting a campfire using only natural plant materials. There may be other activities, depending on seasonal foods and supplies available.
The workshop will begin with a morning herb walk among the native plants on the fringes of Euterpe Farms, bordering the Ventura River Preserve. The afternoon workshop will take place under an oak tree. Everyone will have a chance to participate in all activities.
The following COVID-19 safeguards will be in place unless conditions and state requirements change by then:

Attendance will be limited to 20 participants.
Those with flu-like symptoms will be asked to remain at home.
Temperatures will be checked upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask or face covering and observe 6 feet of physical distancing.

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.
Christopher 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, he 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 sites are at ChristopherNyerges.com and SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.
REGISTRATION INFO:
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.
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, recipes, and more. No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost for the workshop, including all materials, is $85 for adults and $45 for children under 18, one child per adult. Please use the REGISTER link at top and bottom of this page to sign up before clicking on the PayPal button. Please note: online payment includes PayPal fees. If you prefer to mail a check, please let me know when you register.
REGISTER

Fall Harvesting & Survival Workshop with Christopher Nyerges
2020-11-07 10:00 - 15:00 | Euterpe Farms, 587 S. Rice Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Christopher demonstrating primitive firemaking at a previous Ojai workshop. Photo: Lanny Kaufer
Please note: This event is full but please register for the waiting list as there may be cancellations.

UPDATE (11/4/20): We are considering scheduling another workshop on Saturday, November 14, but only if there is enough interest. If you are interested in attending on that day, please email register@herbwalks.com ASAP.

REGISTER
Join me and renowned author/forager/survivalist Christopher Nyerges on Saturday, November 7, in Ojai for an outdoor Fall Harvesting and Survival Workshop.
Participants will:

learn to identify edible and medicinal plants
practice making cordage from yucca leaves, and
process acorns and black walnuts for eating.

Conditions permitting, Christopher will demonstrate starting a campfire using only natural plant materials. There may be other activities, depending on seasonal foods and supplies available.
The workshop will begin with a morning herb walk among the native plants on the fringes of Euterpe Farms, bordering the Ventura River Preserve. The afternoon workshop will take place under an oak tree. Everyone will have a chance to participate.
The following COVID-19 safeguards will be in place unless conditions and state requirements change by then:

Attendance will be limited to 20 participants.
Those with flu-like symptoms will be asked to remain at home.
Temperatures will be checked upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask or face covering and observe 6 feet of physical distancing.

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, he 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.
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.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the workshop, including all materials, is $85 for adults and $45 for children under 18, one child per adult.
Please note: This event is full at this time. Please register anyway for the waiting list as there usually are cancellations. I always try to fill them and issue a refund if I’m successful.
REGISTER

Halloween Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk
2020-10-31 17:00 - 20:00 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Siegfried and the Rhine Maidens by Albert Pinkham Ryder (1891)
PLEASE NOTE: This event is full. Please use the REGISTER links at the top or bottom of this page to join the waiting list.
REGISTER
On Saturday evening, October 31, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., I’ll lead a Halloween Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous sunset and moonrise. The sun will set and the full moon will rise at about 6:30 p.m., giving us a perfect window of time to take it all in. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants, temperatures checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with possible COVID-19 symptoms is asked stay home and a refund will be issued if you notify me of COVID-19 related cancellation prior to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. See regular cancellation policy below.
Note: The moon will be officially full at 7:49 a.m. on Saturday so it will appear full on both Friday and Saturday nights. This will be the second full moon in October, making it a “blue moon.”
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street between 4:45 and 5:00 p.m. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1.25 miles to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, which may include:
Coastal Sagebrush
Toyon
Black Walnut
Prickly-Pear
Purple Sage and
Hollyleaf Cherry
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the walk is $25. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before securing your space with the PayPal button (including $1 fee) or personal check. Once your registration is accepted, you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid registrants will receive 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 or chance of thunderstorms will cancel. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
Paid reservations are refundable up to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 28. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund. After that I will try my best to fill your space but cannot guarantee a refund. The exception is that I will refund you up to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, if you cancel due to COVID-19 diagnosis or symptoms.
PLEASE NOTE: This event is full. Please use the REGISTER links at the top or bottom of this page to join the waiting list.
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Blue Moon Sunset Herb Walk
2020-10-30 16:30 - 19:30 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo of full moon over Topa Topa Bluffs by Lanny Kaufer (with color adjustment help from Apple Photos software)
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Please note: This event filled up today (October 8). Please register anyway for the waiting list as there are usually cancellations. I always try to fill them and issue a refund if I’m successful.
On Friday evening, October 30, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., I’ll lead a Blue Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the simultaneous sunset and moonrise. The sun will set and the full moon will rise at about 6:00 p.m., giving us a perfect window of time to take it all in. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants, temperatures checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with possible COVID-19 symptoms is asked stay home and a refund will be issued if you notify me of cancellation prior to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30.
Note: The moon will be full at 7:49 a.m. on Saturday, October 31, making the evening of October 30 the closest time to the actual full moon, as well as an earlier, more convenient time in the evening to see it. This will be the second full moon in October, making it a “blue moon.” Contrary to the image above, this moon will not look any bluer than other moons.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1.25 miles to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, including:
Coastal Sagebrush
Toyon
Black Walnut
Prickly-Pear
Purple Sage and
Hollyleaf Cherry
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the walk is $25. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button or personal check to secure your space. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 27. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive 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 or chance of thunderstorms will cancel. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
Please note: This event filled up today (October 8). Please register anyway for the waiting list as there are usually cancellations. I always try to fill them and issue a refund if I’m successful.
REGISTER

