John N. Kallas, Ph.D., Wild Food Adventures ™
4125 N Colonial Ave, Portland, OR 97217-3338
Phone: (503) 775-3828e-mail: mail@wildfoodadventures.com Print a Reminder Poster of This Year's Rendezvous
Go To - Native Shores Wild Food Rendezvous

Comments of Past Participants

Our Goals To help participants understand the roles that wild foods can play in recreation, survival, primitive living, and simple living situations; to provide hands on experience with some of the most important plants and processes that could be used in those situations; to provide the opportunity for participants to share and learn from each other regarding their cumulative experiences with wild foods; to promote a sustainable harvest mentality with a strong support of protecting and respecting green and wild places; to directly address the great mass of misinformation found in the popular literature and the internet; and to have fun, make friends, and connect with people who are interested in the same kinds of things. The Mood We'd Like to Set We want this to be a fun and educational outdoor experience and adventure. We expect everyone to be friendly, respectful, encouraging of others, and open minded. Leave bad attitudes at home. You are welcome to be a lone wolf or be as social as you feel comfortable - as long as you are respectful to others. We will be together a lot of the time so take the opportunity to get to know people and make friends.

By John Kallas John Kallas with students processing grain.

Blue Camas

Site Accommodations & Local Features Our base camp is located at Riversong Forest Sanctuary in the Hood River Valley, Oregon. It's located between the magnificent Columbia River Gorge and Mount Adams to the North, and Mount Hood to the South. We have access to forest wilderness, woodlands, swamps, grasslands, farmland, fallow fields, river gorges, and more. Along with Riversong's forests, fields, river, and wetlands, we travel to a variety of habitats learning about and gathering plants. Participants stay in their own tents. We have access to outdoor showers and modern bathroom facilities. For $5/use we have access to a hot tub. Parking is separate from our encampment and there are no hook-ups for RVs. Wherever practical / sustainable, wild foods will be the basis of our common meals. Participants have the option of staying in a local bed and breakfast or hotel but you must provide your own transportation to and from GingerRoot. Other than for workshop use, there are no personal refrigeration or cooking facilities on site. Hood River, the nearest city, complete with hospital, food, and tourist attractions, is within 15 minutes driving distance. One could be crossing the Columbia River within 15 minutes, drive up Mount Hood within 40 minutes or make it to the Pacific coast within 3 hours of our site. See a map to GingerRoot at the Riversong Forest Sanctuary. Instructors / Guides / Teachers Everyone attending will share their knowledge, ideas, methods, and wisdom based on their own experiences. Participant skill levels will range from beginner to advanced. All input will be respected as personal experience to be learned from. The main instructor and moderator is Dr. John Kallas, Director of Wild Food Adventures. Dr. Kallas has a Ph.D. in nutrition and a Masters in education. He is a trained botanist, nature photographer, writer, researcher, and teacher. John has researched edible wild plants since 1970 and taught in colleges, universities, primitive technology conferences, and to the general public since 1978. He has taught and trained thousands of people in wild foods from all over North America, and given hundreds of wild food presentations to a variety of groups. Dr. Kallas founded the Wild Food Adventures outdoor school in 1993 and the Wild Food Adventurer newsletter in 1996. More about John . To read a personal account of the Rendezvous go Here

What to Bring (See Detailed List) Riversong Forest Sanctuary is a short drive from Hood River, a medium-sized resort town surrounded by farm land. It comes complete with hospital, markets, and tourist attractions. Most things you could want are within 15 minutes driving time from our encampment. The Columbia River provides much of Hood River's recreational activities and is world famous for its wind surfing. GingerRoot participants occasionally make trips to the city for supplies and other needs. Unless you stay off site, you will be bringing your own tent and camping equipment. Food: We will provide simple cold breakfasts for Saturday & Sunday. Together, we will make wild food dinners for Saturday & Sunday, as well as Monday breakfast from the foods we gather during the Rendezvous. You will be responsible for providing your own food on Friday, sack lunches for Saturday and Sunday and all the snack food you want to eat for four days. Communal refrigeration will not be available. Bring a plate, bowl, cup and utensils for use at your own tent. A cooler if you know you'll want one. Conventional food supplies will be available in Hood River. We will have access to a modern kitchen for Rendezvous meals. Depending on availability, short open-air hot showers are possible near camp. Stringent conservation showers only. Get wet, shut off water, lather up, rinse off. Depending on availability, group hot tubbing is possible for $5 per person per hour. If there is a line, hot tubbing is limited to an hour per person. A day pack will be useful for day trips. Other useful items would include, a good knife (best carried in a knife sheath), scissors (best carried in a second knife sheath), hiking boots, and clothing for fieldwork. A shoulder bag is useful for handy access to books and note pads. A wide brimmed water resistant hat helps tremendously if it rains or if we are in strong sun. In some cases we may be wading through mud or ankle deep water. Prepare for temperatures usually ranging from 50°F to 85°F. Bring clothing for comfort around camp. For inland forests, bring rugged but layered hiking cloths and hiking boots. Bring a bathing suit if you want to take a dip in the Hood River. Bring a musical instrument, a song, a dance, and a folk tale to tell for the evenings. Optional, but encouraged: Bring some wild food that you've previously prepared, are proud of making, and would like to share with the rest of us. Wild flours, jams, syrups, canned foods, nuts, beans, etc.

