with the mushroom man
There are few things as enchanting in Autumn as a walk in the woods.
For that is when the rain soaks the ground and mysterious mushrooms emerge...
Bright red umbrellas from under fallen leaves... snow-white icicles and purple sea corals... giant puffballs and tiny fairy fans...
The fact is that mushrooms are far more beneficial and far less dangerous than many Americans believe. For one, it’s perfectly safe to touch and smell any mushroom. You'll soon find that mushrooms can smell like almonds, anise, cucumbers, garlic, raw potatoes, seafood, maple syrup– you name it. The matsutake, prized for its flavor and medicinal value, smells like a cross between red hots and dirty socks!
where to find mushrooms and what to bring with you
spore printing, and more
your area
Kids of all ages love mushrooms. From the jack-o-lantern (which glows in the dark) to the velvet earth tongue, chicken lips, and the club-headed beetle-eater, nature’s premier recycling system is a source of endless fascination. What many people don’t know is that most mushrooms are symbiotic. Nearly every plant on earth, in fact, depends on partner fungi for its survival.
Fungophobia aside, the fact is that of the several thousand types of mushrooms on this continent, only five or six are deadly. Once you know what to look for, these are as easy to pick out as carrots from cauliflower. And then there are over a hundred species known to be edible, quite a few of which are incredible: the chanterelle, morel, porcini, meadow mushroom (or wild portabello), and chicken-of-the-woods, to name a few. Each is as nutritious as it is delicious, plus they're all local, organic, fresh, and free. Learn to gather your own; you’ll be glad so few people do!
Come explore this woodland wonderland. You'll learn:
To schedule or find out about an upcoming walk, talk, workshop, or mushroom in your area, email us.
Happy hunting!
Adorned with dead stumps and rotting logs, my landscape is now perverse. Leaf mold and humus are my jasmine and honeysuckle, compost and cow dung my flowerbeds. The same two weeks of rain that fill my friends with despair fill me with joy and expectation.
Sara Ann Friedman
©Alan Muskat, 2004. All rights reserved.