The Wild Experience: A Day of Foraging Edible & Medicinal Plants & Fungi
with Andy Firk & Mycol Stevens
Saturday, October 22nd, 2016 (9am – 4:30pm)
$45 Registration
Gaining the knowledge & skills of foraging & wildcrafting with Florida wild edibles & medicinals can prove to be pretty valuable for a whole range of reasons, so we have made arrangements to bring in 2 of the best presenters on the subject, Andy Firk & Mycol Stevens! We are thrilled to host them here at Sandhill Farm on Saturday, October 22nd (9am – 4:30pm) so they can share their vast knowledge & experience with anyone who is interested in the WILD world of food & medicine growing here within our bioregion. It will offer a thorough
Through the content within this full day of education on wild food & medicine with Andy & Mycol, we can all expand our ingredient palette within our homemade meals & find allies to help keep our bodies healthy & strong. Wild species are said to contain far more nutrient content than their cultivated counterparts & best of all, they don’t cost anything other than some enjoyable time out of our day. Learning to identify & how to best use these species can be somewhat complex, but throughout the day, Andy & Mycol will be sharing a good foundation to build a lifetime skill around.
The majority of those in Florida, enjoying a lifestyle of holistic integrity, already know who these incredible luminaries are. Both of our guest speakers for this amazing October event have rather infamous reputations around these parts, in fact so much that they barely need a biography explanation. We highly respect both of these men & feel so honored to be able to share their mastery with you here at Sandhill Farm. If you have yet to meet either of them, we would bet money that you will leave in awe of their incredible minds & hearts. They both have a contagious energy of excitement when speaking about their commitment of living close to the land & enjoying the multitude of offerings that mother provides.
This event is being hosted at Sandhill Farm, our 6.9acre food forest demonstration site, located in North Pasco county (Shady Hills area, 25 minutes north of Tampa.) As this location is our private homestead, we do not release our physical address without registration, as to protect the privacy of our neighborhood. As soon as you receive confirmation of your registration, an immediate email will follow with the event address.
For those who are traveling to us from outside areas, we will be happy to offer free camping here at Sandhill Farm for anyone who registers (you must provide your own provisions). We suggest that you arrive before sundown the day prior to set up.
The schedule is as follows:
8am – 9am: Optional Food Forest Tour of Sandhill Farm (Pete Kanaris)
9am – 12pm: Presentation/Guided Walk (Andy/Mycol)
12pm – 1:30: Lunch/Break (Option to bring your own lunch or Medicine Wheel Cafe)
1:30 – 4:30: Presentation/Guided Walk (Andy/Mycol)
ABOUT OUR GUEST TEACHERS:
Bio: Mycol Stevens
Mycol Stevens is an experienced ecologist, mycologist, botanist/ethnobotanist, aquatic/wetland biologist, restorationist, environmental engineer, permaculturist, life-long forager, musician & founder of the Florida Earthskills Gathering. He has an undergraduate in environmental engineering and masters degree in Aquatic Ecology/Ecological Engineering from University of Florida and worked as a restoration ecologist/botanist for the Florida Fish and Game across the state of FL from 2004-2014 & has been teaching ethnobotany and edible mushrooms since 2005. Mycol has spent time traveling through Central and South America, as well as Africa, studying the ecology & experiencing the culture. Mycol founded his off-the-grid 20acre permaculture homestead, Finca Mycol, north of Gainesville, where he raises goats, forages almost daily and propagates and hosts WWOOFers to assist him in his organic food cultivation methods. You will surely be captivated by the knowledge he will share on the amazing realm of mushroom identification & foraging practices.
Bio: Andy Firk
Andy is an all-around maestro of community connections, but he prefers to be better known for his passion for plants, specifically the edible/useful species. Andy is a skilled wildcrafter with experience in the art since the age of 15. Over the years, he has dedicated his time to sharing his research & experience through countless well-crafted presentations & possibly has the widest research there is on the subjects of clumping bamboos species, ginger/curcuma species, native edibles/ medicinal species & of course, a deep love for wild edible plants that is proven through his educational experiences. He has been a favored presenter at events including the Florida Earth Skills Gathering, the Florida Herbal Confernce, Pasco EcoFest, the Florida Permaculture Convergence and various Rare Fruit Council meetings throughout the state plus many more venues & gatherings. Andy frequently travels throughout Central to South Florida, offering wild edible walkabout experiences at state parks, for those who are looking to grow their knowledge on foraging & wildcrafting. Andy humbly shares his homestead at Bamboo Grove at various times of year to host some pretty fantastic gatherings including “ForageFest”, “Native ForageFest” & “BambooFest” & is in the final stages of creation for 2 up & coming books, “Wild Edible Plants of Florida” & “Wildlife of the Peace River Bioregion”. The same passion that has been poured into both of these book titles, will surely be reflected in his teaching style here on the wild edible/medicinal plant walk & presentation here at Sandhill Farm.
