Saturday morning brought coffee and the Domino tag sale, where many sought, not only items, but a kind of energy as well, a kind of Phoenix, and a glimpse of a fabulous townhouse. After, I sought a hat for keeping the sun off my nose, and found without seek the first cherries of summer, the first blushing peonies, the first floating balloons. Sunday, an early morning walk, coffee, news. Later, found Lauren at the W. 72nd St. entrance to Central Park, where we kept our eyes out for fellow foragers, who were not difficult to locate once we found their leader, "Wildman" Steve Brill. We came away with knowledge of several lethal mushrooms, one non-lethal pixie of a fungus, and a healthy aversion toward People Who Pick up Turtles and Try to Pick Leeches Off Them (or I did, anyhow--I cannot speak for Lauren on this one). We also picked more than one kind of sorrel, which, taking the form of hearts and lamby heads and tasting of pink lemonade, probably fraternizes with fairies and gnomes. I chose not to seek anything Steve listed as Poisonous Without A Great Deal of Cooking, but many did, and many came away gleeful with armloads Things That Must Be Boiled. After, a long walk, and quiet moments with pink peonies, gnome-friendly leaves, dreams.
6 maids a-milking:
people really did go crazy about that pokeweed, didn't they? so much boiling!
i have been known to intercede when turtles are in distress, but in that case our aid seemed...excessive. my favorite part was when she was like, "and p.s., everyone who touched the turtle needs to QUARANTINE THEIR HANDS FOREVER."
When I lived on campus in San Diego, a trusty friend and I would forage around, as if the dining halls and Panda Express did not exist. We found mint and sticky reddish berries, kumquat cousins and edible greens. Friends thought we might not live until exams, but I loved it. A year in New York begins the end of May and I cannot wait to go on one of these tours, perhaps even before I unpack. However did you find such a brilliant thing?
L: I think it was the leach removal that had me skeezed.
K: I'd read about the Wildman somewhere, and Lauren mentioned that a friend of hers had done so before. Check out his link: he does them all year round, and in different parts of the city. I wouldn't go picking things without a guide, though.
Oh my goodness, that's so crazy to forrage like that - I would love to try it, it sounds so different!
http://fab.typepad.com/brunette
I checked out his website and jotted a few dates down. Thanks for the tips! And I agree: no unguided foraging (that was back in my wild youth accompanied by just a whim and a bio major. Thought we knew it all)
Who knew you could forage in Manhattan? New York really is the greatest city in the world, isn't it?
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