Hybrid Lunchbox Talk: Eating Like a Bird - Native Fruits We Can Enjoy at Our Tables

with Mary Jac Brennan, Heartplace Farm Consulting and Scott Carter, Master Naturalist, Durham County

Watch the birds as they feed in the fields and forests and you might find a tasty treat for your self. Birds aren’t the only creatures who can enjoy native fruits. In this Lunchbox talk, we’ll discuss 12 fruiting plants which can be added to your landscape for attracting birds, pollinators and human beings. Learn how to cultivate these native fruits in your garden and support biodiversity in your landscape and diet. 

Often the focus of adding native plants to your landscape is to attract more wildlife by providing more food and habitat for them. What if you could have more birds to watch, help improve your landscape’s biodiversity, and share a delicious food source? Many native fruiting plants can be prepared as dishes that are tasty and nutritious. Native fruits are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which can improve health, along with being tasty. Many native fruits are sweeter, tarter, or just provide a more unusual flavor palette than the hybridized fruits we find in our grocery stores. Chefs and brewers love them! 

In this talk a variety of native edible fruits will be presented. Attendees will learn the cultural needs of each plant along with tips for planting, growing, harvesting, and how to use the fruit of each plant. A discussion of the design and utility of each plant and how to use it in an edible landscape plan will be provided.

Attend in-person or on Zoom. Register here >