UPCOMING EVENTS
Wild Edible Plants of the Midwest
Join native plant educator and wild edibles expert Pat Armstrong for an in-depth study of Wild Edible Plants of the Midwest. This seasonally organized course provides participants with hands-on experience and a deep immersion into ethical foraging, plant identification, and wild edible meal preparation. Each day-long class includes interactive discussions, a wild edible tasting session, and a guided hike through local parks and preserves. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to identify over 100 wild, edible plants and know how to prepare healthy and delicious meals from foraged finds!
The 2025 course is full and registration is now closed! Please use the link below to join the 2026 Waitlist and Marram Email List to learn more!
About Your Teacher
Patricia K. Armstrong grew up in Michigan, spending her days around Otsego Lake and Detroit. Her knowledge and understanding of all things wild and free come from a life-long personal and intimate relationship with Nature that is passionate and scientific. Pat has a B.A. in Biology, English, and Teaching from North Central College in Naperville, and an M.S. in Biology (Botany and Ecology) from the University of Chicago. She has taught classes on botany and ecology for nearly 60 years and was previously the manager of the Morton Arboretum’s Schulenberg Prairie.
Course Details
The 2025 Course meets on Saturdays, from 9:30 am to 4 pm, at The Clow House, Conservation Foundation McDonald Farm, in Naperville, IL.
Each day-long class includes interactive discussions, a wild edible tasting session, and a guided hike through local parks and preserves. Please plan to bring your own lunch and drink.
By the end of the course, you will be able to identify over 100 wild edible plants of the Midwest and feel confident finding nourishment and joy in the natural world.
Course Dates: Feb. 22, Apr 19, Jul 19, Sep 20, Oct, 18, and Nov. 15, 2025
About the Location
This course focuses on the rich ecological diversity of the Midwest and the edible wild plants found throughout the Great Lakes Region.
Each class begins at the historic The Clow House, Conservation Foundation McDonald Farm, in Naperville, Illinois.
Each class ends with a guided foraging hike in nearby DuPage County parks and preserves where we have permission to collect and sample the wild delicacies of the region.
Course Fee: $1250.00
The course fee includes:
6 full-day classes
40+ hours in-person learning w/ Ms. Pat
5 expert-guided foraging hikes
Wild Edible Plants workbook
A Copy of The Plant Family Cookbook
Seasonal Snacks & Drinks prepared by Ms. Pat (BYO Lunch + Water)
Certificate of Completion
Optional CEUs for professional educators
Please note: The course is also available ‘à la carte’ for an additional fee. The Course Workbook + Plant Family Cookbook are not included in this option. They will be available for an additional fee on-site.
+We have limited scholarships (partial & full) for educators, seniors, veterans, BIPOC, and other participants in the 2025 Wild Edible Plants of the Midwest course.
Please complete this Scholarship Application to help us determine which scholarship will best serve you and our plant-loving community. We strive to make our teachings accessible while compensating our teachers and other partners fairly and equitably.
Interested but still have questions? Please fill out the form below, and we’ll get back to you with more information.
Summer Gathering: Eco-Pedagogy through Natural Dyes
Reconnect, Rejuvenate, and Reimagine Your Teaching Practice
As summer blooms around us, join fellow educators for a transformative weekend immersed in natural dyeing and ecological teaching practices. This retreat offers more than a break from routine—it's an opportunity to cultivate inspiration and connection before the new school year begins.
This retreat is open to all educators across all content areas, grade levels, and expertise. We can’t wait to meet you!
A Different Way of Doing Pedagogy
This summer gathering brings art and science together in tangible, take-home ways. Through hands-on natural dye workshops, foraging hikes, and collaborative discussions, you'll discover how natural dyeing can serve as a gateway to broader concepts of sustainability, place-based learning, and ecological awareness.
Our intention is simple yet profound: for you to leave feeling fulfilled, inspired, and connected—to nature, to fellow educators, and to your authentic teaching self.
