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Central Park (Teens/Adults)

Embark on a culinary adventure through the abundant wilderness of mid-spring, where you'll discover a treasure trove of vibrant flavors and textures. From spicy mustard greens to tender cattail shoots, create an unforgettable salad experience using wild ingredients found in Central Park. Unleash your inner gourmet as you explore the hidden gems of nature's pantry.

  • All levels
  • 13 and older
  • $20
  • Earn 10% Rewards
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  • At E 106th St, New York, NY
  • 4 hours

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Start Dates (3)

  • $20/person
  • 4 hours
  • Manhattan at Inside Central Park West and West 72nd St.
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Class Description

Description

What you'll learn in this nature tours class:

Central Park provides a great window into the world of wild foods of mid-spring. It's the peak of the season for wild salad greens, and we'll be finding great quantities of renewable ingredients: Spicy mustard greens, such as garlicky garlic mustard, hot hedge mustard, and even hotter poor man's pepper, will abound on lawns or under trees anywhere, and lemony sheep sorrel thrives in sunny places. 

Offset their flavors in a salad with milder-tasting greens such as violet leaves, lamb's-quarters, Asiatic dayflower, and chickweed, also quite abundant. With the inclusion of tender, cucumber-flavored cattail shoots, you'll have the best salad you've ever eaten.

Wild mushrooms, if present, will provide a gourmet side dish. We could find fairy ring mush

Please Note:

  • Participants should be dressed for the weather, and be aware of very bad subway service. Trains are often canceled due to track work.
  • No sandals (there are mosquitoes, thorns and poison ivy). Everyone should have plastic bags for veggies and herbs, paper bags for mushrooms, which spoil in
  • Plastic, containers for berries from late spring through fall, water and lunch, and extra layers when it's cold. Digging implements and pocket knives are optional.
  • Please bring plastic bags for vegetables and herbs, paper bags for mushrooms, drinking water, and a pen (to sign in).
  • Dogs are permitted. Children are encouraged to attend.
  • There's no smoking whatsoever at any time.
School Notes:
If you can't attend the class you signed up for, please call or email "Wildman" Steve Brill a day before the start of the class. No-call/no-show creates an inconvenience to all participants since we can’t tell if absentees are having transportation issues, and this delays the start of the tour/class.

Kindly note that price posted is our suggested donation only.

Refund Policy

  • Participants can cancel 2 business days before an event and get a refund less a 5% nonrefundable registration fee.
  • If the participant failed to show up in the tour or failed to notify about their absence 2 business days before the class, they will be required to pay a $25 penalty per person before being allowed on another tour.
  • In any event where a customer wants to cancel their enrollment and is eligible for a full refund, a 5% processing fee will be deducted from the refund amount.

Reviews of Classes at "Wildman" Steve Brill (184)

