Hunting for Wild Mushrooms

(First, before I start this post, I want to say that I am not an expert on mushrooms by any stretch of the imagination. Make sure if you hunt your own that you have very good guides (use several) or an expert to assist you. Remember...Mushrooms may be deadly poisonous if you get the wrong one by mistake.)

Taken this morning

We had a bit of rain early in the morning today. I thought it would be interesting to compare the Chicken of the Woods I found two days ago with how it looks today. I took my camera and headed outside. The mushroom had gotten much bigger. It is still very bright yellow and salmon colored.

Taken two days ago

I have never really looked for mushrooms. The only wild one I have ever eaten was a Morel. It was sauteed in butter and tasted delicious. I don't really care for the mushrooms I have bought at the store. My husband is a fan for sure. I have become interested because of the dyeing qualities of mushrooms. So, I headed into the woods this morning and began my hunt. I was pleasantly surprised with what I found. 

I found several more flushes of Sulfur Shelf, (Chicken of the woods, or Laetiporus sulphureus) in several places throughout the woods. I found it growing on other trees and in several different areas. Some of the new finds were much bigger than the one I found first. These are some of the new finds!

I also found some Shaggy Mane (Coprinus comatus). This is supposedly a delicious mushroom as well. When new and conical, makes a good substitute for asparagus. I am hoping that with the rains we are having this afternoon and evening I will be able to find some nice ones, enough to harvest. It is never good to take all of anything whether it is a flower or a mushroom, or anything else in nature. Leaving some will ensure that more will grow. Shaggy manes are often said to grow in clumps.

I found several other mushrooms today that I have not yet identified. I don't pick anything that I am not sure of. Mushrooms can be extremely poisonous. the best rule of thumb is, "when in doubt, throw it out". I would amend that to say, "when in doubt, don't touch it"! (If anyone has information on what some of these are, please let me know!)

Once I can identify a mushroom, I want to determine if it is edible. Even if they aren't my favorite, my husband loves them! Many mushrooms that are edible can still cause gastric upset in some people. Even if you determine that a mushroom is edible, for certain, eat a small amount at first to test for a reaction.

There is quite a variety! I plan to try to identify as many as I can and what I can't eat, I may be able to use for dyeing. I have seen some beautiful colors that have come from mushrooms! I hope to figure out how to do it myself.

 Could be Turkey tails?

I have a lot more research to do! I also plan to do a lot more hunting. Time is running out this year in this part of the country, but, there is no frost forecast this week!

Tomorrow, I am off to a Fiber Day at Northcroft Farm near Pelican Rapids, MN. Joan Jarvis Ellison and her husband, Dave, host two Fiber Days each year. Joan is a shepherdess. She raises, processes, and sells wool. She has sheep, alpaca, angora goats, and maybe something new! She is a knitter, spinner, weaver, and also a writer. She has a blog called Sheep Notes. She also has several books published. I am not sure how long she has hosted the Fiber Days, but they are well attended. Fiber artists, fiber newbies, and everything in between attend! People come from miles a way. There are always dye pots going and usually someone is demonstrating something. It is inspiring, educational, fun, and always a good time. I am planning to buy some roving. I have used up most of my white from this spring trying out plant dyes! I will let you know what I find!