Dear Friend,
How’s the weather where you are? I usually write to you in the morning, before the sun comes up, (my favorite time of the day to write), but today, the sun is already up – and what a beautiful day! A short-lived rain storm just passed through leaving puffy white clouds to drift in blue sky. It’s noon and I’m writing to you about mushrooms.
What do you think about mushrooms? Do you like them?
First of all, it’s not an emergency, you don't have to learn all there is to know about mushrooms in order to enjoy the following photos that Frank took while on a hike near the ocean in Northern California.
You can enjoy the photos without knowing the names of the mushrooms, how they reproduce or who their friends are. Just to look at them, you don’t have to know all of the scientific research that is being done to promote mushrooms as a biodegradable replacement for plastics, or as one of the most environmentally friendly super foods ever… you don’t have to understand how mushrooms are being used in construction as building materials, in textiles (shoes and clothing), as alternative energy, or that, in medicine, mushrooms are being studied for the benefits they offer neurologically, (bolstering nerve growth and brain function / memory / sleep), and more, including their effectiveness as a cancer treatment.
View these mushrooms any way you wish: see them as poisonous Toad Stools, ingredients in a witch’s brew, cute little houses for magic pixies or storybook mice…
And you don’t have to be told twice! ‘Of Course!’ you would learn how to determine what’s safe and what’s not before going out and harvesting your own mushrooms to eat! Right?
Mycologists study molds, yeast, mushrooms, (all the fun-guys), and help other scientists determine potential uses for fungi. Science is knowledge, yes, but it is also about learning and gaining more knowledge about how to attain more knowledge and share, test, fail, learn, share...
And because there is already SO MUCH information out there about mushrooms and the how-s and why-s and where-s the mushroom industry is growing, there simply isn’t time for me to consolidate everything there is to know about these beautiful fungus-fruits in one letter/blog.
Before I sign off, I’d like to share some information about how to grow your own safely-edible mushrooms at home.Most mushroom farmers agree that the easiest way to get started is to purchase a kit from a reputable Mushroom Farm. I don’t have any experience with Mushroom Farms and don’t feel comfortable recommending one to you. I did find that the website, FAR WEST FUNGI (out of California), was informative and possibly a good place to start in one’s search for Mushroom Growing Kits.
Here’s a great use of 67 mins of my Hot Spot Data. YouTube videos by an adventurer and learner of life, Alex Smith, on his channel, “Just Alex.”
What are Mushrooms? 1 Year of Searching and I Finally FOUND them!
and
How to Grow Mushrooms At Home - Full Process Day 1 - 60
I’ve learned an awful lot about mushrooms, many positives that I didn’t know before. And some ‘negatives’ were underscored, like the fact that edible and non-edible mushrooms often look very similar and the effects of mushroom poisoning(s) are pretty unpleasant.
I still really like mushrooms. I think that they are adorable and, (as mean as this might sound after having said that I think that they are so cute), I also think that they are delicious, in fact, they’re probably my favorite protein.
How about you? While we are on the subject, do you have any mushroom recipes that you’d like to tell me about?
There are thousands of species of edible mushrooms… yet, at this moment, there aren’t any that I would harvest out in nature for meal prep without more information. Certainly, a Mushroom Field Guide Book would lower the odds of misidentification. (smile).
Well, as always, thank you for being here to read Tracks by the Post! We are very grateful for your care and for your good thoughts, please know that you are also in our daily Thanksgivings.
If you have a mushroom story or recipe to share or if you just want to say 'Hey', please do CONTACT US.
Gently Be,
Leslie (and Frank)
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