Foraging Walks Los Angeles

LUNCHTIME FORAGING WALK – Learn Plant ID, Learn edible plants–

To attend and for exact location, Register HERE September 24 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm $30.00 – $45.00 Thursday, September 24, Noon, LUNCHTIME PLANT ID WALK Ever wondered what sort of useful plants grow right in the city, including medicinal plants? We’ll explore a unique one-acre wildlife sanctuary in the Highland Park area where we will see native plants, cultivated plants and many of the plants so typical of the urban areas. You will be able to collect samples. There is also a greenhouse on -site where you can purchase potted plants to take home to your garden. We will learn about the food uses, medicines, fibres, and more. Our discussion will revolve around ethical foraging, and you will be able to collect greens to take home, and cuttings in some cases. There is also a nursery on the site where you can purchase various potted plants to take home. We’ll also make a simple salad so you can taste some of the in-season foods! An excellent opportunity to see and taste some of the plants that everyone living in this area will encounter most of the time. We will also review the Botanical Families that are entirely safe. A good time to review. Bring a bowl! A great survival skills for the ages. Bring a bowl, and water. Be sure to RSVP. Please register to attend and for location. Hahamonga Watershed County Park is our field office, the class may be in a different location.

Santa Monica Dog Walks: Explore the Beach with your Pup!

Get ready for a fun-filled afternoon as we gather for a delightful dog walking experience along the beautiful shores of Santa Monica. Whether you have a furry friend or are simply a dog lover, this event is perfect for both locals and visitors looking to connect with fellow dog enthusiasts. We'll embark on a leisurely stroll, taking in the fresh ocean breeze and enjoying the stunning views of the coastline. During the walk, we'll have the opportunity to socialize our four-legged companions while strengthening our bonds as a community of dog owners. This event encourages dogs of all sizes and breeds to come together, promoting a sense of unity among our furry friends and their humans. Feel free to bring toys or treats for your pups to make the experience even more enjoyable. Join us for an unforgettable morning of dog walks, laughter, and making new connections. Whether you're a seasoned dog owner or thinking about getting a dog in the future, this meetup is the perfect chance to learn more about responsible pet ownership and enjoy the company of other dog enthusiasts. Don't miss out on this pawsome opportunity to explore Santa Monica's breathtaking beach with your beloved furry companion!

LUNCHTIME PLANT WALKABOUT

Thursday, Noon, September 17 To attend and for exact location, Register [HERE](https://www.schoolofself-reliance.com/event/lunchtime-candle-making-workshop/) Come take a walk in the canyon, learning about the bounty of nature’s flora. We will see natives and non-natives and explore this unique part of the Arroyo Seco south of the bridge. We’ll see wild herbs, native plants, and more. A short walk, getting out in nature, and connecting with the skills of our ancestors. We will see many of our native plants, and also many of the introduced non-natives. PAY FOR ONE, BRING A FRIEND! Please register to attend and for location. Hahamonga Watershed County Park is our field office, the class may be in a different location.

Beverly Hills Walkabout

**Please Read All Event Details :) Life Happens but please as a Courtesy to All Update/Edit RSVP as needed:)** \*\*\*Any Cost of FOOD/DRINK and/or other is Guest Responsibility. \*\*\* Let's meetup at the Beverly Hills Sign and leisurely walkabout BevHills exploring with stops as desired. Approx. distance is 6miles or less. \*\*\*Look for the Host/Guide Steven Caliridion wearing a Goodwill Ambassadors Travel/Caliridion T-Shirt & Purple Hat with a Hiking Stick at front or near Beverly Hills Sign. \*\*\*Host/Guide is/are not liable for Injury and/or Loss from attending this event. ZELLO Instant 2Way Walkie Talkie Communication w [FREE Download](https://zello.com/downloads/) . Talk w me and the group via [Goodwill Ambassadors Travel ](https://zello.com/GoodwillAmbassadorsTravel)channel. This is the easiest way to communicate w Host/Guide and Group starting 1.5hrs. before events. TRY it!!! **\*\*\*Please identify Event in Message via Meetup Chat/Msg &/or Phone Text you are corresponding about. Thank You!!!** **As above in the Bold Header make sure you start checking the comments and your messages starting 3Days Prior to Events. I require ALL RSVP Going to Re-Confirm in Good Faith Going via REPLY to Message sent by 48hrs prior to event if there is a waitlist to release spots or 24hrs. prior to event if no waitlist. Re-Confirming via Message vs Comment section prevents clogging up emails notifications for comments. Thanks!!!:**

