Ojai & Southern California Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer

Fall Equinox Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike
2024-09-17 17:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Fall Equinox Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike

Photo of supermoon rising over Ojai in August 2023 by Joe P. Powers

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On Tuesday evening, September 17, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., my wife Rondia and I will lead a very special and unique Fall Equinox Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sun set due west and the full supermoon rise due east. This Earth-Sun alignment occurs only twice a year, on the spring and fall equinox. A “supermoon” occurs when the moon is unusually close to the Earth, making it appear very large. For both of these uncommon celestial events to occur at the same time is rare.

Registrants will receive instructions by email on where to park. From the trailhead we’ll gradually walk about 1.5 miles on a well used dirt road with gradual elevation gain to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants including, among others:Black and Purple SageCoastal SagebrushPassion FruitAleppo PineYucca andPrickly-Pear

After witnessing the setting of the sun and rising of the moon, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 8:00.

My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing. Afterwards, participants will receive a follow-up email with a plant list and other notes.

In addition to the adult tickets ($35), tickets for students 13-17 ($25) and children 6-12 ($15) are also available. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger.

Optional After-Party: Then, if participants are interested, at 8:15 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia on Bryant Street at Ojai Valley Brewery‘s heated outdoor dining area where brewmasters Jeremy Haffner, Griffin Davis, and their staff will be pouring their amazing locally-sourced beers, ales. stouts and non-alcoholic beverages. If people are into it, Rondia will make her delicious vegetarian chili for us to enjoy as we watch the supermoon continue to rise in the eastern sky.

Ojai Valley Brewery beers change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on the list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.

MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

REGISTRATION

Please REGISTER HERE FIRST before completing payment below.

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TICKETS

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Fall Equinox Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike: Tuesday, September 17, 2024

$36.71

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $35/adult, $25/student, or $15/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.

Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Fall Equinox Nature Hike on Pine Mountain
2024-09-21 09:00 - 16:00
Fall Equinox Nature Hike on Pine Mountain

Mixed conifer forest near Reyes Peak at sunset. Photo: Bryant Baker

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9/21/24: Registration is now closed for this event.

On Saturday, September 21, I will lead my 11th annual Fall Equinox Nature Hike in the peaceful Mixed Conifer Forest on the “sky island” known as Pine Mountain (elevation: 7000 feet). I promise that first time visitors to this area will be surprised and delighted to find a thick forest of pine, fir and incense-cedar so close to the Ventura coast. If we’re lucky, pine nuts will be falling as we walk. Weather and marine layer permitting, we will have panoramic views of the Cuyama Valley to the north and the Channel Islands to the south.

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, Sugar Pine, Sierra Gooseberry, and white bark Raspberry that are more commonly found in the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains.

The outing will start at 9:00 a.m. with a car caravan (or carpool for those open to it) of about 36 miles up Highway 33 from the Maricopa Plaza, (1207 Maricopa Highway, Ojai, CA 93023) to the Reyes Peak trailhead. The last 6.5 miles include 5.5 miles on a narrow, winding, paved road and the very last mile on a dirt road. Trucks or SUV’s are preferred for the last stretch but most passenger cars with reasonable front axle clearance can make the drive.

We will start walking into the Sespe Wilderness from the trailhead (where there is a restroom) at about 10:30 a.m., stop for lunch (not provided) in the forest, and return to the trailhead by about 3:30 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 fit, moderately experienced hikers or physically fit beginners. There will be some elevation gain and loss skirting the north side of Reyes Peak, sometimes traversing across steep 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 of 7000 feet should consult with a physician before attempting this hike.

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 and wildlife identified.

I will have copies of my book, Medicinal Herbs of California with me for sale and signing before the hike, as well as the rest of my mobile bookshop stock.

MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

The cost for the hike is $45/person. Qualifying full-time students (13+) can attend for $35. Children 6-12 (one per adult) can attend for $25. Kids 5 and under are free (one per adult), subject to approval. Toddlers need to be in a carrier due to the nature of the trail. No dogs or smoking, please.

REGISTRATION

Please REGISTER HERE FIRST before completing payment below.

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

TICKETS

If you haven’t already up above, please REGISTER FIRST before completing payment below.

There are several ticket options. Please choose those you qualify for.

9/21/24: Registration is now closed for this event.

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $45/adult, $35/student, or $25/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.

Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Fall Equinox Walkabout at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve
2024-09-22 09:00 - 12:00 | Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Fall Equinox Walkabout at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve

Four Directions Circle at the Vista on Taft Nature Preserve

Please note: This event is presented by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), stewards of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. They are handling all registrations. To register for the event, please visit TaftGardens.org or email taftgardensvisitors@gmail.com.

Registrants will receive an email from CEF with detailed directions. Please do not try to find the venue by using other maps or GPS. Allow plenty of time to find the venue and to make your way up the miles-long driveway.

Please join me for a Fall Equinox Walkabout at Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve on Sunday, September 22, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. “Walkabout” is a term rooted in traditional Australian culture, symbolizing a temporary return to a simpler way of life, often undertaken during intervals between modern societal obligations and usually involving a period of travel through the bush. That is the essence of what I have planned for you in observance of the Fall Equinox.

Our walkabout will begin in the Australian section of the Gardens and ascend through the wild plant communities in the Nature Preserve to a vista point adorned with a four-directions stone circle on a mesa with a 360 degree view. There we will align with the four directions as we interact with the annual solar cycle and our own ancestral origins somewhere on Planet Earth.

As we do on my monthly Nature Education walks at the Taft Ranch, together we will identify and discuss useful plants and observe birds and animal signs with a focus on survival in the wild. My intention is to create a space for people to connect with the natural world by learning the language of nature.

ABOUT TAFT GARDENS & NATURE PRESERVE:A project of the nonprofit Conservation Endowment Fund, Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve was described for years as one of Ojai’s best-kept secrets. Not anymore! This botanical gem was featured in an L. A. Times article on “The 16 Most Beautiful and Inviting Public Gardens in Southern California” and included in the RedBook Magazine list of “The 12 Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens in the United States.”

ABOUT LANNY KAUFER:Lanny Kaufer has been leading herb walks and nature hikes, as well as foraging and medicinal plant workshops, since 1976, focusing on ethnobotany, the academic term for the human uses of plants. He is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California, published by Falcon Guides in December of 2021 and now in its third printing. Copies will be available for sale and signing after the walkabout.

Please note: This event is presented by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), stewards of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. They are handling all registrations. To register for the event, please visit TaftGardens.org or email taftgardensvisitors@gmail.com.

Registrants will receive an email from CEF with detailed directions. Please do not try to find the venue by using other maps or GPS. Allow plenty of time to find the venue and to make your way up the miles-long driveway.

Herbalism in Ancient and Medieval Europe
2024-10-06 15:00 - 17:00
Herbalism in Ancient & Medieval Europe

Please join me on October 6 as I lead a class on Herbalism in Ancient & Medieval Europe as part of the Introductory Course to Herbalism at Ema’s Herbs in Ventura. Come learn about the herbal traditions and practices in ancient and medieval Europe and how this ancient knowledge has impacted herbalism today. Colorful slideshow content will include Hippocrates and other ancient Greeks, Galen and other ancient Romans, Rhazes and other Arabic herbalists, medieval monastic pharmacy, and more. This is the foundation of the Western herbalism practiced today, with many of the same herbs still in use.

Ema’s Herbs is offering an 8-month course that focuses on Herbal Medicine Preparation, Holistic Health Principles, and Herbal Traditions for the Bioregion. Started in May, and going until November, Ema’s Herbs will help people access herbal knowledge to address health needs and support each of their communities to uplift those around them. My classes on October 6 and 13 are part of that course. NOTE: Enrollment is closed for the full 8-month course but you can drop in to any class for a $20 fee.

Lanny Kaufer of HerbWalks.com has been leading herb walks, nature hikes, and workshops in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties since 1976, educating hundreds of residents and visitors on the edible and medicinal flora of the area. He holds a biology degree from UC Santa Cruz and is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants (Falcon Guides, 2021). Lanny hosts the Ojai Herbal Symposium, most recently held in Krotona Hall in November, 2023, and returning on May 31, 2025. Lanny is on the faculty of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Channel Islands. He serves as chief consultant on medicinal plants for the Swimmer Medicinal Garden in Playa Vista, CA.

Lanny specializes in making learning about edible and medicinal plants accessible and fun for people of all ages. He acquired much of his plant knowledge in field study with well-known herbalists and ethnobotanists, including in the 1970s with the late William LeSassier and the late Chumash plant expert Juanita Centeno. He has co-led workshops, field classes and expeditions with noted experts such as the late herbalist and author Michael Moore, author-herbalist Michael Tierra, author-herbalist Amanda McQuade Crawford, Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy, Chumash educators and siblings Julie Tumamait-Stenslie and Patrick Tumamait, author-survivalist Christopher Nyerges, and others.

Drop-in tickets for this event are on sale for $20 on the Eventbrite checkout form below or at this Eventbrite ticketing page. Or for more information visit this Ema’s Herbs event page. If you have any further questions, please email Donna Nicholson, Event Coordinator, at info.emasherbs@gmail.com.

