Now Forage

Cherry: Deep red and glossy; stem pulls cleanly. Taste is the best test — sweet and juicy when ripe, still astringent if picked too early.

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.

Lemon (Citrus): Uniformly yellow skin; heavy for its size. Can stay on the tree for months once yellow. Scratch the skin — a strong lemon scent confirms ripeness.

Lime: Persian limes are harvested green and mature green; Key limes turn slightly yellow when fully ripe and very juicy. Heavy for its size and yields to light pressure. Green limes are still at peak acidity and fully usable.

Mandarin: Deep orange, slightly loose skin that separates easily from the segments. Heavy for its size. The skin can pucker and look slightly wrinkled when fully ripe — not a sign of spoilage.

elderberry: Dark blue-black clusters when ripe. Cook thoroughly before eating — raw berries are mildly toxic. Ripe when all berries are dark and clusters hang downward.