Foraging

[j44ke]

I've been learning from some masters. People who walk into the woods and come out with breakfast lunch and dinner. Today I found this. I think it is going to be a good year.

[Tom]

Me jealous? Oh hell, no. I'm saving that for when you find the chantrelles this August.

[Too Tall]

Nice Jorn. It is that time of year. In MN we'd find those just after a cold thunderstorm. The most prolific places were fresh cut lawns. Go figure?

[bbillington]

121AB379-5712-45BE-A848-573072CA85DB.jpg

I haven’t had much luck finding morels the last few years. Hopefully we have some on our new property.

I made a tincture from corpse plant cuttings. I use it for pain relief.

[bbillington]

Nice Jorn. It is that time of year. In MN we'd find those just after a cold thunderstorm. The most prolific places were fresh cut lawns. Go figure?

Didn’t know you were from Minnesota, TT. I grew up in Dodge county, 15 miles from Rochester.

[Too Tall]

Didn’t know you were from Minnesota, TT. I grew up in Dodge county, 15 miles from Rochester.

Macalester College don't cha know?

[AngryScientist]

On Topic:

I remember listening to this podcast a few years ago.

Be careful out there!

https://www.outsideonline.com/226503...usly-delicious

[bbillington]

Macalester College don't cha know?

Ah, I see you’ve gone all Fargo on me. Never go full Fargo.

[ides1056]

We have these in abundance. I am told they taste good..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destroying_angel

[JoB]

We have these in abundance. I am told they taste good..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destroying_angel

Liver and kidney failure over time ... that sounds like a terrible way to go.

[ides1056]

Liver and kidney failure over time ... that sounds like a terrible way to go.

I wasn't making a joke. Apparently they are delicious, and the ill effect takes awhile to become apparent. By then it's too late.

[Mark Walberg]

I learned from the great Lou Pyle that there are no poisonous morels.

[j44ke]

The best survival skill in mushroom foraging is doubt.

We didn't pick the above mushroom, and I've been feeling a bit doubtful about my initial identification. This morning I am going to go out and pick it and cut it in half lengthwise. The way the cap is attached and whether or not the mushroom is hollow determines whether this is a true morel or not, specifically a species that is called Verpa Bohemica or early morel that isn't a true morel. Verpa Bohemica forms very early in the season, often right after the snow melts, and it can be toxic - though people do eat them. So it seems best avoided.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verpa_bohemica

My assumption was here is a morel very early in the season, so that means this is going to be a good year for morels. But what it may actually mean, is that this is not a true morel. It is too early to be a true morel. So it must be something else. Beware.

[Too Tall]

Liver and kidney failure over time ... that sounds like a terrible way to go.

*If this were France you could dump your findings onto the counter at the local pharmacy so a trained Pharmacist could identify safe mushrooms.

Yet another reason to travel and explore.

[JoB]

I read somewhere that a large portion of mushroom poison deaths in the US is immigrants continuing to pick the mushrooms they or their parents collected in the homeland, except it's a different shroom that kills you.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm picking chanterelles, chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, and if I found morels I'd pick those. everything else, not taking that chance. Pretty sure I routinely bypass a monster Boletus around the cabin.

*If this were France you could dump your findings onto the counter at the local pharmacy so a trained Pharmacist could identify safe mushrooms.

Yet another reason to travel and explore.

[spopepro]

The population density of the Bay Area means that mushrooms are hard to find in any quantity. Occasionally I’ll get some lucky chanterelles. But mostly... we are now getting more seriously into foraging invasives. Right now wild mustard leaves are tender and tasty and there’s literally no limit to how many you can take. Next big negative tide we are going to go see how many purple urchins we can find (I think the limit is 50 per person per day!) and try and give a little assist to our kelp forests.

[bbillington]

https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1474578078

[JoB]

That is too cool!

The population density of the Bay Area means that mushrooms are hard to find in any quantity. Occasionally I’ll get some lucky chanterelles. But mostly... we are now getting more seriously into foraging invasives. Right now wild mustard leaves are tender and tasty and there’s literally no limit to how many you can take. Next big negative tide we are going to go see how many purple urchins we can find (I think the limit is 50 per person per day!) and try and give a little assist to our kelp forests.

[j44ke]

The best survival skill in mushroom foraging is doubt.

We didn't pick the above mushroom, and I've been feeling a bit doubtful about my initial identification. This morning I am going to go out and pick it and cut it in half lengthwise. The way the cap is attached and whether or not the mushroom is hollow determines whether this is a true morel or not, specifically a species that is called Verpa Bohemica or early morel that isn't a true morel. Verpa Bohemica forms very early in the season, often right after the snow melts, and it can be toxic - though people do eat them. So it seems best avoided.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verpa_bohemica

My assumption was here is a morel very early in the season, so that means this is going to be a good year for morels. But what it may actually mean, is that this is not a true morel. It is too early to be a true morel. So it must be something else. Beware.

Okay, so with some confidence added by our mushroom mentor and a little surgery, this is indeed a white morel, which is a true morel. Hollow stem continues up through the cap of the morel and the stem and cap are joined entirely. The cap does not overlay the stem - meaning the cap is not separated from the stem at the bottom like a skirt, and the stem does not extend up into the cap and attach at the top to the cap. Edible and yummy.

[Too Tall]

I read somewhere that a large portion of mushroom poison deaths in the US is immigrants continuing to pick the mushrooms they or their parents collected in the homeland, except it's a different shroom that kills you.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm picking chanterelles, chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, and if I found morels I'd pick those. everything else, not taking that chance. Pretty sure I routinely bypass a monster Boletus around the cabin.

Agreed. Those three, at least, are very easy targets.