Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute

 Shiitake Mushroom Growing Workshop

with Eric Nessl

Join us on March 20th to learn how to inoculate your own shiitake mushroom logs.  

$20 tuition

Each participant takes home one free log!  Additional logs can be purchased for $10 each.

Two identical workshops

9am-noon - spaces still left!

The 1pm-4pm session is now full.

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The Celestial Sea Astronomy Series 

with Gumby Montgomery

 

Join us for this 16-part series as we gaze out from the shores of our Spaceship Earth to explore this deep, vast ocean of Space all around us. We'll share ancient myths, native lore, and other stories of the night as we investigate the science and surprisingly strange physics of Astronomy. Bring a chair, bring a blanket, bring your binoculars, telescopes, red lights, star maps, hot cocoa. Bring a friend! 

As the Sun sets, the curtain of night opens. The Cosmic Ballet is about to begin...
 
These events are family friendly!

A $10 per person donation is requested.  $5 for additional family members.  Bring the kids!

Jan. 29 (Fri. 7:30-9:30PM)- Mars! Mars will be in opposition to the Sun and visible the entire night. We'll learn about "the fiery red planet" and the winter constellations.

Apr. 4 (Sun. 7:30-9:30PM )- Mercury Elopes With Venus... We'll learn about Mercury and Venus as they sink into the sunset together, as well as the Spring constellations.

Apr. 21 (Wed. 2:30-4:30AM)- Lyrids Meteor Shower

May 4 (Tues. 7:30-9:30PM)- Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower

June 6 (Sun. 8-10PM)- Mars Vs. Regulus Watch as The God Of War and The Little King of Leo face off, less than 1 degree apart!

July 9 (Fri. 8-10PM)- Venus Dances With Regulus. We'll study Summer constellations and observe The Little King courting the Goddess of Beauty herself as Regulus nears Venus.

July 28 (Wed. 9-11PM)- Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower

Aug. 11-12 (Wed. 10-12PM,Thurs. 9-11PM)- Perseids Meteor Shower

Sept. 4 (Sat. 7-8PM)- Mars Visits Spica. We'll study early Autumn constellations as the God of War drops in on Spica, less than 2 degrees apart.

Oct. 22 (Fri. 6-8PM)- Orionids Meteor Shower

Nov. 1-7 (Mon.-Sun. 7-9PM)-  Taurids Night Camp! Join us for an entire week of star-gazing and night exploration during the Taurids Meteor Shower!

Nov. 17 (Wed. 6:30-8:30PM)- Leonids Meteor Shower

Dec. 14 (Tues. 4-6AM)- Geminids Meteor Shower

Dec. 21 (Tues. 5-7AM)- The Incredible Vanishing Moon!! This year's only Total Lunar Eclipse!

Dec. 22 (Wed. 6-8PM)- Ursids Meteor Shower

Jan. 4 (Tues. 6-8PM)- Quadrantids Meteor Shower

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Thanks to all who helped to build the

Pickards Mountain Cob Cottage

     
Check out photos of our Cob Cottage Workshop at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqR0Igs63G8

and Greg's blog : http://gregallenyes.blogspot.com/

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 Ethnobotany Workshops with Luke Learningdeer Cannon

Plant Walks focusing on Wild Foods and Local Medicines

 2010 Dates TBA!

 

  More than a botanist, Luke Cannon is a long-time pursuer of the magic and medicine of plants.  Passionate about green beings and the beautiful intricacies of their ecology, Luke shares his knowledge of the local flora and his enthusiasm for building closer relationships with the wilds around us. His courses of study include the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, Plant Biology at Cornell University, and Karuna Falls School of Permaculture (NZ).   Over the last decade, Luke has instructed wilderness awareness/survival programs, led walks for the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society,  guest taught for the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine and the Appalachian School of Holistic Herbalism.  He currently lives in Western NC, homesteading and making his living as an organic gardener and natural builder.

                                                

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In Loving Memory of Frank Cook

 

Our love of Ethnobotany (the study of how cultures interact with the native plants around them)

was sparked by this incredible man. 

Though Frank Cook felt his roots in Appalachia, his botanical quest to meet the 5000 genera of plants in the world led him to places as far as Africa and Peru, meeting healers and visiting sacred places.

In Spring 2001 he walked from the Pamlico Sound across NC to Max Patch, observing nature and foraging edibles as he went.

 He considered plants his friends and gains connection with them through wildcrafting food and medicine as well as interacting with them as allies. In 1995 he became trained as an herbalist at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine in Ithaca, NY, building on the foundation of a BS from Duke University '85. 

Frank walked the Green Path, teaching and healing as he went... until August of 2009, when his body died of a variety of causes.  His spirit lives on in his teachings.

 Learn more at www.plantsandhealers.com.