Blessing of the Acorn
Galbreath Wildlands Preserve
October 12, 2026,
Mon, Oct 12, 10:00 am
– 1:00 pm
October 12, 2026,
Mon, Oct 12, 2:00 pm
– 5:00 pm
Registration links are available for each event, please sign up for only 1 of the 2 available times!
Use this link to register for the 10am-1pm session:
Use this link to register for the 2pm-5pm session:
Admission Fees: none
Acorns are a traditional food source for indigenous people throughout the United States. Historically, they have provided up to 40 percent of sustenance for Pomo people, and serve as a rich source of protein and fats. In the North Bay, the most highly prized acorn comes from the tanoak tree, or chishkale, the Pomo word for tanoak. This member of the beech family is not a true oak, but a cousin whose acorn comes adorned with a furry showy hat said to be the envy of the other oaks with their flat or vaguely bumpy caps.
On this adventure we will harvest tanoak acorns, learning about their value, traditions around them and how to select the best acorns, care for and prepare them for eating.
This event is presented in collaboration with the Anderson Valley Land Trust.
Presenter
Bernadette Smith is a member of the Manchester/Pt. Arena Band of Pomo Indians and has worked on the preservation of this traditional food source, the acorn, specifically the tanoak acorn. She has been a traditional dancer for more than 30 years and a songholder for more than 17 years. Bernadette is the subject of a short video, Chishkale: The Blessing of Acorn, that aired on PBS.
Details
The tanoak has been much maligned over the decades as interfering with logging of soft woods such as fir and redwood and quickly covering the forest floor with its quick growing shrub-like young sprouts. Most recently it has been identified as the vector for Sudden Oak Death (SOD), a deadly pathogen plaguing some of California’s stately oaks, that claims the lives of the tanoak on its way, killing many stands of the mature trees.
Bernadette works specifically with the tanoak, revitalizing techniques that make this traditional food process accessible and achievable. She has used her knowledge to spread awareness about SOD and unsafe forestry practices within Mendocino county. She leads Pomo youth in protest and action to stand up for the protection of our forests and accessibility to traditional food gathering sites.
Bernadette will teach us how to identify tanoak trees and their acorns, and determine when they are ripe and ready to harvest, how they are dried, crushed in a mortar and leached to remove the bitter tannins. We will harvest and practice what she will show us.
Logistics
- We will meet at the entrance to the Galbreath Preserve at 30720 Elkhorn Rd. in Yorkville, southern Mendocino County, off Highway 128. There we will form carpools to drive on the preserve. The preserve is a 90-minute drive from Sonoma State's main campus. Driving directions are provided here
- Parking is limited so please consider carpooling.
- It is not possible to join the event late or to leave the event early.
- All vehicles that enter the Preserve must be AWD or 4-wheel drive vehicle.
- You will receive more detailed information via email just before the event.
- Participants must sign a waiver upon arrival. This event is appropriate for minors 12 years and older. All minors must be accompanied by a legal guardian for the entire event, and all minors must be registered individually for the event (the parent’s/guardian’s email can be used for their registration)
- There is a restroom (porta-potty) available a few miles from the entrance to the preserve.
- There is no potable water available on the Galbreath Preserve.
- Pets and smoking are not permitted.
- Due to rocky, unpaved roads, sturdy shoes for hiking are required and no strollers are permitted.
- No previous experience or knowledge is required to participate.
- This is a rain or shine event, but if the weather forecast is concerning, we will notify you via email of cancellation.
What to Bring
Bring a basket for acorn collecting. Bring a nutcracker to open the acorns and something to carry home what you crush. It will be a small amount.
Please bring a backpack, sun and insect protection, rain gear, a water bottle, a bag lunch, and sturdy shoes to hike in. Layered clothing and long pants are recommended. We will be doing a minimal amount of walking, but it will be over uneven, occasionally steep, ground. Walking sticks might be helpful.
How to Sign Up
Register at the link above. Each participant should register separately. Registration is free.
About the Center
Sonoma State University’s Center for Environmental Inquiry empowers university students to work with community members on the environmental challenges of the North Bay. Our mission is to create an engaged and environmentally ready society, one where all people have the skills to find solutions to the challenges facing our earth. SSU Preserves are open to everyone engaged in education or research. Reservations are required.