Edible Wild Plant/Mushroom Walks and Talks -
Preliminary Schedule for the Year 2023.
Dulse Seaweed - Photo by 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. Watch a segment about Russ that aired on the Chronicle TV show on 7/27/21.
| Date | Time | Sponsor(s) | Location |
|---|
| Wed., March 15 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Bidwell House Museum
(slide show) | online |
| Thurs. March 23 | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | James A. Tuttle (Antrim Public) Library
(slide show) | Antrim, NH |
| Sat. April 1 | T.B.A. | York County Master Gardener Program
(slide show) | Wells, ME |
| Thurs. April 27 | 6:30PM - 8:30 PM | Charlton Public Library
(slide show) | Charlton, MA |
| Mon., May 8 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM | Connolly Branch, Boston Public Library
(slide show) | Jamaica Plain, MA |
| Mon., May 22 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | North County Land Trust
(walk) | Ashby, MA |
| Tues. May 23 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Gleason (Carlisle Public) Library
(walk) | Carlisle, MA |
| Fri., 6/9 - Sun. 6/11 | T.B.A. | International Herb Symposium*
(walk + in-person/online talk) | Norton, MA |
| Wed., June 14 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Citizens for Lexington Conservation
(walk) | Lexington, MA |
| Thurs. June 22 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | Provincetown Conservation Trust
(slide show) | Provincetown, MA |
| Fri., July T.B.A. | 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM | D Acres*
(slide show) | Dorchester, NH |
| Sat., July T.B.A. | T.B.A. | D Acres*
(walk) | Dorchester, NH |
| Tues. July 18 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Plymouth Public Library
(slide show) | Plymouth, MA |
| Wed., Oct. 11 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM | Lexington Field and Garden Club
(slide show) | Lexington, MA |
(Additional programs for 2023 will be added here as arrangements are worked out with program sponsors.)
NOTE: The events listed below are from last year (2022). Some of these were recorded and are available online; in those cases you will see an active link in the "Location" column.
| Date | Time | Sponsor(s) | Location |
|---|
| Wed. April 6 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Newton Conservators
(slide show) | online |
| Thurs., April 14 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Hooksett Public Library
(slide show) | Hooksett, NH |
| Thurs.,April 21 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Rensselaer Plateau Alliance
(slide show) | online |
| Mon., May 9 | 12 Noon - 2:00 PM | Middlesex Conservation District*#
(walk) | Acton, MA |
| Mon., May 9 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Groton Conservation Trust
(slide show) | Groton, MA |
| Thurs., May 12 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Farrington Nature Linc*
(walk) | Lincoln, MA |
| Sat., May 14 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon | Columbia Land Conservancy*#
(walk) | Canaan, NY |
| Mon., May 16 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Citizens for Lexington Conservation
(walk) | Lexington, MA |
| Tues., May 17 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Metacomet Land Trust#
(walk) | Uxbridge, MA |
| Sun., May 22 | 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM | Hildene - The Lincoln Family Home
(slide show and walk) | Manchester, VT |
| Tues., May 24 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Northfield Public Library
(walk) | Northfield, MA |
| Thurs., May 26 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Flint (aka Middleton Public) Library*
(walk) | Middleton, MA |
| Wed., June 1 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Waltham Fields Community Farm*
(walk) | Waltham, MA |
| Tues., June 7 | 5:30 - 7:30 PM | Tower Hill Botanic Garden*#
(walk) | Boylston, MA |
| Wed., June 8 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Buzzards Bay Coalition*
(walk) | Acushnet, MA |
| Fri., June 10 | 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM | Berkshire 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 28 | 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Audubon Society of Rhode Island*
(walk) | Bristol, RI |
| Wed., June 29 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Melrose Public Library
(slide show) | online |
| Thurs., July 7 | 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM | Holly Hill Organic Farm*
(walk) | Cohasset, MA |
| Sat., July 9 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | The Nature Museum*
(walk) | Grafton, VT |
| Tues., July 12 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Bedrock Gardens*
(walk) | Lee, NH |
| Wed., July 13 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Westport Conservation Land Trust*
(walk) | Westport, MA |
| Tues. July 19 | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Fort Williams/Wild Seed Project
(walk) | Cape Elizabeth, ME |
| Wed., July 20 | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Viles Arboretum/Wild Seed Project*
(walk) | Augusta, ME |
| Fri., July 29 | 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM | D Acres*
(slide show) | Dorchester, NH |
| Sat., July 30 | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | D Acres*
(walk) | Dorchester, NH |
| Tues., Sept 6 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Mattapoisett Public Library
(slide show) | Mattapoisett, MA |
| Fri., Sept. 9 | 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM | Essex National Heritage Area*
(walk) | Salem, MA
(Bakers Island) |
| Tues. Sept. 13 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Baker Free Library
(slide show) | Bow, NH |
| Wed., Sept. 14 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Waltham Fields Community Farm*
(walk) | Waltham, MA |
| Thurs., Sept 15 | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Berkshire Community College/Housatonic Heritage*
(walk) | Monterey, MA |
| Thurs., Sept 22 | 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM | Wilbraham Public Library
(walk) | Wilbraham, MA |
| Thurs. Sept. 22 | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | Granville Public Library
(slide show) | Granville, MA |
| Thurs., Sept. 29 | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Tower Hill Botanic Garden*
(walk) | Boylston, MA |
| Thurs., Oct. 6 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 Noon | Bedrock Gardens*
(walk + hands-on) | Lee, NH |
| Wed., Oct. 12 | 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM | Brookline Public Library
(slide show) | Brookline, NH |
| Thurs. Oct. 13 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Gilford Public Library
(slide show) | Gilford, NH |
| Wed., Nov. 30 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Smyth (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); 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); Essex Heritage: (978)-740-0444); Buzzards Bay Coalition (Laura Lamar, lamar@savebuzzardsbay.org); Holly Hill Farm (Cindy Prentice, cindy@hollyhillfarm.org); Wild Seed Project: (info@wildseedproject.net); D Acres (dacres.permaculturefarm@gmail.com); International Herb Symposium (Kristen Eaton, kristen@unitedplantsavers.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: 1/20/2023
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