Foraging Workshop

Bear Creek Farm is delighted to introduce a new, full-day workshop on-site at our farm estate. This workshop will teach nature lovers and floral enthusiasts how to forage in the beauty that surrounds us. The experience of foraging feeds our innate creativity and allows participants the opportunity to isolate and celebrate flashes of subtle beauty within a natural setting. Foraging in a meadow is a wonderland of native plants for use in the creation of singular and wholly unexpected floral works of art. Meadows, fields, and even roadsides contain gorgeous found materials. Foraged materials from nature amplify the subtle colors and textures of flowers to introduce an entirely new design element, experimenting with textures and shapes. This process allows participants to play with discovery, integrating unexpected color combinations and elements that add texture and depth to bouquets. In the course of the workshop, we will work to blend native plants with easily grown summer annuals.

Dates for Full Day Foraging Workshop

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Saturday, August 12, 2023

What Will Be Featured? 

The day will begin with an on-site tour of the summer gardens. This is a rare opportunity as the farm is not open to visitors. We will begin by sharing our strategy at Bear Creek Farm about what we choose to plant and what we don't and why. As a preview of coming conversations, our selections tend towards flowers that are easy to grow, prolific, colorful, resistant to pests, popular with florists, and flowers that dry nicely to extend the life of a foraged arrangement. We are always transparent about mistakes made - what went wrong and why. We are determined to strip our participants of any “fear of failure” – the room for error is both vast and inspiring. 

After our discussion, we will begin to explore the “wild areas” as we forage together. This will include how to know what to select, how to correctly harvest your selection, and how to begin to envision your masterwork. Important to foraging is harvesting to protect the sustainability of the plants and also imagining how the different items can blend together or co-exist with cultivated flowers.

Lunch follows our foraging walk. This will likely be a very chatty lunch because everyone loves to talk about their new discoveries. We learn so much from each other.

The afternoon will be dedicated to making a meadow bouquet with the selected foraged items and summer annuals. Kristi Zunk, our Director of Floral Design, will guide the instruction. According to Kristi, "With the added advantage of foraging for found native foliage, everyone has an opportunity to create bountiful and unique designs." Every arrangement will be alive with vibrancy and texture.

What is Included?

• all flowers and natural foraged items;
• all materials for arranging including ribbons and snips; and
• very limited class size to allow for individual instruction and ample time for questions and expert hands-on assistance. 

Who Will Benefit and Bloom from our Workshop? 

• All nature lovers. Gardening experience is not necessary.
  
• Floral enthusiasts who wish to "next level" their skills.
  

• Flower farmers with an interest in integrating this approach for sale to customers.

Details

This full-day foraging workshop is $395. Class size is strictly limited to allow for adequate hands-on instruction and personalized attention appropriate to all levels.  For FAQ regarding workshops, please go to resources on the website.

Referral Discount
When you and a friend sign up together, we will extend a 10% off discount to each of you! Email us at info@bearcreekfarm.com for more info.