Wild Edibles with Russ Cohen

Russ Cohen’s foraging book, Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten, originally published in 2004 and now (as of June, 2020) in its eighth printing, is a great complement to his walks and talks, as well as an engaging and accessible introduction for anyone new to the subject.

The book describes over forty species of edible wild plants commonly found in Essex County and, for that matter, most of New England. Artistic yet accurate illustrations by Stephanie Letendre augment the plant descriptions.

Russ's vivid descriptions, depth of knowledge and obvious enthusiasm for the subject make the book both fun and informative. The beginning sections include helpful general information on foraging, including safety concerns and etiquette, related conservation issues, and foraging with children.

Part Three includes detailed descriptions of fourteen of Russ’s favorite wild edible plants, including where and when to find each species, how to identify it, related natural and human history, health and nutritional benefits, recipes, and other interesting tidbits. The final section features brief summaries of 27 more edible species found throughout Essex County and beyond.

Last but not least, two extremely useful appendices are a highlight of the book. The first, “When to Pick Wild Edible Plants of New England,” details when to look for edible shoots, ripe fruits, and other wild plant foods during the year, helping readers time their foraging efforts appropriately. The “Edible Wild Plants Checklist and Rarity Ranking” appendix can serve as a foraging “life list” as well as a species-by-species guide for how to forage in an ecologically responsible manner. According to Russ, many owners of his book consider it well worth having for the appendices alone.

Russ’ book is published by the Essex County Greenbelt Association , a nonprofit land trust dedicated to conserving the open space heritage of Essex County. Both he and illustrator Stephanie Letendre generously donated their expertise and time to the creation of the book. In addition, Russ donates all proceeds from book sales to Greenbelt. Copies of the book are available for $15. Please call the Greenbelt office at (978) 768-7241, or purchase the book securely over the Web at Greenbelt’s online store*.

http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/bio.htm