Register on Eventbrite

Western Herbal Traditions
2024-10-13 15:00 - 17:00
Western Herbal Traditions

Please join me on October 13 as I lead a slideshow class on Western Herbal Traditions as part of the Introductory Course to Herbalism at Ema’s Herbs in Ventura. Western herbalism aims to prevent disease, strengthen the internal systems, and support the ability to heal by working as an ally to the inherent wisdom of the human body. It encompasses a diverse range of traditions rooted in European, Arabic, Asian, Native American, and other Indigenous cultures. It emphasizes using local plants and botanical remedies to support health and healing. Western herbalists often employ a combination of folk remedies, plant identification, energetics, and modern scientific research to formulate herbal preparations such as tinctures, teas, salves, and poultices.

Ema’s Herbs is offering an 8-month course that focuses on Herbal Medicine Preparation, Holistic Health Principles, and Herbal Traditions for the Bioregion. Started in May, and going until November, Ema’s Herbs will help people access herbal knowledge to address health needs and support each of their communities to uplift those around them. My classes on October 6 and 13 are part of that course. NOTE: Enrollment is closed for the full 8-month course but you can drop in to any class for a $20 fee.

Lanny Kaufer of HerbWalks.com has been leading herb walks, nature hikes, and workshops in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties since 1976, educating hundreds of residents and visitors on the edible and medicinal flora of the area. He holds a biology degree from UC Santa Cruz and is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants (Falcon Guides, 2021). Lanny hosts the Ojai Herbal Symposium, most recently held in Krotona Hall in November, 2023, and returning on May 31, 2025. Lanny is on the faculty of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Channel Islands. He serves as chief consultant on medicinal plants for the Swimmer Medicinal Garden in Playa Vista, CA.

Lanny specializes in making learning about edible and medicinal plants accessible and fun for people of all ages. He acquired much of his plant knowledge in field study with well-known herbalists and ethnobotanists, including in the 1970s with the late William LeSassier and the late Chumash plant expert Juanita Centeno. He has co-led workshops, field classes and expeditions with noted experts such as the late herbalist and author Michael Moore, author-herbalist Michael Tierra, author-herbalist Amanda McQuade Crawford, Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy, Chumash educators and siblings Julie Tumamait-Stenslie and Patrick Tumamait, author-survivalist Christopher Nyerges, and others.

Drop-in tickets for this event are on sale for $20 on the Eventbrite checkout form below or at this Eventbrite ticketing page. Or for more information visit this Ema’s Herbs event page. If you have any further questions, please email Donna Nicholson, Event Coordinator, at info.emasherbs@gmail.com.

Register on Eventbrite

Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike & After-Party
2024-10-16 16:30 - 19:00
Photo of supermoon rising over Topa Topa Bluffs in October 2023 by Carla Cahill

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On Wednesday evening, October 16, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., my wife Rondia and I will lead a uniquely Ojai Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sun set and the full supermoon rise. A “supermoon” occurs when the moon is unusually close to the Earth, making it appear very large. This is the third of four supermoons this year and will mark the moon’s closest proximity to the Earth.

Registrants will receive instructions by email on where to park. From the trailhead we’ll gradually walk about 1.5 miles on a well used dirt road with gradual elevation gain to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants including, among others:Purple SageCalifornia BuckwheatToyonBrickellbushPassion FruitAleppo PineBlue AgaveYucca andPrickly-Pear

After witnessing the setting of the sun and rising of the moon, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 7:00.

Optional After-Party: Then, if participants are interested, at 7:15 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia on Bryant Street at Ojai Valley Brewery‘s heated outdoor dining area where brewmasters Jeremy Haffner, Griffin Davis, and their staff will be pouring their amazing local herb-infused beers, ales, stouts and non-alcoholic beverages. Big Mann BBQ will have a truck there with food for us to enjoy as we gather and watch the supermoon continue to rise in the eastern sky.

Ojai Valley Brewery beers change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on the list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be hiking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.

My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing. Afterwards, participants will receive a follow-up email with a plant list and other notes.

In addition to the adult tickets ($35), tickets for students 13-17 ($25) and children 6-12 ($15) are also available. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger.

Weather Policy: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

Cancellation Policy I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

REGISTRATION

Please REGISTER HERE FIRST before completing payment below.

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

TICKETS

If you haven’t already up above, please REGISTER FIRST before completing payment below.

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $35/adult, $25/student, or $15/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.

Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Nature Education Walk at Taft Preserve
2024-10-26 09:00 - 11:00 | Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Nature Education Walk at Taft Preserve

Please note: This event is presented by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), stewards of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. They are handling all registrations. To register for the event, please visit this page or email taftgardensvisitors@gmail.com.
Registrants will receive an email from CEF with detailed directions. Please do not try to find the venue by using other maps or GPS. Allow plenty of time to find the venue and to make your way up the miles-long driveway.
Please join me for the monthly Nature Education Walks at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve on Saturday, October 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., meeting at 8:45 a.m. We will explore trails through the wild parts of the property, identify and discuss native plants, and observe birds and animal tracks in the context of local ecology.
This event is a perfect fit with my personal mission to open a space for people to connect with the natural world, starting with the plant kingdom. The diversity of plant communities and native species make Taft Nature Preserve the ideal place. Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve was featured in an L. A. Times article on “The 16 Most Beautiful and Inviting Public Gardens in Southern California” and included in the RedBook Magazine list of “The 12 Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens in the United States.”
The $35 cost includes a $10 donation to benefit the CEF, the non-profit steward of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. The donation portion of the fee is tax-deductible.
I will have my mobile bookshop onsite after the walk, including my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, and Milt McAuley’s classic Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains which features every plant we will see.
Please plan on leaving dogs and cigarettes at home. Thanks!

Fall Culinary and Medicinal Mushrooms with Jess Starwood
2024-11-03 10:00 - 16:00
CANCELLED: Fall Culinary and Medicinal Mushrooms with Jess Starwood

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CANCELLED: Due to a family emergency, we must cancel this event. Please contact mailto:register@herbwalks.com to be added to a list to hear if we are able to reschedule it.

Special guest author-forager-chef-mushroom expert Jess Starwood and I will begin this full day workshop on Sunday, November 3, with a foraging walk on the Ojai Meadows Preserve among the oaks, sycamores, and eucalyptus. This diverse Ojai habitat is home to several species of fungi and numerous edible and medicinal plants. We will be in search of Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus gilbertsonii), a fall season delicacy, for our afternoon snack.

In the photo montage above you can see a specimen I recently found on this same trail. Of course, we can’t guarantee which mushrooms we’ll find on November 3 as that is unpredictable, dependent on rainfall, weather, and other factors. If we don’t find it, Jess will provide a substitute from her foraged pantry. We will discuss sustainable foraging and identify edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms that can help to nourish and heal us in the winter months to come.

In the afternoon, we will gather in downtown Ojai for a wild mushroom cooking demonstration followed by a slideshow talk on medicinal mushrooms known for building immunity as we enter the cold and flu season. Jess has earned the Integrative Psilocybin Mushroom Specialist certification so she will also discuss psilocybin mushrooms (Psilocybe species), including instruction for how to grow them at home. Afterwards, Jess and I will have our books on hand for sale and signing.

ABOUT JESS STARWOOD:Jess Starwood is an established author, naturalist, chef, herbalist and educator. She wrote and photographed Mushroom Wanderland: A Forager’s Guide to Finding, Identifying and Using More Than 25 Wild Fungi. She is also the founder of SunRaven Apothecary which offers small-batch handcrafted herbal goods for the journey of the body and mind.

Jess has been teaching foraging, wild foods and nature education classes for children and adults for over ten years in Southern California. She also leads group adventures across the US and Mexico.

With a Master’s of Science degree in Herbal Medicine, Jess is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Science in Integrative Health from the American College of Healthcare Sciences. She has earned the Integrative Psilocybin Mushroom Specialist and Integrative Cannabis Specialist certifications.

Jess is the President of the Los Angeles Mycological Society and Editor of the amateur mycology journal McIlvainea. She also serves on the board of directors for the Arizona Mushroom Society. Jess is a frequent contributor to Edible Ojai and Ventura County magazine.

Her website is at www.jstarwood.com. She can be found on Instagram @jess.starwood.

ABOUT LANNY KAUFER:Lanny Kaufer has been leading Herb Walks in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties since 1976, educating hundreds of locals and visitors on the flora of the area with a focus on herbs that can be used for food and medicine. As an herbal educator, Lanny also leads workshops and presentations throughout the Ojai-Ventura-Santa Barbara area on the edible and medicinal uses of California plants. He holds a degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants (Falcon Guides, 2021).

The cost for the workshop is $145/person, payable in advance by personal check or on PayPal (see below). PayPal price includes their fee of $5.55. No dogs or smoking, please.

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The Cook and the Farmer: A Day with Olivia Chase & Steve Sprinkel
2024-11-10 09:00 - 16:00
The Cook and the Farmer: A Day with Olivia Chase & Steve Sprinkel

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Please join me on Sunday, November 10, for a tasty and enlightening day with Olivia Chase and Steve Sprinkel, co-founders of the renowned Farmer and the Cook organic café and grocery store in Meiners Oaks. Olivia will introduce her latest cookbook, Farmer and the Cook: recipes and farm stories from Ojai, California. The book includes organic, Mexican recipes from her popular vegetarian café and a collection of recipes inspired by the farm-fresh vegetables grown by her partner, farmer Steve Sprinkel.

The gathering will begin with a visit to Rancho Del Pueblo Farm, Farmer and the Cook’s 9-acre farm. The farm is located on the grounds of the old Honor Farm, near highway 33 and Old Baldwin Road. At the farm you will have an opportunity to meet Farmer Steve and, dependent on rainfall and weather, help pick the ingredients for the afternoon’s cooking demonstration and food tasting.

Then we will gather in one of the kitchens at Farmer and the Cook café in Meiners Oaks. Olivia will give you a glimpse into the journey taken as she and Steve bootstrapped the popular café — side by side for the past 23 years — and shine a light on a core group of talented cooks and bakers at the heart of the kitchen with whom they have co-created the café.

The cooking demonstration and tasting will include your participation in the preparation of a salad using the ingredients you picked in the morning. The actual salad will be determined based on what is available in November. You will get to taste a sampling from the cookbook: Nutloaf with Shiitake Mushroom Gravy and Roasted Kabocha Squash along with the fresh-from-the- farm salad. Afterward, Olivia will have books on hand for sale and signing.

ABOUT OLIVIA CHASE:Olivia grew up in a large Colombian-American family near the beach in Ventura and in that somewhat chaotic environment developed the patience to run two successful restaurants.

Inspired by the early nutrition guru, Adelle Davis, she rejected the modern convenience foods of the 60’s and began cooking for her family as a rebellious 16-year-old. She went to college for a Masters in Nutrition all the while avoiding her destiny as a cook or maybe waiting for the cooking scene to become a place where a passionate, untrained cook might have a chance.

Olivia returned home to Ventura and opened the City Bakery-Café in 1988. While running the café she purchased organic vegetables from Steve at the Ventura Farmers’ Market and, a decade later, they fell in love at the Ojai Farmers’ Market, again while she was buying vegetables, this time a kabocha squash.

On a trip to San Francisco they bought a seven-dollar organic tomato(!) and thought if they had both a farm and a store, they could save people a lot of money. What if she could rehab the broken-down grocery store building in Meiners Oaks into a café and Steve could sell his farm vegetables indoors instead of on the hard pavement of various farmers’ markets? And so the Farmer and the Cook came to be!

The cost for the workshop is $75/person, payable in advance by personal check or on PayPal (see below). All food and recipes are included. The PayPal price includes their fee of $3.11 for a total of $78.11. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $75, as long as there is still time for mail delivery. No dogs or smoking, please.

REGISTRATION

Please REGISTER HERE FIRST before completing payment below.

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

TICKETS

If you haven’t already up above, please REGISTER FIRST before completing payment below.

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee of $3.11. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $75, as long as there is still time for mail delivery.

Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike and Pizza Party
2024-11-16 16:00 - 18:30
Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike & Pizza Party

Lanny’s photo of full moon over Topa Topa Bluffs and Chef Adam’s wood-fired pizza

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On Saturday evening, November 16, from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m., my wife Rondia and I will lead a special collaborative event starting with a Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sun set and the full supermoon rise over the Topa Topa Bluffs. A “supermoon” occurs when the moon is unusually close to the Earth, making it appear very large. This is the fourth and last of four supermoons this year. One of the extra special effects of the moonrise this time of year is that it rises over the Bluffs at sunset, just as Ojai’s iconic “pink moment” lights up the mountains.

Registrants will receive instructions by email on where to park. From the trailhead we’ll gradually walk about 1.5 miles on a well used dirt road with gradual elevation gain to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants including, among others:Purple SageCalifornia BuckwheatToyonBrickellbushPassion FruitAleppo PineBlue AgaveYucca andPrickly-Pear

After witnessing the setting of the sun and rising of the moon, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 6:30.

Optional After-Party: Then, the collaboration begins! At 6:45 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia on Bryant Street at Ojai Valley Brewery‘s heated outdoor dining area where brewmasters Jeremy Haffner, Griffin Davis, and their staff will be pouring their amazing local herb-infused beers, ales, stouts and non-alcoholic beverages. Chef Adam Nadel and his Tramonto Wood-Fired Pizza wagon will be there. We’ll enjoy, among other offerings, two special menu items made with local herbs and berries as the foundation: 🍕 The Gary Faulkner: Lamb Sausage, Sumac-braised Onions, Tahini, and Aleppo Pepper and 🍕 The Ronnie Cammareri: Local Ojai Purple Sage, Browned Butter, and Ricotta, as we gather and watch the supermoon continue to rise in the eastern sky.

Ojai Valley Brewery beers change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on the list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be hiking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer. And now they’ve added their own Side Street Wine under the OVB umbrella for those who prefer the fruit of the vine!

Please note: Food and beverages are not included in the price of the hike. Ojai Valley Brewery does offer a 10% discount on beer and wine for my hike participants.

My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing. Afterwards, participants will receive a follow-up email with a plant list and other notes.

In addition to the adult tickets ($35), tickets for students 13-17 ($25) and children 6-12 ($15) are also available. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger.

Weather Policy: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

Cancellation Policy I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

REGISTRATION

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Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike and Pizza Party: Saturday, November 16

$36.71

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Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike and Pizza Party: Saturday, November 16 / STUDENT

$26.36

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Supermoon Sunset Nature Hike and Pizza Party: Saturday, November 16 / CHILD

$16.00

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Nature Education Walk at Taft Preserve
2024-11-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Nature Education Walk at Taft Preserve

Please note: This event is presented by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), stewards of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. They are handling all registrations. To register for the event, please visit this page or email taftgardensvisitors@gmail.com.
Registrants will receive an email from CEF with detailed directions. Please do not try to find the venue by using other maps or GPS. Allow plenty of time to find the venue and to make your way up the miles-long driveway.
Please join me for the monthly Nature Education Walks at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve on Saturday, November 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., meeting at 9:45 a.m. We will explore trails through the wild parts of the property, identify and discuss native plants, and observe birds and animal tracks in the context of local ecology.
This event is a perfect fit with my personal mission to open a space for people to connect with the natural world, starting with the plant kingdom. The diversity of plant communities and native species make Taft Nature Preserve the ideal place. Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve was featured in an L. A. Times article on “The 16 Most Beautiful and Inviting Public Gardens in Southern California” and included in the RedBook Magazine list of “The 12 Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens in the United States.”
The $35 cost includes a $10 donation to benefit the CEF, the non-profit steward of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. The donation portion of the fee is tax-deductible.
I will have my mobile bookshop onsite after the walk, including my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, and Milt McAuley’s classic Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains which features every plant we will see.
Please plan on leaving dogs and cigarettes at home. Thanks!

Nature Education Walk at Taft Preserve
2024-12-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Nature Education Walk at Taft Preserve

Please note: This event is presented by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), stewards of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. They are handling all registrations. To register for the event, please visit this page and select the date button for December 14 or email taftgardensvisitors@gmail.com.
Registrants will receive an email from CEF with detailed directions. Please do not try to find the venue by using other maps or GPS. Allow plenty of time to find the venue and to make your way up the miles-long driveway.
Please join me for the monthly Nature Education Walks at Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve on Saturday, December 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., meeting at 9:45 a.m. We will explore trails through the wild parts of the property, identify and discuss native plants, and observe birds and animal tracks in the context of local ecology.
This event is a perfect fit with my personal mission to open a space for people to connect with the natural world, starting with the plant kingdom. The diversity of plant communities and native species make Taft Nature Preserve the ideal place. Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve was featured in an L. A. Times article on “The 16 Most Beautiful and Inviting Public Gardens in Southern California” and included in the RedBook Magazine list of “The 12 Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens in the United States.”
The $35 cost includes a $10 donation to benefit the CEF, the non-profit steward of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. The donation portion of the fee is tax-deductible.
I will have my mobile bookshop onsite after the walk, including my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, and Milt McAuley’s classic Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains which features every plant we will see.
Please plan on leaving dogs and cigarettes at home. Thanks!

CANCELLED: Winter Solstice Nature Hike on Pine Mountain
2024-12-22 10:00 - 16:00
Winter Solstice Nature Hike on Pine Mountain

Santa Cruz Island seen from Pine Mountain on December 11, 2024. Photo: Lanny Kaufer

JUMP TO REGISTRATION

HIKE CANCELLED: Apparently the US Forest Service website is no longer a reliable place for road closure information in the National Forest. I just found out the road is closed, after all. Very disappointing.

Are you up for an adventure? On Sunday, December 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, I will lead my first-ever Winter Solstice Nature Hike in the peaceful Mixed Conifer Forest on the “sky island” known as Pine Mountain (elevation: 7000 feet). Why is this the first ever? Because Pine Mountain road is usually closed by this date due to snowfall. As much as I wish the precious snow was already falling, I’m seizing this rare opportunity to share this incredible place with you at the quietest time of the year. We’ll celebrate the beginning of winter and the “return of the light” in a beautiful forest.

