Forest Feast
Forest Feast
A season of savouring
6 classes + final feast
Classes "À la Carte" available
Sept. 14th–Nov. 30th
Kahnawake
Imagine walking through the forest, seeing food all around you, and being able to whip up amazing dishes out in nature using fire and a little ingenuity.
In these bimonthly workshops, we dig deep into the world of wild food. You will learn how to recognize, harvest, and prepare wild plants; master the art of cooking with fire; and explore the culture of wild food. We cover a large amount of practical skills and weave together the ecological, culinary, and cultural knowledge needed to make the most of the wild food in our region.
After taking this course, you will be well on your way to becoming a competent and inspired forager and outdoor cook. Get your taste buds ready!
The Workshops
Late Summer Harvests
Saturday September 14th
Dive into the world of wild edible plants. Learn to recognize plants, make the knowledge stick, and cook up what the season has to offer. Open to both beginning and experienced foragers.
The Wilderness Cook
Saturday September 21st
Learn the art and science of cooking outdoors with fire. If you’ve ever cooked over a sad, smoky fire, those days are over. Come away with the skills to make your camp cooking delicious, light fires confidently, and use an axe safely.
Fall Plants + Mushrooms
Saturday October 5th
Can I eat that root? Will that mushroom kill me? In this class, you’ll both expand your plant knowledge and learn how to start mushroom foraging without poisoning yourself. We’ll also prepare some delicious dishes and taste a variety of mushroom species.
Indigenous Foodways
With guest instructor Kawisente Carole McGregor
Saturday October 19th
Experience the food culture of the Kanienkeha’ka. Hear stories, taste traditional foods like the three sisters, and learn about contemporary indigenous foodways.
Food From the Trees
Saturday November 2nd
Acorns, butternuts, and hickory nuts—tree foods can truly sustain you, if you know how to receive their gifts. Learn to identify these keystone trees, and how to gather, process, and eat them.
Smoking Fish + Wild Teas & Spices
Sunday November 17th
With guest instructor Laurence Burton
Step back to a time when preserving food was an essential skill. We’ll build smokers out of wood and canvas, and we’ll smoke salmon. As the salmon smokes, our guest, Laurence Burton, of Un Goût de Forêt will teach us to blend and taste wild teas and spices from the boreal forest.
Story Feast
November 30th, 12-3pm
A Forest Feast tradition. We wrap up our season together with a feast. Everyone brings a dish that is meaningful to them, and shares its story. Maybe it’s a dish your grandma used to make, or a wild food you’ve discovered. Whatever it is, we’re going to savour it together.
This event is only open to full-season participants, and is shorter than the classes..
Practical Info
Cost
Full Course
$720 + tx.
Includes all six workshops + end-of-season feast.
It’s possible to pay in two installments of $360 +tx.
Drop-in Workshops
130$ + tx.
Solidarity pricing
Are you an artist/student/single parent/just need a break?
We have a special discount available for those who would love to participate but can’t afford the full cost of a course. Send us an email, and we’ll set you up.
Time and Location
- Bi-Weekly on Saturdays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Classes are held in Kahnawake, a 20–40 minute drive from Montreal.
- We help participants organize carpooling.
Food
What you get
- A tailored small group experience
- A proven + engaging program design
- Access to Kawisente’s incredible backyard forest in Kahnawake
- High-quality ingredients to prepare gourmet dishes
- Use of all the cookware and firewood needed to hone your outdoor cooking
- Special guest instructors
F.A.Q.
Our workshops are primarily taught in English, but we are happy to translate into French to help clarify concepts, terms and species names.
Our courses are meant to build on each other over a season, and the community and friendships that develop often turn out to be people’s favourite parts. End-of-season events and campouts are closed to drop-ins. We prefer small groups that go deep, and we feel that you’ll get more value this way.
That said, we get that you might want to try a single workshop before committing to a full course, or maybe there’s just one topic that interests you, so we do offer up a limited number of spots in each workshop à la carte. Join our mailing list to find out when these become available.
If one of our courses appeals to you but you know in advance you can’t make it to every session, get in touch and we can offer you a pro-rated price.
We can accommodate a limited number of children in class to make it possible for parents to attend. Please make a request by email well in advance of the class. You must be 100% responsible for your child, and know that it may make it harder for you to participate.
There is a cost of $30 per workshop for kids 5 years old and up.
Our courses are accessible regardless of experience, age, and physical ability. That doesn’t mean they’re easy. Land-based learning is active and physical, and some of the skills we teach are hard work to master. Being outside can also be tiring. Expect some moderate physical and mental effort for most of the day, with 45 minutes of down time at lunch and some breaks throughout. We respect the group’s energy levels, and you’re always welcome to adapt or opt out of an activity if it’s not working for you.
Participants are also expected to help care for the site by splitting wood, carrying water, cleaning up after themselves, etc.
To see all of our policies including those for cancellations, liability waivers, privacy, and photo consent, Click here
Join the Wise Oak Newsletter
Get updates on our upcoming courses + occasional blog posts.
Your time is precious and we aren’t into unnecessary emails.
Unsubscribe at any time.