Pratt Center
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This 193-acre wildlife preserve and environmental education center features a wide variety of habitats—a mountain, meadows, woods, cultivated areas, fields, and wetlands—all loaded with their associated wild plants and mushrooms. This is my first visit, so the I'll be as surprised by what we find as the participants.
Nuts are at their peak now, and we'll be on the lookout for black walnuts, butternuts, shagbark hickories, white oaks, and hazelnuts. Without doubt some of these trees will be dropping loads of nuts. |
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Autumn fruits will also be in season. We'll be looking for smooth sumac, which makes pink lemonade; Amercian hackberries, which taste like the candy coating of M&Ms; hawthorn berries, somewhat similar to apples; autumn olives, which taste like a combination of raspberries, currants, and pomegranates; and common spicebush berries, an allspice-like seasoning and herb tea.
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Autumn Olive Berry These globular, red, speckled berries are very easy to recognize and easy to harvest. Cooked with a thickener and sweetner, they're ideal for any puréed fruit dessert or sauce. |
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Herbs, greens and roots such as ramps, sassafras, lamb's-quarters, burdock, common evening primrose, field garlic, sheep sorrel, mullein, and wild carrots may also be in evidence. |
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This is a great time for mushrooms, especially if there's been lots of rain beforehand. We'll look for chicken mushrooms, hen-of-the-woods, honey mushrooms, puffballs, meadow mushrooms, and princes.
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The 90-minute walking tour begins at 10 AM, Sunday, September 27, at The Pratt Center, 163 Paper Mill Rd. in New Milford, CT. The fee is $15/adult member, $17/adult non-member, $10 for kids under 12.
Call (914) 835-2153 at least 24 hours ahead to reserve a place. |