I promise that first-time visitors to this area will be surprised and delighted to find a thick forest of pine, fir and incense-cedar so close to the Ventura coast. Weather and marine layer permitting, we will have panoramic views of the Cuyama Valley to the north and the Channel Islands to the south. The photo above of Santa Cruz Island was taken on December 11, 2024.

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, Sugar Pine, Sierra Gooseberry, and white bark Raspberry that are more commonly found in the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains.

The outing will start at 10:00 a.m. with a car caravan (or carpool for those open to it) of about 36 miles up Highway 33 from the Maricopa Plaza, (1207 Maricopa Highway, Ojai, CA 93023) to the Reyes Peak trailhead. The last 6.5 miles include 5.5 miles on a narrow, winding, paved road and the very last mile on a dirt road. Trucks or SUV’s are preferred for the last stretch but most passenger cars with reasonable front axle clearance can make the drive.

We will start walking into the Sespe Wilderness from the trailhead (where there is a restroom) at about 11:30 a.m., stop for lunch (not provided) in the forest, and return to the trailhead by about 3:30 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 fit, moderately experienced hikers or physically fit beginners. There will be some elevation gain and loss skirting the north side of Reyes Peak, sometimes traversing across steep 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 of 7000 feet should consult with a physician before attempting this hike.

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 and wildlife identified.

I will have copies of my book, Medicinal Herbs of California with me for sale and signing before the hike, as well as the rest of my mobile bookshop stock.

MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

The cost for the hike is $45/person. Qualifying full-time students (13+) can attend for $35. Children 6-12 (one per adult) can attend for $25. Kids 5 and under are free (one per adult), subject to approval. Toddlers need to be in a carrier due to the nature of the trail. No dogs or smoking, please.

REGISTRATION

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TICKETS

If you haven’t already done so up above, please REGISTER FIRST before completing payment below.

There are several ticket options. Please choose those you qualify for.

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $45/adult, $35/student, or $25/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.

Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

CANCELLED: January Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & After-Party at Ojai Valley Brewery
2025-01-14 17:00 - 19:30
CANCELLED: January Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & After-Party at Ojai Valley Brewery

Photo of full moon rising over Ojai in December 2024 by Ric Kauai

Cancelled due to extreme fire danger (1/14/25)

JUMP TO REGISTRATION

On Tuesday evening, January 14, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., my wife Rondia and I will launch my 49th year of leading Herb Walks with a Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike. We’ll hike to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset afterglow and the full moonrise. The moon will appear at about 6:30 p.m., giving us a nice window of time to take it all in.
Registrants will receive instructions on where to park. From the trailhead we’ll gradually walk about 1.5 miles on a well used dirt road with gradual elevation gain to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants including, among others:
Blue ElderberryBlack and Purple SageHorehoundCoastal SagebrushPassion FruitYucca andPrickly-Pear
After witnessing the setting of the sun and rising of the moon, we’ll walk back to the trailhead by remaining daylight, moonlight, and flashlight, returning to the trailhead at about 7:30.
The After-Party: Then at 7:30 p.m. you’re invited to a party! Please join me and Rondia on the heated patio at Liz and Jeremy Haffner’s Ojai Valley Brewery. Brewmasters Jeremy, Griffin Davis, and their staff will be pouring their amazing locally-sourced beers, ales, stouts, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages as we celebrate my 49-year milestone while the moon continues to rise in the eastern sky. There is no food truck onsite that night but all hikers are welcome to bring their own food or get together and order a pizza. Ojai Pizza delivers there or you can pick up food elsewhere or have it delivered.
Ojai Valley Brewery beers change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on the list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.
Ojai Valley Brewery launched Side Street Wines in 2023 with winemaker Fabien Castel in charge. Fabien worked side by side with the legendary California winemaker Adam Tolmach at Ojai Vineyard for 20 years before joining forces with Liz and Jeremy.
My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing.
In addition to the adult tickets ($35), tickets for students 13-17 ($25) and children 6-12 ($15) are also available. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger.
MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.
MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

REGISTRATION

Please REGISTER HERE FIRST before completing payment below.

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

TICKETS

If you haven’t already up above, please REGISTER FIRST before completing payment below.

There are several ticket options. Please choose the one you qualify for.

January Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike

$36.71

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January Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike (STUDENT)

$26.36

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January Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike (CHILD)

$16.00

Add to cart

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $35/adult, $25/student, or $15/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Wheeler Gorge Nature Hike
2025-01-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Maricopa Plaza for caravan to trailhead, 1207 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Wheeler Gorge Nature Hike & Optional After-Party

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Please join me and my wife Rondia on Saturday, January 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (including drive time) for a 2-hour plant identification hike on the Wheeler Gorge Nature Trail, a special place just 9 miles up scenic Highway 33 from Ojai. The trail loop is less than 1 mile long but features two distinct plant communities. Starting in the riparian habitat along a rushing mountain stream under a canopy of shade trees, we’ll climb over the saddle into the sunny chaparral with long views of the surrounding mountains. There is a diversity of native plants to identify while demonstrating and discussing their many uses by foragers, herbalists, and naturalists for food, herbal medicine, first aid, home remedies, survival, crafts, ceremony and more.
This time of year we can expect to find Coast Live Oaks, White Alders, Mugwort, California Blackberry, Chamise, and Chaparral Currant, among many others. Poison Oak will also be identified (and avoided). Participants will receive an email afterwards with a plant list (including common and scientific names) and other useful notes.

Trailside discussion will include sustainable foraging, Chumash plant uses, and other topics generated by the participants. This is designated as a “nature hike” rather than an “herb walk” because the trail includes a couple of short but steep stretches of rocky footing. Good balance and hiking shoes are required.
We will meet at Maricopa Plaza parking lot in Ojai at 8:45 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. caravan/carpool to the trailhead. We’ll hike for two hours beginning at 9:30 and ending at approximately 11:30, putting you back at Maricopa Plaza by 12 noon if you wish to head straight back.
The After-Party: An optional after-party is planned in the picnic area outside the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center on the way back to town for those who wish to gather around a campfire with their sack lunches and hang out with like-minded folks. If enough people are interested, Rondia will make her popular vegetarian chili. Fun in the forest!
Before the walk, at the caravan meeting place, I will have my mobile bookstore on display, including copies of my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, available for sale and signing. The Visitor Center also carries it.
The cost of the hike for all ages of participants is $25. Please email me if you have questions about bringing children.
No dogs or smoking, please.
This event in the Los Padres National Forest is presented by Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer under a Special Use Permit from the U. S. Forest Service for wilderness outfitters and guides. Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer is an equal opportunity service provider.
My Cancellation Policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.
My Weather Policy: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

Registration

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Wheeler Gorge Nature Hike

$26.36

Wheeler Gorge Nature Hike quantity

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Category: Event Tickets, past

Tags: wheeler gorge 01-18-25

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $25/person.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Lanny's Slideshow Talk at Native Plant Fest
2025-01-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, California, 93030, United States
Lanny’s Slideshow Talk at Native Plant Fest

I’ll be giving a slideshow talk on edible and medicinal native plants at 12 noon at the 4th Annual Native Plant Fest on the grounds of the Oxnard Performing Arts Center (OPAC).

The Native Plant Fest is a free event that runs from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. and brings together our community to celebrate and showcase local plant-inspired culture, food, traditions, and creativity! This festival is community-led by plant enthusiasts of diverse backgrounds who will share their plants, services, artwork, culinary creations, products, educational resources, and much more!

November through the Spring is prime native planting season in California and OPAC wants to bring together seasoned and newbie plant aficionados for this special event.Guests will enjoy:

An Opening Blessing and Land Acknowledgment

Vendors selling art, crafts, plants, garden accessories, food, and more!

Interactive activities and art-making

Food Trucks

Educational speakers and workshops (including my talk)

Nonprofit exhibitors offering free plants, information and resources

Special musical performances

There’s plenty for kids to do too, such as making seed bombs, flower crowns and much, much more.

Speaker presentations, including mine at 12 p.m., are presented by ¡ANDALE! Wellness + Creativity for everyone, a fun and engaging program that is focused on promoting overall well-being and unleashing your creativity! Exciting activities and workshops designed to help you relax, recharge, and get inspired. Whether you’re a seasoned wellness enthusiast or just looking to explore your creative side, this event has something for everyone

¡ANDALE! is funded by Ventura County Behavioral Health in hope to bring awareness to Mental Health to the local community. ¡ANDALE! also is telling the community about SOLANA and Brightspark, two apps that are free for people ages 5-12 and 12-25 as a free counselor app.

¡ANDALE! is a monthly program but for the month of January it will be pairing with Native Plant Fest 2025 by bringing activities and workshops that will spark creativity and engage people’s mental health all while keeping a plant theme.

