Back To Classes, Back To Foraging

This is my favorite time of year—when my classroom is both indoors and outdoors. As a Biology Professor at the University of Texas in Austin as well as the Founder and Forager for WildGins, my autumns are just a wee bit busy as I juggle my many hats. Early Fall is Texas’ wild juniper foraging season, and it is the time of the year I learn the most about our unique Texas Junipers and the other creatures that call West Texas home.

1. The Season of Learning and Foraging

Indoor classrooms aren’t the only places bursting with growth and discovery. When it comes to crafting extraordinary gin, the best lessons happen outdoors. Autumn is the perfect moment to lace up your boots, breathe in that early-fall air, and step into the wild foraging season.

Last weekend, I enjoyed my first foraging trip of the season, and one of the first things I learned is that you need to hone your eyes upward to find the beautiful berries on the trees…but also downward to avoid running into some of the critters that call West Texas Home.

As a Biologist you might think I have warm and fuzzy feelings for all animals. That’s not entirely true. I have to admit that I am an arachnophobe. So when I came across this Texas Brown Tarantula, I may have let out a small shriek. Small but audible. But then I got brave with my camera, and was transfixed with the grace of this ‘scary’ creature.

Before you begin to think that all the creatures out west are scary, take heart. For less than 100 feet away from this rather large (she was probably 3-4 inches) tarantula, I spotted a good dozen enchanting amphibians that were crossing the road.

The red-spotted toad is an ephemeral treasure in West Texas. I’m assuming the healthy rains in late summer has provided just the right conditions for a healthy hatch of these cute critters. I’ve been roaming around the West Texas mountains for 10 years now, and this was my first sighting of these little guys. Cute, huh?

2. Why Fall Foraging Matters

As the summer heat eases across our West Texas landscapes, the native Texas junipers step into their prime, offering bold flavors just waiting to be discovered. The fall is essential to our foraging as it brings out the boldest flavors for our gin, and it is also the season we ‘give back’.

• Seasonality Defined
  As summer wanes, juniper berries grow richer and emerge in their most potent forms. These seasonal shifts create a dynamic botanical palette that’s uniquely “now.” I’ve done lots of experimenting on the ‘right state of ripeness’ of these junipers, and that all happens in the fall.
• Flavor Complexity Elevated
  Take the Redberry Juniper—its bold, fruity edge brings new dimensions to WildJune. Or consider the herbal brightness of Alligator Juniper for WildBark, elevating both aroma and depth in every sip. You can dive deeper on the differences between these wonderful botanicals on our Our Products page 
• True Sustainability in Action
  Foraging is more than flavor—it’s stewardship. By carefully foraging and preserving juniper habitats, we’re rooting our gin (and our future) in sustainable practices. We sponsor a Give Back to the Land Campaign in the fall (starting in November) in which we give proceeds to the Nature Conservancy—the West Texas Chapter. Read about our conservation efforts on our “Give a Wild Buck” page.

3. Classroom Meets Cocktails: Let’s Explore a WildGins ‘Back to School’ Cocktail

Back-to-school season isn’t just about sharpened pencils and fresh notebooks—it’s a reminder of the power of learning, exploration, and discovery. And that goes for your palate as much as your mind.

What if your next science project was actually a cocktail experiment? Imagine mixing botanicals like you’d mix pigments in art class, or studying aromas like scents in chemistry lab—except your classmates get to taste the results.

Here’s a quick “Gin Lab” lesson you can try:

APPLE FOR TEACHER

Double serving, for sharing, or one teacher –

• 5 oz WildJune Gin
• 3/4 oz Laird’s Straight Apple brandy
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 3/4 oz Lemon juice
• 5 oz Martinelli cider (from the 10 oz bottle)

Made to be rebottled for delivery and served from one of the classic little 10 fl oz Martinelli bottles – Pour out and reserve 5 oz of the cider from the 10 oz bottle for the next round.

Top up the bottle with the other ingredients.

Chill in the freezer (keep an eye on it) or submerged in an ice bucket and wait for the last school bell to ring.

It can be served over ice, but out of the bottle with a straw seems cuter.

Want more inspiration? Head over to our How to Drink page for tasting suggestions, or unleash creativity with our cocktail recipes with WildJune and WildBark.

4. Quick Field Guide: Forage-Friendly Texas

Nothing complements the start of school better than a weekend field trip—except this one involves the great outdoors and a spirit of discovery:

• West Texas Juniper Hills – Crisp air, rich foliage, and the perfect juniper harvest grounds for WildJune.
• County Greenbelts & Nature Trails – Trees and creatures abound in our greenbelts. Go find yourself a wilderness app (there are ones for plants and animals) and have fun discovering them!
• Edwards Plateau Regions – Great for spotting all sorts of fun amphibians.

Check our Where to Drink page to pair your hike with a post-foraging cocktail at a nearby venue.

5. Back-to-School, Back to the Wilderness

Just like a fresh syllabus can spark curiosity, stepping into a field with a basket in hand can teach you more about flavor, texture, and scent than any classroom ever could.

Swap the chalkboard for a trail, textbooks for tinctures, and desks for bits of bark and berries. Your taste buds—and your Gin—will come back with extra credit.