Deborah Howard celebrates mulberries in the tenth annual Mulberry Madness

Deb Howard in the orchard created by Baltimore Orchard Project at Druid Hill park

When Deborah Howard moved to Baltimore in 2015, she became fascinated by the abundance of mulberries and service berries in the city. As president of the Baltimore Orchard Project, from 2017-2022, she  headed BOP’s efforts to transform urban landscapes and promote community engagement through the cultivation of fruit-bearing trees. And that included mulberry trees.

Today Howard is heading Mulberry Madness, in its tenth year, celebrating the mighty mulberry for its incredible nutritional value, versatility and taste. Found abundantly in parks and along streets in the city, these berries offer a bounty of vitamins and antioxidants, Howard says. 

Harvesting mulberries is as easy as shaking a tree. With an estimated “90% of berries that you shake are ripe, in a few days you can come back and harvest more,” Howard notes. 

The process is not only simple but rewarding. The berries can be eaten fresh or preserved through freezing or dehydration, ensuring a year-round supply of fresh, locally sourced fruit. 

Despite concerns from some city residents about mulberry trees littering sidewalks and cars with fallen berries, Howard highlights the benefits of planting these trees in individual yards, where the harvest can be enjoyed without inconvenience. 

Partnering with local businesses like Atwaters, BOP has sponsored efforts to integrate mulberries into various culinary delights, from jams to ice cream.

Each year, Mulberry Madness brings together volunteers and local businesses to harvest mulberries and serviceberries, which typically ripen in late May. The berries are sorted through, detritus removed, and berries frozen.  Then they send the mulberries to vendors who come up with the artisan products to be sold or given away at the Waverly Farmers’ Market Saturday, June 19. City residents can pick up a free tree or shrub at the market then.

There will be mulberry shrub, from Max’s Degrees spices, for making refreshing mulberry infused drinks, jams from Atwater’s and mulberry soap from You and Me Soaps.

In addition to the Farmers’ Market event, BOP will host a fundraiser  Wednesday, June 19, at Gertrude’s, Baltimore Museum of Art, 5-7 p.m. For tickets, see https://baltimoreorchardproject.org/mulberry-madness.

Mulberry trees line the street