Foraging Classes NYC, New York

Best Foraging Classes in NYC

Do you like being outside and seeing everything that New York City has to offer? Foraging could be a great way for you to gain awareness about your surroundings and engage your mind and body in a new way. In case you do not already know, foraging is defined as the act of gathering wild food from the environment around you for free. While you have probably seen foraging on social media, our ancestors relied on foraging as simply a part of their daily lives. For example, during World War II, it was extremely common to collect wild rose hips to make a syrup that could supplement vitamin C intake when the importation of fruits such as oranges was restricted. Learning more about foraging can help you learn more about your environment, but also about yourself.

Why You Should Learn Foraging in NYC

You should learn foraging in New York City because it gets you outdoors and allows you to familiarize yourself with and explore the world around you. You can also use foraging as a hobby that gives you relief from stress that is caused by work or school. Foraging allows you to be productive during your free time and it might even mean spending less money at the grocery store. If you want to share your bounty with others, you can forage for friends or loved ones and all enjoy what you find.

There is a large community of foragers all over the world, and once you understand the basics of foraging, it might be a good idea to research local clubs, groups, events, and organizations where you can meet others who are passionate about foraging. Some people in these groups even forage on a full time basis for top restaurants. Just remember that most people who are in a foraging group are experienced in the skill and most likely not looking to teach beginners, unless the group states specifically that it is a space in which you can learn.

Foraging may not get you a spot working at a top restaurant, but it may translate to a love of the outdoors that could teach you employable skills. If you find you enjoy foraging, you might also enjoy gardening or landscaping, which are skills you can learn and put on your resume. If you can forage enough, you could easily sell what you find as a side hustle, or build a following on social media based off of your foraging and earn money that way.

In-Person Foraging Classes & Schools in NYC

If you are looking to attend an in-person foraging class in New York City, CourseHorse has a variety of classes so you can find the one that is best for you. For example, you can attend Foraged Medicine & Wild Weeds Walk, which is put on by Remedies Herb Shop in the borough of Brooklyn. This class will help you familiarize yourself with local plants and weeds that have healing properties, and you will learn how to identify and wildcraft them. 

Central Park (Teens/Adults) is hosted by “Wildman” Steve Brill and is intended for foragers of all levels. In this class, you learn how to find many wild foods and renewable ingredients, including but not limited to spicy mustard greens. Prospect Park (Teens/Adults) is another “Wildman” Steve Brill offering, this time in Brooklyn. This class helps you learn to identify an abundance of edible and medicinal wild plants and mushrooms native to the area. Brill also hosts foraging courses in his Saxon Woods (Teens/Adults), Belmont Lake State Park (Teens/Adults), Croton Aqueduct (Teens/Adults), Inwood Hill Park (Teens/Adults), Forest Park (Teens/Adults) courses.

Dyeing with Nature happens at Better Than Jam’s Store & Studio in Brooklyn. This class teaches you how to use natural materials that you can forage from the world around you to dye fabrics with lasting colors.

Bundle Dyeing with Floral Fauna Food and Rust happens at Better Than Jam’s Store & Studio in Brooklyn. This course will teach you how to bundle dye fabric using colors that you have foraged from nature.

Better Than Jam’s Store & Studio in Brooklyn hosts Science of Natural Dyes; intensive over two sessions. This class will teach you the history behind using all-natural dye as well as how to forage for your own dyeing materials.

Virtual Foraging Classes & Schools

Taking a virtual foraging class can be a good way to learn foraging skills, especially if you do not live in an area where in-person foraging classes are offered. When you take an online foraging class, you can learn from just about anywhere, including your home or an outdoor space, such as your backyard or a park. There is no commute to and from an online foraging class, which saves you time and money. Remember that if you take an online foraging class, you will most likely have to provide any required materials or equipment. Foraging may require some materials that you have around your home already or that you can purchase at a low cost. Your instructor should give you a list of all required materials so that you know what to buy.

If you are interested in taking online foraging classes, CourseHorse can help you find an offering that matches your needs. For example, Winter Foraging: Barks, Roots, and Buds is offered online via Zoom and is appropriate for all skill levels. This course will teach you about the different edible parts of plants to look out for, and how you can keep your connection to nature going all year long. 

Edible Spring Weeds and Flowers: Online is another online via Zoom class that any skill level will enjoy. This course helps you uncover the culinary delicacies of edible flowers and weeds that appear in spring, and will teach you how to identify them.

Foraging for Health and Immunity is a virtual class that will teach you how to boost your health and immune system with local plants. You will discover the most common wild foods, medicinal plants, and edible flowers.

Marvelous Mints is offered online via Zoom and will teach you everything you need to know about the mint family of plants. In this class you will learn herbal remedies that go beyond just peppermint and lavender, and into the more than 6000 species that mint has to offer.

Edible Containers is a virtual experience that you can take anywhere. This class focuses on the increasing interest in growing your own food in a home garden or your backyard, and shows you the value of container growing for fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Container Gardening with Native Plants is offered online via Zoom and will show you how to adapt native plants to container growth. There are plenty of plants in your area that will help you create a small oasis on your patio, balcony, or porch.

Natural Pest and Disease Control for Edibles is an online class provided by UW Botanic Gardens. This class guides you through the keys to success of prevention, observation, and patience, so you can choose plants that will resist pests and diseases. You will also learn how to treat pests and diseases when they arise.

Lastly, Plan Your Pollinator Victory Garden for Spring is a virtual class that will teach you how to create appropriate habitat and forage for pollinator species. This course provides you with knowledge about simple strategies and appropriate native plants for pollinators.

Private Group Foraging Classes in NYC

If you want to schedule a foraging class as a fun team-building event for your business or organization, CourseHorse offers foraging classes for private groups online that they can deliver to you in a live online format. If you do not see a group class that interests you listed publicly on their website, CourseHorse can provide a different class for your group. Reach out through the contact form on their website to learn about all available options. When you book with CourseHorse you get a multitude of benefits, including the ability to change your group size after booking if necessary. You will also receive a confirmation within 24 hours of your booking, and there are no extra booking fees. Finally, CourseHorse private group classes are supported on multiple platforms, so everyone can join in on the fun no matter where they are.