Register for Workshops

Discover the essentials of the Beginner Forager experience, rooted in respect for the plant kingdom. Learn the basics of foraging, including:

• What to Pick and When: Understand the best times and methods for selecting plants.
• Asking for Permission: Learn the importance of seeking permission before harvesting.
• Respectful Harvesting Techniques: Practice sustainable and respectful harvesting methods

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• Offering Gratitude: Embrace the tradition of showing gratitude for nature’s gifts.

Immerse yourself in a new relationship to plant allies and enhance your connection through these enriching foraging practices.

Join Chad Cornell of Hollow Reed to learn his 22 wild Manitoba essentials after 22 years of practicing and teaching herbalism.

Why do we prepare some herbs in water for teas, infusions, and decoctions? Why were some herbs infused in wine or milk? What herbs are appropriate for alcohol based tinctures? Let’s learn the foundations of successfully extracting a plant’s medicine by learning the science behind menstruums in medicine-making. We will be discussing basic solvents for medicine-making, such as water, vinegar, alcohol, and oil, and why we would choose one over the other, considering factors like solubility, medicine shelf-life, and compliance.

**We will be using the language of phytochemistry and herbal actions in this intermediate-level lecture to describe how traditional knowledge is expressed in modern-day medicine-making.

Collaborate to cut and weave branches into an 8-foot circular “portal” at the entrance of the forest labyrinth.

This experiential session will introduce the Japanese practise of Shinrin Yoku, or forest bathing. Particpants will be introduced to the origin of the practice, the science behind it and the benefits for mind, body, and spirit. During this two hour guided experience, a series of sensory exercises and meditation prompts are shared on an inward journey through the forest. Allow yourself to experience emotional freedom and discover a place of healing, peace and comfort among the trees.

Creating a formula is both an art and a science. We will begin by examining a formula developed by Dr. Christopher, an eclectic herbalist who practiced in the United States during the first half of the 19th century. Through this exploration, we will analyze a traditional European herbal formula to understand how herbalists combine plants to create a medicine that is greater than the sum of its individual ingredients.

After gaining a feel for the principles of formulation, we will explore the methods herbalists use today to create formulas tailored to an individual’s unique needs. Finally, we will engage our intuition to sense the synergy within herbal formulas and consider how deeper understanding can strengthen and refine that process.

Be prepared to taste and experience the synergy that emerges when plants are blended together.

Gather round the table and work together to make a tea blend or two and package them to be passed on to folks who need them during fire season. Take home a tea bag or two of each blend!

This is a collaborative project that has been prepared in advance, with instructions and materials for you to work on together. Please feel welcome to ask each other questions, and share knowledge and experiences!

Experience the healing energetics of flowers! Explore Flower Essences and how they work to support human well-being. Walk through the process of making a Flower Essence, organoleptically experience the essence, and learn how to design a specific Flower Essence formulation.

Discover the many benefits of lactic-acid vegetable fermentation in this interactive hands-on workshop!

Learn best practices, shelf-life, storage tips, step by step instruction, and trouble-shooting advice, so your vegetable ferments come out perfectly every time.

IMPORTANT: This workshop has a $10 materials fee. After you register, please send an e-transfer to hello@takerootfest.ca (auto-deposit is turned on). In the message box of the transfer itself, please include the name of the workshop and the attendee name(s) so we know who to match it to.

Join Jess for a practical, beginner-friendly workshop on raising meat rabbits! Whether you’re just starting your homesteading journey or looking to add rabbits to your existing farmstead, this workshop will walk you through the essentials of getting started.

We’ll cover everything from the supplies and setup you need, basic rabbit care, feeding, and housing, to different methods of raising rabbits from birth through harvest. We’ll also discuss the butchering process and share practical tips and lessons learned along the way. Come learn how rabbits can be a sustainable, efficient addition to your homestead and leave feeling more confident about raising your own!

