In a world where most of our food comes to us in packets, eating from the wild can be a daunting prospect. Yet a recent Sunday morning saw a group of 20 or so culinary adventurers taking a guided walk at Pickards Mountain Earth Institute, led by ethno-botanist Frank Cook.

The group learned about the edible and medicinal properties of plants more commonly thought of as weeds -- everything from nettles to Russian olive came under the spotlight as potential sources of food. Even blackberries were viewed in a new light, as Cook explained how the leaves and roots can be used for their astringent properties in treating digestive upsets. Tim Toben, co-founder of Pickards Mountain and one of the partners in the Greenbridge development in downtown Chapel Hill, doesn't expect everyone to return to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle overnight, but he does see wild food as a great way to connect with our predecessors, and believes there may come a time when this knowledge is once again vital:

"The Piedmont bioregion was once one of the most biodiverse in the world," Toben said. "Its rich vestiges still surround Chapel Hill. The foods and medicines that exist both in our native plants and our cultivated crops are not as well understood today as they were in past generations and among Native Americans. One of the goals of Pickards Mountain is to connect plant enthusiasts with plants, so that that local knowledge can be regenerated and expanded."

Pickards Mountain Earth Institute, which Toben founded with his wife Megan, is set on 350 acres of diverse woodland and hosts organic gardens, a biofuels co-op, and runs workshops and guided tours on everything from natural building to sustainable food systems. This summer, from July 7-11, the institute is hosting a summer camp called Sisters of the Forest, for young women. See www.pickardsmountain.org.