Now Forage

Black mulberry: Deep purple-black when ripe; intensely flavoured and juicy. Spread a tarp and shake the tree — ripe fruits fall immediately. Stains everything permanently — wear old clothes. Do not pick unripe red berries (mildly hallucinogenic).

Blackberry: Fully black (not red or dark red) and comes off the stem with no resistance — zero pull. Dull rather than shiny; a shiny black berry is still slightly underripe and tart. Eat the same day for best flavour.

Dewberry: Like a smaller blackberry on a trailing cane. Fully black and separates easily. A waxy bloom on ripe berries. Ripe before blackberries in most areas.

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.

Wild garlic: Star-shaped white flowers and glossy, oval leaves appearing in March–May. Harvest leaves before the flowers open for best flavour. Strong garlic smell confirms identification — do not confuse with toxic lily of the valley (no garlic smell). Bulbs, leaves, and flowers all edible.