Wild Food and Useful Plants by the Season

**Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m. WILD FOOD AND USEFUL PLANTS BY THE SEASON** To attend and for exact location, register [HERE](https://www.schoolofself-reliance.com/event/autumn-foraging-wild-food-and-useful-plants-by-the-season/) This series of workshops, one per season, will show you nature through the seasons, from a forager’s perspective. The essence of this class is to develop seasonal knowledge and observational skills: How to look, where to look, what to look for. Plus, we will also focus on responsible and sustainable gathering methods, including collection of seeds and cuttings so you can grow plants in your own backyard. You’ll learn how to identify and collect foods, medicines, soaps, fire-materials, and other useful parts of plants. You’ll learn to think like foragers of the past, who had to have an intimate knowledge of the seasons, and foresight for the future. (For example, sometimes you do NO foraging in an area if the plant or seed is not abundant.) Join us each quarter for an insightful walk into a wild area, with a focus on interpreting what’s available that season. Each session will include demonstrations, hands-on practice, and sampling of the seasonal foods. Each session includes a list of what is normally available in that season. AUTUMN In early autumn, it is usually dry, and plants are in a dormant phase. It’s typically hot, and dry. Streams will be dry, or running low. You’ll only find the hardiest of plants for eating, such as mustards. There still might be some manzanitas left to collect, and the acorns will just be starting to mature and to fall. Though it’s still early for toyon berries, you’ll be able to observe what sort of crop will be coming. You’ll be able to take note of what to look for in the next few months. You never know what to expect, but you might find some greens as well, usually the hardiest greens, and the late-blooming greens. This is a good way to look at the environment at a lean time, with an eye to the future. We’ll also share a few bushcrafting skills. Location: San Gabriel Mountains. Meeting location to be sent upon registration. Class fee:$65. (student/senior $45) [www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com](http://www.schoolofself-reliance.com/)

Ballona Wetlands - family-friendly walk

Los Angeles Audubon Society hosts the *Open Wetlands* event at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve with the collaboration of NNI staff. Binoculars are available to borrow! Volunteers guide visitors in viewing aquatic invertebrates through microscopes, learning about the unique ecosystems found at Ballona, and viewing birds through powerful spotting scopes along Ballona Creek. Enter through the gate in the northeast corner of the parking lot behind the 300 block of Culver Blvd in Playa del Rey (zip code 90293). This block is near the intersection of Culver Blvd and Vista del Mar. No baby strollers, please. Pets are not allowed on the reserve. Need more information? Contact ecobar@naturenexusinstitute.org

FIBRE-CRAFT 101

To attend and for exact location, register [HERE](https://www.schoolofself-reliance.com/event/lunchtime-fibre-craft/) Saturday, September 26, 10 a.m. FIBRE-CRAFT 101: The Art of Turning Plant Fibres into Bags, Baskets, Nets, String, Sandals. We’ve had some requests for a BASKETRY Workshop. This class will include Basketry basics, though this class will not be only basketry. The art of working fibre is nearly a lost art. You’ll learn to recognize some of the common plants which yield a useful fibre, and learn how to work them into strings, and baskets, and nets, and sandals, and more. In the old days of the Southwest, the lives of the people were literally tied together with fibre: for shelter, for clothing (hats, belts, shoes), fishing nets, bags, weaponry, fire-making, brushes, looms for fabric. In the past, most people had a more intimate connection to plant fibres. There are so many practical applications, though today someone makes everything we use. So it’s become a lost art. You will learn how to process a few plant fibres and how to make them into a usable product! We will do a short walk (if time) and learn about some of the plants that are useful for weaving, and making cordage. You will then learn by making some of the useful products. Along the way, you’ll also see many of the other useful and edible plants of the area. NOTE: PLEASE RSVP SINCE WE NEED TO PLAN TO BRING SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES! $65 (Seniors and students $45)

