Ethnobotany Intensive Workshop

Marc – Williams is an ethnobotanist. He has studied plants intensively while learning to use them for food, medicine, biological conservation, and beauty.
His training includes a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies concentrating in Sustainable Agriculture from Warren Wilson College, over a decade working at a multitude of restaurants, various farms, and travels throughout 22 countries in North/Central America and Europe. In those travels he has visited over 70 of the best botanical gardens in the world. Marc has taught hundreds of people about the marvelous lives of plants and their respective uses. Marc continues to work incrementally on a master’s degree in Appalachian Studies concentrating in Sustainable Development with a minor in Geography and Planning from Appalachian State University. Marc’s major research is on the most useful plants of Appalachia. However it is clear that a holistic appreciation of nature irrespective of utility will be necessary to create the new paradigm that are current global situation calls for. Marc first came to the Hostel in the Forest in March of 1998 and was immediately transformed through a first time sweat lodge experience with Tom Dennard the hostel founder. Like Mycol many of the principles that make the Hostel in the Forest such a special place have informed his expression of life in this world ever since. Further info can be found at www.botanyeveryday.com

Teachings – will start Friday evening and end Sunday afternoon.

Workshops will include: *Botany 101 presentation, WildFoods/Medicines walk, Super Food preparation presentation Botanical Beach Walk Fermentation Overview with Honey Mead Making and sharing, Botanical Slide Show slide shows of various parts of the world including Latin America, Africa and Europe.

The cost will be $100 per person, which includes accommodations at the Hostel for the Friday and Saturday night as well as a beautiful vegetarian dinner on both nights. Make sure to call ahead and book.

Bring your notebook, any relevant books you have, a camera, a loupe if you have one, water bottle, rain coat etc . Handouts will be provided

“Teach a man to fish, ya got food for life. Let your food be your medicine.”

“The forests and fields are a table always spread” Henry Thoureau

Mycol Stevens – has a masters in aquatic ecology and has worked as a restoration ecologist/botanist for the Florida Fish and Game across the state of FL since 2004. He has traveled much of Central and South America and Africa, and has learned from some of the best teachers including Frank Cook. Mycol has been teaching ethnobotany and edible mushrooms on the side since 2005. He also lives off-the-grid on an “ecocentric” permaculture homestead where he eats from the wild almost daily and propagates and cultivates his own organic foods. Mycol’s philosophy is to ween off the “system” and to eat your food as medicine. Mycol has been inspired by the Hostel since the mid 90’s and much of it’s philosophy is reflected in his way of life. Knowing the living world around you, connects you to the living world.