Learn About Local Plants and Shoots, with “Spring Foraging 101” at Jericho Beach Park

Forests around Vancouver are going wild right now with shoots, buds, blossoms, and strange edible things you’ve probably stepped over a hundred times without clocking. It’s peak season for getting curious.

With that in mind: on Tuesday, May 20th, The Bad Academy is hosting a special workshop with Chef Robin Kort (Swallow Tail Adventures) to help you learn what’s edible, what’s not, and how to identify coastal BC’s most fascinating wild spring foods — from nettles and licorice ferns, to maple blossoms and edible trees.

As the organizers put it: “Here in British Columbia, we see A LOT of spring flora because, well, we’re outside walking around in the sun! But we all have the same questions: CAN I EAT IT?! And also, how annoying can I be on my next hike with my friends by loudly identifying dozens of plants!?” This workshop is your chance to start answering those questions, in the best way possible: on your feet, in the forest, guided by someone who’s spent a lifetime studying what grows between the mountains and the sea.

It all goes down at Jericho Beach Park next Tuesday (May 20th) from 5:30pm until 7pm-ish (the workshop runs for a loose 1.5-2 hours) and will put you back a reasonable $65. Spring Foraging 101 also includes a downloadable wild foods reference guide, plus some forest-friendly snacks to sample. Keep in mind that this is a plant ID walk, and not a harvesting session. No experience is required; just a pair of walking shoes and a bit of curiosity. The exact location of the meet-up will be disclosed with your ticket purchase here.

WHY WE CARE

The Bad Academy’s premise is simple and solid: learning is cool. This crew runs hands-on workshops by and for women and non-binary people, rooted in the belief that being “bad” at something is just the first step toward getting good at it. Whether it’s changing a tire, rolling a joint, or ‘reading’ the forest floor, these courses are built around curiosity, humour, and mutual support. We dig it.