Family Field Course: Grizzly Family Foraging

Embark on a wild adventure with The Grizzly Forager on the mountain in search of mysterious treasure made by wasps, which explorers of old gathered and made into ink – the same ink that was used to sign the Declaration of Independence! Arthur, Sybbie and their dad, John, will guide you through the process of how to forage for oak galls and turn them into usable ink.

Oak Gall ink was the standard European writing and drawing ink from the 5th to the 19th century, used for vital documents like the Magna Carta, Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings, Bach’s manuscripts and you guessed it, The Declaration of Independence! It is made by mixing tannin-rich oak galls (wasp larvae nurseries) with other ingredients, creating a permanent, waterproof, deep black pigment. You will head out on a forage to find them (and possibly some other fab wild foods along the way), before bringing them back to camp, starting a fire and making the ink as a group!

The Grizzly Forager is an aspirational social media account with the primary aim of inspiring parents to get outside with their kids via the art of foraging. Arthur, Sybbie, and their mum and dad, John and Christina, create wholesome and visually appealing posts and reels that aim to educate, inspire and encourage kids of all ages to safely experience the outdoors and develop a deep love and connection with nature. Their content covers a broad range of topics, from wild food identification and safety, cooking and recipes, wildlife, nature-inspired lifestyle activities, and ecological and environmental issues. Christina is a Clinical Psychologist and John is an educator, professional photographer, foraging enthusiast and author of The Grizzly Forager’s Guide to Family Foraging.

Program Itinerary
10 a.m. – Meet at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Introductions
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Foraging with Arthur and Sybbie
12 – 12:30 p.m. – Lunch at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. – Make oak gall dyes at the Outdoor Learning Space
2:30 – 3 p.m. – Wrap up and evaluations

Tickets
This event costs $35 for adults and $$29 for adults who are members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club – plus tax. The event cost is $20 per child and $18 for kids eligible to receive a discount via a Bridge Club Group Pass – plus tax.

Registration opens on this page on May 22 at 10 a.m.

This is a family field course. Children ages 5 and up are welcome, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

What’s included?
Your program cost includes admission into the park, field instruction and transportation during your program (you may drive your own vehicle to visit sites on the mountain if you would prefer). It does not include meals or lodging. Bringing a bagged lunch is recommended for most field courses.

Tips are not accepted for field courses. However, donations to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are accepted if you would like to recognize a program.

General Clothing List
Much of your time will be spent outdoors and all programs are held rain or shine. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing, equipment and footwear are very important.

Equipment:

• Daypack with enough room to carry extra clothing, water, lunch, camera, etc.
• Water Bottle
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Notebook and pencil

Equipment specific to this course:

• Flight feather from the wing of a large bird (if you want to try to make a quill)! Grandfather Mountain will have feathers available too.
• A small foraging basket to collect your findings.

Refunds/Cancellations

Adult Field Courses generally sell out and have a waiting list associated with the event. If you cannot attend the field course that you are registered for, please let us know. Full refunds will be given to individuals who reach out to us at least five days before the event. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. To cancel your registration, please call 828-833-6332 or email judi@grandfather.com.

We ask that individuals who are sick with any illness to stay home to ensure the health and safety of other participants, our staff, and the field course instructors – refunds will be granted to these individuals.