Prospect Park (Kids 12 & Under)

Prospect Park provides such a superabundance of wild foods in mid-spring, it's hard to cover them all in just four hours. We begin with spicy hedge mustard, corn-flavored chickweed, and spinach-flavored lamb's quarters, all growing near the park's Grand Army Plaza entrance.

Then we move along to goutweed, taking over along the path near the Vale of Cashmere (and throughout other sections of the park). This invasive European herb tastes like parsley, celery, and carrots.

Nearby, we'll munch on sweet-sour redbud flowers, then check out the asparagus-flavored Devil's walkingstick trees that grow next to sour-flavored Japanese knotweed shoots.

Meeting Place:

We will meet at the entrance of the park at Grand Army Plaza, at the stone benches next to the street that runs through the park, between the columns with the eagles, NOT under the traffic circle, and NOT in front of the library.

Please Note:

• Participants should bring lunch, a pen, plastic bags, paper bags, containers, closed shoes (there’s always poison ivy around), clothing appropriate for the weather, and drinking water. Digging implements are suggested. Kids and well-behaved dogs are welcome.
• Participants should be dressed for the weather, and be aware of very bad subway service. Trains are often canceled due to track work. 
• No sandals (there are mosquitoes, thorns and poison ivy). 
• Everyone should have plastic bags for veggies and herbs, paper bags for mushrooms, which spoil in plastic, containers for berries from late spring through fall, water and lunch, and extra layers when it's cold. Digging implements and pocket knives are optional. 
• Dogs are permitted. Children are encouraged to attend.
• There's no smoking whatsoever at any time.