Slow Food promotes "wild side" walk as part of May 25 Housatonic River walk

For more information contact: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lori K. van Handel May 10, 2006
413-458-2980/ lkvh@sover.net

Slowfood hosts wild edible walk and tasting in Great Barrington, MA.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Slow Food Western
Massachusetts invites the public to "Take a Walk
on the Wild Side" on Thursday, May 25 at
5:00-6:30 PM on the Housatonic River Walk in
Great Barrington, MA.

Join Russ Cohen, expert forager and author of the
recently-published book Wild Plants I Have
KnownŠand Eaten, on a ramble to learn about
edible wild plant species, including ramps (wild
leeks). Participants may encounter some edible
wild ginger and wild mushrooms as well. Keys to
the identification of each species will be
provided, along with information on edible
portions, seasons of availability, and
preparation methods, as well as guidelines for
safe and environmentally-responsible foraging.
Extreme weather cancels. The group with gather
at the W.E.B. Dubois garden on Church Street in
Great Barrington. Room to see and listen is
limited so please call 413-443-4245 to reserve a
space.

Between 6:30 and 7:30 Slow Food will host a
reception and wild food tastings at Rubiner's at
264 Main Street near Church Street. Russ Cohen
will be available to answer questions and sign
books, and Slow Food members can talk about this
growing world-wide volunteer movement dedicated
to protection of the land, ecologically sound
food production, supporting regional and
seasonal products and reviving the table as the
center of community and culture through a slower
more harmonious rhythm of life.

Russ Cohen is a professional environmentalist in
his 33nd year of teaching courses about wild
edibles. He received his bachelor's degree in
land use planning from Vassar College in 1978,
and received a masters in Natural Resources and a
law degree from Ohio State University in 1982. He
has been employed by the Riverways Program of the
Mass. Department of Fish and Game since 1988 and
has served as its Rivers Advocate since 1992.
Last year, he led over two dozen classes/walks
from May to October for over a dozen different
organizations, including the Massachusetts
Audubon Society, the New England Wild Flower
Society and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
During the "off-season", Russ writes articles on
foraging and gives slide presentations featuring
many of his favorite edible wild plants and
mushrooms found in New England. Russ'
recently-published foraging book, Wild Plants I
Have Known...and Eaten, came out in June of last
year. For more information about Russ:
http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/bio.htm

See Russ's article in Yankee Magazine that (among
other things) talks about foraging for wild
edibles in New England. Direct URL to the
article:
http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/yankee0.htm
http://users.rcn.com/eatwild/yankee0.htm