Wild Mushrooms? Here's a good resource for those interested in learning...

a reply to: SPECULUM
I've heard that. A friend of mine does it. Seems like a very involving hobby. One which requires very strict protocols.

Actually, my brother had a shiitake factory for a while. Lost a good chunk of money with it.

a reply to: Phage

Yes, it could get pretty involved. You'd definitely want to have your act together if it was Commercial Sales

Great vid Jack, thanks!
Even though I teach wild edible classes there are only a couple types I will bother to show students. I don't consider myself knowledgeable enough to teach the subject and it would require a good deal of time to do properly. They are valuable for long term survival in the trace minerals and vitamins they contain and unlike many plants can be dried for future use.

I tend to trust books most as a source so I would suggest anyone trying this to get themselves a reliable field guide and learn how to use the keys same as other wild plants.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Agreed, and that's what I appreciated out of this seminar, it was more on how to learn... he offered up many references, and the pitfalls he saw in them, but presented different known strategies to ID... not necessarily how to find edible...

It is focused on a methods to ID fungi... which for me is important for anyone who decides to try and forage them...

Wild edible plants for me is still a learning experience though I have become comfortable with quite a few, it's important for anyone delving into foraging to learn the bad as well as the good.

Nothing like some spring wild edibles though once you get the hang of it.... It takes time and effort, a desire to learn...

We have time, the desire to learn should be nurtured...

a reply to: SPECULUM

People should be made aware there are false morels which resemble the edible kind somewhat, though the differences are easy to learn. Do you have any good recipes or do you just like them grilled like me?

I'm going to watch the video, I think it will be interesting. I know how to identify morels, hen of the woods, oyster mushrooms, and shelf birch mushrooms. They are plentiful around my house. My favorite mushroom is the little white button ones that are found in the grocery store. I kind of like the canned ones also.

I had someone show me many of the mushrooms, but the guy is a little off and I think he might be misidentifying some of them. He eats many kinds.

I've been hunting shrooms my whole life.. I just stick to morels now although I use to eat beef steaks... The beef steaks toxin is accumulated over the years through consumption.. there are cases where people have eaten them for years with no adverse effects.. then there are those who have died on there first time...You never know when it's going to take you out so I strongly suggesture you leave them alone..

There is no antitoxin or remedy for shroom poisoning so be very cautious when experimenting..

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
a reply to: SPECULUM


People should be made aware there are false morels which resemble the edible kind somewhat, though the differences are easy to learn. Do you have any good recipes or do you just like them grilled like me?

I know the difference as i've been mushroom hunting for over 40 years

I usually Split the Morels into halves then grind cracker crumbs into powder, then whip up a few eggs and roll the mushrooms into the egg then powder with the crumbs and deep fry them until golden brown.

its best to have a good deep fryer that you can set at 275...They come out perfect and don't burn or contaminate the grease like a frydaddy will.

Most people really don't know how to properly freeze Morels, but through trial and error its best to just split them and trim the stalks without ever flushing them in water. Then place in single layers in sandwich baggies, then stack those layers in large butter tubs. if you soak them they will suck up water and wont taste fresh when you cook them later, and you never want to let them thaw or they will turn black and nasty. its best to prepare your egg , crumbs, and get your deepfrier up to temp, then pull the mushrooms out while frozen,then dip, dust,and deepfry all in that motion...Lol

Any bugs will freeze and fall off in the baggy

excellent topic

here's another decent site I came across...

mushroomexpert.com

a reply to: JacKatMtn

That's a potentially handy video (together with further research aids) not just for everyday Fungi hunters starting out in mushroom hunting, but also for survivalists for whom fungi would become a very valuable food source.

Thanks.

originally posted by: Phage
I don't care how good a video is.
I ain't eating no fungus unless someone shows me first hand, in the field, which ones are not going to make me dead. Or even sick.

I think giving such advice in a youtube video is ill advised.

I agree, hands on learning is best in this case. I hope no one is stupid enough to take an internet video for scripture. Then again, human stupidity is infinite.

That said, out of the 20,000+ species of mushrooms there's only about a handful that can kill you. One of the most abundant mushrooms worldwide is amanita muscaria. While it is toxic with psychoactive properties, and COULD kill you, you have a better chance of it just making your day VERY interesting....running through sewers, jumping on turtles, smashing bricks for coins...

a reply to: rickymouse

I ended up just outside of the mushroom capital of the world, southeast PA. Smells like poo but the variety of mushrooms that pop up around here are amazing. I have always been an avid amatuer mycologist. Speaking of hen of the woods...my ex lives in a place where they flourish. I Miss the morels, though, I have no idea where they pop up around here. Oak is key.

a reply to: JacKatMtn

Ohh thank you!

I would like to try foraging for mushrooms, but it has scared me so I have been shying a bit from it..

I find this topic daunting to learn, because there are dangerous mushrooms as well as edible ones.. so I am thrilled to watch this video!



as a side note: I guess I need to subscribe to this forum.. lol..

As I understand it, mushrooms offer very little nutrition but kill you very easily.

originally posted by: ScreenBogey
As I understand it, mushrooms offer very little nutrition but kill you very easily.

Bah!
They're not that deadly. And they are quite tasty.
Was it Terrance McKenna that thought mushrooms came from outer space and are the reason for sentience? Panspermia and whatnot.

"there are old mushroom pickers and there are bold mushroom pickers…

BUT, there are no old bold mushroom pickers!"

www.rogersmushrooms.com...

This site has A LOT of information about mushrooms.

The mushroom app helps

a reply to: The Utopian Penguin

Thanks TUP the more references, the better...

picked wild mushrooms many times

ID in the field is NOT COMPLICATED if u have a little background

(that lil background could even come from you tube f the source is OK)

out of DOZENS of trips into the field..

i only saw wild amanitas growing ONCE.

there are some dangerous fungi...

but if you know your business, you will be fine

o BTW...

those amanitas were quickly claimed by a pal o mine who SWORE he'd be OK...

he turned out fine, but our mileage may vary...

the amanita in particular is a shroom you want to be able to ID... it is BOTH of the wrong types at once... meaning it is hallucinogenic AND toxic.. unlike cubes for instance, which are H+ but not strictly poisonous.

PS the morel process is now known to cultivators.. but it is REALLY involved...

the chef i work for buys morels from ANYONE this time of year...

i told him I'd grow some oysters for the kitchen...

cultivation of edibles is superior to wild-pick for many reasons, parasites alone, for example.

BUT DONT FEAR THE LEARNING CURVE!!!!

knowing about mushrooms will make you a FUN-GUY