Sustainability Education in Appalachian Ohio
Tenderfoot / ten·der·foot / noun
· a novice or beginner
· one who walks with a light footprint on natural resources
· a long-distance hiker at the beginning of their journey
This Giving Season…
your contribution supports a sustainable future. With your help, we’re offering affordable programs, from one-day workshops to month-long residencies. We’re building green infrastructure, preserving an ecosystem, and fostering love for people and planet.
Learn, Serve, Stay With Us
Spring Break Experiences
Interested in living more sustainably with like-minded people? Experience a new lifestyle and culture without the high cost of traditional study abroad.
Summer Internships
Join a cohort of students with interdisciplinary skills living together to work on local sustainable projects.
Workshops
Choose from an array of topics and we’ll customize the workshop to your group’s age, size, and purpose. Great for scout troops, school clubs, church groups, professional teambuilding, or friends looking for a unique way to hang out.
HipCamp
Rent Tenderfoot’s campsites to disconnect from the daily grind and reconnect with nature. All proceeds from our campsites directly support our sustainability education programs.
Recent Events
Pawpaw festival
September 15 – 17
Congratulations to our raffle winners who won passes to our major 2024 events: Memorial & Labor Day Eco Retreats and our first Hammock Festival. We also raffled off last year’s community art piece and made this year’s. Can’t wait to see you at Pawpaw 2024!
Fall Fungi Festival
October 14 – 15
Foraging hikes, cooking demonstrations, growing workshops, kid-friendly activities, nature-inspired art, live music, and mushroom-based meals…this festival had it all!
Looking for a host for a nature-based event? Contact us!
Fall volunteer day
& Lunch
October 21
Thanks to ServeOhio for funding our Make a Difference Day project! 25 volunteers helped winterize our garden, plant fall garlic, clear invasive species, and prep the build site for our outdoor classroom.
What Students Are Saying
“Tenderfoot has given me an experience of a lifetime. Practically learning skills through gardening, cooking, project collaboration, and adventure have all greatly impacted my knowledge of sustainability.”
— Anna Grabowsky, Ohio University, ’25
“Tenderfoot has provided me with the perfect environment for learning… everyone is patient and accepting of the inevitable learning curve. And there isn’t any pressure to be perfect as everyone, including the teachers, is learning with us!”
— Veronica Jennings, Ohio University, ’26
“Eating is universal. It’s a great starting point for living more sustainably. That’s why we make food the heart of the Tenderfoot experience. “
Lindsey Rudibaugh, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Tenderfoot
Photo credit: Robert Buchanan
What We’re Cooking
