Foraging
Gathering food and medicine straight from the earth creates a deep and meaningful sense of connection. It’s only recently that we’ve traded growing, hunting, and foraging for store‑bought convenience, and that shift has disrupted the natural balance inside us and in the world we depend on. Through foraging, we reconnect with our roots and rediscover a sense of joy, confidence, gratitude, and harmony with the spirit of the land.
I’ve been an avid forager since 2013, ever since I discovered that even the common dandelion is a nutritious, edible plant. I grew up picking raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries with my grandfather, but that was the extent of my early experience with wild foods. Once I began exploring the broader world of edible and medicinal plants, I became fascinated by how much practical abundance nature offers when we know how to recognize it. Learning plant identification and understanding their everyday uses—whether for food, wellness, or simple self-reliance—came naturally, and over time it has become a core part of my life. Foraging has grown into both a passion and a practical skill set, one that brings nourishment, resilience, and a deeper sense of independence. It’s a path I feel called to share with anyone who wants to reconnect with the land and build confidence in providing for themselves.
"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." - Frank Lloyd Wright
Upcoming Workshops
Offerings and Workshops
Spring Salad Forest Forage: Late April-June
Have you ever wanted to eat a meal straight from the wild? Learn how to pick your own nutritious wild salad right from the forest!
In this workshop you will learn how to confidently identify and sustainably harvest many seasonal wild greens and make a delicious wild salad right from the forest. We will be going for a hike into the forest, getting our greens and hiking back to an outdoor kitchen space where we will prepare our fresh meal provided by nature and of course eat and enjoy together!
As a bonus you will learn incredibly simple, fast to make dressings from nutritious wholesome ingredients that will sure to become a hit in your kitchen!
BYOB (bring your own bowl)!
Partnered with The Escarpment Corridor Alliance.
Find out about the ECA and what they do here. https://myescarpment.ca/eca_learning_series/
Discover the abundance growing right at your feet. Whether you’re curious about what’s thriving on your own land or you’re part of a school, club, or organization eager to learn practical foraging skills, I offer engaging, hands‑on experiences designed to inspire and empower.
I lead private walks, customized workshops, and immersive programs for schools, clubs, forest‑school educators, corporate teams, and community groups. Each session blends plant identification, practical uses, and real‑world self‑reliance skills, giving participants the confidence to recognize, harvest, and appreciate the resources nature provides every day.
If you’re ready to bring this knowledge to your group or explore the plants in your own backyard, reach out to discuss rates and create a tailored experience that fits your goals.
🌿The Practical Foraging Program🌿
A Beginner-Friendly Seasonal Journey into Wild Food (May 2 – October 31)
What if this was the year you truly learned your local landscape?
The Practical Foraging Program is a guided, hands-on journey through the wild foods and medicines growing right here in our region. Designed specifically for beginners and newer foragers, this program follows the natural rhythm of the seasons from the first spring greens to the roots and berries of fall.
We meet approximately every two weeks from May 2nd through October 31st for a total of 14 immersive classes. Each session focuses on what is emerging and abundant at that exact moment in the season because foraging isn’t learned from a list, it’s learned in relationship with the land.
What You’ll Learn
Over the course of the season, you will:
Confidently identify edible and medicinal plants in their natural habitat
Understand look-alikes and how to forage safely
Learn ethical and sustainable harvesting practices
Discover how plants change as the season progresses
Prepare wild foods, herbal teas, and basic medicinal preparations
Explore basic preservation techniques for long-term use
Develop a deeper awareness of your local ecosystem
Each class builds on the last, helping you see patterns, plant families, and seasonal cycles, not just individual species.
Who This Is For
This program is designed for:
Beginners who don’t know where to start
Nature lovers wanting practical, hands-on skills
People interested in food security and self-reliance
Those who want to feel more connected to the land
Anyone who has said, “I’ve always wanted to learn to forage.”
No prior experience is needed just curiosity and a willingness to spend time outdoors.
Why a Full-Season Program?
You can’t learn spring plants in summer.
You can’t learn fall roots in May.
Foraging is seasonal and this program allows you to experience the full arc of wild food from early growth to seed and root. By October, you won’t just recognize a few plants, you’ll understand the rhythm of the land.
This is not a one-off workshop.
It’s a guided season of transformation.
What Makes This Different
Fully local (Beaver valley, Blue mountains, Collingwood) and region-specific
In-person, hands-on learning
Small group setting
Seasonal progression from spring to fall
Practical focus: real skills you can use immediately
By the End of the Season
You’ll walk through your local trails and green spaces with new eyes.
You’ll recognize food where others see weeds.
You’ll know what’s in season.
You’ll harvest with confidence.
You’ll feel connected, capable, and grounded.
Enrollment is limited, and the program runs only once per year, beginning May 2nd.
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to begin this is it.
Join us for the season.
Additional info can be found here including dates and investment.
Practical Foraging Program PDF
Practical Foraging Program Testimonials
"Last year, I didn’t hesitate to sign up for his first-year Practical Wild Foraging Program. I was blown away not only by the abundance and variety of edible
plants and fruits found in the wild, but also by the ingenious ways Brian cooks and prepares them. Every day out is a new adventure, and I feel wiser and more grounded with the Earth. I love blowing away my family and friends with all the teas, recipes, and edibles I get to bring home.
An added benefit has been the group itself that Brian brings together. Over the last year, we’ve all connected and truly feel like a foraging family—eating
healthy wild meals together thanks to Brian and his genius ways of preparing nutritious foods from the wild.
I’m very much looking forward to my second year in the program and relearning through seasonal plants and discovering new species with each excursion.
Thank you, Brian. I can’t thank you enough for how deeply you’ve impacted my life—helping me feel a sense of belonging with the natural world and
inspiring me to live each day in wonder with this new perception of the hidden gems of nature. It has truly been an honour to learn from you."
Jacqueline N
"Brian has so much knowledge on foraging. He has taught us everything from plants, mushrooms, fermenting, salve making and more. He has taught me everything that nature has to offer us. I hold Brian in high esteem with his capacity to not only find plants and medicine but also shares all his wisdom in how to process and use plants in miraculous ways."
Monika E
"Foraging with Brian was an amazing experience! I learned so much going out at different times of the season and learning what was growing when. The food we foraged and prepared in so many different ways was incredible - fermenting, drying, pickling and more. Learning from Brian has upped my salad game in a big and delicious way! We even learned practical things like natural antidotes for poison ivy and how to stop a mosquito bite itch while hiking! Brian is a wealth of knowledge, fun to learn from and he has so much respect for nature and teaches foraging etiquette as well. I highly recommend Brian’s Practical Foraging Program."
Sonya S
"I could ask Brian the name of any plant and he always had a correct answer. The recipes we prepared were always delicious, unique and inspiring. Brian showed us a new way to live, to live by the laws of nature as each session he showed us different edible plants ready for harvesting at that specific season. Over all an amazing experience and would love to do it again."
Lee S