Now Forage

Grape: Berries fully coloured and slightly soft. Stem where it joins the bunch turns woody and brown. Seeds easily visible inside. Sweet throughout when fully ripe — taste from different parts of the cluster as they ripen unevenly. Grapes do not continue ripening after harvest.

Staghorn sumac: Deep red, fuzzy, cone-shaped seed clusters. Ripe in August–September. Soak clusters in cold water for 20–30 minutes, strain, and sweeten for pink 'sumac lemonade'. Very high in vitamin C. Do not confuse with white-berried poison sumac (wetlands, white berries = avoid).

White mulberry: White to pale pink or lavender when ripe. Very sweet and mild. Falls from the tree when ripe — spread a sheet below and shake. Extremely delicate; eat within hours. Ripe berries stain less than black mulberry but deteriorate even faster.