The Culinary Acorn: A Hands-on Foraging Experience at Long Branch Farm & Trails

Registration Requirements: Preregistration required.

Intended Audience: This program is designed for adults. Suitable for interested youth ages 10 and up when accompanied by an adult.

Program Description: Those annoying acorns that clutter up our yards were once a staple food around which entire diets were based. Everywhere there are oak trees, people have at one time or another eaten acorns, including in Spain, Italy, North Africa, Korea, and western North America.

In this hands-on class, you’ll participate in all the steps of transforming bitter acorns into nourishing food. From identification to collecting, shelling, removing bitter tannins, grinding, drying, all the way through to cooking, we’ll gather lessons as we respect the gift of the humble acorn. We’ll conclude by making traditional Sardinian acorn bread and other acorn foods.

What to Expect: This is a hands-on class with an optional gathering in the field portion.

Trails/areas used during this program are rated as easy (mild hills, gravel trails) for a planned distance of 0.5-1 mile at a moderate pace.
Restrooms are available at the start and end of the program. Restrooms are not available on the trails.
Outdoors and in an unheated/non-air-conditioned barn.
Program runs rain or shine.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What do acorns taste like? Processed acorns have a nutty, earthy, slightly sweet flavor.
Are acorns nutritious? Processed acorns contain a high-quality, complete protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
What about allergies? While acorns are botanically nuts, they are not related to the tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.) to which some people have allergies. That said, caution should be exercised if you think you might have allergies to acorns.

What to Wear: Dress for the weather and to be outdoors the entire time.

Where to Meet: Registered participants will meet at the Creekside Barn at our Long Branch Farm & Trails location. (6926 Gaynor Rd, Goshen, OH 45122)

Cost: Program fees include daily admission.