Discover the wild edibles growing on the land near your home!
What is Rent-A-Forager?
Many of our students have asked us how they can learn more about the plants and mushrooms that grow on the land near their home.
Rent-A-Forager was born in response to these questions!
If you own land & would like to learn about the wild plants and mushrooms that live there, whether you can eat or use them in some way, or if it is an invasive species you may want to keep an eye on, this service is for you!
Our Rent-A-Forager Service Includes:
- A discovery walk on your property, where we’ll explore and identify the wild plants and/or mushrooms we encounter.
- A thorough follow-up report detailing the wild edibles we found on your land, which includes photos and details of all of the plants and/or mushrooms that we found, suggestions on how to use the edible plants and/or mushrooms identified (with referenced resources), along with other helpful information.
- All travel within 30-miles of Ada, Michigan is included in this service. Due to the high cost of gas and to account for travel time, travel outside this 30-mile radius is $1.30 per mile. Thank you and let us know if you have any questions!
2023 Bookings Are NEARLY FULL!
We are so grateful to be ALMOST fully booked for Rent-A-Forager appointments through August 2023. As a woman-owned and family run business, we will be pausing all Rent-A-Forager bookings from September to December 2023 as we welcome our first child and enjoy time together as a new family. To inquire about our few remaining 2023 dates on weeknights in July and early August, please email Katie at katie@iyewellness.com. To submit a request for a 2024 booking, please use the form below.
Inquiries will be responded to in the order they are received, and this service is very popular. Be sure to submit your inquiry soon to secure your ideal booking date!
Our Breadth of Knowledge:
Katie Venechuk has a bank of foraging knowledge from years of learning through both formal and informal coursework, time on the land, and personally foraging for her own foods, teas and medicines. She is also a Certified Michigan Master Naturalist with Michigan State University. Luke Venechuk is a Certified Wild Mushroom expert with the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, qualified to help you identify over 32 of the most common edible mushrooms in Michigan.
We strongly believe that foraging is a skillset that is built over the course of a lifetime. There is always more to learn and discover! During our Rent-A-Forager explorations, we may not know everything that we encounter on your property, but we’ll bring along all of our resources and do our best to help you learn about all the amazing plants and mushrooms that make your land special.
Rent-A-Forager Options & Rates:
1-hr Rent-A-Forager Service: $125
1.5-hr Rent-A-Forager Service: $175
If you have a large amount of property and would like a longer experience, you can add additional time for $75 per hour at the time of booking
NOTE: All rates above include a formal follow-up report, personalized for your land, and travel within a 30-mile radius of Ada, Michigan. This service is not intended as a private class for a large group of people, so please chat with us before booking if that’s what you have in mind. Due to the high cost of gas and to account for travel time, travel outside this 30-mile radius is $1.30 per mile. Thank you and let us know if you have any questions!
A Note on Ornamentals:
We’ll do our best to help you identify ornamental plants and non-native, non-edible plant varieties, but please note that our specialty is edible plants and fungi that grow wild in the mid-west (including edible invasive species). We are not master gardeners, but we’re happy to connect you with others who are if that’s what you’re looking for!
Are you ready to explore how foraging can help you develop a deeper connection to your land, while providing you with nutritious, LOCAL food?
We’d love to help you!
