This privately owned woodland offers exceptional foraging opportunities in the heart of autumn, providing access to a diverse range of edible and medicinal wild plants and gourmet mushrooms across its varied habitats.
Near the parking area, the group will find a rich collection of herbs and greens, including foxtail grass, mullein, lamb's quarters, yarrow, northern bayberry, and mugwort, along with root vegetables such as wild carrots and common evening primrose. Moving into the woods, you will encounter sassafras and black birch, two versatile trees with culinary and medicinal uses.
Autumn is prime time for white oak acorns on this property. Though they require shelling and leaching to remove their bitter tannin, the resulting nut is a delicious and nutrient-dense ingredient long used by Korean communities and Native American peoples. Black walnuts may also be falling from the trees, ready to be cracked open with rocks alongside the sweeter, equally rewarding shagbark hickory nuts.
The tour's most anticipated highlight is typically the mushroom haul. Following sufficient rain, past tours have yielded spectacular finds, including honey mushrooms, pear-shaped puffballs, chicken mushrooms, hen-of-the-woods (maitake), and oyster mushrooms growing in generous quantities. Nearby, a stand of wild leek (ramp) bulbs awaits, offering an intensely aromatic experience that tends to spread quickly through the group.
School Notes:
If you can't attend the class you signed up for, please call or email "Wildman" Steve Brill a day before the start of the class. No-call/no-show creates an inconvenience to all participants since we can’t tell if absentees are having transportation issues, and this delays the start of the tour/class.
Kindly note that price posted is our suggested donation only.
Please call your guide Steve at (914) 400-9135 the night before to confirm your class/tour will still be happening at its intended time as various circumstances may affect the start time.