Join us for this hands-on workshop to learn about:

• tree planting site selection
• opportunities for water harvesting and passive irrigation
• how to plant a tree
• insights from our own permaculture demonstration site

Work together to give some love to the land that holds us at Take Root Fest. We’ve fermented a batch of JADAM potato ferment to add some good microbial helpers to the campground Pines. They’ve been having a bit of a tough time and we want to nourish and care for them. Follow the provided instructions to tend as many trees as you can during the workshop session. Be sure to take some time to sit with a tree or two and connect.

Step into your landscape—both wild and cultivated—and turn it into an edible art form. In this immersive workshop, you’ll harvest fresh herbs combined with prepared, wild-harvested delights to create edible landscapes that are reminiscent of Manitoba biomes. Through creating, tasting, and story-telling, participants will discover how food can reveal the ecology, character, and story of place.

PLEASE BRING a small knife for cutting ingredients.

Brooms are rich with symbolism of cleansing, protection, and care.

Gather and learn a little about brooms and broom craft while sharing in the powerful ritual of making by hand. Craft a beautiful and functional handheld whisk broom in two styles.
Broom making is a physical craft that requires upper body strength and the ability to use your feet. Some may appreciate wearing long sleeves, if you have sensitive skin.
Behind the love of craft is a relationship with material and process. Crafting by hand connects us to all who have come before, and been in community with the living earth by making, since the beginning of time. Let the using of handmade objects in our daily rituals bring the magic of that relationship into the everyday.

IMPORTANT: This workshop has a $30 materials fee. After you register, please send an e-transfer to hello@takerootfest.ca (auto-deposit is turned on). In the message box of the transfer itself, please include the name of the workshop and the attendee name(s) so we know who to match it to.

Join us for this hands-on workshop to learn about:

• pruning for tree health, longevity and yield,
• tree health as soil health indicator
• building tree health naturally.

Explore the methods, tools, and jargon distinct to the ancient craft of timber framing. The construction of a large table and two benches, that feature a range of joinery will serve to immerse participants in the craft.

Pull up a chair or grab some supplies and find a special spot wherever you’d like… to write a letter. Your letter can be to a friend or family member, to someone you don’t know (maybe to drop off at a senior’s centre), to your farmer or producer, or to the government in support of or protest of something you care about. You’ll find paper, pens, pencils, pencil crayons, stamps, watercolours, envelopes and scraps for collaging. You’ll find jar of writing prompts at the station that you can choose from if you need a little inspiration. We will also provide a list of contacts for your MLAs and MPs. All you’ll need to do is buy a stamp and mail your letters after the fest!

Join Melanie Gamache from Borealis Beading for a hands-on workshop where you’ll create your own small leather medicine bag from start to finish. You will learn how to trace a pattern, cut your materials, and hand sew the bag while exploring traditional Métis handcrafting techniques.

Along the way, you’ll discover how small pouches and medicine bags have been used by many Indigenous peoples to carry personal and meaningful items. Rooted in Red River Métis traditions, this beginner-friendly workshop offers an opportunity to learn a practical skill while gaining a deeper appreciation for Métis history, craftsmanship, and cultural resilience.

IMPORTANT: This workshop has a $15 materials fee. After you register, please send an e-transfer to hello@takerootfest.ca (auto-deposit is turned on). In the message box of the transfer itself, please include the name of the workshop and the attendee name(s) so we know who to match it to.

Learn the ins and outs of raising goats on the homestead or small farm!

Work together to create a practical art installation on the farm! Using the provided instructions, hammer in tree poles to create the framework, and then fill the frame with the provided branches to create a little windbreak fence. A great way to use up tree trimmings and branches, and create habitat for insects and animals.

Labneh is a strained yogurt cheese that originated in the Levant, in the Middle East, thick, tangy, and creamy. Try it with olive oil and za’atar over warm pita, fresh herbs, vegetables, or honey. Pair it with a dry white wine or a light beer, or, alcohol-free, with fresh mint tea or sparkling water.

