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There’s an increasing interest among homeowners, property managers and others to utilize more native species in their landscaping, thanks to books like Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home, which extol the virtues of native plants over exotic ornamentals for attracting and sustaining beneficial insects. Yet for some people, this alone may be insufficient motivation to “go native.” The “you can eat it too” aspect of many of our native species might provide the additional incentive you need to add native species to your yard. Juneberries, for example, are equally edible by critters and people alike. The taste of the ripe fruit is like a cross between cherries and almonds (they’re all related species in the Rose family). nJoin Russ Cohen, expert forager and author of “Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten,” for a 75-minute slide show featuring at least two dozen species of native edible wild plants suitable for adding to your own landscape, or nibbling on as you encounter them in the wild. Keys to the identification of each species will be provided, along with edible portions, seasons of availability and preparation methods, along with guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible foraging. Russ will also include a few details regarding some native edible plants he has grown successfully from seed, and the partnerships he has made with conservation groups and others to add edible native plants to their landscapes, highlighting examples from the North Shore. Last but not least, Russ will accompany his talk with handouts and bring along samples of foraged goodies made from edible native species for people to taste. nTickets will be sold at Waite and Peirce at $10 per ticket. There’s limited space for this incredible talk, so reserve a spot here on Facebook! n Source: https://www.salem.org/event/talk-with-russ-cohen-nibbling-on-natives-in-your-back-yard/