Taste Trail

OVERVIEW

Take an in-person or virtual taste tour through a local trail.

Describe the flavors and gather plants to make tea.

SUGGESTED SUPPLIES

• Paper bags to gather plants for tea

• Device to screen images

STEP-BY-STEP FACILITATION GUIDE

Take participants on an in person or virtual tour, tasting your way along a local trail. This activity is easier if you have a trail in close proximity to where you are meeting. Be sure the trail is accessible for people with different mobility needs (e.g., wheelchair accessible).

If there is a trail in mind that is suitable for a taste tour but inaccessible to the groups’ needs, create a virtual taste tour. Take photos of where plants are found along the trail, gather plants for the group to sample, and narrate the images as you facilitate an indoors tasting tour experience.

As participants tour the trail, have them try berries, shoots, conifer tips and needles, licorice fern, or anything else you know is edible. Ask participants to describe the flavour, what does it taste like? Is it sweet? Cold? Refreshing?

You can also have participants gather or try plants suitable for making tea, such as labrador tea, licorice root, camomile, strawberry leaves, mint, chamomile, stinging nettle, etc.

TIPS FOR FACILITATORS

• This is also an opportunity to talk about and follow gathering protocols where you are.

• You can also take time to tune into other senses on the tour. The in-person tour may decide to move in silence to pay attention to what they hear.

*This activity is adapted from one found in Rediscovery: A guidebook to outdoor education by Thom Henley. More about the Rediscovery family of camps can be found here: https://rediscovery.org/