Interested in foraging but don't know where to start? Join seasoned forager Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging to learn more about general foraging guidelines, helpful tools and resources, and some good types of wild edibles to focus on when starting your foraging journey. Maria will focus on foraging regulations and easy-to-identify edibles around the Twin Cities in the lecture portion of class. Weather permitting, the program will conclude with a short visit outside to the ASI grounds to check out early spring edible greens.

They say that April showers bring May flowers… What they don’t tell you is how many of those flowers are tasty wild edibles! Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging as we explore the spring landscape and learn about wild edible and medicinal plants. We will probably encounter garlic mustard, burdock, dandelion, plantain, and many others! We will discuss identification, harvest, and preparation of each plant.

March 20th is the official spring equinox for 2026! Though things may still feel icy and wintry in the northern climes of Minnesota, sunlight and warmth increase in strength every day. Gather together with Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging to learn about plants to forage during this liminal period, while also preparing for the bounty of spring that’s coming soon. We will discuss identification, harvest, and preparation of plants such as hackberry, Kentucky coffee tree, spruce, and spring greens like dandelion and garlic mustard.

Many people think that you can’t forage in the winter, but this is not true! Join Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging in this introductory class about common wild edibles of winter. We will start inside for a slideshow presentation, then move outdoors to explore wild edible plants of the late winter landscape.

Wildlife tracking is a skill that has sustained humanity since our origins. Though most of us no longer need it to survive, this practice is fundamental to our species; reconnecting to it brings joy, improves the use of our senses, and builds relationship with other animals. With time, dedication, and guidance, we can learn to read animal’s signs on the landscape as one reads words on a page.

Many people think that you can’t forage in the winter, but this is not true! Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging as we head outside into a winter wonderland to explore what wild edibles the season has in store. Plants we may encounter include Kentucky coffeetree, hackberry, and juniper. We will discuss laws and ethics around foraging, as well as identification, harvest, and preparation of edible species.

Juniper berries give a fresh, distinctive flavor whenever they’re used, so distinctive that they are sometimes a challenge for a cook to incorporate into a Nordic meal. Expert forager and a person with an appreciation for juniper’s unique qualities, Maria Wesserle, will teach you how to identify, prepare, and serve juniper in a variety of ways.

Ready to dive into identifying, processing, and even tasting evergreens this winter? Maria will share information about some of the evergreens commonly available in the upper Midwest, how to identify, harvest or source, and prepare them in this hands-on version of her popular lecture. Maria will lead the class in preparing white pine, white cedar, and juniper, and students will go home with a sample of juniper butter. The classroom is sure to smell great, and students will have lots of time to get all their questions answered.

Discover delicious and nutritious wild plants and mushrooms that thrive in your local environment with foraging workshops led by Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging.

Fall is an abundant time of year for foragers, with roots, nuts, and late-season fruits ripe and ready for the picking! Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging to learn about wild harvesting through this bountiful season. We will discuss laws and ethics around foraging, as well as identification, harvest, and preparation of edible species. Wild edible plants that we may find include black walnuts, crab apples, aronia berries, ginkgo, and more. If we’re lucky, we may get to harvest some nuts or fruit together!

Discover delicious and nutritious wild plants and mushrooms that thrive in your local environment with foraging workshops led by Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging.

You don’t need to trek into the wilderness to harvest wild edibles—there are options right here in the city! Join Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging to explore the urban environment in search of wild foods. The class will focus on easy-to-identify seasonal fruit and nuts, starting right on ASI’s campus. Participants will also discuss other wild edibles found along the way and the cultural heritage of foraging in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. A similar workshop takes place in August with a focus on other seasonal plants.

Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging for a full day of foraging! Take a trip out to the countryside for an in-depth exploration of wild plants and mushrooms. We will discuss laws and ethics around foraging, as well as identification, harvest, and preparation of edible species. Plant and mushroom species that we may find include dock seeds, hackberries, chicken of the woods, honey mushrooms, and more! If we’re lucky, we may even get to harvest some late-season mushrooms, nuts, fruits, or other foods.

Ready to branch out and root yourself in the wild world of edible plants? Join us for an introductory foray into common wild edibles. You'll leave with basics to identify, harvest, and prepare seasonal plants-impressing friends and family with new tasty foraged finds! Class is outdoors.

We share this Earth with a multitude of plants and animals, but we might not notice them in our daily lives. Support and mentoring from experienced teachers can activate our natural capacity to recognize these beings and their signs on the landscape. Developing familiarity with our kin can yield deep peace, joy, and connection to a greater whole – a vital skill in this age of stress and distraction.

Join Maria Wesserle and Kirsten Welge to awaken your senses and relate to the land and its inhabitants as a part of an interconnected, resilient earth. This program weaves together experiences of foraging, wildlife tracking, and shinrin yoku (forest bathing) to help you become more familiar with your plant and animal neighbors.

Join Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging for a mushroom hunt in the field! Students will meet at a regional park in the Twin Cities metro area for a group hike with the hope of finding and identifying mushrooms. The class will cover topics such as best foraging practices, culinary uses, and cultural history.

Did you know that many of the fruits you buy at the store can be picked right in your own neighborhood? Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging as we learn about common wild fruits that grow in urban areas, including wild plums, raspberries, cherries, and aronia. Wild plums should (hopefully!) be ripe and ready to harvest. We will also discuss other common wild edibles found along the way.

Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging for a full day of foraging! Take a trip out to the countryside for an in-depth exploration of wild plants and mushrooms. We will discuss laws and ethics around foraging, as well as identification, harvest, and preparation of edible species. Plants and mushrooms that we may find include sochan, wild cherries, chanterelles, and chicken of the woods! If we’re lucky, we may even get to harvest some mushrooms or fruits. (We won’t be able to collect greens, flowers, or roots, but we can learn about them!)

You don’t need to trek into the wilderness to harvest wild edibles—there are options right here in the city! Join Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging to explore the urban environment in search of wild foods. The class will focus on easy-to-identify seasonal flowers and fruits, starting right on ASI’s campus. Participants will also discuss other wild edibles found along the way and the cultural heritage of foraging in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. A similar workshop takes place in October with a focus on other seasonal plants.

Wild edibles grow all around us, you just have to know what to look for! Bring your basket and join Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging as we hike around the forests, fields, and wetlands of Wargo in search of wild edibles. We’ll discuss identification, sustainable harvesting methods, and preparation. This class will be held rain or shine, so please dress for the weather.

Take a trip out to the countryside for some forest foraging! Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging to learn about wild harvesting of plants and mushrooms in rural areas. We will discuss laws and ethics around foraging, as well as identification, harvest, and preparation of edible species. Plants and mushrooms that we may find include milkweed, stinging nettle, chanterelles, chicken of the woods, and more! If we’re lucky, we may even get to harvest some mushrooms. There will also be some opportunities to sustainably pick greens and flowers.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to travel to rural areas to forage! The urban environment contains a diverse (and delectable!) array of wild edibles. Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging as we learn about common wild fruits and herbs that grow in urban areas, including mulberries, raspberries, yarrow, and wild bergamot. If we’re lucky, we may get to harvest some fruit together! We will also discuss other wild edibles found along the way.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to travel to rural areas to forage! The urban environment contains a diverse (and delectable!) array of wild edibles. Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging as we learn about common wild fruits and herbs that grow in urban areas, including mulberries, raspberries, yarrow, and wild bergamot. If we’re lucky, we may get to harvest some fruit together! We will also discuss other wild edibles found along the way.

Gather together on the longest day of the year with Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging to learn about summer foraging of medicinal plants. Several species are traditionally thought to reach their peak in midsummer, including yarrow, wild bergamot, and mugwort. We will discuss identification, edibility, and medicinal uses of these species, and talk about other wild edibles we encounter in the field.

Take a trip out to the countryside for some forest foraging! Join Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging to learn about wild harvesting of plants and mushrooms in rural areas. We will discuss laws and ethics around foraging, as well as identification, harvest, and preparation of edible species. Plants and mushrooms that we may find include wood nettle, virginia waterleaf, oysters, chicken of the woods, and more! If we’re lucky, we may even get to harvest some mushrooms! (We won’t be able to collect greens and roots, but we can learn about them.)

Summer offers many tasty opportunities for the growing forager! Join Maria Wesserle of Four Season Foraging in this introductory class about common wild edibles. We will start inside for a slideshow presentation, then move outdoors to explore wild edible plants of the early summer landscape. Together we will learn about laws and ethics around foraging, as well as identification, harvest, and preparation of edible species. Please dress for the weather (rain or shine!) and be prepared to walk around a mile. Plants we will probably encounter include garlic mustard, burdock, dandelion, plantain, and many others! You will leave with a newfound appreciation for the wild plants that grow all around us plus a greater sense of confidence in foraging your own food!

A surprising number of the plants that grow all around us and are scorned as “weeds” have awesome healing properties! Furthermore, some of the beautiful flowers that are favored for landscaping are also healthful herbs. Join Four Season Foraging and Maria Wesserle as we learn edible and medicinal traits of common herbs, and how to identify them. Some plants we will cover include dandelion, linden, yarrow, and wild bergamot. Please note that we will not be harvesting any herbs, but we will have lots to discuss about them!

It’s unnecessary to trek into the wilderness to harvest wild edibles—there are options right here in the city! Join Maria of Four Season Foraging to explore the urban environment in search of wild foods, starting right on ASI’s Minneapolis campus.

The class will focus on easy-to-identify roots and greens, with a focus on plants on ASI’s campus. Depending on what’s in season, the class may venture into the neighborhood. Participants will also discuss a variety of wild edibles found along the way and the cultural heritage of foraging in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries.

Join Ariel and Maria for a day of foraging fun at the Avon Hills Folk School! The workshop will start with two slideshow presentations: one covering introductory information about wild mushroom foraging, and the other about wild edible plants we may find in the area.

Afterwards, we will hit the trails to apply our newfound knowledge to the surrounding landscape. Mushrooms and plants we may encounter include nettle, violets, fiddlehead ferns, morels, oysters, and pheasant backs! Bring your own bags or baskets, as we can sustainably pick any edible mushrooms or plants we come across!

May is morel month in Minnesota! Learn all about this highly prized and elusive mushroom with Maria Wesserle and Four Season Foraging. The first tip is free: take time off work and go out on a weekday to beat the crowds! Though finding mushrooms is never guaranteed, we will spend a large portion of the workshop learning about and looking for morels—and hopefully harvesting some! Other plants and mushrooms we may encounter include wood nettle, Virginia waterleaf, oysters, pheasant back, and more. (We won’t be able to harvest greens and roots, but we can learn about them!)