Cafe Botanica: Get Your Root Down and Go Nuts!
September 20 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Saturday, September 20th from 2pm – 4pm at BEEC
$45 per for public / $40 for BEEC members
Celebrate the richness of Southern Vermont’s harvest season with ethnobotanist Jessica Dolan. Autumn is a time of abundance—fruits, nuts, and roots are at their peak, and both humans and wildlife gather nature’s bounty in preparation for winter. As plants shift their energy back into their roots, it’s the perfect moment to follow their lead—grounding ourselves with nourishing root foods and medicines.
In this final installment of the Café Botanica series, Jessica will share the ethnobotany of often-overlooked nut species like hickories, butternuts, hazelnuts, and black walnuts, alongside roots such as sunchokes, hopniss, and pepper root. We’ll also explore seasonal wild fruits and berries—pawpaw, cranberries, wintergreen—and discuss plant identification, regenerative harvest practices, and habitat stewardship.
Participants will also enjoy seasonal treats from local farmers, harvesters, and makers, including Susu Farm, Tavernier Chocolate, and Halifax Hollow. For those who have partaken in previous Cafe Botanica classes, this session marks the completion of our year-long foraging journey, reaching our goal of identifying and building relationships with 100 native plants and trees of Southern Vermont for food, medicine, craft, and conservation. Newcomers are warmly welcome—no previous attendance required!
Bring your curiosity and a notebook and pen if you’d like to take notes.
