Let’s focus on edible Maine mushrooms.
On August 28, a crystal clear blue and gold day, I went to McLaughlin Gardens to hear an excellent mushroom presentation, given by Frank Hyman, an engaging man who wrote a book I fully endorse for those beginners interested in foraging safely for edible mushrooms.
Frank Hyman, author of How to Forage For Mushrooms Without Dying, An Absolute Beginners Guide, speaking at McLaughlin Garder
How to Forage For Mushrooms Without Dying, An Absolute Beginners Guide impressed me with its excellent photographs, its simplicity, and the abundance of practical information that was so easy to access. One practical example that comes to mind is clarifying the difference between tasty Chanterelles and the poisonous Jack o’Lantern mushrooms.
The gills of the former cross over while the latter do not, an easy way to make a positive ID in the field without taking a spore print or thumbing through endless similar-looking species in a field guide, a practice that personally makes this naturalist crazy. He also translates Latin into English. This book is user-friendly.
Frank makes it clear that he is concentrating on some of the most common Maine mushrooms that you can eat, those you cannot, and how to prepare a mushroom feast. There is no attempt to include all Maine mushrooms, a refreshing perspective, from my point of view. I will add that you don’t have to be a beginner to appreciate this volume. I could imagine myself packing this little guide to take along with me in the woods.
After each mushroom is pictured and described, along with similar species, there is one page I really appreciate. ‘What, Where, and When” informs the reader whether the mushroom is mycorrhizal, saprophytic, or parasitic, where it is found, the season in which it is most likely to appear, and the color of its spore print. The section just below is the ‘Field ID Checklist’, a portion that focuses on all the characteristics of the mushroom that must be present to determine its edibility. Handy indeed for any
forager.
Frank’s slides were beautiful. He also encouraged people to feel comfortable asking questions throughout his talk. After the presentation, Frank spoke with some lingering participants as I slipped out of the barn to enjoy the changing season that was evident all around me in the late blooming flowers and seed pods.
McLaughlin Garden
McLaughlin Gardens is both a garden and woodland oasis that turns with the seasons. After meandering around, I sat for a while in one of the many wooden seats that are provided for folks to enjoy the astonishing natural beauty of this place. Reflecting, I realized that what was most exciting was gleaning new information about the fruiting bodies of our magical underground mycelial network. A close friend who was working had left it up to me to determine whether I should buy the book for him to use. I ended up buying two guides, one for me and one for him!
Caveat: If you forage, please don’t take more than you need. We are experiencing a mushroom craze here in the US with more people hunting for mushrooms than ever before. Many people are taking all the mushrooms they can find from one spot. What this means practically is that these folks are removing not only the mushrooms but the spores from the forest ecology.
Spores have functions, one of which is to seed the air forest or field with new mushrooms. Field research takes years, and studying the forest ecology with respect to mushroom harvesting has barely begun. Sources vary on how many mushrooms are edible – some say about twenty percent – others say about a third of all mushrooms can be harvested for food.
Regardless of the actual number, it is prudent to take some but not all of the fungi from one spot. We need to remember that mushrooms produce spores for a reason and that other animals may be dependent upon fungi for food as well.
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Publish date : 2024-09-04 21:00:00
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