Late summer crops are emerging at the Emerson Street Food Forest.

Located at 4515 Emerson St. at the corner of Emerson and 46th streets in Hyattsville, the pesticide-free planned garden is full of berries, fruits, herbs and nut trees that are free to pick for any visitor between dawn and dusk.

“Just bring your own scissors and a bag to carry home your goods!” the city of Hyattsville noted recently. “Remember to always wash produce before eating.”

In Maryland, blackberries and raspberries are generally ripe from August to September, though some of the plants look past their prime currently. Black chokeberries, which are good for jams but too astringent to eat raw, and beach plums are in abundance and nearly ripe.

Sorrel, an herb that adds a lemony flavor to sauces and soups; figs and elderberry growing at the food forest should also be ripe soon.

The park also includes walnut and pecan trees; currant, pomegranate, kiwi, Nanking cherry and mulberry, among other crops.

The food forest is part of a growing movement to encourage urban foraging. The city also runs the McLanahan Food Forest on the 3400 block of Oliver Street near the Prince George’s Plaza Metro station.

College Park also has a food forest which can be found along the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail located between Greenbelt Road and Tecumseh Street, and Greenbelt has one at the Springhill Lake Recreation Center at 6101 Cherrywood Lane.

For a detailed map of the various crops at the Emerson Street Food Forest and to plan your visit, click here:

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