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Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Southern Rockies: Seasonal Herb Walk (Summer Session)Rising dramatically from the expansive shortgrass prairie which dominates much of Eastern Colorado...the Front Range is QUITE the spectacle to behold. And while the Rocky Mountains make their way an astonishing 3000+ miles north all the way into British Columbia, it is in Colorado that they reach their most rugged heights (topping out at 14,440 on Mt. Elbert). But there is much more to the Southern Rockies than just mere topographical relief, as they also happen to harbor a fine selection of useful plants. Join us during the glorious Colorado summer season as we discover together the diverse array of both edible and medicinal plants found growing within this spectacularly rich bioregion. Topics to be covered during class include: field botany/plant I.D, plant family characteristics, legal-ethical harvesting/processing/preparation methods, edible/medicinal/utilitarian uses, regional ethnobotany, plant toxicology (plus tips on how to avoid poisonous look-alike species), natural history, plant conservation and at-risk species, sampling of a variety of wild edible & medicinal plant preparations, and more! Our study will emphasize a dynamic sensory awareness of the plants via close observation, touching, tasting, and smelling. And given the season, you can bet edible & medicinal berries (and possibly even monsoon season mushrooms) will be an area of special focus.
(Please read the IMPORTANT note below regarding inclement weather/potential class modification)
-SUMMER SESSION- (Subalpine Zone)
Location: Approximately 45 miles west of Denver, CO.
Date/Time: Sunday, August 22 (2021). 9am-3pm.
Fee: $50
Registration will open for this class on November 11.
Detailed directions and other more specific class info (including carpool networking) will be emailed out to the registered/paid students by August 11. IMPORTANT NOTE: this message will be sent to the email associated with your PayPal transaction (and for some people this may not be their primary email).
No refunds will be issued after July 23.
Refunds subject to PayPal's 2.9% service charge.
Instructor: Tellur Fenner of the Blue Wind School of Botanical Studies.
Make sure to bring: Water, lunch, notebook, hat/sunscreen, rain gear, umbrella, and a camera.
Class will occur RAIN OR SHINE! :)
Contact Info:
All official Blue Wind business communication is conducted via email. Facebook messages and/or phone calls will not be returned. If you have a question about an upcoming class please send a detailed email to the following address:
[email protected]
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Subscribe to our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiBBPpQfrLJSxGAKdYe3vqA
Scope out our photo/video feed on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bluewindschool/
Interested but don't have a car? Inquire about carpooling options.
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION (Please Read Closely Before Registering/Paying):
As a full-time plant instructor and avid outdoorsman, I'm a rain or shine kind of guy...and it is not uncommon for me to teach field classes out in the elements for days at a time. That said, I'm well aware of the fact that monsoon season in Colorado can be SERIOUS (and potentially even dangerous) business. Another major factor at play here is that I will be traveling LITERALLY 1,300 MILES to come teach in your community (I'm based in Northern California). That said, I can't afford to schedule in a class so far from home only to have it canceled last minute due to unforeseen weather circumstances. Because of this I have devised a creative contingency plan. In the event of extreme weather that would make running a field class hazardous, our back up plan will instead be to run an indoor lecture-style/hands-on workshop on the same subject matter: edible & medicinal plants of the Southern Rocky Mountains. Such a class would occur at a private residence in or near Denver and would involve identification of a LARGE selection of freshly harvested plant samples...in addition to sampling of a wild variety of wild foods and medicinal extracts from my herbal pharmacy. Basic medicine making instruction/activities would also be a part of such a back up class option. Hopefully it won't come to this, but if it does I can assure you: this type of class is guaranteed to be VERY engaging and most definitely informative. With that said: PLEASE DON'T OFFICIALLY REGISTER/PAY FOR THE AUGUST 22 CLASS IF YOU AREN'T WILLING TO ATTEND SUCH A MODIFIED BACK UP CLASS. Thanks!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
-Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic will students be required to wear face masks during class? Yes...and this policy is non-negotiable. Given the situation here in the U.S. this is likely to be the case for quite some time unfortunately.
-So I paid the class fee via PayPal...am I now officially registered and on the roster? Yes, your spot in class is now secure. PayPal will not accept online payments when a class is already sold out. Your payment confirmation/receipt has been sent to the email address associated with your account.
-How long/demanding will the hike be? Typically no more than 2-4 very moderate miles...with LOTS of extended stops to ID/discuss plants. If you're unable to easily hike 2-4 miles over the course of 6-hours I would not recommend registering.
-Can I bring my dog? Sorry, absolutely NO pets (for a litany of reasons).
-Is it OK to bring my child? My 6-hour adult-level field classes are in no way suitable for children. Trust me: they would be bored to tears.
-I see that hundreds/thousands of people have clicked on "interested and/or going" for this event...what are your class size limits? Don't take Facebook numbers too seriously folks...I cap these types of field classes at around 30 students :) That said, it IS true that my classes tend to fill to capacity months ahead of time...so procrastination is not recommended if you are hoping to secure a spot.
-I noticed you're teaching more than one class in the area, will these classes all be the same? Never. I ALWAYS strategically select contrasting floristic zones for each of my regional field classes and focus on different plants during each session. Avid plant lovers often elect to take them all.
-Will there be bathroom accommodations? Some trailheads have bathrooms...others don't...and due to the possibility of unforeseen maintenance/repairs I can't guarantee any will be available. Therefore I recommend taking care of bathroom business en route to class. I'll keep the participants posted with current info in the lead up to the class.
-Will the class be canceled in the event of bad weather? Typically, no. And as is mentioned in the description: "Class will occur RAIN OR SHINE!". Only EXTREME weather with torrential rain, wind, and possible flooding OR severe heat (100F+) will likely lead to a cancelation. I'll keep the participants well informed with current weather conditions in the lead up to the class.
-When should I expect to receive directions, carpool info, and other more specific class details? As is CLEARLY stated in the above class description: "Detailed directions and other more specific class info (including carpool networking) will be emailed out to the registered/paid students by August 11. IMPORTANT NOTE: this message will be sent to the email associated with your PayPal transaction (and for some people this may not be their primary email)."
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Denver, Colorado, United States
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