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN:

• Apron
• Mixing bowl
• Small knife
• Hair tie

Create a set of five botanical ceramic garden markers while learning how reclaimed clay can be given a second life. Participants will learn how to wedge recycled clay, roll out and compress slabs for successful kiln firing, and finish each piece with clean edges and thoughtful craftspersonship. After gathering natural materials, we’ll create delicate botanical impressions before stamping each marker with the names of favourite vegetables or herbs. Along the way, we’ll discuss where clay and glaze materials come from, why firing ceramics has an environmental cost, and how thoughtful decisions about what we choose to make permanent can reduce waste. Each marker will be finished with an earth-derived iron oxide wash that highlights the botanical textures using a simple, minimal surface treatment. Participants will gain a deeper appreciation for the knowledge, care, and environmental responsibility behind every piece of handmade pottery and be able to use their markers year after year.

IMPORTANT: This workshop has a $5 materials fee. After you register, please send an e-transfer to hello@takerootfest.ca (auto-deposit is turned on). In the message box of the transfer itself, please include the name of the workshop and the attendee name(s) so we know who to match it to.

Pick up of markers two weeks after Take Root.

Explore outdoor perennial mushroom production. Make a Wine Cap mushroom bed and learn the best materials, tools, and techniques for establishing a bed in your backyard or on the land you steward.

Work together to give some love to the land that holds us at Take Root Fest. Plant some baby trees on the festival grounds and come back to visit them at future fests! Follow the provided instructions to plant future shade for fest-goers and animals and habitat for other creatures who share the farm. Be sure to take some time to sit with a tree or two and connect.

Discover the benefits of sourdough and fresh-milling your grains. Explore the steps involved, from milling to baking!

Ricotta is a fresh, unaged cheese made from whey, milk, or a combination of both, that originated in Italy, light, delicate, and slightly sweet. Try it with honey and fresh fruit, crusty bread and olive oil, fresh herbs, or simply flaky salt and cracked pepper. Pair it with a crisp Prosecco or light white wine, or, alcohol-free, with sparkling water and fresh mint.

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN:

• Apron
• Mixing bowl
• Small knife
• Hair tie

Sheep don’t only provide us with beautiful fibre for clothing and other textiles. They can be a part of a regenerating system of land management. This workshop will be a deep dive into the way sheep can be used to regenerate land, how wool is a climate change solution and how you can be a regenerative farmer in your own backyard.

Get crafty for a cause. Working with locally grown and produced wool felt, follow the provided instructions to make a couple strawberry pins. One will go to the Tiny General store to be sold as a fundraiser for a local Indigenous organization. The other is for you take home.

Learn simple hand-sewing techniques to mend your own clothes and embrace the mindfulness and creativity of repair. No experience needed, tools and materials provided. If you have some items for repair, feel free to bring them to discuss with Anna-Marie and work on in class.

For centuries, herbalists have looked at the tongue for clues about a person’s health. Today, you’ll be sticking out your tongue to be assessed and matched with the energetic medicine of the plants growing in The AwakenHerb Garden. Get your tastebuds ready for plant sampling!

Join Atom of 7am Farm to discover the art of infusing flavors and transforming simple ingredients into rich, layered creations. In this hands-on workshop we will explore how herbs, fruits, spices, and roots can be infused into vinegars, oils, salts, sugars, to create unique and delicious blends.

Pull up a chair or grab some supplies and find a special spot wherever you’d like… to write a letter. Your letter can be to a friend or family member, to someone you don’t know (maybe to drop off at a senior’s centre), to your farmer or producer, or to the government in support of or protest of something you care about. You’ll find paper, pens, pencils, pencil crayons, stamps, watercolours, envelopes and scraps for collaging. You’ll find jar of writing prompts at the station that you can choose from if you need a little inspiration. We will also provide a list of contacts for your MLAs and MPs. All you’ll need to do is buy a stamp and mail your letters after the fest!