MIDDAY GOURD WORKSHOP

To attend and for exact location, Register [HERE](https://www.schoolofself-reliance.com/event/midday-gourd-workshop/) Thursday, October 1, Noon to 2P LEARN THE ART OF CREATING A CUP, BOWL, PLATE, OR SCOOP FROM THE HARD-SHELLED ORNAMENTAL GOURD In this mid-day class, you will take a dried gourd and learn all the steps to turning it into a beautiful and functional plate, or bowl, or canteen, or even a scoop. We’ll bring the tools you need, but if you have saws, files or rasps, bring them. It’s not that hard to make a good functional gourd. We used to each make one before a week at Dirttime, and then if we cut it just right, we’d have a dish, and a bowl. Bushcraft skills? Survival Skill? Whatever you call it, it’s a great skill, and a great opportunity to meet with like-minded people. $45 ($30 students/seniors) Please register to attend and for location. Hahamonga Watershed County Park is our field office, the class may be in a different location.

Let's go to the California Avocado Festival in Carpinteria by Train!

What could be more quintessentially California than a festival paying tribute to the Avocado, full of different guacamoles, and getting there on the Pacific Surfliner? This is the 40th year they've been having this festival. There is even Avocado ice cream! Entry to the Festival is free, and the booths are sponsored by local non-profits to raise money for their worthy causes. We've done this trip a couple of times, and it's always been fun. This unique festival is in Carpinteria, only a couple of blocks from the Carpinteria Amtrak station. It's one of the largest festivals in California, with three days of fabulous food and terrific music. [https://avofest.com/](https://avofest.com/) In case you didn't know, Santa Barbara County is the third largest avocado producer in North America, with Carpinteria being a major contributor. As the Festival has grown, so do the number of participants and festival-goers. In past years, over forty non-profit groups benefited by catering to 100,000 avocado visitors. The California Avocado Festival™ itself is a non-profit group that generates its own operating revenue each year. The annual event is completely organized by a committee of volunteers, and includes one part-time staff person. Our group will take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, to Carpinteria. We'll walk to the Festival from the Amtrak station, just a few blocks. See a video from last year's festival [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u9kEXivElM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u9kEXivElM)[QI7U](https://youtu.be/C5BR4_hQI7U) **You need to buy your Amtrak round-trip ticket for Sunday, October 4, on the Amtrak web site.** **Train numbers are below**. [https://www.amtrak.com/home.html](https://www.amtrak.com/home.html) Our group will take the 765 Pacific Surfliner -- leaving Union Station at 9:13am, arriving in Carpinteria at 11:27am. Ticket prices: Senior ($30 Coach) Return trip: 790 Pacific Surfliner -- leaving Carpinteria at 4:57pm, arriving at Union Station at 7:43pm. Ticket prices: Senior ($30 Coach) There are two areas to park at Union Station. One, East, is $8 for the day, the other, West, is $16 for the day. See the map in the photo. The Union Station web site says the West area has limited parking, so it might be best to plan to park in the East structure. We can form carpools closer to the event date. Join us to Celebrate 40 Years of Peace Love & Guacamole!

FRIDAY--Easy Night walk around Silverlake

Silverlake can be quite beautiful at night. Walk is mostly easy 2.2 miles RT around the lake. Walk is approx. 1 hour. There is short uphill on this walk--approx. 10 minutes Some members go to the local Oyster bar afterwards. **Rain will cancel walk. Dogs ok as long as on leash.** Parking: Street parking. There is more parking when you park along the lake --along W. Silverlake Dr.

Mid-Autumn Nature Walk

To see more info and/or RSVP for this event we have curated just click hyperlink [Puente Hills Preserve Hikers](https://www.meetup.com/puente-hills-preserve-hikers/events/315878798/) . Please support Member Created Events also on [California Experiences & Outdoor Adventures](https://www.meetup.com/california-experiences-outdoor-adventures/) & [Hike, Bike, Kayak & Walk SoCal](https://www.meetup.com/hike-bike-kayak-walk-socal/) . \*\*\*Make sure you tell the hosting group how you discovered their WOW Event and let them know if they desire they can cross-post their events on our 2 Florida Meetup Groups.

Last Chance: All-You-Can-Eat Lobster & King Crab Legs at Café Sierra!