Learning for Life
Natural science public programs
These programs are open to learners of all ages.
EarthWalk-Fairbanks
Workshops
For adults, elders, teachers, and teens
Join Ange Gibbons for EarthWalk-Fairbanks workshops, learning together with the land through the seasons. Let’s expand our naturalist knowledge; share outdoor skills; make crafts, grow our community and learn to steward the land.
Workshop Fee (includes instruction and materials): $25/member $30/non-member
Registration and payment is required in advance of each workshop. Each workshop is limited to 15 people.
All EarthWalk-Fairbanks workshops are from 1:00 – 4:00 PM at Matsinger Forest.
SPRING 2025
May 10: Spoon Carving FULL
Let’s create, shape, and whittle—start to finish, from a fallen tree—a wonderful, simple, and useful wooden spoon.
June 7: Spring Foraging
Let’s enjoy Springtime by exploring and learning more about Matsinger Forest, while harvesting a few local wild edible and medicinal plants.
Matsinger Forest Location: 3072 Thaddeus Stevens Road in Danville, VT (Danville-Peacham town-line). Public parking. Restroom facility open May-Oct.
EarthWalk-Fairbanks Site: a short walk into the forest with a rustic shelter and amenities.
Building An Herbal Apothecary at Home
Monthly Sunday “Make & Take” Workshop Series
with Erin Narey
Join community herbalist Erin Narey for hands-on herbalism classes, on the first Sundays of April, May, September, October, and November. Learn traditional uses for common wild and household herbs as we identify local wild plants; safe, ethical harvesting techniques; and easy folk formulas to promote wellness. Every workshop will include a demonstration and the opportunity to make at least one herbal tea, tincture, salve, or syrup as you build your very own Herbal Home Apothecary!
All Herbal Apothecary Workshops take place from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Fairbanks Museum.
May 4: Herbal First Aid
Learn to build your own home first aid kit using local herbs traditionally used for common minor ailments like bites, stings, burns, bruises, and bellyaches.
September 7: Local Late Season Herbs & Their Traditional Uses
Learn to identify and use a variety of summer/fall herbs in easy homemade formulas including teas, tinctures, honeys, and more.
October 5: Herbs for Winter Wellness
Get ready for cold/flu season with a variety of herbal formulas crafted from common local and kitchen herbs.
November 2: Herbs to Promote Rest & Digest
Beat stress this holiday season with herbal formulas renowned for encouraging your nervous system to “rest & digest!”
Mushroom Foraging with Annabelle Langlois, M.Sc.
A series of hands-on presentations at the Fairbanks Museum with field programs at Matsinger Forest (Danville)
As both a nurse and a biologist, Annabelle Langlois brings a unique perspective to her passionate pursuit of mycology. Holding a master’s degree in ecology, she first discovered her love for wild mushrooms during an old-growth forest inventory in 2012. Since then, she has been eager to share her enthusiasm for mushrooms through leading educational walks and giving lectures on wild mushroom foraging. She currently serves as a volunteer expert for her local club in Quebec, offering introductory activities on mycology throughout the Eastern Townships region. Learn more at https://kingdomfungi.org/.
Annabelle will cover how mushrooms live, as well as how to confidently identify them. An overview of the common wild edible species and their toxic lookalikes will be offered. We will also share important responsible foraging practices. Participants should then know when, where, and how to look for wild mushrooms. These courses, each spanning two 2-hour sessions, empower participants to better understand and predict where and when to find various fungi species based on ecological conditions. With a strong emphasis on fungal ecology and the “why” and “how” behind their processes, the sessions provide an in-depth exploration of the intricate relationships between fungi and their environments.
Participants will have the opportunity to handle and study local mushrooms, reinforcing their understanding of identifying characteristics and ecological niches. Each session will be complemented by an optional foray-style educational walk the following day at the Matsinger Forest in Danville, providing participants with hands-on experience identifying fungi in their natural habitat.
You are welcome to join individual sessions or the entire series. Classes will be held in the Museum classroom.
Cost: $15/member and $25/non-member per session payable directly to the instructor by cash or check
May 17: Spring Mycology
May 21: Introduction to Wild Mushrooms: Ecology, Identification & Foraging Basics
July 18: Introduction to Wild Mushrooms: Ecology, Identification & Foraging Basics
Aug 8: Intermediate Foraging I: Mycorrhizal Species
Aug 29: Intermediate Foraging II: Decomposers