WARWICK — Wild plants can be eaten, but you have to know which ones to look for.
A walk Saturday with naturalist John Root will give the basics of identifying edible plants in the wild. The tour is at Chase Hill Farm at 74 Chase Hill Road, starting at 10 a.m. and going about an hour and a half. Admission is free.
Root has been studying edible plants since earning his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1972.
The best edible plants grow in open spaces, rather than in the woods where there is less sunlight, Root said. Green, leafy weeds are the most promising.
“To me this is gourmet,” Root said. “They’re not just edible, they’re delicious. This is not starvation food.”
Root has led about 10 edible plants tours so far, funded by grants from cultural councils. An organic farm like Chase Hill Farm is an ideal setting for a tour, Root said, because even the wild plants will be safe to eat.
He also has a landscaping business called Earthwise Landscaping, through which he focuses on sustainable landscaping that accommodates local wildlife and incorporates edible plants.
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-772-0261 ex 261.