Fall Medicinal Plant Workshop with Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy
2020-10-17 10:00 - 15:00 | Euterpe Farms “tienda”, 587 S. Rice Road, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
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Please note: This event filled up today (October 6) when the newsletter went out. Please register anyway for the waiting list as there are usually cancellations. I always try to fill them and issue a refund if I’m successful.

Due to COVID-19, we are limiting the number of participants and holding the entire event outdoors. Everyone will have their forehead temperature checked on arrival, wear a facial covering, and maintain 6 feet of physical distance.

Please join me and special guest Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy for a Fall Medicinal Plant Workshop in Ojai on Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 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 and his personal commitment to sharing the traditional medicinal practices he learned from Chumash healer Cecilia Garcia. He will be joined by plant educator Enrique Villasenor and acupuncturist Michelle Wong, co-authors of Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use.

The workshop will be held at Euterpe Farms, bordering the Ventura River Preserve. The morning outing from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. will be a slow-paced walk identifying and discussing local medicinal plants. It will involve stopping for discussion for periods of time. A lightweight campstool could be useful for those uncomfortable standing.
Left to right, co-presenters Enrique Villaseñor, Jim Adams, and Michelle Wong introducing the Summer 2020 Medicinal Plant Workshop at Euterpe Farms in Ojai.

After a half-hour lunch break, the afternoon hands-on session from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. will take place in the shade of a giant live oak. The focus will be on preparing seasonal edible and medicinal products for winter health from wild foraged plant material. Plant preparations onsite may include, among others:

Yerba Santa tea and steam inhalation
Acorn dish
Wild California buckwheat pancakes
Gordolobo tea
Datura hand soak
Black sage foot soak
Black walnuts
Prickly Pear fruits

At 3:00 p.m. Dr. Adams will sign copies of his books. 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.

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.”

Now retired from active teaching and enjoying his new status as Professor Emeritus, Dr. Adams taught pharmacy students, medical students, doctors and other healthcare professionals for over 25 years at USC 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. They wrote a book and 30 journal articles together. Jim is now the carrier of the healing knowledge passed to him by his teacher.

Dr. Adams is the co-author, with Michelle Wong and Enrique Villaseñor, of the fourth edition of the groundbreaking book, Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West: Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use. The cultural portion is based on the teachings of Cecilia Garcia and the scientific portion on Dr. Adams’ laboratory studies. It can be purchased beforehand at that link and will also be available for purchase and signing at the event.

“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. No dogs or smoking, please.

The cost for the Fall 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.

Please note: This event filled up today (October 6) when the newsletter went out. Please register anyway for the waiting list as there are usually cancellations. I always try to fill them and issue a refund if I’m successful.
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Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk
2020-09-30 17:00 - 20:00 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Photo: Samantha Hoapili