For full information about Native Plant Fest 2025, please visit https://www.theopac.org/native-plant-fest

February Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & After-Party at Ojai Valley Brewery
2025-02-12 17:00 - 19:30
February Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & After-Party at Ojai Valley Brewery

Full moon rising over Topa Topa Bluffs, January, 2022. Photo: Joe P. Powers

JUMP TO REGISTRATION

On Wednesday evening, February 12, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., my wife Rondia and I will lead the first Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike of 2025, my 49th year of leading Herb Walks. We’ll hike to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset afterglow and the full moon rise. The moon will appear at about 6:30 p.m. over the Topa Topa Bluffs, giving us a nice window of time to take it all in.
Registrants will receive instructions on where to park. From the trailhead we’ll gradually walk about 1.5 miles on a well used dirt road with gradual elevation gain to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants including, among others:
Blue ElderberryBlack and Purple SageHorehoundCoastal SagebrushPassion FruitYucca andPrickly-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 7:30.
The After-Party: Then at 7:30 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia on the heated patio at Liz and Jeremy Haffner’s Ojai Valley Brewery. Brewmasters Jeremy, Griffin Davis, and their staff will be pouring their amazing locally-sourced beers, ales, stouts, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages as we celebrate my 49-year milestone while the moon continues to rise in the eastern sky. Big Mann BBQ will be onsite that night serving food until 8 p.m. All hikers are welcome to bring their own food, too.
Ojai Valley Brewery beers change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on the list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.
Ojai Valley Brewery launched Side Street Wines in 2023 with winemaker Fabien Castel in charge. Fabien worked side by side with the legendary California winemaker Adam Tolmach at Ojai Vineyard for 20 years before joining forces with Liz and Jeremy.
Note: Food and drinks are not included in the price of the hike but OVB offers my hikers a 10% discount on beverages.
My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing.
In addition to the adult tickets ($35), tickets for students 13-17 ($25) and children 6-12 ($15) are also available. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger.
MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.
MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

REGISTRATION

Please REGISTER HERE FIRST before completing payment below.

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

TICKETS

If you haven’t already up above, please REGISTER FIRST before completing payment below.

There are several ticket options. Please choose the one you qualify for.

February Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike

$36.71

Add to cart

February Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike (STUDENT)

$26.36

Add to cart

February Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike (CHILD)

$16.00

Add to cart

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $35/adult, $25/student, or $15/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

"It's a Family Affair:" The Human-Plant Family Connection – Part 1 with Carol Wade
2025-02-15 09:00 - 16:00 | Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden, 1070 McAndrew Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Listen to “It’s A Family Affair” by Sly & the Family Stone

“It’s a Family Affair:” The Human-Plant Family Connection – Part 1

Join Ojai herbalists Carol Wade and Lanny Kaufer for a deep dive into the similarities and connections between human and plant families. Scheduled in 4 parts, one for each season, this series of workshops from February through October will enhance your knowledge of edible and medicinal plants as well as your understanding of our own species, our personal and collective health, and our place in Nature. Experience the glory of witnessing the cycles of change in a garden, plants, and the ecosystem at large, including us humans. It really is a wonder!

JUMP TO REGISTRATION

On Saturday, February 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., herbalist-gardener-teacher Carol Wade of Ojai School of Herbal Studies and the Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden will join me, Lanny Kaufer of Ojai & Southern California Herb Walks, for an outdoor-indoor workshop entitled “It’s a Family Affair:” The Human-Plant Family Connection – Part 1. This is the first in a 4-part series to be continued on April 26, June 14, and October 25. No commitment to sign up for all four is required. Each part is a standalone event.

During a morning herb walk through the Garden led by Carol and me, you’ll enjoy the beautiful Ojai vistas as we apply the plant family method of identification to some of the native and international herbal allies that live in the Garden. The February session will highlight herbs such as Rosemary, Stinging Nettles, and Yellow Sweet Melilot chosen for their prominence at this time of year. You’ll learn the properties of those three herbs and others that we’ll explore in greater depth in an indoor setting in the afternoon. And you’ll prepare home remedies to take with you.

Interesting topics, great conversations, and timely remedies make this a wonderful way to connect with the glory of the earth, each other, and all sorts of beings, large and small.

The cost for each session is $75/person, due in advance by PayPal or personal check. A $5 cash materials fee will be collected onsite. I will have my mobile bookshop with me, including my signed book and the rest of my curated collection. Please note: Due to limited space for gathering in the Garden, registration will be limited to 15 participants.

ACUPUNCTURE CEUs: This course is approved by the California Acupuncture Board for 7 hours of continuing education (Provider Number 1526). There is a $25 processing fee for receiving a CEU certificate. Please indicate on the REGISTRATION form BELOW if you are interested in CEUs.

ABOUT CAROL WADE:Carol Wade is a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and has practiced as an herbalist and nutritional counselor for over 30 years. She studied health education and nutritional counseling at the Gary Null Health and Nutrition Program in New York, and she is a graduate of the Herbal Therapeutics Study Program and the Herbal Therapeutics Graduate Clinical Program of the Herbalist Therapeutics Research Foundation, founded and directed by herbalist and ethnobotanist David Winston.

Her garden, the Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden in Ojai, California, serves as a hub for several medicinal herb-oriented ventures that bring the idea of using medicinal herbs in daily living as a viable and logical choice to the community at large. Dreamed up long ago and finally made a reality in 2012, the Garden has taken years of intense work by Carol, her husband Bill Hak and dedicated volunteers, including her students, to become the gorgeous landmark it is today. Since ground was first broken, the garden has truly blossomed, becoming a must-see stop for visitors and a place of respite and renewal for locals. With breathtaking views of the valley’s encompassing mountains, the garden was conceived as a showpiece, educational tool, and medicinal resource in one.

Designed in the shape of a nautilus shell, the 11 main beds in the garden represent the major body systems, and each is planted with specimen herbs from around the world especially suited to supporting and healing those systems. Above the nautilus is a sunburst row of production beds, with plants for future harvest and use in tinctures, salves, oils and other preparations.

In 2016 Carol founded the Ojai School of Herbal Studies, a 22-month herbal studies program that utilizes the garden, hands on medicine making, and an in-depth education in how to use herbs safely and effectively, including terminology, plant chemistry, anatomy and physiology, an extensive materia medica, and actual herb cultivation.

ABOUT LANNY KAUFER:Lanny Kaufer has been leading Herb Walks and Nature Hikes in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties since 1976, educating hundreds of locals and visitors on the flora of the area with a focus on herbs that can be used for food and medicine. As an herbal educator, Lanny also leads workshops and presentations throughout the Ojai-Ventura-Santa Barbara area on the edible and medicinal uses of California plants. He holds a degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and serves on the faculty of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Channel Islands.

Lanny is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants (Falcon Guides, 2021). He hosts the biennial Ojai Herbal Symposium and serves as chief consultant on medicinal plants for the Swimmer Medicinal Garden in Playa Vista.

PLEASE NOTE: Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain or thunderstorms will. Once you register you will receive weather updates, directions and other info about what to wear, etc. No dogs or smoking, please.

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $75 for regular admission or $100 to include CEU certificate.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee

Seasonal Rhythms: Five Elements Lifestyle Medicine with Jiling Lin, LAc
2025-02-23 09:00 - 16:00
Seasonal Rhythms: Five Elements Lifestyle Medicine with Jiling Lin, LAc

Join acupuncturist-herbalist-artist Jiling Lin and author-herbalist Lanny Kaufer for a full day workshop in beautiful Ojai. Discover the art of seasonal living through the Five Phases (五行) of Chinese medicine. This outdoor experiential class explores how to cultivate vibrant health by aligning with natural rhythms throughout the year.

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On Sunday, February 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., acupuncturist-herbalist-artist Jiling Lin, LAc, will join me, Lanny Kaufer, author of Medicinal Herbs of California, for an outdoor workshop entitled “Seasonal Rhythms: Five Elements Lifestyle Medicine.”

You’ll journey through each season and its corresponding Element, beginning with Winter (Water) and flowing through Spring (Wood), Summer (Fire), Late Summer (Earth), Autumn (Metal), and back to Winter again. We’ll pay special attention to our current seasonal transition between Winter and Spring – the dance between Water and Wood Elements.

Beginning with an herb walk in the morning at the Chumash Garden at Ojai Valley Museum, you’ll meet local medicinal plants who will guide us through each Element. In the afternoon we’ll gather under a huge Valley Oak on the enchanting patio deck at Nutmeg’s Ojai House. Tea meditations, gentle movements, reflective journaling, and group discussion will help us to explore the unique characteristics of each season and its corresponding flavors, body systems, Spirit, and more. Learn practices to rest, move, connect, nourish, and create in harmony with the seasons.

The cost of the workshop is $75/person, due in advance by PayPal or personal check. A $5 cash materials fee will be collected onsite. I will have my mobile bookshop with me, including my signed book and the rest of my curated collection. Please note: Due to limited space for gathering in the patio at Nutmeg’s Ojai House, registration will be limited to 12 participants.

