What we’re about
This group is organized by Fork in the Path for the adventurous of all ages interested in wild food foraging such as mushrooms, plants, seaweed, acorns, mussels, and more. All events are within a 3-hour drive or less from the Bay Area. While our classes are listed on Meetup, all registrations must go through our website, www.forkinthepath.org
Most of our events are family-friendly, and children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Basketry Class: Making Your Own Foraging Basket (Berkeley or Sebastopol)Needs location
Around the world, baskets have been woven to gather food and medicine. This is your opportunity to learn to make your own out of common local plants, imbue it with your intentions and blessings, and deepen your relationship with your foraging practice.
This class is offered two times (not a series):
- Sat Sept 6th 10am-2pm in Berkeley
- Sat Oct 18th 10am-2pm in Sebastopol
Register here NOT on Meetup: www.forkinthepath.org/classes
What You'll Learn
Join us for a hands-on basket weaving program where you'll learn the timeless art of weaving with local Bay Area plants. In this immersive workshop, we'll sequence through all the steps to create your very own foraging basket using a ribs-style technique (sometimes called a melon basket). We'll cover sustainable harvesting practices, plant preparation, and the weaving patterns. Connect with nature and your creativity as you transform natural materials into a beautiful, functional piece to take home.
All materials and tools are provided, but if you want to bring a soft strand of fabric to weave in, that is welcome! Please do not bring plant fiber as it requires a preparation process we will be showing you.
Your basket will be able to fit about one medium-sized melon, as that's what we can reasonably accomplish together during a four-hour workshop. But if you want to make a larger basket later, you'll learn all the skills you'll need to do it in this class.Some of the plants we will be weaving with include fruit tree prunings, English ivy stems, periwinkle stems, cattail leaves, red hot poker leaves, and eucalyptus bark. The basket shown in the photo is made from apple prunings (handle and frame), sedge leaves, seagrass cordage, watsonia leaves, cattail leaves, wisteria, English ivy, and eucalyptus bark.
Location and Accessibility
Exact address is provided with registration.
This program will be indoors and outdoors, at a private residence. About 30 stairs are required to get to our classroom. Masks will not be required, but if you have any symptoms, please plan to wear one to care for the community.Instructors
Autumn Summers is an avid wild foods forager, herbalist, gardener, and ethnobotanist. Autumn is passionate about sharing her 35 years of experience in an accessible and empowering way. She teaches botany, medicinal plant cultivation, and how to safely and sustainably gather and use abundant wild edibles including seaweeds and mushrooms, in Northern California. She teaches at several herbal schools in NorCal and is the lead herbal educator for Herb Pharm.Tamika Banks (she/they) (Berkeley class only - special guest) is a Spiritual Coach, Ancestral Innovator, and teacher with 20 years of experience whose work centers around emotional wellness and all things ancestral healing. She weaves as a deep connective ancestral practice, allowing the wisdom of those who came before her to guide her hands. Despite being relatively new to weaving - starting their first basket in 2024 - she has continued her weaving journey and fallen in love with the practice! On any given day, you can find Tamika dancing, hiking, talking to her ancestors, or hanging out with her beloved kitty Herman. Tamika is genuinely looking forward to meeting and sharing the love of weaving with each of you.
Additional support staff includes Carrie Staller.
Ticket Options
A portion of all tickets goes to local indigenous led organizations.Adults
- $125 Pay it Forward (I'd like to support someone else to come)
- $100 Standard Ticket
- $75 Community Supported (these are supported by Pay it Forward tickets)
Children (recommended for age 8 and up)
- $65 per child (under 18)
About Fork In The Path
Fork In The Path offers transformational foraging experiences in California for the adventurous of all ages. You can check out our Instagram here or our website here. - Edible & Medicinal Plant Walk - BerkeleyNeeds location
We are excited to offer our seasonal edible & medicinal plant walk in the East Bay. With the changing of the season, it's a great time for an adventure!
Get tickets here NOT on Meetup
What You'll Learn
What if the land around you wasn’t just scenery, but a living apothecary and pantry, rich with nourishment and healing? When we learn about the medicinal and edible gifts of our native plants, we deepen our connection to place, to tradition, to ourselves, and to our communities. This knowledge lets a sense of belonging bloom inside of us, inspiring stewardship and weaving us into the wild and living story of our precious natural homes.Join herbalist, botanist, and educator Lia Leibman for a guided walk through the Bay Area’s diverse plant landscape. Along the way, you'll meet native medicinal allies like oak, bay laurel, rigid hedge nettle, and more, experiencing their properties firsthand and learning how to identify, harvest, and work with them for food and medicine. This walk is an invitation to slow down, observe, learn, and reconnect—so you can step away with the skills and confidence to explore the world of wild herbalism foraging on your own.
