Weed Walks for 2021 have come to an end for the season! Thanks to all who joined and stay tuned for my
Weeds in Winter Class and 2022 classes to be posted soon!
Join Westford herbalist Amber Kennedy on a series of medicinal weed walks along the beautiful Misty Meadows trails in Westford, Vermont. These town trails are home to wide range of ecosystems and interesting plants to discover!
We will explore the fields, woods and maybe even some aquatic plants by the brook. We will discover how to identify plants, notice what ecosystems they grow in, learn their latin and folk names, some simple botanical terminology and identification tips and tricks, discuss how herbalists harvest, prepare and use them for remedies and some interesting folklore and historical uses of some of them too!
You are welcome to bring a camera or notebook for documenting plants and taking notes.
Please plan to arrive a few minutes before class as we will start with an important intro on the safety considerations of identifying plants and some ethics and sustainability guidelines should you choose to use the information you learn to forage or wildcraft plants on your own property!
The trails are located behind Westford Elementary School at 146 Brookside Road. We will meet in the outdoor classroom area to the left of the trailhead, directly behind the school.
Weed Walks are geared towards the beginners herbalist or plant enthusiast or those simply looking to expand their relationship to nature! The landscape is ever changing over the season and it is so interesting and helpful to study plants in all their stages of growth so come to just one class or join us for the whole series!
Dates:
Tuesday August 10th 4pm-5:30pm
Tuesday August 24th 4pm-5:30pm
Tuesday September 21st 4pm-5:30pm
Tuesday October 5th CANCELLED
Scroll down to purchase tickets!
Other Important Info and Cancellation policy:
Pre-registration is required. Space is limited to keep groups small and ensure protection of the trails and habitats. So please sign up well in advance to ensure a spot.
Bring water, sun and bug protection and wear comfortable, supportive shoes and clothes that allow you to walk through tall grass or in the woods (long pants and sleeves to prevent ticks are helpful).
There is no indoor restroom available so please plan accordingly (there is a restroom available at the Westford Country store and I’m sure if you make a small purchase they’d be happy to accommodate you).
Parking is available in the elementary school parking lot.
The entire class will be held outdoors and class size kept small to allow for social distancing so I will not require masks be worn but please wear a mask if you are unvaccinated or if you are more comfortable. I am fully vaccinated and will not be wearing a mask to allow for easier communication while teaching.
The trails and pace of walking is for beginning hikers and walkers. The walk is leisurely and there are frequent stops along the way. There are a few steep or rocky parts that may be more difficult to navigate for folks with low mobility and I’m happy to stay on trails that accommodate most ability levels. Just send me an email beforehand!
This class is not specifically geared towards kids but I love little ones and they are always welcome! I find that children ages 9 and up enjoy this information most and are able to stay engaged and interested but you know your child best! I do ask that children remain with their adult/s and if they are loudly playing or are otherwise limiting other students ability to hear or pay attention, you kindly move to the back of the group to attend to their needs. I hope to offer a class specifically for children in the near future! Children under 12 are free with a registered adult.
Weed Walks are held rain or shine so please dress and plan accordingly. The plants don’t go in when it rains and neither do I. Because Vermont weather is fickle and because I need a minimum number of students to run the class, I am unable to offer refunds for cancellations at this time. If you do need to cancel for any reason, you are welcome to offer your spot to a friend or join us for another Weed Walk this season instead. I will of course cancel in the case of severe weather and a full refund will be issued or your ticket price can be rolled into another class if you choose.