MASTER FORAGERS CONNECT WITH NATURE AND BUILD COMMUNITY
Natural Resources/Aquaculture
Brooklyne Wassel
County Extension Agent
University of Georgia
Zebulon
Abstract
Through sprawling urbanization and decreased green spaces, many feel disconnected from nature and their source of food. This feeling of disconnect culminated during the COVID-19 pandemic when social media became the primary means through which people connected. Social media movements including wild harvesting and homesteading have taken hold across the state of Georgia, but Georgians did not have a dependable resource to receive this type of information. Pike and Spalding County Extension offices partnered with the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources to offer the novel University of Georgia (UGA) Master Forager series in an effort to provide reliable, research-based education on wild harvesting which customarily stems from non-traditional instructors or difficult to access information. The twelve-month series, consisting of fifty-two hours of instruction, covered topics including wild crafting, acorn harvesting, plant identification, natural dye and more while focusing on hands-on learning rooted in research-based information. Graduates, those who completed all twelve classes, have the opportunity to partake in quarterly foraging continuing education opportunities hosted throughout Georgia. The series promotes foraging best practices, environmental stewardship and community engagement. Since its inception, twenty Master Foragers from across the state have completed the program and remain active in the UGA Master Forager community. Prior to the program, most participants did not know how to recognize, process and prepare wild food. Graduates showcase their newly acquired skills and abilities by foraging, processing, and preparing foraged dishes for a graduation potluck in order to receive their certification. Past dishes have included kudzu quiche, perilla mint pesto, and chanterelle enchiladas. Remarkably, 90% of graduates continue to incorporate foraging into their daily lives, creating medicinal salves and seasonal wild dishes. To reinforce learning and foster community, graduates share recipes and photos in a private Facebook group dedicated to UGA Master Foragers. Through this program, participants have reconnected with nature and their food sources. With a demand for foraging education exponentially growing, the annual series will continue and seeks to expand to other parts of the state and country to meet the audience where they are.
Authors: Brooklyne Wassel
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Brooklyne Wassel County Extension Agent, University of Georgia , Georgia, 30256