Workshops
Join us for a variety of workshops that engage with our garden, animals, and the wildlands of Slide Ranch.
Workshops are offered seasonally and updated dates and times will be provided as they come available.
Please note age restrictions with some workshops. A REGISTER NOW button will appear when registration is open for a workshop.
Join holistic nutritionist and mocktail mixologist Lila Volkas for a hands-on Mocktail Mixology workshop at Slide Ranch in Muir Beach! Set against the stunning backdrop of the California coast, this immersive experience invites you to craft delicious, alcohol-free beverages using fresh herbs and botanicals harvested from the ranch’s garden.
In this interactive workshop, you'll:
-Harvest garden-fresh herbs and learn about their unique flavors and wellness benefits
-Get insight into mocktail mixology techniques and gain skills to create your own delicious non-alcoholic concoctions.
-Make and take home your own handcrafted herbal syrup, perfect for recreating refreshing mocktails at home
Enjoy a fun and flavorful experience in nature, whether you’re a cocktail enthusiast, a wellness seeker, or just looking for a unique summer gathering.
Summer Mocktail Mixology
When: August 10, 11am - 12:30pm
Who: ages 14+
Cost: $80/person
Location: Meet at the FTTC
Take home: herbal syrup crafted in class
Chicken Processing 101
Rooted in the Land - Honoring the Animal - Learning Together Since 1970
Since the 1970s, Slide Ranch has been welcoming Bay Area communities to our rugged coastal farm to connect with land, animals, and sustainably grown food. We believe in teaching through doing to bring people of all ages closer to the rhythms of the land and the food we eat.
Join us for a special chicken processing workshop, where you’ll learn the full process of harvesting pasture-raised birds in a setting that’s both educational and deeply meaningful. Come learn, reflect, and work with us on the windswept cliffs of West Marin. It’s hard work deeply rooted in tradition.
This is a chance to slow down, participate in a centuries-old practice with respect and intention, and reflect on what it means to raise and care for animals as part of a sustainable farm system. Together, we’ll be processing about 40 chickens, and participants will be guided step-by-step through humane dispatching, scalding and plucking, evisceration (internal cleaning), and final cleaning and chilling.
Throughout the day we’ll discuss animal ethics and land stewardship and how these practices are rooted in regenerative agriculture and community-based food systems.
When: July 26, 9am - 3pm
Who: ages 18+
Cost: FREE (donations welcome)
Location: Meet by the barn
Home Herbalism for Cold and Flu Season
Learn how to make handcrafted herbal remedies to support you and your family through the cold and flu season. Join Holistic chef community herbalist and educator Chelsea Feldman at our Farm to Table Teaching Center (FTTC) for a practical and empowering workshop on Home herbalism for fall and winter time.
In this hands-on herbal immersion, you will:
Gather tips and tools for supporting your well-being and boosting your immunity through the transition from summer to fall.
Receive a PDF with all of the in class recipes.
Gain hands on experience making several herbal preparations for the home apothecary.
Taste and sample multiple herbal preparations.
Recipes include:
Elderberry syrup
Herbal cough syrup
Medicinal honey
Fire cider
Herbal tea blends for immune support and respiratory health
Immune boosting broth
Chelsea is a certified Holistic Chef (Bauman College), a Clinical Herbalist (Berkeley Herbal Center) and an educator based in Berkeley, California. Chelsea connects people to plants, a sense of place and their palates through joyful, community based workshops. Her dynamic, experiential offerings inspire participants with delicious recipes, practical kitchen wisdom, and tools for holistic nourishment.
When: September 28, 10am - 12:30pm
Who: ages 14+
Cost: $140/per person
Location: Meet at the FTTC
Take home: Each participant will take home samples of elderberry syrup, medicinal honey, and fire cider.
Handcrafted Herbal Gifts for the Holidays
Chelsea is a certified Holistic Chef (Bauman College), a Clinical Herbalist (Berkeley Herbal Center) and an educator based in Berkeley, California. Chelsea connects people to plants, a sense of place and their palates through joyful, community based workshops. Her dynamic, experiential offerings inspire participants with delicious recipes, practical kitchen wisdom, and tools for holistic nourishment.
Handcrafted herbal gifts are a wonderful way to nourish your friends and family with unique and delicious offerings that will be savored. Join us in our Farm to Table Teaching Center (FTTC) to make holiday magic with community herbalist and Holistic chef Chelsea Feldman in a dynamic, festive, hands-on workshop!
In this experiential workshop, you will:
-Receive a PDF with all of the recipes and preparations.
-Gather tips for sourcing ingredients and styling your gifts.
-Gain hands on experience creating several preparations and sample many different recipes.
Recipes include:
-Chai honey
-Seasonal syrup
-Golden milk tea blend
-Turmeric spice oxymel
-Winter solstice tea blend
-Winter solstice cordial
-Mulled cider
-Spice blends
-Herbal salt blends
-Herbal truffles
When: November 2, 10am - 12:30pm
Who: ages 14+
Cost: $140/per person
Location: Meet at the FTTC
Take home: Each participant will take home samples of chai honey, a seasonal syrup, and a handmade tea blend.
Fermentation
Inspire your gift giving by participating in or gifting a Fermentation Workshop.Join us in our Farm to Table Teaching Center Kitchen and learn about the art of fermentation! This two-hour workshop includes materials and instruction on making kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickled red onions. Fermented foods can aid in digestion, building a healthy immune system, and boost energy. At the end of our workshop, you will leave with your flight of fermented treats and new knowledge and inspiration to continue fermenting and preserving food at home!
Fermented foods are a great holiday gift! Give the gift of experience and purchase a workshop spot for friends and family!
When: Tentative date Nov 15.
Who: ages 14+
Cost: $80/per person
Location: Meet at the FTTC
Take home: 1 jar each of kimchi, sauerkraut, pickled onions
Soap & Salve
Inspire your gift giving by participating in or gifting a Goat Milk Soap & Natural Salve Making Workshop. This unique workshop utilizes Slide Ranch’s fresh, raw milk from our beloved goats to create a luxurious moisturizing soap. We will explore the basics of soap making, materials and safety in the process, and the importance of curing.
To create unique natural salves, we will harvest and infuse fresh herbs from the garden. This two-hour workshop includes all materials and supplies and you will take home one of a kind holiday gifts.
Please bring protective eye-wear! Please also note that you will be able to bring your homemade salve home immediately after the workshop. Slide Ranch staff will mail your soap to you once it has fully cured (this can take 4-8 weeks).
When: TBD
Who: ages 14+
Cost: $80/per person
Location: Meet at the FTTC
Take home: Homemade salve. Each participant will receive one bar of soap that will be mailed to you once it has fully cured (this can take 4-8 weeks).
Foraging hues: creating watercolor paints from nature
Join us outside at Slide Ranch as we hike the site and make our own natural watercolor pigments as we go! In this workshop, you will learn a creative approach and method to making watercolor pigments while in the field–learning how to successfully extract pigment, bind paint, and alter colors with iron or alum—actively engaging with our environment in a creative, exciting way. Pause for moments of reflection and painting along the way, as you begin to fill your new nature journal with the hues of foraged plants!
When: TBD
Who: ages 10+. Children under 14 must be accompanied by a participating adult.
Cost: $80/per person
Location: Meet at the Yurt
Take home: a small nature journal with the hues of foraged plants