The Museum & Archives of Vernon (MAV), in partnership with the Vernon Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society (OHS), is pleased to welcome local forager and author Mikaela Cannon as the next speaker in the Hometown Histories speaker series. Taking a hands-on approach to the series, this workshop will take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Vernon Museum (3009 32nd Avenue).
Rather than a traditional presentation, Cannon’s workshop will invite participants to explore the plants and mushrooms found in the North Okanagan area through hands-on activities focused on identification, observation, and traditional and contemporary uses.
Participants will have opportunities to draw plants, work together through identification exercises, and learn more about the ways local plants and mushrooms can be used. The workshop will also include opportunities to sample some foraged foods, offering participants a chance to experience wild foods in a new way.
Suitable for all ages, the workshop is designed for families, nature enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the plants and mushrooms growing in the local landscape. No previous foraging experience is required.
Mikaela Cannon is the author of Foraging as a Way of Life, which was shortlisted for the 2025 Taste Canada Awards in the Culinary Narratives category. Drawing on Cannon’s lived experiences and her study of herbalism and ethnobotany, the book encourages readers to explore the abundance and joy of wild foods while finding nourishment and connection in their local fields and forests.
“We’re excited to try something a little different with this Hometown Histories event,” says Gwyneth Evans, Archives Manager. “This workshop invites participants to get curious, get involved, and experience our local landscape in a completely different way.”
For those who want to dive deeper after the workshop, copies of Foraging as a Way of Life will be available for purchase in the Vernon Museum gift shop.
Established in 2024, the Hometown Histories speaker series continues to bring engaging and locally relevant historical and cultural topics to the Vernon community, fostering a deeper appreciation of the region and its past and present.
Tickets for the workshop are $10 and can be purchased at: https://greatervernonmuseum.square.site/product/speaker-series-with-mikaela-cannon/OIKWK7DL7RXA42ONJFXBWPXI?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false.
Proceeds support both the Museum & Archives of Vernon and the Vernon Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society.