Please note: This event is full. Please use the REGISTER link below to sign up for the waiting list. It’s not unusual for there to be cancellations. I keep track of date and time of additions to the list and fill spaces accordingly. There is another walk scheduled on Friday, October 30, for the October blue moon. Visit this link to sign up for that one while spaces are still open.
REGISTER
On Wednesday evening, September 30, from 5:00 to 8:00 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 sun will set at about 6:30 p.m. and the full moon will rise at about 6:45 p.m., giving us a perfect window of time to take it all in. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants, temperatures checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with possible COVID-19 symptoms is asked stay home and a refund will be issued if you notify me of cancellation prior to 5:00 p.m. There will be no onsite book sales but I will offer free shipping for online orders of $25 or more for participants at this walk.
Note: The moon is full at 12:33 a.m. on October 1, making the evening of September 30 the closest time to the actual full moon, as well as an earlier, more convenient time to see it.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street between 4:45 and 5:00 p.m. If you can’t make it right at 5:00 due to work schedule just let me know and we will arrange for you to meet us where will circle up near the trailhead. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1.25 miles to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, including:
Coastal Sagebrush
Toyon
Black Walnut
Prickly-Pear
Elderberry
Purple Sage and
Hollyleaf Cherry
After witnessing the sunset and moonrise, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the walk is $25. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button to secure your space. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 6 p.m. Saturday, August 29. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive 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 or chance of thunderstorms will cancel. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
Please note: This event is full. Please use the REGISTER link below to sign up for the waiting list. It’s not unusual for there to be cancellations. I keep track of date and time of additions to the waiting list and fill spaces accordingly. There is another walk scheduled on Friday, October 30, for the October blue moon. Visit this link to sign up for that one while spaces are still open.
REGISTER

Fall Equinox Nature Hike on Pine Mountain
2020-09-26 08:30 - 16:00 | Maricopa Plaza for caravan to trailhead, 1207 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Mixed conifer forest at sunset near Reyes Peak. Photo: Bryant Baker
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HIKE POSTPONED: The closure of the Los Padres National Forest for fire prevention has been extended to October 1 so this hike is postponed. I plan to reschedule it for Saturday, October 10, if the forest is opened again on October 2. Please use the REGISTER button above to be notified if the October 10 hike is going on.
FYI: Following COVID-19 guidelines as of July 1, 2020, I am limiting participants to 12. We will caravan instead of the usual carpool. Also, all participants must be symptom-free, have their forehead temperature taken on arrival, wear a face covering, and maintain 6 feet of physical distance.
Sugar pine cones (Pinus lambertiana). Photo: Lanny Kaufer
On Saturday, September 26, 2020, I will lead my 8th annual Fall Equinox Nature Hike in the peaceful Mixed Conifer Forest on the “sky island” known as Pine Mountain (elevation: 7000 feet) at the time of year when the pine nuts are dropping. I promise that first time visitors to this area will be surprised and delighted to find a thick forest of pines, fir and incense-cedar so close to the Ventura coast.
According to Craig Carey, author of Hiking and Backpacking Santa Barbara and Ventura, the Reyes Peak Trail along the northern slope of the peak is “quite simply one of the most beautiful stretches in the southern Los Padres.”
Biogeographers include Pine Mountain in a select group of “sky islands,” defined as isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments. We can expect to see several high altitude plants and trees like White Fir and Sugar Pine more commonly found in the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Weather and marine layer permitting, we will have panoramic views of the Cuyama Valley to the north and the Channel Islands to the south.
Rondia and friends enjoying lunch. Photo: Chris Kudelka
The outing will start at 8:30 a.m. with a car caravan of about 35 miles up Highway 33 from the Maricopa Plaza, (1207 Maricopa Highway, Ojai, CA 93023) to the Reyes Peak trailhead. The final 5.5 miles are on a narrow, winding paved road and the very last half-mile is dirt. Trucks or SUV’s are preferred for the last stretch but most passenger cars with high clearance can also make the drive.
Lanny examines the needles of a White Fir sapling on the Reyes Peak Trail. Photo: John Griffith
We will start walking into the Sespe Wilderness from the trailhead (where there is a restroom) at about 10:00 a.m., stop for lunch (not provided) in the forest, and return to the trailhead by about 3:00 p.m., arriving back at the Maricopa Plaza by about 4:00 p.m. We will hike on a well-used trail through mixed conifer forest habitat, stopping often to identify and discuss native plants, birds and wildlife.
This intermediate level hike is suitable for moderately experienced hikers or physically fit beginners. There will be some elevation gain and loss skirting the north side of Reyes Peak, sometimes traversing hillsides on a narrow trail. The total hiking distance will be about 3 miles. PLEASE NOTE: Those with respiratory or circulatory issues possibly affected by altitude should consult with a physician before attempting this hike.
View of the Channel Islands from Reyes Peak. Photo: Erika Klohe
This hike is another in a series of backcountry walks and hikes under an Operating Permit from the Ojai Ranger District Office of the U.S. Forest Service designed for guides who provide recreational and interpretive services to the public. After the hike participants will receive a detailed follow-up email including a list of all plants identified.
PLEASE NOTE: Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain or thunderstorms will. Once you register you will receive weather updates.
The cost is $45. Senior and student discounts available upon request. Kids 5-12 can go free, one per adult, pending request and approval. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No dogs or smoking, please.
HIKE POSTPONED: The closure of the Los Padres National Forest for fire prevention has been extended to October 1 so this hike is postponed. I plan to reschedule it for Saturday, October 10, if the forest is opened again on October 2. Please use the REGISTER button below to be notified if the October 10 hike is going on.
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View north of the Cuyama Valley from Pine Mountain
Photo: Enrique Villaseñor

