Wild Food and Self-Reliance Discovery

Sponsored by Pasadena City College. Call (626)[masked] for information and registration. Cost to college is $65. This course consists of five two-hour classes, on five consecutive Friday nights. Class topics include uses of wild plants for food and medicine, purifying and finding water, making fire with primitive and modern methods, natural navigation, finding fibre from natural sources and making cordage, emergency shelters, tools and weapons, and more. The conversation and questions from students makes this lively and engaging. Taught by Christopher Nyerges.

Join us as we take a tour of the wild foods of Arizona, based on Christopher Nyerges’ most recent book, released in November of 2020. We will take a look at the introduced urban weeds that are used for food, as well as the many unique desert plants such as the cacti and bulbs that have been used for millenia by native peoples. The book includes many unique recipes and methods of growing, if you choose to grow some of these in your yard. If you’ve studied the flora of California, many of the Arizona plants will be familiar to you, though there are also many plants that are unique to Arizona that we will discuss. Join us for this two-hour class presentation, and the optional social time that follows. Presented on Zoom, Pay on Paypal to [masked]. DURING THIS TIME, WE WILL BE DOING CLASSES ON ZOOM. PLEASE JOIN US. To join, you must email us ([masked]) that you intend to join, and we will send you a link. $45 ($25 seniors and students; scholarships available)

Everyone would like to have their tea plants nearby, in the kitchen garden, available for flavorable beverages and medicinal teas. We’ll begin by learning about the original Tea plant, the Camellia sinensis, and how to make your own proper tea. Then you’ll learn some of the herbal tea plants that the hardiest and easiest to grow. At the end of the class, we will give away a Tea Plant (winner will receive a coupon to obtain a real Camelia sinensis plant at a local nursery). DURING THIS TIME, WE WILL BE DOING CLASSES ON ZOOM. PLEASE JOIN US. To join, you must email us ([masked]) that you intend to join, and we will send you a link. $45 ($25 seniors and students; scholarships available)

SAFE BOTANICAL FAMILIES There is no “shortcut” to learning about which wild foods can be used for food or medicine. When Christopher was studying with Dr. Leonid Enari, Christopher worked with Dr.Enari to define the botanical families that are entirely safe for food, or safe with some qualifications. This became an Appendix to Christopher’s first book, “Guide to Wild Foods.” This class will look at these safe families, how to recognize and use them, and any qualifications that you should know about. A fascinating exploration! Join us for this two hour class presentation, and the optional social time that follows. Presented on Zoom, Pay on Paypal to [masked]. DURING THIS TIME, WE WILL BE DOING CLASSES ON ZOOM. PLEASE JOIN US. To join, you must email us ([masked]) that you intend to join, and we will send you a link. $45 ($25 seniors and students; scholarships available)