Susun Weeds Wise Woman Forum

I just took weeks wander in the bush and while I was doing so, I saw more than 20 different varieties of mushrooms, one's I knew were edible!

The last few months I've been learning about mushrooms, wanting to be able to forage for more f my food as time goes by, or for when I am on one of my walks - it would be nice not to have to carry so much food. So this was very exciting!

I recognised them, but don't recall the names, so that's what I'll do now is connect what I saw with the name.

Does anyone else forage for mushrooms?

Any advice?

I have picked some mushrooms for food and a few chagas from birch trees. Chaga is a great medical mushroom that boost the immune system and fight of virus.

My parents used to forage for mushrooms. The only variety I ever trusted myself to gather was chanterelles, because they are so distinctive - sometimes edible mushrooms and poisonous ones can look a lot alike! One thing my parents did was have several guidebooks with really good pictures. I also remember that they would make spore prints - put the mushroom cap right-side up on a piece of white paper (or dark paper if you read that the spores are pale) and leave it overnight. In the morning there is the characteristic print of that species, so it's another check that you have what you think you have.

Nate, I had heard about chaga years ago an had forgotten about it.

ItalianBee, there does seem to be some very distinct things to watch out for if questioning and you're not sure. One thing that I notice screams out toxic is a yellow.. I forget the word, but if your press the stem it should not bruise yellow. "Inky" coloured, however is good.

Apparently my aunt was a forager for mushrooms, and she never killed anyone, so she must have known what she was doing. Ha ha!

I have been slowly learning over the past year, a little here and there. Observing, picture taking, coming home and noting what is written about the mushroom and it's poisonous counterparts, then looking for those differences the next time I go out and see it in nature. I'm almost at the point here I feel confident with quite a few mushrooms, enough to help me survive if need be anyway. I'm 100% confident I won't remember majority of the names though!

So, there was one mushroom I saw in my wanderings I was continually wondering about. It stuck in my head and I kept dismissing one possibility because I thought of it as a mushroom that grew in Asia. But low and behold, reishi does in fact grow here. I will never forget it and so the next time I see it will know exactly what i can do with it.

So exciting!