Field course · 10 lessons
Forageable Bay
Learn to read the Bay Area as a living pantry—without treating every green thing as dinner. Build identification, access, contamination and seasonal literacy first.
By the end, you will know how to make a responsible go / no-go decision, document an unfamiliar species and keep learning without betting your health on an app.
Saved on this phone
0 of 10 lessons complete
0%
Safety boundary
This is ecological and identification education, not a guarantee that any specimen is safe to eat. Never consume a wild plant, mushroom, seaweed or shellfish from a photo match alone. Confirm identity with multiple references and a qualified local expert; verify land rules and live health advisories every time.
Course index
The lessons
01—10
- 01Read the Bay Before You PickFog, slope, salt, soil and stewardship explain why two sites a mile apart can behave like different seasons.11 min
- 02Safety Before SupperReplace “it looks right” with a repeatable identity, site and permission check.13 min
- 03Spring Greens, Closely ObservedMiner’s lettuce and mallow are teachers for leaf structure, growth habit and the danger of naming from one feature.12 min
- 04The Coastal Pantry Has Moving RulesTides expose food-shaped possibilities, but marine closures, toxins and protected species make live information essential.14 min
- 05The Urban OrchardFigs, plums, loquats and citrus turn permission, gleaning and street history into the central lesson.10 min
- 06Brambles, Berries and the Aggregate ClueBlackberries teach morphology, invasive-species nuance and why “berry” is a kitchen word, not an identification.11 min
- 07Oaks, Acorns and California BayTwo iconic trees open a deeper lesson about processing, plant chemistry and knowledge that belongs to living cultures.13 min
- 08Fungi Literacy: Observation OnlyLearn caps, gills, pores, veils, spore prints and tree partners while keeping wild mushrooms off the menu.14 min
- 09Build a Seasonal Field NotebookTurn scattered sightings into a personal phenology map that gets more accurate every year.9 min
- 10From Ethical Harvest to KitchenA final decision protocol connects permission, identity, site cleanliness, restraint and personal health.12 min