Now Forage

Common hackberry: Small, round berries turn from orange-red to dark purple-black. Ripe when dark and slightly soft; sweet, date-like flavour with a hard seed. Persistent through winter — a valuable wildlife and emergency food. Eat fresh or dry and grind (seed included).

Mulberry: Ripe when fully coloured (white, red, or black by species) and falls at a touch. Spread a sheet and shake the branches. Extremely perishable — process or eat immediately.