This widely overlooked park offers extraordinary foraging opportunities across one of New York's finest seashore habitats. The sandy, nutrient-poor soil that limits tree cover actually benefits a diverse range of sun-loving, hardy plants that have adapted beautifully to this environment. Many species get an early start in late winter and early spring, and the same plants reappear in late fall under similar conditions of light and temperature.
Just steps from where the tour begins, you will find a disturbed habitat typical of urban parks, hosting large stands of burdock, one of the most nutritious and versatile of all wild root vegetables. The open fields south of Avenue U offer an impressive array of edible greens, including curly yellow dock (no relation to Moe Dock or Larry Dock, Nyuck! Nyuck! Nyuck!), bitter dock, garlic mustard, field garlic, sheep sorrel, poor man's pepper, lamb's quarters, and winter cress, each with distinct flavors and traditional uses.
The combination of sun and sandy soil makes this one of the region's best sites for wild root vegetables. Expect to encounter sweet wild parsnips, peppery common evening primrose roots, wild carrots (Queen Anne's lace) with their distinctive flavor, and sassafras, the original source of root beer flavor.
Fruit and berries often persist well into late fall. The group may find winged sumac, which produces a tangy pink lemonade when prepared correctly, and autumn olive berries, whose flavor combines notes of raspberry, currant, and pomegranate. Black nightshade is also often present. While the leaves are not safe to eat, ripe black nightshade berries are edible and have a flavor reminiscent of sweet tomatoes.
Late-season mushrooms such as oyster mushrooms and enoki are always a possibility. With adequate rain in the preceding days, large quantities of blue-tinged blewit mushrooms may appear in the woodlot just west of the handball courts off Gerritson Avenue, as they have on previous tours.
Notes:
- Participants should be dressed appropriately for the weather and should be aware that subway service in this area can be unreliable, as trains are frequently rerouted or cancelled due to track work.
- Sandals are not appropriate due to mosquitoes, thorns, and poison ivy. Bring plastic bags for vegetables and herbs, paper bags for mushrooms, containers for berries from late spring through fall, water, lunch, and extra layers when it's cold.
- Digging implements and pocket knives are optional.
- Dogs are welcome. Children are warmly encouraged to attend.
- Smoking is not permitted at any time during the tour.
The 4-hour walking tour begins at Avenue U and Burnett Street.
