2024 Events and Workshops
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If you live near us, click here below to learn about discounts for local residents and see options for attending entire workshops or pieces of workshops. Please check this page regularly for new events.
September
7 Native Seed Collection Walk: Saturday 1-3 Join Forest Farm Manager, Will Lewis on a traipse through the woods to collect native seeds. Visit forest farming sites and wild populations of valued understory native plants and take some seeds home to cultivate your own forest garden. Learn about the practice of cultivating native medicinal and edible plants. We may collect field seeds as well depending on time, availability, and interest. Other Yew Mountain Center staff will offer a shorter seed walk and crafts for young children. Children under 5 need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. 17 Plant Walk and Talk with 7Song Tuesday 3-6, + optional dinner. 7Song is one of the founders and an herbal clinician at the Ithaca Free Clinic. He is the founder and director of the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. Join 7Song for a walk through the YMC botanical preserve as he shares his knowledge from years of herbalism practice, teaching, and observing plants in the wild. An optional taco bar is provided after the walk and talk. October
4-6 Mountain Serenity Women's Retreat: Friday - Sunday $75-350 Join us for a transformative retreat weekend of relaxation, wellness practices, and connection with nature, embraced by the warmth of women's friendship. Supported by a community of women, you'll find time to rest, recharge, and reconnect with your sources of inspiration and well-being. Small Group Sessions Releasing Anxiety Mindful Journaling Vata Dosha Concepts Personal Wellness Education Yoga Practices for EVERYONE November
2 Fall Forest Fiesta Saturday - This is our annual gathering and unofficial end to the program season. It is a great time to experience the vibrant Yew community and celebrate the gifts of the land and each other. 9 Planting Native Botanicals Saturday - One last event to tuck in some special plants for the winter. Past Events of 2024 FEBRUARY 3 Saturday Winter Trees Walk—ID + Maple Tapping + Coppicing 10 Saturday 3-5pm Sweet & Sappy - I love Yew Event. "Paint & Sip w/Cookies!" 17 Saturday Mountain State Maple Days 10-4 MARCH 16 Saturday Mountain State Maple Days 10-4 22-24 Find us at the ABFFD Gather to Grow Conference in Roanoke, VA! 30 Saturday Tree Grafting APRIL 20 Saturday Wildflowers & Ramps MAY 11 Reconnecting Heroes: 11:00 am - 2:30 pm Saturday Info Session on Agricultural Retreats for Veterans with Future Generations University and Mountain-Cajun Getaway 17 Wild Edibles Walk: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Friday Join Kayde fen Deardorff of Wild One Herbs for a wild edibles walk through field and forest. Stay for an optional taco bar using ingredients sustainably sourced from the wild. 17 Gospel Sing: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Friday Join us at The Yew for our monthly gospel sing hosted by Will Lewis! Bring your instruments, gather around the fire and share your favorite gospel tunes. All ages welcome! 18 Forest Farming Field Day: 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Saturday The 2024 WV Forest Farming Field Day will address a variety of forest farming topics, including opportunities for generating agricultural income while conserving and rejuvenating forested land through the cultivation of medicinal herbs, mushrooms, and maple syrup. Tour the Yew Mountain Center’s forest farm and learn about mini-grants and technical assistance available to get you started or to expand a forest farm. 25 Volunteer Day: 10:00 pm - 4:00 pm Saturday Calling for Yew to volunteer at the Yew Mountain Center. We will have a fun workday with refreshments and tasks for varying abilities and skills. We are looking for help with Trail Maintenance, Lodge Maintenance, Planting, Landscaping, and Construction Projects. June
14 Wild Plant Stories Walk: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Friday $10 donation If you know plants, you'll never be lonely. That's the view of Erica Marks, director of the Yew Mountain Center and your guide for the Wild Plant Stories walk at the Yew Mountain Center. Every plant has a story--from how it fits into the ecosystem, to how humans have learned to use or avoid it over the centuries. Join us for a casual stroll and story-telling session that will let you in on the private lives of our plant neighbors in the Appalachian forests. Erica spills the tea, shares the hot goss, and takes time to stop and smell the mint family in this interactive, all-ages welcome Wild Plant Stories walk. Stay the weekend with us to explore even more of the YMC plants and trails. 15 Creative Management of Invasive Species: 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Saturday $10 donation Learn about different invasive species and their impact on our environment. Discover cultural control methods like planting native cover crops and chopping techniques to discourage invasive growth. Your host Mycol is excited to share how to graft invasive exotics to use them as a rootstock and potentially get food from them! July
