Saxon Woods Park
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Saxon Woods Park's forested areas and swamps are excellent places for late spring foraging, and we'll be very busy with a variety of native and exotic plant species as we explore these habitats. The sunny borders between woodlands and open areas provide prime habitat for wild herbs and greens. We'll look for sheep sorrel and wood sorrel, with their wonderful lemony flavors. Poor man's pepper, a common, delicious wild mustard, should also appear in great abundance in disturbed habitats, as will its even more abundant relative, garlic mustard, which grows in the forest. Disturbed areas are full of burdock, a delicious and healthful taproot, and its relative, common thistle. This forbiddingly thorny plant has a delicious, celery-like flower stalk. Simply handle with work gloves until you've peeled off the forbidding-looking thorns. |
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Burdock—Immature Flower Stalk
Prized by Italians, who call it cardune, burdock's immature flower stalk is great peeled, parboiled, and prepared like the heart of it's relative, the artichoke. |
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In the woods, we'll hunt for more edible and medicinal herbs and beverages such as greenbrier, ramps, and pokeweed shoots; sassafras roots, black birch twigs, ramps, and jewelweed, a preventative for poison ivy.
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The 90-minute walking tour begins at 10 AM, Saturday, May 24, at the Saxon Woods parking lot north of the Hutchinson River Parkway near the pool, not the southern entrance.
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Call (914) 835-2153 at least 24 hours in advance to reserve a place.
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