Welcome to Woodsy Wonder Foraging School.
We teach people from all backgrounds and personal experience to be self-sufficient and confident with plant and mushroom identification.
Located in the Portland, Oregon area.
Meet The Teacher
Sarah's interest in herbal medicine began in California in 2011, when a chronic illness led her to explore plant-based alternatives to repeated antibiotic use. While living in the San Francisco Bay Area, she apprenticed under Chinese medicine herbalist, acupuncturist, and Five Flavors Herbs founder Ben Zappin. She also studied women's and birth-centered herbalism with midwives and doulas through Natural Resources and Cornerstone Doula Trainings in San Francisco.
After relocating to Oregon in 2015, Sarah focused her studies on the medicinal plants of the Pacific Northwest, learning to identify and use native species as regional alternatives to commonly available herbal remedies. During this time, she worked as a Certified Medical Assistant in both urology and pediatrics, gaining valuable clinical experience while working alongside naturopathic and integrative physicians. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she founded a parent-and-child nature group that encouraged families to connect with the outdoors through seasonal exploration and nature-based learning.
In 2025, Sarah was contracted by an international tour company to lead educational foraging experiences, teaching participants safe, ethical, and sustainable wild food harvesting practices. Inspired by the impact of this work, she went on to establish her own foraging school, where she combines evidence-informed education, traditional herbal knowledge, and a deep appreciation for the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest.