Edible Trees and Plants Workshop
Many of our grandparents and parents used wild plants for food and medicine. We all know about sassafras tea and the glorious taste of wild blackberries, but we have perhaps forgotten how extensively wild plants can be used as food sources. In the early 1970s, information on native wild foods and medicinal uses of wild plants became very popular. The well-known naturalist, Euell Gibbons, told us, "My love affair with nature is so deep that I am not satisfied with being a mere onlooker or nature tourist. I crave a more real and meaningful relationship. The spicy teas and tasty delicacies I prepare from wild ingredients are the bread and wine in which I have communion and fellowship with nature, and with the Author of that nature."
Tamara Walkingstick, Ph.D., will conduct the Wild Edibles Workshop. She is recently retired from the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Co-operative Extension Service as an associate professor of extension forestry. Walkingstick serves on several boards, including the Arkansas American Indian Center, Arkansas Women in Agriculture, the National Network of Forest Practitioners, and is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Walkingstick noted, "In this comprehensive four-hour workshop, you will not only learn to identify some edible species of Arkansas native and non-native vegetation, but you will also have the opportunity to sample some tasty dishes. The presentation covers concepts of conservation, history, culture and plant identification. Thirty pages of wild edible recipes are included as well."
The workshop is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5, and held at the park visitor center. The cost is $25 per person with check or cash accepted on the day of the workshop. Participants must preregister. For more information or to register, call 479-789-5000.
Fun with Mother Nature -- Monthly
We hear about our great friend Mother Nature, but at Hobbs State Park you can actually see her the second Saturday of each month at 10:30 a.m. all year. Her favorite thing to do is to read nature-related stories of the forest and the animals that live there. Storytime will be followed by "hands-on" nature-craft activities. Children of all ages are welcome, however, most stories will target children 3-6 years of age.
Mother Nature visits and reading subjects for this year include: May 11 -- Around the Pond -- Frogs and Toads; June 8 -- Animals in The Night; July 13 -- Water Dance -- Water Cycle and Storm Drain Pollution; Aug. 10 -- Caterpillar to Butterfly: Sept. 14 -- Autumn in the Woods -- Preparing for Winter; Oct. 12 -- Bats -- Not Really Scary: Nov. 9 -- It's Turkey Time; Dec. 14 -- Who Goes There? Footprints and Animal Signs
Park Visitor Center
For additional information on Hobbs programs, trails, picnicking or meeting room rental and the Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area Visitor Center, contact the park at 479-789-5000. The visitor center is located on Arkansas Highway 12, just east of the War Eagle Road intersection.
To learn more about upcoming Friends of Hobbs speakers and other park programs, go to www.friendsofhobbs.com and www.Arkansas StateParks.com/hobbsstateparkconservationarea.
General News on 04/17/2019