This workshop will focus on exploring the Lilliputian world of galls, burls, witches brooms, and non-metazoan plant diseases, as well as the plants they grow on. We will start with an introduction to the new field guide, Galls, Burls and Brooms of the North Woods, and learn some basic identification skills before heading out for a hike around Artist’s Point. There, we will train our eyes to notice lumpy leaves and other plant deformities, perfecting our identification skills as we go. As our bug eyes get calibrated, we will strike out for the Pincushion Mountain Superior Hiking Trail system. We will find many new-to-you species and are guaranteed to come across some species unknown to science! By the end of the workshop, students will never again be able to walk in the woods without seeing a gall.

We will be hiking on Artists Point and on the Superior Hiking Trail. These paths are unpaved, and contain many rough, uneven surfaces. We will not be traveling quickly and likely won’t go very far (due to the amount of stuff we will find) but be prepared to walk on these surfaces up to two miles round trip. Make sure you dress to be outdoors the entire day. This also includes packing any water or snacks you may need. We will be having lunch in the field/at Artist Point or The Pincushion parking lot overlook (depending on the temperature) so plan to bring a small lunch with you.

This course will include hiking on uneven surfaces for distances of up to two miles. Participants will drive to one field site, a few miles from North House.

This course is open to students ages 16+. Youth ages 12+ are welcome to register with an adult. Adult/child pairs will complete one project and pay one materials fee. A 25% tuition discount applies to the youth registrant when registering with a full-paying adult; call to register.

Required Tools

• Hiking shoes
• Water bottles
• Clothing and supplies to be comfortable outdoors all day in variable weather (such as a wind breaker, rain jacket, hat, insect repellent, sunscreen, etc.)
• Snacks as necessary
• Lunch- we will take a lunch break in the field, so please bring a packed lunch

Optional Tools

• A backpack
• Notebook and writing utensil
• Hand lens
• Small sample containers
• A small pair of pruning shears or pocket knife
• Small digital camera or Smartphone with camera
• Smartphone internet access to use iNaturalist app account or gallformers.org
• Plant identification field guides