ACUPUNCTURE CEUs: This course is approved by the California Acupuncture Board for 7 hours of continuing education (Provider Number 1526). There is a $25 processing fee for receiving a CEU certificate. Please indicate on the REGISTRATION form BELOW if you are interested in CEUs. If you have one, please enter your acupuncture school discount code on the form.

ABOUT JILING LIN: Jiling Lin is a Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc), herbalist, and artist. Her integrative medical practice in Ventura, CA and holistic workshops, retreats, and writings empower thriving health and environmental stewardship in our bodies, communities, and world. Interweaving nature, art, movement and ritual, Jiling’s classes range from seasonal wellness to immersive Five Elements retreats. “Tea Talks” podcast host on Herbal Radio and writer for various publications, Jiling is also an avid traveler, multidisciplinary artist, and wilderness adventurer– working on her first book about Five Element Lifestyle Medicine! Find Jiling backpacking the Sespe, surfing at C-Street, and on JilingLin.com, Substack @Jiling, Instagram @LinJiling, and Facebook @JilingLAc. Join her newsletter for adventure-notes, book updates, and seasonal beauty!

ABOUT LANNY KAUFER:Lanny Kaufer has been leading Herb Walks and Nature Hikes in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties since 1976, educating hundreds of locals and visitors on the flora of the area with a focus on herbs that can be used for food and medicine. As an herbal educator, Lanny also leads workshops and presentations throughout the Ojai-Ventura-Santa Barbara area on the edible and medicinal uses of California plants. He holds a degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and serves on the faculty of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Channel Islands.

Lanny is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants (Falcon Guides, 2021). He hosts the biennial Ojai Herbal Symposium and serves as chief consultant on medicinal plants for the Swimmer Medicinal Garden in Playa Vista.

PLEASE NOTE: Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain or thunderstorms will. Once you register you will receive weather updates, directions and other info about what to wear, etc. No dogs or smoking, please.

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Seasonal Rhythms with Jiling Lin

$78.11

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Seasonal Rhythms with Jiling Lin (with CEUs)

$103.98

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $75 for regular admission or $100 to include CEU certificate.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee

CANCELLED: March Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & Lunar Eclipse
2025-03-13 18:00 - 21:00
CANCELLED: March Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & Lunar Eclipse

Photo of partial lunar eclipse, September 17, 2024 by Bill Walker

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I regret that I have had to cancel this hike. If you are already registered, you received an email from me letting you know that I was refunding your payment.
Please join me and Rondia on Thursday evening, March 13, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. for this rare event: a Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike during the start of a total lunar eclipse. Although the total eclipse begins at 11:18 p.m., we’ll see it start with a penumbral eclipse a little before 9:00. This photo shows the most recent partial eclipse during a moon hike on September 17, 2024. The next time a total lunar eclipse will be visible in Ventura County before 1 a.m. or later at night is August 6, 2036.
The March full moon also marks the Spring Equinox, arriving one week before it and rising approximately due east as the sun sets approximately due west. This phenomenon of opposing moonrise and sunset occurs only on the equinoxes.
We’ll gradually walk about 1.5 miles on a well-used dirt road with gradual elevation gain to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset, moonrise, and beginning of the eclipse.
After witnessing this special astronomical event, we’ll walk back by flashlight and partial moonlight, returning to the trailhead around 9:15 p.m.
On the way up in remaining daylight, we’ll stop along the trail to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants, including:
Blue ElderberryCoastal SagebrushPrickly-Pear CactusHorehoundBlack SagePurple Sage andChia Sage
My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing.
Paid registrants will receive a confirmation email a few days prior to the event with all necessary info, including what to bring, weather forecast, and directions to the trailhead. Afterwards, they also will receive a follow-up email with a list of all plants and wildlife seen.
In addition to the adult tickets ($35), tickets for students 13-17 ($25) and children 6-12 ($15) are offered below. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger. Senior discount is available by request.
No dogs or smoking, please.
MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.
MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $35/adult, $25/student, or $15/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

"Edible and Medicinal Plants of the CSUCI Campus:" A 3-Part Experiential Class for OLLI
2025-03-26 10:00 - 12:00
“Edible and Medicinal Plants of the CSUCI Campus:” A 3-Part Experiential Class for OLLI

The California State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus is a great example of an integrative landscape design that combines existing native trees and shrubs with attractive, drought-tolerant species. Many of the non-natives are from regions that share Southern California’s Mediterranean climate. Most of them are used by Indigenous people for food and medicine wherever they grow on the planet. The native plants are used by the Chumash, Tongva, and other tribes.

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

This OLLI class, taught by me, is offered on three consecutive Wednesdays beginning March 26 and ending April 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Each week will include an hour in the classroom for a slideshow talk followed by an hour-long “herb walk” on the campus to meet the plant community in the flesh, so to speak, and learn about their uses. This experiential class is in-person only, not streaming online, to facilitate the best learning experience for students and will not be recorded.

Enrollment began March 10. For more information and registration, please visit go.csuci.edu/olli. I will not be handling any registration or payment for this class.

Herb Walk on San Antonio Creek Trail in Goleta
2025-03-29 09:00 - 12:00
Herb Walk on San Antonio Creek Trail in Goleta

Black Sage and Honeybee. Photo by Ben Grangereau

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED FOR THIS WALK. (3/29/25)

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Please join me on Saturday, March 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for an Herb Walk on San Antonio Creek Trail in Goleta. This easy, family-friendly walk will include identifying, demonstrating and discussing the many uses of wild plants by foragers, herbalists, and naturalists seeking them out for food, herbal medicine, first aid, home remedies, survival, crafts, ceremony and more. This time of year we can expect to find Black Sage, California Bay, Mugwort, Indian-Lettuce, California Blackberry, Hummingbird Sage, and Wild Rose, among others. Toxic plants such as Poison Oak and Poison Hemlock will also be identified.

Trailside discussion will include sustainable foraging, Chumash plant uses, and other topics generated by the participants. This slow-paced walk is suitable for all hikers able to walk less than 2 miles round-trip on a level trail and stand for periods of time. Participants will receive an email afterwards with a plant list (including common and scientific names) and other useful notes.

No dogs or smoking, please.

MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Before the walk, I will have my mobile bookstore on display, including copies of my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, available for sale and signing.

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $35/adult, $25/student, or $15/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.

Cozy Dell Nature Hike
2025-04-06 09:00 - 12:00 | Maricopa Plaza for caravan to trailhead, 1207 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Cozy Dell Nature Hike

View north up Hwy 33 and into Matilija Canyon from Cozy Dell Trail. Photo: Lanny Kaufer

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Please join me on Sunday, April 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (including drive time) for a 2.5-hour plant identification hike on the Cozy Dell Trail, a special north-facing canyon trail just 2 miles up scenic Highway 33 from Ojai. Starting in the riparian habitat of Sheldon Canyon, we’ll gradually climb up to the saddle in a mix of sun and shade. At the top, in the sunny chaparral habitat, we’ll have a stunning view of the Ojai Valley and surrounding mountains.
We’ll find a wide diversity of native plants to identify while demonstrating and discussing their many uses by foragers, herbalists, and naturalists for food, herbal medicine, first aid, home remedies, survival, crafts, ceremony and more. The entire distance, if we make it all the way to the top is 2 miles.
This time of year we can expect to find Coast Live Oak, Yarrow, Mugwort, Hummingbird Sage, and Mariposa Lily, among many others. Poison Oak will also be identified (and avoided). Participants will receive an email afterwards with a plant list (including common and scientific names) and other useful notes.
Trailside discussion will include sustainable foraging, Chumash plant uses, and other topics generated by the participants. This is designated as a “nature hike” rather than an “herb walk” because the trail is steep and includes a short stretch of rocky footing at the beginning. Good balance and hiking shoes are required.
We will meet at Maricopa Plaza parking lot in Ojai at 8:45 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. caravan/carpool to the trailhead. We’ll hike for two hours beginning at 9:30 and ending at approximately 11:45, putting you back at Maricopa Plaza by around 12 noon.
Before the walk, at the caravan meeting place, I will have my mobile bookstore on display, including copies of my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, available for sale and signing.
The cost of the hike for all ages of participants is $25. Please email me if you have questions about bringing children.
No dogs or smoking, please.
This event in the Los Padres National Forest is presented by Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer under a Special Use Permit from the U. S. Forest Service for wilderness outfitters and guides. Herb Walks with Lanny Kaufer is an equal opportunity service provider.
My Cancellation Policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.
My Weather Policy: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.

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Cozy Dell Nature Hike

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Category: Event Tickets, past

Tags: cozy dell 04-06-25

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $25/person.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Nature Alignment with Elena Rios and Lanny Kaufer
2025-04-13 09:00 - 16:00 | Earth Island Medicinal Herb Garden, 1070 McAndrew Rd., Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Nature Alignment with Elena Rios and Lanny Kaufer

Join Nature & Forest Therapy Guide Elena Rios and author-naturalist Lanny Kaufer for a day of “nature alignment” in the meadows and secluded oak forest of Ojai. Just as our spines and our vehicle’s wheels sometimes need an alignment to find the right balance, so do our souls. Years of the isolation from nature that modern life imposes on most of us can lead to a lessened sense of connection to the Earth and to our fellow beings. Are you ready for a nervous system reset, for another way of knowing plants and your place in their world?

