Russ Cohen

Russell A. Cohen stopped by the Research Library last fall and noticed that we did not have a copy of his book, Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten, in our reference collection. He promptly gave us a copy and generously included a large handful of shelled shagbark hickory nuts and some delicious cookies made with hickory nuts. The cookies disappeared the next morning at a staff meeting, but we saved the nuts and shared them during the Native Cooking demonstration on the Farmstead. We all now know how hard it is to crack and pick the meat out of shagbark hickory nuts.

Russ, who is Rivers Advocate, Division of Ecological Restoration, Department of Fish and Game, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is coming the Museum on Wednesday, April 23. At 11:30-12:15 pm, he talks about the food we can find in the spring. From 1-2 pm, he talks about finding and preparing summer and fall foods. Maybe you will be able to "shop" in the fields and forests this spring and summer.

His talks are part of our Earth Week celebration and are free with Museum admission and free to Museum members.  If you have ever wanted to forage for food, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn about eating wild plants and to meet an engaging forager.