Green University® LLC Presents... A Multi-Sensory Experience!
Foraging Montana with Thomas Elpel Pony, Montana | June 22 - 23, 2024
Would you like to forage as easily as a deer?
Join Thomas J. Elpel, author of Foraging the Mountain West and Botany in a Day, for a fun-filled weekend of plant identification, foraging, and feasting. Set up camp at Tom's homestead in Pony, and prepare to awaken your taste buds with new sensations as we engage in a multi-sensory exploration of wild plants and their edible and medicinal properties.
Learn to identify essential plant family patterns through botany card games with the Shanleya's Quest Patterns in Plants Card Game, then practice identifying those patterns on foraging walks. Learn how to recognize the edible and medicinal properties of a plant, even before knowing its name. Learn how to forage like a deer and nurture a deeper nature connection, while staying within essential safety guidelines.
Class will include harvesting tips and techniques and ethical guidelines for sustainable use. Expect to walk through meadows and woodlands along game trails. We will harvest wild greens and prepare communal dinners both evenings. More than just a class, this foraging experience is an opportunity to live and forage as a tribe, bringing our harvest back to camp to share and celebrate the bounty of nature. The wild world of plants will never look the same again!
Class is limited to 20 students. This class was requested by the Calypso Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society and is being offered at a special discount for MNPS members. Starting May 1st, any remaining spaces will also be made available to the general public for $150 with MNPS members still registering for $100 until the class fills with 20 students.
Whether you are a novice or experienced botanist and forager, this is a unique opportunity to spend one-on-one time with Tom Elpel to improve your plant identification and wild food foraging skills!
Please register online through the shopping cart system. All participants are required to fill out, sign, and bring the Medical History (PDF) and Liability Waiver and Release (PDF) forms. We will also have additional copies available upon arrival.
Scroll down for additional class details.
CLASS DETAILS
Directions within Pony: Turn right on Jefferson Street (by the cast stone church). Drive one block and turn left on Hanley (up the steep hill). At the top of the hill turn right into my neighbor's driveway (white steel roof), and immediately left onto my driveway with the rock retaining wall, winding up past the pond and ultimately to the stone and log house with the green steel roof and solar panels. Signs will direct you to the camping area. My street address recently changed from 12 Quartz Street to 105 West Street, so be aware that online maps may not be accurate.
Check-in: Please arrive by 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. Participants are also welcome to arrive the evening before.
Camping: We have a beautiful campsite overlooking the town of Pony, suitable for tent camping, vans, and small to medium-sized campers. My driveway is too narrow for fifth-wheel trailers or other long campers. The campsite includes a group fire pit and firewood, wickiup, cooking table and picnic table, with a water spigot nearby.
Class Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, followed by meal-prep and a potluck dinner each day. Expect dinner around 6 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Meals: Please come self-sufficient for breakfast and lunch. Bring your own camp stove if you have one. We will also have a propane burner available for group use, along with the campfire. We will forage greens for our potluck dinners. You are also welcome and encouraged to bring wild game from home, along with your favorite wild edible greens and weeds. Please bring your own dishes. We will set up a wash station for convenience.
Alcohol: Please do not bring any alcohol, unless you brewed it yourself and have enough to share with everyone.
Weather: Please check the weather forecast for Pony, Montana prior to the class and pack appropriately for whatever June weather has in store for us. The homestead sits at 5,600 feet in elevation.
Suggested Gear:
- tent, camper, bedding
- camp stove, cookware, dishes
- water bottle
- clothing for sun, wind, rain, or (unlikely) snow, according to the forecast
- camp chair
- notebook and writing implements
Tom will have his full selection of books and games available for sale during the class.
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Alcohol: Please do not bring any alcohol, unless you brewed it yourself and have enough to share with everyone. 