Cattail

Mount Hood from Trillium Lake

Do NOT Bring
Drugs, alcohol, firearms, fireworks, fighting, or pets.
Violators and troublemakers will be asked to leave.
Anyone asked to leave has no right to a refund.

Arrival / Event / Departure Schedule
Arrive: Anytime after 4pm on Friday June 20, 2008: Set up camp/meet other participants.
GingerRoot and its first activities officially begin with a program at 7pm Friday.
The last GingerRoot activity will end by 1pm Monday, June 25th.

Fees: $290 (in US dollars) for the full 4 day event. See discounts and childrens fees below.
In addition to the GingerRoot registration fee, Riversong Sanctuary requires $40 per person or $60 per family for the use of their land, kitchen rental, and bathroom facilities for the duration of the event. This drops to $10/person for the person/couple that rents the "Bird's Nest". See below under "Camping & Other Options".

Carpooling Contribution: Currently estimated to be $6/person depending on the current price for gas. So in addition to the entrance fee, you will be asked to contribute a car pooling fee. We will be traveling to a variety of habitats over the four days of the event. Since we do not have busses or vans, some participants who have space in their cars will volunteer their vehical for use in car pooling. Based on current prices, the fuel required for traveling for the Rendezvous costs about $24 per car. Participants will be asked to contribute their fair share of that amount to the driver when they get here.

Camping & Other Options:
If you stay on the grounds you have four options. These are included in Riversong's land use fee above.
1. Camping with a tent.
2. Car Camping. (Some options are available near the camping area)
3. Staying in an RV (There are no hook ups - you will have to park a short distance from the rest of us)
4. Riversong offers one small clean modern minimalist room called the "Bird's Nest" with a very comfortable queen bed and small dresser for $120 for the duration of the GingerRoot. This is a first come first serve commodity and can accommodate 1 - 2 persons. Contact us if you are interested.

Discounts: Register in advance on or before...
March 28, 2008 and pay a reduced rate of only: $230
May 12, 2008 and pay a reduced rate of only: $240
May 28, 2008 and pay a reduced rate of only: $250
June 7, 2008 and pay a reduced rate of only: $260
June 16, 2008 and pay a reduced rate of only: $275
June 17 onward, pay full price of $290

Early registration bonuses require that you pay in full (received in our office) by the appropriate date above.
Previous Native Shores Attendees get a $60 discount off any of the cut-off dates above.
Two Day (Saturday + Sunday) attendees pay full prices listed above.
Two Day (Either Saturday + Monday OR Sunday + Monday) attendees pay $170 if they register on or before May 5, 2008, $190 thereafter
Single Day (Saturday or Sunday) attendees pay $120 if they register on or before May 5, 2008, $135 thereafter
There is no extra charge for one or two day participants to attend Friday's orientation.

These adults (18+) get a $30 discount:
Full time students
Native Americans
Family members that register together
Some Work-in-Trades might be considered.

Fees for "Attending" Children
Ages:  0 -  5 attend for free
Ages:  6 -  8 pay 8 times their age
Ages:  9 - 11 pay 10 times their age
Ages: 12 - 14 pay 12 times their age
Ages: 15 - 17 pay 14 times their age up to a maximum of $230
Children through and including the age of 17 must be under the supervision and responsibility of a parent or guardian at all times. The GingerRoot Rendezvous, Dr. Kallas, Wild Food Adventures, Riversong Farms and anyone associated with them are not, and cannot be responsible for non-adults. There are no child care facilities. That being said, children will find a supportive environment from the staff.

Refund Policy / Important Dates
A $20 non-refundable processing feeis deducted if a refund is requested on or before June 4, 2008
80% is returned if a refund is requested on or before June 7, 2008.
60% is returned if a refund is requested on or before June 11, 2008.
40% is returned if a refund is requested on or before June 14, 2008.
20% is returned if a refund is requested on or before June 16, 2008.
 0% is returned if a refund is requested on or after June 17, 2008 (includes no-shows)

How to Register
Print out the Registration Form and Acceptance of Personal Responsibility Form at this site. Fill them out completely. Sign them. Write out a check or money order (in US dollars) payable to "Wild Food Adventures" for the appropriate amount.
IMPORTANT: if you live outside of the US... a personal or foreign bank check cannot be accepted. We can only accept a cashier's check or money order made out in US dollars from a US bank or American Express office. These forms of currency should be payable to "John Kallas".

Other Topics at this Web Site...
Wild Food Adventures Main Directory
John Kallas Biography
Book Reviews / Bookstore
Euell Gibbons Biography
Technical Adviser for Movie Industry
Wild Foods in Wilderness Survival
Wild Food Retreat at Opal Creek
Wild Food Workshops
Wild Food Newsletter
Wild Food Primer
Wild Food Services
Nature Photographs