Budding Naturalist: Wild Edibles | SOLD OUT

Does your child love nature and want to expand their identification skills? In this special COVID-adapted program geared toward older students ages 10-14, participants can join our experts for weekly small group, outdoor sessions. Though programming will take place outdoors, participants are required to wear a face covering at all times.

Spring is a great time to forage for wild edibles; fresh shoots are readily available and tastier than their older counterparts. Local forager and restaurateur, Nikaline Iacano, will lead participants through the Gardens and surrounding woodlands in search of edible greens, tasty weeds and shoots, mushrooms, flowers, roots, tubers, and even pine pollen. Bring your taste buds and a sense of adventure! We will end the session by making a tea with our collections. Registration for this school year program includes Gardens admission for one child and one adult, which is made possible by grant funding.

Please note: In an effort to keep the group size small, this is a drop-off program. If your child would be more comfortable with you nearby, please contact Erika Huber at ehuber@mainegardens.org before the session to discuss options. If this session is full, please call 207-633-8000 to be added to our waiting list.

Nikaline Iacono owns and operates Vessel and Vine in Brunswick, a specialty food and wine store and small-plates restaurant. She regularly incorporates foraged foods into her menus and has been teaching foraging classes for the past three years. She particularly enjoys teaching her students how to incorporate foraged and feral foods into their everyday diets through simple and versatile recipes.