Join CRWA and the Natick Community Organic Farm for Meet Your Watershed: Pokeberry Ink Printing!

After we all gather at the entrance to Natick Community Organic Farms, a Natick Community Organic Farms educator will lead us to Davis Brook, which feeds into the Charles River. Here, we will collect Pokeberry, a plant species which is considered a native nuisance in this region. We will then head back to the farm, where we will turn the Pokeberries into ink. Finally, we will use our new ink to print using Charles River-themed print templates.

Poke is an important native plant with a fascinating history. Poke berries, leaves and stems are poisonous when fully grown, leading it to be considered a nuisance weed, especially by farmers. However, for centuries the young shoots were boiled and eaten by both indigenous peoples and then enslaved folks in early spring. “Poke sallet” used to be widely available canned in stores! Poke berries were also commonly used as ink. Many historical letters from soldiers during the revolution were penned in poke ink!  

Sources Alexis Nicole: https://www.facebook.com/blackforager/videos/poke-sallet-/1685815518621898/
https://whyy.org/articles/second-runner-up-pokeweed/