Instructors
Lia Leibman (she/they) is a clinical herbalist, botanist, and dedicated educator with a passion for reconnecting people to the landscapes they call home. With a background in biology from Whitman College and advanced training from the California School of Herbal Studies, Lia weaves scientific knowledge with traditional plant wisdom to bring the world of wild medicine and food to life.Deeply rooted in ancestral herbal traditions, Lia teaches heart-centered herbalism alongside botany and human physiology, guiding others to develop a hands-on relationship with the plants around them. She is a faculty member at both the Berkeley Herbal Center and the California School of Herbal Studies, where she shares her love of plant medicine with students of all levels. She also leads herbal camping trips across California, from the high Sierras to the coastal chaparral, offering immersive experiences in wild landscapes.
Her walks are an invitation to slow down, listen, and learn—from the towering oaks to the humble yerba buena—so we can foster a deeper sense of connection, stewardship, and belonging with the land.
Cost:
$120 pay it forward adult ticket
$90 adult standard adult ticket
$75 adult community-supported adult ticket
$50 child under 18 (recommended for age 8 and up, but you know your child best!)A portion of your program fee goes to Sogorea Te' Land Trust
Picking Rules
Please note, while we will be tasting and identifying edible wild plants, we will not be picking plants during this program per our site rules. You will have a solid foundation for how to identify them in the future, should you find them outside our class time and wish to pick them where it is permitted.This class goes rain or shine!
All participants should be prepared to walk slowly covering about 3-5 miles on uneven terrain.
We prefer to teach in small groups, so our groups are capped at 25 participants.
Fees cover program costs only and do not cover transportation or lodging.
You will be required to sign a waiver to participate.About Fork In The Path
Fork In The Path offers transformational foraging experiences in California for the adventurous of all ages. Check out our website and Instagram here. - Making Tasty Treats with Acorns: Berkeley, Sebastopol OR Nevada CityNeeds location
Forest nuts are eaten around the world for food, and fall in NorCal is the perfect time to harvest! You're invited to join us for:
🌰 Nutty Edibles 🌰 Making Tasty Treats with Foraged Acorns and Bay Nuts
Register here (NOT on MEETUP):
This class is offered on 3 dates/locations (not a series):
- Sat Sept 20th 10am-1pm - Sebastopol with Autumn Summers
- Sat Sept 27th 10am-1pm - Nevada City with Christopher O'Maelmacasa
- Sat Oct 4th 10am-1pm - Berkeley with Autumn Summers
For the Nevada City class, there is an option to camp on the land for a separate $40 fee per tent/sleeping car to the land owner. There is a bathroom, shower and dish sink you can use, but you would need to bring your own cooking set up. The land is 5 minutes drive away from the Hoyt crossing of the Yuba river. Nevada City class registrants will be sent more details.
What To Expect
In this experiential half-day program, we'll be:- A short walk to look at the oaks nearby, learning how to identify some oak species in the area
- We will be providing acorns and bay nuts for you, you won't need to gather them during the class, but you will learn how to gather them on your own (it would be too long a class otherwise)
- Having a hands-on experience processing bay nuts and acorns into tasty treats including shelling, winnowing, leaching and more
- Learning how to sustainably harvest, dry, and store acorns and how to roast bay nuts and turn them into yummy treats
- Tasting and making delicious acorn porridge and hummus
- Sharing a history of acorn use around the world including NorCal
- Integrating community building and embodiment practices throughout our time together
Location and Accessibility
Exact address is provided with registration.
This program may involve walking on uneven terrain, being indoors and outdoors, and walking up stairs.Instructors
Autumn Summers is an avid wild foods forager, herbalist, gardener, and ethnobotanist. Autumn is passionate about sharing her 35 years of experience in an accessible and empowering way. She teaches botany, medicinal plant cultivation and how to safely and sustainably gather and use abundant wild edibles including seaweeds and mushrooms in Northern California. She teaches at several herbal schools in NorCal and is the lead herbal educator for Herb Pharm.Christopher O'Maelmacasa is a leading botanist and one of the most knowledgable people about the Sierra Nevada region ecology! Christopher holds a MA in integrative ecology from UNR, is on the board of the Nevada Native Plant Society and leads walks and workshops throughout the region, specializing in ethnobotany. They are currently writing a comprehensive guide to edible and medicinal plants of the Sierra Nevada and is co-author to an upcoming book on California trees.
Additional support staff includes Carrie Staller.
Ticket Options
A portion of all tickets goes to local indigenous led organizations.Adults
- $125 Pay it Forward (I'd like to support someone else to come)
- $100 Standard Ticket
- $75 Community Supported (these are supported by Pay it Forward tickets)
Children (recommended for ages 8 and up)
- $65 per child (under 18)
About Fork In The Path
Fork In The Path offers transformational foraging experiences in California for the adventurous of all ages. You can check out our website www.forkinthepath.org or Instagram here.