What You'll Experience:
Hands-on Natural Dye Workshop: Create your own personalized swatch collection and dyed items while learning techniques you can bring to your classroom
Guided Foraging Walks: Discover local plants and their dyeing potential in the beautiful Indiana Dunes landscape
Rejuvenating Practices: Optional beach yoga, sound bath, and intention-setting sessions to nourish your wellbeing
Collaborative Learning: Share ideas, build curriculum, and connect with like-minded educators
Fireside Discussions: Engage in meaningful conversations about the future of ecological education
Time to Rest and Reflect: Balanced schedule with space for personal renewal
By Weekend's End, You'll Have:
Practical knowledge of summer plant dyeing processes and techniques
A beautiful collection of dyed swatches documenting your experiments with plants
Fresh ideas for integrating ecological concepts into your first weeks of school
Strategies for fostering belonging, flexibility, and authentic learning
A supportive network of educators to inspire you throughout the year
Renewed energy and purpose for the school year ahead
This summer retreat is your invitation to do less and experience more —
to laugh, share, create, and connect in ways that will resonate throughout your teaching year.
Our Guiding Principles:
Throughout this retreat, we'll explore key concepts that can transform your teaching practice:
Belonging: Finding our place in the ecological community
Flexibility: Embracing the beautiful unpredictability of natural processes
Service & Reciprocity: Understanding how we can give back to our environment
Authenticity: Discovering the rich diversity of nature's true colors
Unlearning: Challenging conventional narratives about our relationship with nature
Join us at the Indiana Dunes for this unique opportunity to grow as an educator while nurturing your own wellbeing.
Spaces are limited to ensure an intimate, meaningful experience.
Details:
Dates: August 1 - 3, 2025*
Location: Three Moons Fiberworks in Chesterton, Indiana
Cost: $375 per person, limited scholarships available.
Cost includes all dye materials, breakfast & snacks, 7-day Indiana Dunes National Park pass, and campground accommodations at Indiana Dunes National Park (BYO Tent, etc.)
Please note: Workshop provides 20 hours of Continuing Education Credits!
*Gathering begins Friday, August 1, 2025, at 5 pm and ends Sunday, August 3, by 2 pm. Optional pre-workshop outings and activity schedules will be shared with registered participants.
Your Teachers
Sarah and Jess, co-founders of Drift Lab Earth, are nationally certified educators with a combined 4 decades and 4 degrees in education. They’ve spent their career in classrooms, schools, barns, living rooms, backyards, and more, huddling over dyepots and other creative projects, having emergent discussions about life, art, systems, relationships, health, and culture. They also work in textile art, community advocacy, organizing community art projects, supporting local systems & regenerative farming, and working with textile supply chains, all while parenting & teaching!
Emily, founder of Marram Collaborative and managing director of the University of Chicago’s Ecological Field Station, has lived and worked with communities worldwide, sharing her passion and expertise for ecological education and place-based teaching through collaborative curriculum design and educational coaching. Emily works with educators, students, community leaders, and individuals to create educational transformation through ecological design. When she’s not teaching and designing, she’s growing native & bioregionally adapted plants for local garden projects, tending Chesterton’s micro-compost site, and running wild in the woods with her doggo, Roo.
This workshop is generously supported by grant funding from Indiana Dunes Tourism.
Winter Study 2024-2025
Winter Study is a self-guided journey that encourages you to make time and space for rest and play this season.
Each week, a prompt or practice will be offered to help you deepen your understanding of who you are with place, community, and nature as our guides. You will explore your unique ecological artistry through ecological experiences and personal reflection that get you out into nature and encourage you to look into your heart. Participation in Winter Study includes access to an interactive workbook and online community gatherings.
Registration for Winter Study 2024-25 is now closed.
Please use the link below to join the mailing list to learn about future courses and community gatherings!
I promise not to send too many emails. :)
Save the Dates!
You ask, you receive! This year, Winter Study will include three community gatherings! These will be 90-ish minute virtual gatherings of Winter Study participants. They will include a mix of open conversation, guest talks, and chances to check in with one another throughout the season!
We don’t want to give away ALL the good stuff, but here are the dates and topics (times are TBD, but likely early evening CST):
Jan 16 - Growing in Winter: Seed Sowing and Saving Demos & Discussions
Feb 13 - Guest Speaker: Jennifer Jewell of Cultivating Place
Mar 13 - Noticing Beauty w/ Great Lakes Region Artist Panel