Explore & Forage with Nicole

Join nature enthusiast and mycophile Nicole Zempel on a venture into the wilds of the Minnesota River Valley – a geologically significant place with some of the oldest exposed rock on planet earth.

It’s a place where rivers, prairielands and woodlands converge. A place of unique beauty and history. And, a place of diverse life. 

Explore the woodlands and prairielands of Skalbekken County Park and learn about the plants and fungi that inhabit the land of Southwestern Minnesota. 

I always say three things:

1.)    A foragers basket is always full

2.)    A person can truly never walk the same path twice – it’s always changing from day to day

3.)    A great day exploring becomes even better when I find something new to me, something to eat, and something strange 

Every outing will be unique and dependent upon what the natural world wants to show us. Please note that harvesting edible fruits and mushrooms is allowed as long as they are for personal consumption.  The picking and/or harvesting of plants (edible or not) is not permitted at the park. Any edible fruit or fungus we find will be evenly divided amongst adult participants.  Each participating adult will receive a complementary informational packet about some of the edibles found within the Minnesota River Valley. 

If you have foraging supplies, feel free to bring them with. If you don't, supplies will be furnished for you.