Edible Wild Plant/Mushroom Walks and Talks -
Schedule for the Year 2022.



Dulse Seaweed - Photo by Russ Cohen

Leader/Instructor: Russ Cohen


Please contact Russ at eatwild@rcn.com or (781) 646-7489 (h) for more information. Click here for information on Russ's foraging book: "Wild Plants I Have Known...and Eaten". Copies of the book will be available at all the "in person" events below. FYI, an excerpt of Russ' book can be read on-line in the Jan/Feb 2005 edition of Spirit of Change Magazine. Click here to see and listen to Russ' October 2013 appearance on NPR affiliate WGBH, including video clips and an interview on Boston Public Radio, about fall foraging opportunities in eastern Massachusetts. Click here to read "Outdoor Dining: Foraging with Russ Cohen", a profile appearing in the September/October 2014 edition of the Appalachian Mountain Club's AMC Outdoors magazine. Read a profile of Russ appearing in Northern Woodlands Magazine's Community Conversations, October, 2020. NEW! Watch a segment about Russ that aired on the Chronicle TV show on 7/27/21.

DateTimeSponsor(s)Location
Wed. April 67:00 PM - 8:30 PMNewton Conservators
(slide show)
online
Thurs., April 146:30 PM - 8:30 PMHooksett Public Library
(slide show)
Hooksett, NH
Thurs.,April 217:00 PM - 8:30 PMRensselaer Plateau Alliance
(slide show)
online
Mon., May 912 Noon - 2:00 PMMiddlesex Conservation District*#
(walk)
Acton, MA
Mon., May 97:00 PM - 9:00 PMGroton Conservation Trust
(slide show)
Groton, MA
Thurs., May 126:00 PM - 8:00 PMFarrington Nature Linc*
(walk)
Lincoln, MA
Sat., May 1410:00 AM - 12:00 NoonColumbia Land Conservancy*#
(walk)
Canaan, NY
Mon., May 166:00 PM - 8:00 PMCitizens for Lexington Conservation
(walk)
Lexington, MA
Tues., May 175:30 PM - 7:30 PMMetacomet Land Trust#
(walk)
Uxbridge, MA
Sun., May 221:00 PM - 4:30 PMHildene - The Lincoln Family Home
(slide show and walk)
Manchester, VT
Tues., May 245:30 PM - 7:30 PMNorthfield Public Library
(walk)
Northfield, MA
Thurs., May 266:00 PM - 8:00 PMFlint (aka Middleton Public) Library*
(walk)
Middleton, MA
Wed., June 16:00 PM - 8:00 PMWaltham Fields Community Farm*
(walk)
Waltham, MA
Tues., June 75:30 - 7:30 PMTower Hill Botanic Garden*#
(walk)
Boylston, MA
Wed., June 86:00 PM - 8:00 PMBuzzards Bay Coalition*
(walk)
Acushnet, MA
Fri., June 102:30 PM - 4:00 PMBerkshire Community College*
(slide show)
online
Sat., June 18 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Mass Audubon's Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary*
(slide show and walk)
Barnstable, MA
Tues., June 281:00 PM - 3:30 PMAudubon Society of Rhode Island*
(walk)
Bristol, RI
Wed., June 297:00 PM - 8:30 PMMelrose Public Library
(slide show)
online
Thurs., July 73:30 PM - 6:00 PM Holly Hill Organic Farm*
(walk)
Cohasset, MA
Sat., July 9 1:00 PM - 4:00 PMThe Nature Museum*
(walk)
Grafton, VT
Tues., July 1210:30 AM - 12:30 PMBedrock Gardens*
(walk)
Lee, NH
Wed., July 13 1:00 PM - 3:00 PMWestport Conservation Land Trust*
(walk)
Westport, MA
Tues. July 193:00 PM - 6:00 PMFort Williams/Wild Seed Project
(walk)
Cape Elizabeth, ME
Wed., July 203:00 PM - 6:00 PMViles Arboretum/Wild Seed Project*
(walk)
Augusta, ME
Fri., July 297:30 PM - 9:30 PMD Acres*
(slide show)
Dorchester, NH
Sat., July 301:00 PM - 4:00 PMD Acres*
(walk)
Dorchester, NH
Tues., Sept 66:00 PM - 8:00 PMMattapoisett Public Library
(slide show)
Mattapoisett, MA
Fri., Sept. 9 10:00 AM - 2:30 PMEssex National Heritage Area*
(walk)
Salem, MA
(Bakers Island)
Tues. Sept. 136:00 PM - 8:00 PMBaker Free Library
(slide show)
Bow, NH
Wed., Sept. 145:00 PM - 7:00 PMWaltham Fields Community Farm*
(walk)
Waltham, MA
Thurs., Sept 153:00 PM - 5:00 PMBerkshire Community College/Housatonic Heritage*
(walk)
Monterey, MA
Thurs., Sept 223:30 PM - 4:30 PMWilbraham Public Library
(walk)
Wilbraham, MA
Thurs. Sept. 226:30 PM - 8:00 PMGranville Public Library
(slide show)
Granville, MA
Thurs., Sept. 294:00 PM - 6:00 PMTower Hill Botanic Garden*
(walk)
Boylston, MA
Thurs., Oct. 610:00 AM - 12:00 NoonBedrock Gardens*
(walk + hands-on)
Lee, NH
Wed., Oct. 124:30 PM - 6:00 PM Brookline Public Library
(slide show)
Brookline, NH
Thurs. Oct. 13 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMGilford Public Library
(slide show)
Gilford, NH
Wed., Nov. 306:00 PM - 8:00 PMSmyth (Candia Public) Library
(slide show)
Candia, NH

