Join us for a foraging class at Ada Hayden Park, where we’ll explore the natural abundance of edible and medicinal plants growing in our local landscape. Led by Crystal Jewell, a Neuroscience Graduate Student at Iowa State and Science Communicator, this class will teach you how to identify, harvest, and use a variety of wild plants safely and sustainably. We’ll cover key identification techniques, ethical harvesting practices, and traditional uses of native and naturalized species found in the park. Be prepared for a leisurely walk on uneven terrain. Bring a notebook, a field guide (if you have one), and a sense of curiosity!
PLEASE NOTE: Foraging is prohibited in the park and no plants will be removed. This is an informational class only.
Class Location
Ada Hayden Park – 5205 Grand Avenue – We will meet next to the picnic shelter in the main parking lot by the lake.
Meet the Instructor!
Crystal Jewell M.S. is a science communicator and PhD student studying the neuroscience of mindfulness. Outside of academia, she nourishes her passion for food sovereignty through foraging, gardening, herbalism, and experimenting with traditional food preservation.