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On Sunday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nature & Forest Therapy Guide Elena Rios will join me, Lanny Kaufer of Ojai & Southern California Herb Walks, for an outdoor Nature Alignment day in the serene and beautiful Ojai Valley.

We’ll begin with a walk to “The Oak Grove” where famed Ojai philosopher and spiritual teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti gave his legendary outdoor talks from 1922 to 1985. With the permission of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America, Elena will guide us through a “Nature Immersion” on this secluded private land considered sacred to many. Krishnamurti’s teachings of mindfulness and love of unspoiled nature attracted thousands of people to the Ojai Valley and to The Oak Grove. We hope to walk in his footsteps.

Elena will guide us in dropping into a deeper state of connection to nature and the more-than-human world. This sensorial experience will assist us in slowing down, relaxing, and observing with all of your senses. Elena describes it this way:

“The importance of our relationship to land, plants, and place is rooted in ancestral Indigenous Knowledge all over the world. It takes shape in many ways. Join with like-minded people for a guided integrative mindfulness practice that can help you to let all of the miscellaneous fall away. Slow down and relax. Deepen connection to nature. It is more about being ‘here’ in the present moment, than it is about being ‘there.’ A kind of nervous system ‘reset’ that has the potential to remind us of the Interconnection of All Things and our relationship to the Earth. It isn’t so much about knowing all of the names of the plants, as it is about noticing which plants you feel pulled to. Experience the health benefits of Forest Bathing. All you have to do is come and be yourself! You are the medicine. Tu eres la medicina. The event ends with a sharing of tea made from native plants and some healthy snacks.”

After a lunch break on your own – with many great food options just minutes away – we’ll meet again at the neighboring Ojai Meadows Preserve under a special use permit from the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. There we’ll commune with a myriad of native and non-native plants that have long histories of use by the Chumash and all our ancestors for food, medicine, clothing, building material, musical instruments and much more. Our focus will be on learning the multi-sensory language of the plants, of nature. Your questions and comments will generate interesting topics and great conversations and connections.

The cost is $75/person, due in advance by PayPal or personal check. I will have my mobile bookshop with me, including my signed book and the rest of my curated collection. Please note: Due to the nature of Elena’s process, registration will be limited to 16 participants.

ABOUT ELENA RIOS:Elena Rios is an ANFT*-certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide, Wildland Fire Professional, Cultural Practitioner, and Inter-disciplinary Artist. As a child, she first learned about ranch, land, and fire stewardship practices from her family on Tübatulabul/Yokut territory in the foothills of Sequoia National Forest. She draws inspiration from her late grandmother, Maria Rios, who was a curandera and a huesera on Tataviam/Tongva territory in the San Fernando Valley. Elena continues to participate in inter-tribal circles of learning and ways of being that are rooted in Indigenous Knowledge.

*ANFT = Association of Nature and Forest Therapy

ABOUT LANNY KAUFER:Lanny Kaufer has been leading Herb Walks and Nature Hikes in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and beyond since 1976, educating hundreds of locals and visitors on the flora of the area with a focus on herbs that can be used for food and medicine. As an herbal educator, Lanny also leads workshops and presentations throughout the Ojai-Ventura-Santa Barbara area on the edible and medicinal uses of California plants. He holds a degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and serves on the faculty of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Channel Islands.

His conscious journey into plants and the natural world began on the Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico in 1967. He acquired much of his plant knowledge in field study with well-known herbalists and ethnobotanists, including in the 1970s with the late herbalist William LeSassier and the late Chumash plant expert Juanita Centeno. He has co-led workshops, field classes and expeditions with noted experts such as the late herbalist and author Michael Moore, author-herbalist Michael Tierra, author-herbalist Amanda McQuade Crawford, Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy, Chumash Elder siblings Julie Tumamait-Stenslie and Patrick Tumamait, author-survivalist Christopher Nyerges, and others.

Lanny is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants (Falcon Guides, 2021). He hosts the biennial Ojai Herbal Symposium and serves as chief consultant on medicinal plants for the Swimmer Medicinal Garden in Playa Vista.

PLEASE NOTE: Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain or thunderstorms will. Once you register you will receive weather updates, directions and other info about what to wear, etc. No dogs or smoking, please.

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Nature Alignment with Elena Rios & Lanny Kaufer

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Category: Event Tickets, past

Tags: nature alignment 04-13-25

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $75 with no additional fee.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee

Nature Preserve Walk at Taft Gardens
2025-04-19 09:00 - 11:00 | Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Nature Preserve Walk at Taft Gardens

Please note: This event is presented by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), stewards of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. They are handling all registrations. To register for the event, please visit this page or email taftgardensvisitors@gmail.com.
Registrants will receive an email from CEF with detailed directions. Please do not try to find the venue by using other maps or GPS. Allow plenty of time to find the venue and to make your way up the miles-long driveway.
Please join me for my monthly Nature Preserve Walk at Taft Gardens on Saturday, April 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., meeting at 8:45 a.m. We will explore trails through the wild parts of the property, identify and discuss native plants, and observe birds and animal tracks in the context of local ecology.
This event is a perfect fit with my personal mission to open a space for people to connect with the natural world, starting with the plant kingdom. The diversity of plant communities and native species make Taft Nature Preserve the ideal place. Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve was featured in an L. A. Times article on “The 16 Most Beautiful and Inviting Public Gardens in Southern California” and included in the RedBook Magazine list of “The 12 Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens in the United States.”
The $35 cost includes a $10 donation to benefit the CEF, the non-profit steward of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. The donation portion of the fee is tax-deductible.
I will have my mobile bookshop onsite after the walk, including my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, and Milt McAuley’s classic Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains which features every plant we will see.
Please plan on leaving dogs and cigarettes at home. Thanks!

Rose Valley Falls Herb Walk
2025-05-04 09:00 - 12:30
Rose Valley Falls Herb Walk

Rose Valley Falls, June 13, 2015 Photo: Lanny Kaufer

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Please join me for an Herb Walk to Rose Valley Falls on Sunday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Due to fire, flood, COVID, and lengthy highway repairs, it’s been 8 years since I’ve been able to lead a walk to Rose Valley Falls! You will experience a local scenic wonder 300 feet high and learn about Rose Valley’s diverse plant communities. After a drive up California Scenic Highway 33, the outing will begin with a stop at Upper Rose Valley Lake, followed by a walk through Rose Valley Campground and a shaded walk in the forest of less than 1/2 mile each way to the Falls. We will see and smell aromatic California Bay trees, see native Brookfoam, Crimson Columbine, and native Maidenhair Ferns growing on the Falls, and search for the elusive Sweet Cicely and California Violet herbs on the trail to the Falls. It’s a great time of year to see a variety of spring wildflowers.

Rose Valley Falls seen from downstream in Rose Valley. Photo: Lanny Kaufer

This walk is presented under a Special Use 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. As I do on all my walks and hikes, I will demonstrate and discuss the modern and ancient uses of wild plants. Poisonous plants will also be identified.

Trailside discussion will include topics such as the difference between native and naturalized plants, the role of humans in the ecological balance, sustainable foraging, and other topics generated by the participants. I’ve been leading informative and entertaining Herb Walks and Nature Hikes to Rose Valley Falls and other locations in Southern California since 1976.

The day will begin with a caravan/carpool from the Maricopa Plaza parking lot at 9:00 a.m. and return there by 12:30 p.m. The cost is $25 for all ages. Children 12-and-under are free, one per adult, by prior arrangement. No dogs or smoking, please. Registrants will receive a confirmation email beforehand with all necessary info and a follow-up email after the walk with a plant list and other info.

My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, along with the rest of my mobile bookshop will be available at the meeting place in the morning for sale and signing.

