So Many Mushrooms, So Little Knowledge...
Ok yes, tomato is my favorite food, especially in a salad with a really tangy vinaigrette, shallots and garlic. My second favorite has to be Mushrooms.
Out here in the north east (USA) we've been rained on at an unusual rate. It's been a very wet summer, but when the sun comes out so do the mushrooms!
I don't know much about them and I haven't tasted too many different kinds in my life, but this sudden spurt has really sparked my interest.
There are so many things I want to learn, between edible plants, wildlife, identifying trees, gardening and which mushrooms are safe to eat... It's difficult to focus hard on just one thing. We also have the transition of having moved off-grid to get used to. Today for example I had to drop what I was doing to go into town, we must have ran out of propane in the middle of the night.
Sometimes a physical field guide is so much better than looking things up on the internet.
I ordered myself a nice little book on mushrooms yesterday, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. I can't wait to start learning a little more into depth!!!
Don't worry, I'm not going to try a mushroom that I find, that looks like an image in the book. It'll be tempting for sure, but I'm confidant I can hold myself back from making a potentially deadly mistake! I suggest you do take the same precautions if you're not an expert either.
Well that's it. I could go on and on showing you some photos of amazing mushrooms I'm coming accross these days but we'll stop here. Hopfully, the next time I write about mushroom I will know more and will be able to pass on what I've learned.
One thing I know and feel, without studying it, mushrooms have a very important role in our ecosystem, so please respect them the next time you encounter them on your path.
Thank you for your visit 😁, and see you next time!
Some people have a green thumb, I think I may have a green hand!
I am a big fan of mushrooms and you sure got some great ones there, I'm almost certain you have a morel 3rd photo, osyter 2nd, and possibly Chanterelle for the first(they are usually very bright orange/yellow colour and are delicious) and parasol for the 4th.
Have you heard of the book mycellium running, by Paul Stamet it is an amazing book about how mushrooms can and are saving the world, with so much information and photos to help you identify, I highly recommend it and also check out @dber on here he does amazing informative articles on steemit xxx
Cool, thank you so much. That's a lot of great info. Of course there's a mushroom guy on steemit, it makes sense, lol! I'll definitely look at his page!
For the chanterelle, I've been told it's a black chanterelle, also known as the chanterelle of the dead!
Thanks @trucklife-family
There are some great mushroom identification forums around. From your pictures though the white ones on the log look like Oyster mushrooms and the 'village' ones look like Painted or Bi-color boletes. Definitely do your diligent research though and if possible find someone locally that is familiar with the mushrooms and learn firsthand from them. There are so many look-alike mushrooms that it can be a bit daunting but you will learn. I started collecting mushrooms in the mountains here roughly fifteen years ago and learned firsthand from someone and never regretted it.
I would love to find someone who could show me the ropes. There is one person in my circle who could as a matter of fact, we've just not connected on the mushroom front, I keep forgetting! Thanks for the reminder...
I keep hearing about oysters. My wife wants to cultivate mushrooms, we'll be able to learn together.
Thank you @jacobpeacock
You are quite welcome! @senorcoconut Something else that I like to do is write down what time of year I find different mushrooms and where they are growing. Also when you do eventually start harvesting them use net (mesh) bags or woven baskets with lots of holes so that you are continually spreading spores everywhere that you walk. As a note of caution be careful about spreading spores of mushrooms that you are not going to be harvesting (for consumption or medicinal uses) because you might accidentally displace ones that you do want to harvest. I do what I call 'wild cultivation' with mushrooms and have learned that last bit the hard way. Good luck. :)
Oh wow, thank you for that important piece of information. I would have never thought of spreading spores as I'm harvesting! What a great concept.
How do you do that? Just asking because If I'm not picking them up and putting them in a mesh basket, how would you srpread unwanted spore?
Thanks
You are welcome. If you touch the mushrooms or your clothing bumps up against them while walking near them or by carrying them that is all it really takes to spread the spores. Also if you have dogs that hike with you they can get the spores in their fur if they walk through patches of mushrooms or brush up against the mushrooms.
Ah yes, makes sense. Thanks for the heads up!
Once again.. You are quite welcome.
I'm happy to hear you're going to do some research before eating too many of these!! They are beautiful though, aren't they?! Especially being off grid, I totally understand your"need" to learn more about them.
Not only has it become a need but it also is becoming a passion. Something I always wanted to learn about. And here it is now... #dreamscometrue
Thanks
aww that's so great to hear @senorcoconut 😅
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Great photos. Have fun getting to know the mushrooms on your homestead. I love mushrooms as well. So versatile, we have them raw, grilled, sautéed, all yummy.
Thank you!
So I know I mentioned I wouldn't eat anything until I learned from an experienced mushroom hunter but we ended up eating the black trumpets I found. Many people and sources told me there were no bad look alikes.
Very good they were!