Arroyo Hondo Preserve Herb Walk
2020-09-05 09:30 - 12:30 | Arroyo Hondo Preserve, Gaviota, CA, United States
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Please note: this event is currently full. Use the REGISTER link at top of bottom of this page to be added to the waiting list. There is a good chance someone will cancel and you will be able to attend.
This place is amazing! The ocean is just across the highway and the lushness of the landscape and sheer diversity of plants and plant communities at the Preserve are exceptional.
In the creekside riparian habitat we’ll see an array of Southern California native trees, including White Alder, California Bay, Blue Elderberry, Bigleaf Maple, and Coast Live Oak. Under their canopy we’ll look for shade-loving natives like Gooseberry, Mugwort, and Hummingbird Sage.
The “Padre Pear” tree, planted in 1820 and still bearing fruit! Photo: Robin Kent
In the sunnier sage scrub and chaparral areas, native Toyon, Black Sage, Coastal Sagebrush, Prickly-Pear, Lemonade Berry, and “Mountain-Lilac” (Ceanothus) are thriving. The Preserve is also home to numerous birds and other wildlife.
We’ll gather by the barn on Saturday, September 5, at 9:30 a.m. After some easy walking, identifying plants, sampling their scents and tastes, and discussing their uses, we’ll stop by the creek at Hollister Meadow for a snack break. We’ll make our way back to the barn by 12:30 p.m. or thereabouts when I’ll break out my curated mobile bookstore.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, I have made some changes from previous walks, in effect until further notice:

Attendance will be limited to 12 participants.
Those with flu-like symptoms will be asked to remain at home.
Temperatures will be checked upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask or face covering and observe 6 feet of physical distancing.

No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost for the walk is $35. The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County also requests a suggested $5 donation at the site to cover stewardship of the land. Please be sure to use the REGISTER link below before clicking on the PayPal button to complete payment and secure your space. Note: Online payment includes PayPal fee. To avoid that, you may mail a check. Please note that when you register and instructions will be emailed.
Please note: this event is currently full. Use the REGISTER link at top of bottom of this page to be added to the waiting list. There is a good chance someone will cancel and you will be able to attend.
REGISTER

September Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk
2020-09-01 18:00 - 20:30 | Shelf Road Trailhead at top of N. Signal St., 1300 N. Signal St., Ojai, CA, 93023
Ojai Full Moon Photo: Joe P. Powers

Please note: This event filled up quickly. There is another walk just like this one on Wednesday, September 30. It’s also full. Please visit Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk on Wednesday, September 30 to sign up for the waiting list for that one or use the REGISTER link below to sign up for the waiting list for September 1.
REGISTER
On Tuesday evening, September 1, from 6:00 to 8:30 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 moonrise and sunset. The full moon will rise at about 7:30 p.m. and the sun will set at the same time, giving us a perfect window of time to take it all in. Attendance will be limited to 12 participants, temperatures checked on arrival, face coverings will be required, and we will maintain 6 feet of physical distance at all times. Anyone with possible COVID-19 symptoms is asked stay home and a refund will be issued if you notify me of cancellation prior to 6:00 p.m. There will be no onsite book sales but I will offer free shipping for online orders of $25 or more for participants at this walk.
We’ll meet at the Shelf Road trailhead at the top of N. Signal Street between 5:45 and 6:00 p.m. Then we’ll gradually walk about 1.25 miles to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, including:
Coastal Sagebrush
Toyon
Black Walnut
Prickly-Pear
Elderberry
Purple Sage and
Hollyleaf Cherry
After witnessing the rising of the moonrise and sunset, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead by approximately 8:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION INFO:
The cost for the walk is $25. Please use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up before completing your payment with the PayPal button to secure your space. Once you register you will receive instructions to mail a check if you prefer not to use PayPal. Paid reservations are refundable up to 6 p.m. Saturday, August 29. After that, if I receive your cancellation with enough time to fill your space you will receive a refund.
Paid registrants will receive 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 or chance of thunderstorms will cancel. Participants will also receive a follow-up email afterwards with a list of all plants and wildlife seen. No dogs or smoking, please.
Please note: This event filled up quickly. There is another walk just like this one on Wednesday, September 30. It’s also full. Please visit Full Moon Sunset Herb Walk on Wednesday, September 30 to sign up for the waiting list for that one or use the REGISTER link below to sign up for the waiting list for September 1.
REGISTER

