The Wild Foodies of Philly
   In search of the food beneath our feet!

We are always looking for more tour guides as we want to spread the word about our wild and wonderful world and all its uses! But, you can also post meetups that are collaborative efforts with no single guide leading it.

TOUR GUIDE or GROUP TIPS:

• Wild Foodies tours are "educational only" - no foraging, no tasting. If we invite someone to taste a plant and they have a bad reaction, that could disrupt the entire tour;
   
• Many parks don't allow foraging of any kind, although most will allow some berry picking and the like. Sometimes parks offer "weed" removal events, which is a great opportunity to forage.
   
• If you want to just get together with others to collaboratively learn about wild plants, you can post your meetups with us, however make it clear that no tour guide is involved.
   
• If you want to be a tour guide for Wild Foodies contact LynnLandes@gmail.com.  We do not certify nor insure guides.
   
• The best way to train to become a guide is to go on lots of tours with different guides. See: http://www.wildfoodies.org/FORAGERS.htm
   
• In addition to posting with the Wild Foodies meetup, you can also form your own meetup and cross post on our website. You can also advertise your tour in print and with online social media platforms.
   
• Limit the size of your group. If a crowd gets too big, the experience is diminished.  You can open it to about 30 people if the tours are free, because often only 1/3 - 1/2 of those who sign up actually show up. 
   
• Post your meetup 2-4 weeks in advance. Make your tour posting description interesting with a good photo.
   
• In the description of every posted tour you can include: Per usual, please prepare for the tour by visiting, WildFoodies.org, and particularly read the Basics. For those who have Smartphones etc., please download a plant ID app and have PFAF.org available, so that you can help us ID plants and their uses. Bring water, wear good walking shoes or boots if it's wet, bring hat if it's hot, etc.. Hope to see you there! (and then post your name, email, and cell number)
   
• Keep your tours to about 2 hours and plot an interesting walk. A circular route that includes a water feature is a great idea.
   
• Make your tour a collaborative experience. Invite everyone to make comments and ask questions as you do the tour. Tour guides can learn a lot from their students. That said, politely ask attendees not to speak while you're talking to the group.
   
• Introduce yourself and emphasize that you are an enthusiast, not an expert.  No one knows everything about wild edibles. Even the experts sometimes disagree and can be wrong. Remind attendees that they are responsible for their own "due diligence" to double-check all the information they get from you, which can be done at www.WildFoodies.org, and keep an open mind.
   
• Here are some things that you can tell your tour attendees about the plants: 1) the parts of the plant that are edible, 2) raw or cooked, 3) time of year to harvest, 4) any medicinal or nutritional info, 5) other uses, 6) and interesting anecdotes. Avoid talking too much about the detailed structure of the plant. There tours are mostly about plant uses, not plant parts. You want to your plant description to be informative, interesting, brief, and fun.
   
• Try to keep the conversation positive and enjoyable. People are out to learn and have fun, not solve the world's problems. Regarding wild plants, every plant has a purpose and there's no such thing as a "weed".  We don't denigrate any wild plant, particularly non-natives. If people want to discuss the issue of invasive plants, you can refer them to our webpage on that subject - Invasive Species or Evolving Ecosystem -http://www.wildfoodies.org/EvolvingEcosystems.htm
   
• For adult tours, discourage distractions such as dogs and children, who often have a brief attention span.
   
• So, get out there - teach, learn, and have fun! 
   

Forage on!  With care!

Lynn Landes, Founder
LynnLandes@gmail.com

Tour Guide Introduction

SAMPLE INTRODUCTION: 
 

Hi everyone, welcome to the Wild Foodies of Philly. My name is __________.  Today we’ll be getting to know several different types of wild plants and their uses. Before we get started let’s do introductions and where you’re from, then I’ll make some comments and go over some cautions:

• Wild Foodies tours are educational only. If we invite someone to taste a plant and they have a bad reaction that could disrupt the entire tour. Most public parks do not allow foraging unless its berries, and sometimes not even then. That said, some parks host “Weed Warrior” days which is often an opportunity to forage, depending on the targeted plants.
• KNOW AND GO SLOW…which means positively identify a plant before you eat it. For plants that you’ve never eaten before, try a nibble and wait a day before you try more…just to make sure that you’re not sensitive to it. 
• I'm a foraging enthusiast, not an expert.
• Do NOT trust anyone regarding plant information, including me, instead always verify plant information by doing your own research which we’ve made easy on our website.
• Get a Plant Identification App for your cell phone. Many Apps are very helpful, but not 100% reliable.  
• We use common names to id plants, in general, because they are easier to pronounce and remember, but sometimes the Latin name is also helpful.
• In reference to poisonous plants, we have a webpage for that topic. However, most poisonous plants have medicinal uses, and some even have edible plant parts. http://www.wildfoodies.org/PoisonousPlants.htm
• Regarding contaminated sites: stay away from roadsides, railroad tracks, industrial areas, abandoned lots, etc.. Some parks do spray, so be aware of that.  In general, try to pick areas where lots of wild plants grow.
• We welcome your comments and questions, however, please refrain from speaking while I am and try not to lag behind. We want to cover as many plants as possible.
• Lastly, just because I hand you something doesn’t mean that you pop it in your mouth. Instead, please touch and feel, rip and roll, or scratch and sniff it so that you can really smell a fragrance, if it has one.

That said, let’s take a walk and learn about our Wonderful Wild World!