Plant-based inks from carbon and glue date back to 2500 BC. Many local flora, with the correct recipe, can create beautiful dyes and inks for fabric, paints, and drawing, as well as for dip-pen writing. Discover some of the possibilities available right now—what colors can be made, and how to preserve and gift them. Try your hand at quill pen making, from a real feather, and test natural inks on cards to give or frame.

Please wear proper attire for this indoor/outdoor, possibly staining, program.

Andrea Porter is a professional naturalist and has been teaching programs for all age groups and abilities for over 17 years. She holds a masters in natural resources from the University of Idaho, a Bachelor of Science from State University of New York at Cortland in Outdoor Recreation Management with a concentration of Environmental Interpretation, and an Associate's in Applied Science from Finger Lakes Community College in Natural Resources Conservation. Andrea's passion and education is the perfect recipe to foster connections between people and nature. Her professional training has also lead her to become a prescribed wildland firefighter, and a certified wildlife rehabilitator in the state of Iowa. Her hopes to be certified in the state of South Dakota in the near future. In her free time she enjoys kayaking, biking, nature photography, hiking, and more.