Arroyo Hondo Preserve Herb Walk
2020-08-15 09:30 - 12:30 | Arroyo Hondo Preserve, Gaviota, CA, United States
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Please note: This walk is full. I scheduled another morning walk here on Saturday, September 5. Please visit this link to sign up for it or let me know at register@herbwalks.com if you would like to be added to the waiting list for August 15.
This place is amazing! The ocean is just across the highway and the lushness of the landscape and sheer diversity of plants and plant communities at the Preserve are exceptional.
In the creekside riparian habitat we’ll see an array of Southern California native trees, including White Alder, California Bay, Blue Elderberry, Bigleaf Maple, and Coast Live Oak. Under their canopy we’ll look for shade-loving natives like Gooseberry, Mugwort, and Hummingbird Sage.
The “Padre Pear” tree, planted in 1820 and still bearing fruit! Photo: Robin Kent
In the sunnier sage scrub and chaparral areas, native Toyon, Black Sage, Coastal Sagebrush, Prickly-Pear, Lemonade Berry, and “Mountain-Lilac” (Ceanothus) are thriving. The Preserve is also home to numerous birds and other wildlife.
We’ll gather by the barn at 9:30 a.m. After some easy walking, identifying plants, sampling their scents and tastes, and discussing their uses, we’ll stop by the creek at Hollister Meadow for a snack break. We’ll make our way back to the barn by 12:30 p.m. or thereabouts when I’ll break out my curated mobile bookstore.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, I have made some changes from previous walks, in effect until further notice:

Attendance will be limited to 12 participants.
Those with flu-like symptoms will be asked to remain at home.
Temperatures will be checked upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask or face covering and observe 6 feet of physical distancing.

No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost for the walk is $35. The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County also requests a suggested $5 donation at the site to cover stewardship of the land.
Please note: This walk is full. I scheduled another morning walk here on Saturday, September 5. Please visit this link to sign up for it or let me know at register@herbwalks.com if you would like to be added to the waiting list for August 15.
REGISTER

Seaside Wilderness Park Herb Walk
2020-07-25 09:00 - 12:30 | Seaside Wilderness Park, 1600 W. Main Street, Ventura, CA, 93001, United States
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PLEASE NOTE: This event is full. Use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up for the waiting list in case of a cancellation.
Join me on Saturday, July 25, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to discover the variety of native plants that live in the interface between land and sea. Feel the sea breeze far from the inland heat. We will park on the far end of West Main Street in Ventura, just before it enters the northbound 101 to Santa Barbara outside the entrance to Seaside Wilderness Park. It’s also known as Emma Wood Group Camp (NOT the Emma Wood Beach RV Camp which is further on under the overpass). You are welcome to driveinto the Group Camp to park but it costs $10.
Beach Sand-Verbena, Beachbur, Beach Morning-Glory and Ice Plant in their natural habitat. Photo by Rondia Kaufer
From streetside parking, we will enter the Group Camp and start the herb walk on the River’s Edge Trail at the east end of the Group Camp. We’ll walk through the woods to the Ventura Rivermouth and Estuary, identifying and learning about the plants with all of our senses. Then we’ll complete the loop on the Ocean’s Edge Trail in the sand dunes on the beach. All along the way, we will be discussing and demonstrating uses of the plants of the Riparian Woodland, Coastal Sage Scrub, and Coastal Strand plant communities.

Sacred Datura
Due to COVID-19 concerns, I have made some changes from previous walks, in effect until further notice:

Attendance will be limited to 12 participants.
Those with flu-like symptoms will be asked to remain at home.
Temperatures will be checked upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear a mask or face covering and observe 6 feet of physical distancing.

PLEASE NOTE: This event is full. Use the REGISTER button at top or bottom of this page to sign up for the waiting list in case of a cancellation.
The cost is $25. No dogs or smoking, please.

REGISTER
