This spring,
Kent District Library is helping West Michigan residents discover new ways to connect with food — from harvesting wild edibles to planting their first seeds — as part of its broader efforts to address food insecurity and promote self-sufficiency.
The library system is offering four "Wild World of Foraging" classes throughout May in addition to its ongoing seed library program at all 20 branches. These initiatives provide free, accessible opportunities for patrons to learn practical skills that foster nutrition and community connection.
The "Wild World of Foraging" classes, led by Katie and Luke Venechuk of
In Your Element Wellness, introduce beginners to the basics of safely, legally, and ethically foraging for wild foods.
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Katie VenechukLuke Venechuk teaches a "Wild World of Foraging" class at the KDL Englehardt Branch in Lowell.
The program grew out of community interest sparked by a wildly popular wild mushroom hunting class held last year, says Nanette Zorn, branch librarian at KDL.
“As a librarian, I hope attendees will realize all the great free information they can get not only from books, but from the presenters we select to deliver high-quality programming,” Zorn says.
Foraging and self-sufficiency
Lea Sevigny of
Joyful Wildcrafting, who led classes at KDL branches last fall, says learning to identify, harvest, and prepare edible wild plants is a powerful way to build personal confidence and strengthen community connections.
“Providing an edible wild food event gives the community a starting point for plants that are widely accessible and safe to eat," Sevigny says.
Foraging, Zorn adds, promotes self-sufficiency and wellness. Many wild foods, such as stinging nettle, are packed with vitamins and minerals and offer higher nutritional value than many cultivated crops.
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Katie VenechukA display of books from the Wild World of Foraging program at KDL.
Katie Venechuk, a former environmental engineer, says libraries are natural partners for this type of education. She offered her first classes last year at the Grandville and Wyoming branches. Both sessions were extremely well attended, and she’s back for eight classes this spring at several KDL branches.
"The library is great because it’s a mecca of information, especially for people who might not be able to afford their own resources," she says. "We always say when you're learning something like this, one of the biggest things is books over blogs. When it comes to wild foods, you want to be really careful with online information.
“Blogs might have great intentions, but they aren't always cross-checked, and allergen information might not be addressed. Books are a really big part of our approach to education in foraging. After each class, we put out our favorite foraging books and let people take a picture of them and encourage them to use their local library."
Classes cover identifying edible plants, avoiding contaminated areas, and practicing sustainable harvesting.
"We teach a beginner's approach to the practice of foraging, which is learning how to identify the wild foods that grow in the landscape around us,” Venechuk says. “We focus on how to safely forage, how to legally forage, how to ethically forage, so that we are doing it in a sustainable and practical way.
"It's a very hands-on style class. We don't have a projector. We don't do a presentation. We stand up there, we talk. We welcome dialogue. We hand out plants and help people learn how to identify particular plants of the season. Sometimes toward the end of class, we go outside and point out what you can find, even in a backyard or a landscaped space."
Safety, sustainability
The classes are a good precursor to the outdoor sessions her outdoor guide company offers, which include outdoor walks where instructors point out common, nutritious backyard plants like garlic mustard, dame’s rocket, and dandelions.
“A lot of wild foods grow right outside our door,” Venechuk says. “Our goal is to help people better understand that and feel more empowered and confident. We talk about safety as a big part of this. We talk about foraging in areas you want to stay away from, like along roadways or railways. We talk a lot about knowing where you are and having permission from the landowner, so that you're aware if pesticides or herbicides have been sprayed."
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Luke VenechukKatie Venechuk discusses Discussing edible invasive species during her forgaging program.
Foraging supports parks and conservation efforts by encouraging the harvesting of nutritious but invasive species that officials want to eliminate.
“They'll tell you, 'Hey, you can go harvest it in this spot. We haven't sprayed it, and it would really help us if you went and took some of it.' We do a lot of that in my own family,” Venechuk says. "The big ones are garlic mustard and dame's rocket, which is another mustard family green. Even in a plant in your own lawn — the dandelion — the whole plant is a complete protein. You can get different amino acids from every part."
She adds that wild foods are very nutrient-dense. Foraging might not replace a primary food source, but it’s a way to add nutritious foods to a diet.
Safety is a priority. Instructors caution against foraging in risky areas, such as roadsides, and emphasize asking permission before harvesting. Venechuk says sustainable foraging habits help preserve natural landscapes and protect food sources for future generations.
The “Wild World of Foraging” classes are scheduled for:
- Monday, May 12 at Amy Van Andel Library (Ada)
- Tuesday, May 13 at Krause Memorial Branch (Rockford)
- Tuesday, May 20 at Caledonia Township Branch
- Thursday, May 22 at Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch
Each session runs from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and registration opens two weeks before each event.
Venechuk says the response has been enthusiastic, with full classes and returning participants helping to build a growing network of local foragers.
“What people love and feel connected to, they protect," Venechuk says. "Helping people connect with wild foods builds a stronger, more caring relationship with the land around us. We have probably 50 to 75 people with class packages that come back pretty consistently. Our classes generally fill up, and we're fortunate to meet a lot of people through free classes at the library."
More information and registration details are available at
kdl.org.
Seed library is entry to gardening
In addition to teaching people how to forage, Kent District Library is helping them grow their own food through its longstanding seed library program.
Deb Schultz, KDL's volunteer coordinator, says the seed library offers patrons a simple, accessible way to experience the joys of gardening without needing a full-scale plot.
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Deb SchultzVolunteers prepare the seed packets for KDL's Seed Library.
"The seed library is really a way for patrons to get a feel for what gardening is like," Schultz says. "They’re not going to walk away with enough seeds to grow a full garden. It’s more like a starter kit."
Started in 2016 as a Girl Scout service project at one branch, the program quickly expanded after gaining interest across the system. Today, all 20 KDL branches offer free seed packets, supported by partners like Flowerland, Livingston Seeds, and Botanical Interests.
Each spring, volunteers help package thousands of seeds. This year alone, more than 40 volunteers, including Grand Valley State University’s Thompson Scholars and Grand Rapids Adventist Academy students, spent 130 hours preparing over 10,700 seed packets. Patrons can choose two or three packets from a variety that includes vegetables, herbs, greens, ornamental plants, and sprouts.
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Deb SchultzKDL volunteers prepare the seed packets for the library's Seed Library.
Schultz says the program is part of a broader movement toward accessible gardening. Michigan is home to more than 300 seed libraries, ranking among the top states alongside California.
“It excites people — just the idea of something new and fresh," Schultz says. "It’s springtime, and it gets people excited about getting outside."
To maintain quality, KDL only accepts commercially packaged seeds, following Michigan State Agricultural Extension guidelines to avoid the spread of plant diseases and invasive species.
This year, the Seed Library also participated in "One Seed, One State," an initiative of the Michigan Seed Library Network, intended to foster a sense of statewide community among gardeners. The featured seed — the Little Finger carrot — was distributed in 25 packets to each KDL branch.
"The neat thing about this program is that it lets people experience the joy of growing something," Schultz says. "Everything is free, and it might just inspire them to start a garden next year."
Photos courtesy of KDL and In Your Element Wellness
Literacy Matters is a series focused on the importance of knowledge, community resources seeking to remove barriers to access, and the value of our library systems to society. Literacy Matters is supported by Kent District Library.