WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST?
I seem to know which stores have gumball machines throughout the Catskills & Hudson Valley due to my sweet-tooth; I also know where the “sweet-trees” are as well. Some of my favorite finds are found near parking lots. I found this white mulberry behind a gas station in Kingston. They were some of the best I’ve ever tasted; Kind of like honey. Some white mulberries are actually red and red mulberry is always red. However, some white mulberries are actually white, as you might expect. Apparently, they hybridize too, which complicates things. If white mulberry is considered invasive, then shoot. I guess the birds and I will make out just fine. I also found these serviceberries ripe for the picking in a parking lot in Kingston off of Route 32. All too often serviceberries seem to suffer from fungal issues when too much rain occurs. With all this dry weather, the berries were mostly fungus-free. Serviceberries are more like shrubby trees; The fruit is about the size of blueberries, turn dark purple when ripe and taste a little bit like vanilla. Usually, the birds get to them before they ripen. In both cases, the birds were squawking away. There was plenty to go around.
Ryan Trapani
Director of Forest Services
Catskill Forest Association