§ = includes a wild foods tasting, cooking demonstration and/or dinner;
# = class is already full
* = It is necessary to pre-register directly with the Sponsor for these events. Click on the link(s) provided for each respective event for more info, or contact the sponsor via the following telephone numbers or emails:
Farrington Nature Linc (Zach@naturelinc.org); The Nature Museum: Jay DeGregorio, (412) 719-1080; Columbia Land Conservancy (Craig Wescott, (518) 392-5252 x 222); Waltham Fields Community Farm: (Jessica Herwick, (781) 899-2403); Mass Audubon's Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary (Sean Kordis, 508-362-7475 ext. 6117); Tower Hill Botanic Garden: (508) 869-6111); Essex Heritage: (978)-740-0444); Middlesex Conservation District (Susan Thomas, (978) 303-8272); Flint (aka Middleton Public) Library: Charlie Pope, cpope@flintpublib.org; Buzzards Bay Coalition (Laura Lamar, lamar@savebuzzardsbay.org); Holly Hill Farm (Cindy Prentice, cindy@hollyhillfarm.org); Berkshire Community College (olli@berkshirecc.edu); Westport Land Conservation Trust(Mather Hoyt, mather@westportlandtrust.org;) Wild Seed Project: (info@wildseedproject.net); D Acres (dacres.permaculturefarm@gmail.com); Bedrock Gardens (Roanne Robbins, education@bedrockgardens.org).

[Note: For those of you who haven't as yet attended one of the outdoor walks/courses, we usually encounter 25-40 different species of edible wild plants (and, in season, pending favorable weather conditions, mushrooms). Keys to the identification of each species are provided, as well as information about its edible portion(s), season(s)of availability, flavor and nutritive value, and some tips on preparation if necessary. Guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible foraging are also provided. Participants often find a jackknife and several bags for collecting samples useful as well as a notebook and pen. Those who have already been on one or more of these walks often find a refresher course of great value. In addition, there is a constantly changing variety of edible wild plants throughout the year, even at the same location, so that different plants are typically encountered on each visit. If you are especially interested in mushrooms (edible and otherwise), you might also want to check out the Boston Mycological Club. ]

Last update: 9/23/2022




Information on Russ's foraging book: "Wild Plants I Have Known...and Eaten"
Foraging articles by or about Russ in Mass. Wildlife Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Edible Boston Magazine, AMC Outdoors Magazine, etc.
Russ Cohen's Biography
Comprehensive (as of 1999) Edible Wild Plant etc. Bibliography, plus updated excerpt
Recipes, including "Faux Gumbo" and "100% Wild Salad" as prepared on the PBS Victory Garden TV program
List of Sponsoring Organizations of Russ' foraging programs