(4.4-star rating across 184 reviews)
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by ellen b. on 8/29/2022
    Loved it. But I think there were too many people. Walks should be smaller
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by sabina H. on 8/29/2022
    this was so much fun! recommend to everyone who loves nature
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Eunnye Y. on 9/28/2021
    I loved learning foraging at the Central Park with Steve who offered me better understanding the ecology of where I live. This was my second tour with him and I invited four friends and they all enjoyed learning very much.
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by LESLIE J. on 6/7/2021
    It was a great experience! Just don't do it in 90-degree weather...(smile)
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Susan K. on 6/7/2021
    Enjoyed every moment of this tour! Strongly recommending, you will have a lot of fun!
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Fran C. on 5/17/2021
    So interesting to see all the edibles in our midst. I wish I had bought his book before the class to prep for him
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Monalisa G. on 5/2/2021
    Was great, super informative and enjoyable!
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Mark R. on 11/2/2020
    Instructor was extremely knowledgeable. It was difficult to hear the information though, as many children (and some adults) had frequent ongoing full voice conversations oblivious to the fact that some people were actually trying to pay attention to the speaker. Biggest disappointment though was the total lack of social distancing, with at least one pre-teen not even wearing a mask.
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Nicole B. on 8/10/2020
    This was a great class, super informative, fun, and family-friendly. A group of friends and I took the class together and it was really helpful for future foraging! I think a more socially distant approach could help during these times (maybe a smaller group?) as well as a shorter class time. Steve is amazing and we thank him for a great afternoon in Central Park!
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by marisa F. on 5/27/2019
    It was the best ever course I had done, I learned a lot about foraging, I advise anyone to do so, there are lots of things to forage in the park anywhere and Steve Brill is the best, very knowledgable funny a true comediante, I sure will go to others foraging trips with him again
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Molly H. on 10/8/2018
    Fabulous! He’s great with kids and super knowledgeable. Would do it again
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Anonymous review on 9/25/2017
    Class was great! Instructor was extremely knowledgable and had a sense of humor (sometimes a little "yuck yuck" but hey he was trying). Appreciated that he went through the plants on nutritional properties, as well as medicinal. With recipes and sometimes snacks to boot. I would love to do it again in another season to see what else is up there in Central Park.
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Gideon G. on 8/29/2017
    My wife and I are glad that we took this tour and recommend it highly. Around 25 people participated in our tour, which meant we were sometimes standing in the back row, but Mr. Brill and his daughter spoke loudly and clearly, and showed photos and sketches on an iPad and notebook in addition to passing around samples of each plant, so everyone was able to hear the explanations of the various flora we encountered. Mr. Brill is an entertaining and informative guide with a knack for story-telling and he was popular with the kids on our tour, of which there were a half-dozen. The kids also enjoyed running around with Mr. Brill's daughter looking for berries or tossing a ball while their elders plodded along the trails. The walking itself was not strenuous - several participants even brought baby strollers - but there were a few staircases to navigate. After the tour, Mr. Brill offered some of his books for sale, and we purchased two of them: one about foraging with kids, and one about edible plants of the New York area.
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Carol J. on 7/17/2017
    "Wildman" Steve Brill was a wonderful guide. He has a lot of patience and wealth of knowledge to share about native plants. Take his class if you are curious about your native world and be prepared to bring home and cook a lot of fascinating plants.
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Niyant D. on 7/4/2016
    Genuinely insightful. I'll never stroll in the park the same way. Wildman Steve has loads of knowledge and one tour hardly enough. Who knew our city parks were such a great source of edible plants, herbs and roots.
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Anonymous review on 3/21/2016
    Wildman Steve is very fond of three things--foraging, unfunny jokes, and his daughter Violet. We were treated to a hearty dose of all of the above on our tour and it was great.
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Marva L. on 7/31/2024
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Lina R. on 11/13/2023
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Anonymous review on 7/23/2023
  • Central Park (Teens/Adults)

    Reviewed by Rashel M. on 7/20/2023
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Questions & Answers (4)

Get quick answers from CourseHorse and past students.

Question from Jenny Z.
Is there a phone number for the instructor in case something comes up?
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Question from Regina M.
Can we bring a baby?
Answer from Brenda L. CourseHorse Staff
Hi Regina, yes you can.
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Question from Wendy
Do I need to purchase a ticket for 7 year old?
Answer from Brenda L. CourseHorse Staff
Hi Wendy! Steve loves having kids on his tours. It’s half-price for them (you'll pay it at the location) and he would like to know in advance if you're coming with a kid. By the way, the books which Steve brings on all tours where he can park near the meeting place, are free for kids. Hope this helps!
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Question from Wendy
Is it okay to bring a child? And when is the best time to go?
Answer from Kristle C. CourseHorse Staff
Hi there! Yes, you can bring a child and as its the peak of the season, so it's a good time to go.
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"Wildman" Steve Brill

Foraging expert Steve Brill has shared his foraging wisdom at schools, museums, parks departments, environmental organizations, and with scout troops since 1982. He’s written three books and an app, stars in a DVD and maintains a website.

His History with Foraging

As part of his exercise regime, he...

Read more about "Wildman" Steve Brill

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"Wildman" Steve Brill

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