Note: Carpool seats purchased together automatically receive 20% off!

Gather together on the first weekend of summer, June 21-23, to celebrate the solstice with two days and two nights of communal camping, creating, eating, and exploring along the Santa Ynez River in Santa Barbara.

On the solstice, the longest day of the year, plants are reaching their verdant peak—fruit are forming on the creekside hollyleaf cherries, the white clematis flowers strung from the branches of tall sycamores are in glorious bloom—and the oak woodland is alive with daytime birdsong yielding to evening’s frog chorus.

June’s full moon—the Strawberry Moon—falls on the first night of our retreat, so we’ll surely do some nighttime exploring along Aliso Creek, which flows through our campground and into the Santa Ynez River, on the banks of which will be our camp for the weekend.

During our first morning, we’ll create naturally dyed sun-prints—think botanical cyanotypes—as a means of translating the peak energy of the sun on this longest day of the year. All day the sun will bathe our prints with light during its long arc over the sky, while we enjoy swimming in the Santa Ynez River, hiking and foraging along Aliso Creek, and simply relaxing at our spacious stream-side campground. 

Chef Kylie will prepare all of our seasonal, plant-based meals, with dinner on Saturday prepared communally by the group after an afternoon of collecting edible herbs from nearby Aliso Canyon. Kylie will also guide us in crafting an herbal syrup with plants we collect—aromatics and medicinals like hummingbird sage, purple sage, mugwort, elderflower—which will be used to concoct an (alcohol optional) herbal spritz to be enjoyed as the sun sets on the first full day of summer. Everyone will take home their own bottled syrup to continue enjoying the flavors of this season and place even after we’ve left the campground.

On Saturday night we’ll work by bright moonlight and communal campfire to create ritual eco-prints, infused in a bath of river water collected under the light of summer’s first full moon. 

Join us for a magical weekend of swimming in the flowing Santa Ynez River, hiking and foraging in shady oak woodland, and creating and gathering together for a time defined by connecting with each other and the land.

See below for details, and don’t hesitate to reach out to erin@berbo.studio with any questions.

ACTIVITIES:

• Hiking

• Swimming

• Natural dyeing

• Guided herb forage

• Wild-crafted drinks & snacks

• Exploring, relaxing, eating, and enjoying!

ITINERARY:

Friday 6/21

• 3-5pm: Arrive & set up at camp

• 5:30pm: Leisurely “get to know you” activity

• 7pm: Welcome dinner

• 8pm to bedtime: Relax around the campfire

Saturday 6/22

• 7:30am: Coffee, tea, breakfast

• 8:30am: Sun-printing dye “workshop”

• 10:30am: Guided plant walk & herb foraging in Aliso Canyon

• 12pm: Lunch

• 1-3pm: Free time (river swim?)

• 3pm: Herbal tonic “workshop”

• 5pm: Sun-print reveal

• 6-7pm: Free time

• 7pm: Dinner

• 8pm to bedtime: Campfire

Sunday 6/23

• 7:30am: Coffee, tea, breakfast

• 8:30-9:30am: Break down camp

• 10:00am: River swimming or Aliso Canyon exploring

• 12pm: Safe travels home!

FOOD: 

All meals (Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast/lunch/dinner, Sunday breakfast) are included on the retreat! Limited snacks and drinks will be supplied; you are encouraged to bring some supplementary snacks (and water) to sustain yourself during the duration of our time together.

Menu

• Welcome snack: lemon balm iced tea lemonade + 5 spice peanut butter cookie

• Friday dinner: soba salad with cucumber, tomato, avocado, sesame shoyu dressing, nori hibiscus furikake; Muddy Heaven farm tea with chamomile, mint, lavender 

• Saturday breakfast: oat pancakes with passionfruit curd, seasonal fruit, toasted coconut, flakey salt

• Saturday lunch: cashew soft cheese with homemade sourdough, crudités seasonal veg, cucumber koji pickle, nasturtium caper

• Saturday dinner: takikomi gohan one-pot magic with kabocha, daikon, green onion, mustard flower, purple sage, homemade kimchi, optional ramen egg

• Sunday breakfast: savory steel cut oats with cherry tomatoes, vegan ‘parmesan,’ balsamic glaze, fresh herbs

Herbal Syrup Workshop: Using just honey, water, lemon, and salt, we will create a delicious vehicle to capture the flavors of this particularly lush zone of the Los Padres National Forest. We will thoughtfully forage aromatic and medicinal plants like hummingbird sage, purple sage, mugwort, and elderflower that grow abundantly in Aliso Canyon. Their flavors will infuse into the simple syrup we make which we will later turn into an herbal spritzer to enjoy that evening. Each person will also make a jar of syrup to take home so they can relish in the flavors of these particular plants after we have left the campground. Keep using this technique to make more locally-flavored syrup for special drinks after you have gone home! 

Please make note of any dietary restrictions, needs, or allergies in the window that appears upon checkout.

LOGISTICS:

• No extensive camping experience is necessary to attend, but you’ll need to bring your own tent and sleeping arrangement (mattress, pad, sleeping bag, bedding, etc). Nearly all other camping essentials will be provided, and a spreadsheet with shared extras (lanterns, camping chairs, etc.) and recommended supplies will be sent out by email.

• Our campsite is at a moderate 2000 feet of elevation, with temperatures this time of year in the 50s at night and in the 60s/70s during the day.

• There is potable water available at our campsite, but I highly recommend bringing your own backup supply (e.g. a 2.5 gallon jug of spring water).

• Flush toilets are available on site. There are no showers.

• Keep in mind that this is a somewhat secluded campsite, approximately 20 miles outside of Santa Barbara (and away from gas stations, markets, etc.)

• Sorry, but dogs are not allowed on the retreat.

Exact location of our campsite, necessary supplies to bring, and other essential information will be provided by email in the weeks leading up to the retreat. Please ensure your email is correct when checking out, and don’t hesitate to reach out to erin@berbo.studio with any questions.