Now Forage

American plum: Red to yellow, about 2 cm across. Tart-sweet when ripe; flesh softens and the fruit falls readily. Good raw or cooked. Watch for early drop — often ready by mid-August.

Chokecherry: Small clusters ripen from red to very dark purple-black. Intensely astringent until fully dark; seeds and leaves contain hydrocyanic acid — cook or dry before eating in quantity. Best for jams and syrups.

Hawthorn: Deep red haws (berries) develop from green. Ripe when dark red and slightly soft. Edible raw but mealy — better for haw jelly, syrup, or wine. Contains a large stone. Improve after first frost.