Adult Classes
These classes are for adults (only) of all skill levels.
Workshops to help learn and practice foraging, primitive and survival skills, and homesteading skills.
ABOUT ADULT CLASSES:
Most classes happen outdoors, unless noted, so be prepared for all weather including meeting in rain and cold (for severe weather, classes may be rescheduled).
Some walking/hiking may be required, so if you need a class to be accessible, please reach out and we will see if we can make the class accessible.
Please note that some of our program locations have no restrooms, or no full restrooms (port-a-potties only).
Please note that at this time, no refunds are possible for these courses. In the rare case we cancel a class, full refunds are given. If you cannot make a class, please let us know and we will offer the spot to someone who otherwise would not be able to attend.
Some classes involve eating or drinking wild foods, and you are responsible for knowing about any allergies you may have to wild foods.
Please add nashvillenatureexplorers@gmail.com to your address book to be sure our emails do not end up in your spam folders!!
Spring forage and Feast
Saturday May 11, 10am-2pm
Location: Private Land on Mccool Ct, Nashville, TN 37218
20 minutes from downtown Nashville
Teacher Ms. Judy
Let’s FEAST! The springtime offers a wealth of gifts: fresh greens, flowers, and possibly the year’s earliest fruits to nurture our body, mind, and soul. Together we will greet the land, meet the plants, sustainably harvest, and cook a delicious meal to share (and then clean up together).
Foraging 101
Saturday July 20, 9am to 11:30am
Percy Warner Park
Teacher Judy Scoville
Learn the basics of foraging, meet some local plants, and how to easily incorporate them into your diet.
Wild grape jelly
Saturday, September 21 2-4pm
Edwin Warner Park
Teacher Judy Scoville
Wild grapes have a deep, complex, delicious flavor. Learn to locate and identify wild grapes, turn them into syrup, and the syrup into jelly. In addition to two pints of jelly, the ticket includes admission to the Forager’s Gathering that happens after class.
2024 Forager’s gathering
Saturday, September 21 4:30-6:30pm
Edwin Warner Park, Nashville Tn.
Meet other foragers! Bring your favorite guide, favorite recipe, show-and-tell, a dish to sample, questions for each other, we’ll make it what we want! Creek Play in the Little Harpeth for kids of all ages.
(Tickets help cover the cost of renting the shelter)
Wild Root Beer
Saturday October 19 2-4pm
Davidson County, TBD
Teacher Judy Scoville
Let’s get fizzy!
Learn to identify and responsibly harvest sassafras root, then process and ferment it to make a wild crafted root beer! Sample some already made, and learn more about Sassafras, and how to protect it.
Participants will go home with 3 bottles of root beer, and a live ginger root “bug” for making more fizzy drinks.
Fall forage and Feast
Saturday November 16, 10am-2pm
Location: TBD
Teacher Judy Scoville
Let’s FEAST (again)! The black walnuts have been curing, and the first frost has sweetened the persimmons. Together we will greet the land, meet the plants, sustainably harvest, and cook a delicious meal to share (and then clean up together).
Basket Weaving
Saturday December 7, 2-4:30pm
Private Home in Cleveland Park, East Nashville
Teacher Judy Scoville
Learn to make a simple basket of local woven vines from harvest to finished product. While weaving you will sip on delicious High Garden teas.
Candle dipping
Saturday February 1, 2pm to 4pm
Percy Warner Park
Teacher Judy Scoville
Learn a bit about the history of light, lamps, candles, and bees while we dip sweet-smelling beeswax candles for yourself, or as a special gift for Valentine’s Day.
PAST PROGRAMS
Have a TOPIC REQUEST? WOULD LIKE TO SEE US REPEAT A PAST PROGRAM? LET US KNOW! We also offer private Classes for groups.
Foraging 101
Join us for an introduction to foraging. We will learn about the principles of foraging, the life cycles of plants and when to harvest, and how to identify the edible and medicinal plants growing this particular time of year.
Wild Food: Acorn Flour Making
Learn which oak trees produce the best acorns for making flour, how to gather and process acorns to make acorn flour. This class includes sampling acorn flour pancakes.
Cordage Making with Alan Powell
Join us for a class on how to make cordage with plant fibers. Identify various plants, and learn how to process them to create rope.
Wild Root Beer Making
Learn to identify and harvest sassafras root, and process and ferment it to make a wild crafted root beer! Participants will go home with a bottle of root beer.
Bow Drill Making and Usage
Learn how to make a bow drill (the type of wood matters!), and use it to start a primitive fire.
Plant Walk with Alan Powell
Join master forager Alan Powell for a plant walk to identify edible and medicinal plants present this time of year.
Hickory Bark Syrup Workshop
Learn to identify hickory trees, harvest bark appropriately without harming the tree, and turn it into a delicious syrup! Syrup sampling will be part of the class, and all participants go home with a jar of the sweet and umami syrup!
Botany Basics
Join us for an introduction to botany. Learn the basic identifying factors of 6 plant families, and the basic anatomy of a plant.
Natural Dyeing
Learn the process of using local plants, mushrooms, and lichen to make natural dye.
Basket Weaving
Learn how to make a simple basket of local woven vines.
Sourdough Basics
Receive sourdough starter, learn the basics of caring for your starter, and using it to bake the most delicious artisanal bread!
Sourdough Discard
Learn how to use your discard to make delicious new recipes.