July Volunteer Day + Campout

Agenda - Saturday July 20th

12-1 pm- Welcome and Arrival

Meet your host team, get acquainted with the space, connect with each other, bring your own lunch and set up your campsite (if you are camping overnight)

1pm-3 Plant Sit Circle

we’ll be introducing ourselves to one medicinal plant on the farm by sitting with, holding, and drinking the plant to tap into the physical, spiritual, and energetic medicine they hold. 

3pm-7pm Field Activities

Choose from a variety of activities that can range from group to solo work, all skill levels welcomed. Take breaks as needed throughout work block

7-9pm- Pot luck Dinner

Bring a prepared dish or an item to add to the grill (make sure all items are labeled)

9-10pm - Medicina Sin Fronteras

gather up around the fire with Ixchel Zuniga an learn about this BIPOC frontline herbalist collective providing herbal traditional medicine for all communities in need

Agenda - Sunday July 21st

7-9am Breakfast prep and cleanup (bring your own breakfast)

9-10am Breakdown campsite

10am- 1pm Culturally-Relevant Herbalism & Farming Workshop w/ Brandon Ruiz of Yukayeke Farms

This hands-on workshop making medicine with fresh herbs, discussing the importance of preserving cultural practices around food and medicine and reflecting on how to continue and preserve our traditions and relations to our plant allies. $20-$75 sliding scale

1pm- Departure

Culturally-Relevant Herbalism & Farming

In this workshop we will dive into the importance of preserving culture and tradition through plant medicine and stewarding foods and herbal medicines. Plants are central to culture, meals, community and tradition all around the world and are important to preserve and talk about our stories in community. We will dive into our personal connections to foods and herbalism, work with fresh plants growing at Ayni Herb Farm and explore how we can work with these plants through medicine making and storytelling. Each participant will leave with a tincture made with a fresh herb of their choice, and we will sit with the plants, reflect on our connections and how we can preserve them moving forward.

-Bio: Brandon Ruiz (he/him) is an herbalist, farmer and chef based in Brooklyn, NY on Lenape land. He runs Yucayeke Farms, a project that works to provide affordable access to culturally-relevant food and herbalism via online and in-person educational opportunities and farming. He specializes in Traditional Caribbean Herbalism and the Afro-Indigenous traditions of the east coast of Turtle Island. 

Tickets are sliding scale $20-$75

All participants are required to take a COVID test (PCR/Rapid Test) the day of the event, ideally before arrival. Limited tests will be available on site. This event will be held outdoors however we cannot guarantee social distancing for all activities, masking is encouraged. Please stay home if you feel sick, suspect you have been exposed to COVID-19 within the past 10 days, are recovering from COVID-19 and/or live/share indoor space with someone who currently has COVID-19 in order to minimize spread. We highly encourage participants to limit high-risk activities before participating in this event and continue masking in public spaces (including around people who you do not know their covid status). Hand sanitizer and hand washing stations will be available at all times and is required for anyone sharing tools and food during the event.

All activities will take place outdoors, on grassy and uneven terrain. There is a slight incline from the gravely parking lot to the welcome area closest to the high tunnel, tool shed and bathroom. A detailed description of all farm activities will be emailed week-of so participants can choose which task to do and are welcome to switch at any point. Self-paced breaks for water, stretching, resting, bathroom use are encouraged, no additional scheduled breaks will happen until lunch/dinner time. There will be a single stall, gender inclusive porta-potty onsite with a hand washing station on the outside. Drinking water will be available but please bring your own water bottle. For any additional accessibility information please email amara@ayniherbfarm.com

Please bring your own water bottle, weather appropriate clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, sturdy shoes or boots, garden gloves, personal snacks, a song or poem to share with the group, personal set of bowl/dish and eating utensils, any contribution to our group dinner is greatly appreciated!

If you plan to camp, please bring your own tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, headlight or flashlight. Let us know if you need help securing some of this equipment at least 1 week before the event. Remember to also bring your own breakfast, a refrigerator, kettle, microwave, propane camp stove and grill are available.

a more detailed packing list will be emailed to all who register

Follow parking signs, No parking on route 11.

If you need a ride or can offer a ride please fill this form out.

Address: 1989 County Route 11. Hillsdale, NY 12529

Click here to view google maps with a pinned location.