13-14 Mountain Medicine Weekend: Saturday - Sunday $10-40 Mountain Medicine Weekend is all about exploring the sustainable uses and cultivation methods of forest-farmed Appalachian botanicals. Come to support and learn from the small producers and businesses bringing local forest resources to our region. DIY Forest Farming Products Post-Harvest Handling Forest Farming Marketing Mushroom Products and Uses Guided Mountain Medicine Walk through the Botanical Sanctuary FREE session: Making Lyme Disease Tincture with Julie Hare, MD 20 Mushroom Foray: 1:00 am - 7:30 pm - Saturday $15-30 We will go on a mushroom foray through the botanical sanctuary, have a wild sample session, along with a wild sample session. The evening will include a fungi based dinner. |
Are you local? Click here for special rates and info.
Click here to apply for a scholarship for a weekend program.
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About Weekend Courses at the Yew
Weekend courses allow individuals and families to build a mini-vacation into a busy schedule. Guests arrive on Friday afternoon or evening and are treated to dinner and a relaxing introduction to the weekend’s activities. Saturday nights feature a keynote presentation that is open to the public. These are festive occasions with a community dinner, music, and dancing. The courses wrap up on Sunday afternoon.
See a typical schedule for a weekend.
All short courses feature a mix of lectures, active participation, and free time to rest and/or explore the area’s trails, ponds, waterfalls. Our class sizes are small enough that we can customize your experience and large enough that you will make new friends as you acquire knowledge and skill. We like to call it an edu-vacation!
We serve locally-sourced healthy meals with your special dietary needs in mind. All short courses are family friendly. Children can enjoy exploring and creating with our staff and/or with you depending on age, ability levels and the programs offered. We will work with you to create a schedule that is fun and educational for everyone in your family. You are invited to extend your stay before or after the program to further explore and relax in the cozy lodge and welcoming wilderness.
Stay in our lodge or choose a campsite on the property.
See a typical schedule for a weekend.
All short courses feature a mix of lectures, active participation, and free time to rest and/or explore the area’s trails, ponds, waterfalls. Our class sizes are small enough that we can customize your experience and large enough that you will make new friends as you acquire knowledge and skill. We like to call it an edu-vacation!
We serve locally-sourced healthy meals with your special dietary needs in mind. All short courses are family friendly. Children can enjoy exploring and creating with our staff and/or with you depending on age, ability levels and the programs offered. We will work with you to create a schedule that is fun and educational for everyone in your family. You are invited to extend your stay before or after the program to further explore and relax in the cozy lodge and welcoming wilderness.
Stay in our lodge or choose a campsite on the property.
Our Children Thrive Outside
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A founding principle of The Yew Mountain Center is a belief that children who spend quality time outside are healthier, learn better, and become better stewards of their natural world. We are dedicated to increasing outdoor education and recreation opportunities for local youth.
Though our children live in one of the most beautiful places in the planet, they don't always have the opportunity to learn, play, and create outdoors. We host free field trips for local school groups and create curriculum tied to our state standards. We partner with teachers to help students create art, study science and play with math on our wild, wonderful campus. Throughout the summer, Wild Wednesdays get kids playing together in our woods playground and exploring creeks, ponds, and the forest. Call 304-653-4017 or email [email protected] for more information about our children's programs. |
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To satisfy insurance requirements, we ask that our participants sign a waiver similar to the one below for our events and programs. Some programs may have specific waivers.
| participant_waiver.docx |