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Rose Valley Falls Herb Walk

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $25 for all ages (one child 12-and-under free per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

May Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & After-Party
2025-05-10 17:00 - 19:30
May Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike & After-Party

Full moon rising over Ojai, May, 2023. Photo: Joe P. Powers

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On Saturday evening, May 10, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., my wife Rondia and I will lead a Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike to a vista point above the Ojai Valley where we can watch the sunset afterglow and the full moonrise. Due to various circumstances, this will be the first full moon hike of 2025, my 49th year of leading Herb Walks. The moon will be in its “full phase” although it won’t be 100% full until the morning of May 12. To the naked eye it will appear full when it rises at about 6:30 p.m.
Registrants will receive instructions on where to park, what to bring, etc. From the trailhead we’ll gradually walk about 1.5 miles on a well used dirt road with gradual elevation gain to the vista point, stopping along the way to meet some valuable edible and medicinal plants including, among others:
Blue ElderberryBlack and Purple SageHorehoundCoastal SagebrushPassion FruitYucca andPrickly-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 7:30.
The After-Party: Then at 7:30 p.m. you’re invited to join me and Rondia on the heated patio at Liz and Jeremy Haffner’s Ojai Valley Brewery. Brewmasters Jeremy, Griffin Davis, and their staff will be pouring their amazing locally-sourced beers, ales, stouts, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages as we celebrate the full moon and my 49-year milestone while “La Luna” continues to rise in the eastern sky. El Maiz Mexican Food Truck will be there and the Top Shelf Brass Band is scheduled to play. You are welcome to bring your own snacks or dinner.
Ojai Valley Brewery beers change with the seasons and reflect the plants of Ojai. Three staples you’re likely to find on the list any time of year are Sugar Bush IPA, brewed with wild local Ojai “Sugar Bush” Sumac; White Pixie Ale, brewed with Pixie tangerine zests and orchard blossoms; and an amazing Chaparral Ale flavored and bittered with White and Black Sage and local Sagebrush instead of the usual Hops. Jeremy describes it as “built to mimic the scent on Shelf Road.” That’s where we’ll be walking! Non-alcoholic offerings also change with the seasons and may include an Elderflower-Blackberry Spritzer.
Ojai Valley Brewery launched Side Street Wines in 2023 with winemaker Fabien Castel in charge. Fabien worked side by side with the legendary California winemaker Adam Tolmach at Ojai Vineyard for 20 years before joining forces with Liz and Jeremy.
Note: Food and drinks are not included in the price of the hike but OVB offers my hikers a 10% discount on beverages.
My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the trailhead for sale and signing.
In addition to the adult tickets ($35), tickets for students 13-17 ($25) and children 6-12 ($15) are also available. Children 5 and younger are free. One supervising adult must accompany each child 12 years old or younger.
MY WEATHER POLICY: Walks and hikes will go on RAIN OR SHINE unless there is a steady downpour on the morning of the event, probability of thunderstorm, or a solid forecast of either the day before. Light rain or drizzle will not result in cancellation on my part. I will update registrants by email and text, as needed, and issue refunds if I need to cancel because of the weather.
MY CANCELLATION POLICY: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

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May Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike and After-Party: Saturday, May 10

$36.71

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May Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike and After-Party: Saturday, May 10 (STUDENT)

$26.36

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May Full Moon Sunset Nature Hike and After-Party: Saturday, May 10 (CHILD)

$16.00

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $35/adult, $25/student, or $15/child (one per adult) as long as there is still time for mail delivery.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.

Nature Preserve Walk at Taft Gardens
2025-05-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve, Ojai, CA, 93023, United States
Nature Preserve Walk at Taft Gardens

Please note: This event is presented by the Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF), stewards of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve. They are handling all registrations. To register for the event, please visit this page or email taftgardensvisitors@gmail.com.
Registrants will receive an email from CEF with detailed directions. Please do not try to find the venue by using other maps or GPS. Allow plenty of time to find the venue and to make your way up the miles-long driveway.
Please join me for my monthly Nature Preserve Walk at Taft Gardens on Saturday, May 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., meeting at 8:45 a.m. We will explore trails through the wild parts of the property, identify and discuss native plants, and observe birds and animal tracks in the context of local ecology.
This event is a perfect fit with my personal mission to open a space for people to connect with the natural world, starting with the plant kingdom. The diversity of plant communities and native species make Taft Nature Preserve the ideal place. Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve was featured in an L. A. Times article on “The 16 Most Beautiful and Inviting Public Gardens in Southern California” and included in the RedBook Magazine list of “The 12 Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens in the United States.”
The $35 cost includes a $10 donation to benefit the CEF, the non-profit steward of Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve.
I will have my mobile bookshop onsite after the walk, including my book, Medicinal Herbs of California, and Milt McAuley’s classic Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains which features every plant we will see.
Please plan on leaving dogs and cigarettes at home. Thanks!

Herb Walk at Rancho Tajiguas Preserve
2025-05-18 10:00 - 13:00
Herb Walk at Rancho Tajiguas Preserve

This event is sold out. Registration is still open for the waiting list.

Have we got a field trip for you! Be one of the first kids on your block (or anywhere!) to enjoy the wonders of the Gaviota Coast Conservancy’s recent acquisition of the historic Rancho Tajiguas property. This will be the first public tour of the ranch and will not be advertised anywhere except here and in my Herb Walks newsletter. I expect this special opportunity to be popular so sign up early!

JUMP TO REGISTRATION

On Sunday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., I’ll lead the first-ever herb walk at Rancho Tajiguas, recently purchased by the Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC). At 3,272 acres, it is the largest ranch between Goleta and Gaviota State Park. In operation since 1798, the ranch is home to many plant and animal species. Tajiguas Creek creates its own riparian environment as it weaves its way across the landscape to the nearby ocean. Rancho Tajiguas will eventually be a center for conservation, agriculture, and public access.

We will walk up a ranch road about a half-mile along Tajiguas Creek to the old ranch bunkhouse and then proceed up Tajiguas Canyon for another quarter-mile on a seldom-used trail for a shaded herb walk . We will retrace our steps and then you’ll proceed in your car to the beautiful and historic Hacienda where you can enjoy your sack lunch in the courtyard and utilize the restroom facilities. GCC board member Phil McKenna will be along to share some of the history and lore of this special property.

The cost is $50/person, which includes a $15 donation to GCC. I will have my mobile bookshop with me, including my signed book and the rest of my curated collection.

PLEASE NOTE: Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain or thunderstorms will. Once you register you will receive weather updates, directions and other info about what to wear, etc. No dogs or smoking, please.

ABOUT LANNY KAUFER:Lanny Kaufer has been leading Herb Walks and Nature Hikes in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and beyond since 1976, educating hundreds of locals and visitors on the flora of the area with a focus on herbs that can be used for food and medicine. As an herbal educator, Lanny also leads workshops and presentations throughout the Ojai-Ventura-Santa Barbara area on the edible and medicinal uses of California plants. He holds a degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and serves on the faculty of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University, Channel Islands.

His journey into plants and the natural world began on the Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico in 1967. He acquired much of his plant knowledge in field study with well-known herbalists and ethnobotanists, including in the 1970s with the late herbalist William LeSassier and the late Chumash plant expert Juanita Centeno. He has co-led workshops, field classes and expeditions with noted experts such as the late herbalist and author Michael Moore, author-herbalist Michael Tierra, author-herbalist Amanda McQuade Crawford, Professor Emeritus James Adams of USC School of Pharmacy, Chumash Elder siblings Julie Tumamait-Stenslie and Patrick Tumamait, author-survivalist Christopher Nyerges, and others.

Lanny is the author of Medicinal Herbs of California: A Field Guide to Common Healing Plants (Falcon Guides, 2021). He hosts the biennial Ojai Herbal Symposium and serves as chief consultant on medicinal plants for the Swimmer Medicinal Garden in Playa Vista.

REGISTRATION

This event is sold out. Registration is still open below for the waiting list.

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Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can request instructions for mailing a payment of $50 with no additional fee.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee

Sisar Canyon Nature Hike
2025-05-31 09:00 - 12:00
Sisar Canyon Nature Hike

Sisar Canyon Trail. Photo: Lanny Kaufer

JUMP TO REGISTRATION

Thanks to a generous local resident who offered free parking space, I can finally lead another hike in Sisar Canyon. It’s been 10 years!! This beautiful oak-forested trail along Sisar Creek is one of my all-time favorites in the Ojai Valley. It’s actually located in the Upper Ojai Valley at the foot of the monumental Topa Topa Bluffs. Please join me for a Nature Hike there on Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We will see and smell aromatic California Bay trees along with several other riparian trees, including Bigleaf Maple, not often found at this lower elevation. We’ll search for the elusive and uncommon Sweet Cicely and identify a wide variety of edible and medicinal plants. Expect butterflies; the spring wildflowers are busting out all over.

A pool on Sisar Creek. Photo: Lanny Kaufer

This hike is fairly easy but I classify it as a “nature hike” instead of an “herb walk” because of elevation gain at the beginning and a short creek crossing across boulders or through the shallow water.

I operate in the Los Padres National Forest under a Special Use 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. As I do on all my walks and hikes, I will demonstrate and discuss the modern and ancient uses of wild plants. Poisonous plants will also be identified.

Trailside discussion will include topics such as the difference between native and naturalized plants, the role of humans in the ecological balance, sustainable foraging, and other topics generated by the participants. I’ve been leading informative and entertaining Herb Walks and Nature Hikes to Sisar Canyon and other locations in Southern California since 1976.

The cost is $25 for all ages. Children 12-and-under are free, one per adult, by prior arrangement. No dogs or smoking, please. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with directions and all necessary info about a week before the hike and a follow-up email afterwards with a plant list and other info.

My 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, along with the rest of my mobile bookshop, will be available where we park in the morning for sale and signing.

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Sisar Creek Nature Hike: Saturday, May 31

$26.36

Sisar Creek Nature Hike: Saturday, May 31 quantity

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Category: Event Tickets, past

Note: Online payment includes a PayPal fee. If you prefer, when you register you can email register@herbwalks.com to request instructions for mailing a payment of $25, as long as there is still time for mail delivery.Cancellation policy: I will refund your payment if you notify me up to 72 hours (3 days) before the start of the event. After that I will make every effort to fill your space (and I’m usually successful) but cannot guarantee.
