Hunt for Wild Juneberries in Prospect Park with Naturalist/Author “Wildman” Steve Brill

Beginning at the Grand Army Plaza entrance, America’s go-to guy for foraging, “Wildman” Steve Brill, will lead one of his world-famous foraging tours of Prospect Park. Prospect Park is a great place for wild foods, and the summer is an especially rich season. This is the best time for flavorful juneberries and juicy mulberries. You won’t believe how good these berries, which you can’t buy anywhere, taste—and they grow throughout the park. Herbs and greens abound throughout the park as well. We’ll be finding goutweed, poor man’s pepper, hedge mustard, purslane, lamb’s-quarters, lady’s thumb, Asiatic dayflower, wood sorrel and sheep sorrel. Moist areas contain jewelweed, a cure for mosquito bites and a preventative for poison ivy. The edges of trails and overgrown areas abound in burdock, one of the few root vegetables in the summer. Sassafras grows in open woods, and this is the only park with Szechuan pepper, used in China to make fiery hot dishes. After a lunch break, we’ll search for black raspberries growing in thickets in the woods, and along the edges of paths. This native species is among the best fruits in the world. If there’s been enough rain, we may also come across gigantic chicken mushrooms, brittle russulas and prized bolete mushrooms (as well as the tasteless Berkeley’s polypore!)

The 4-hour walking tour has a suggested donation of $20/adult, $10/child under 12. Please call 914-835-2153 at least 24 hours in advance to reserve a place.

Contact: “Wildman” Steve Brill, 914-835-2153, [email protected], http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com.