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WILD
MUSHROOMS
Our
forest is home to more than 100 - if not more - mushroom varieties.
Many are beautiful to look at, others are awesome to eat. The
culinary mushrooms we harvest are Morels, Chanterelles, Wood Ears,
Oysters, Puffballs, Waxcaps and Boletes. We harvest Reishi and
Turkey Tail mushrooms for medicinal purposes (in Asia they have
been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries).
What
we have discovered with our mushrooms is weather plays a profound
role with the production, just like any other crop. Too much water
and cold temperatures, not enough water and dry temperatures,
etc. etc. In harvesting, we take only the tops and leave the mycelium,
(think roots), carry harvests in net bags to spread spores and
only take what we think we will use. One thing to consider in
harvesting mushrooms is the environment where you find them. Mushrooms,
can hyper-accumulate heavy metals and other elements, from air
and soil pollution.
It
is important to understand that mushrooms are a product of their
environment, moreso than with plants. In urban areas
mushrooms absorb and concentrate heavy metals such as
lead and mercury so the location where the mushroom was
harvested matters. Some mushrooms coming from Europe and China
are known to have high levels of lead and mercury because of decades
of uncontrolled air and water pollution. The same is true here
in the states for example mushrooms growing along roadsides may
still contain traces of lead from the time prior to when we had
unleaded gasoline and the emissions from then may still remain
in the ground. There is also a chance that pesticide and
herbicide residues may remain on mushrooms growing near lawns
and gardens. That said, one could conclude that...
"country"
mushrooms are your safest choice & |
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CULINARY
VARIETIES WE WILD HARVEST
We
try to stay aware of what is going on in the environment as well
as with the water supply around our farm. We follow Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) practices to keep our forest healthy. It is a large
part of our farming operation as we see what the forest produces
as just as important as what we cultivate. Read about our Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) practices here.
There
are many, many culinary and medicinal mushrooms, many of them
grow in our forest and in the 400 pristine wooded acres around
us. We only harvest for market varieities we have enjoyed in our
own cooking. But as it is a hobby, we continue to hunt for new
varieites for market which we identify using a field book and
by spore prints.
Read
about how we bring these to markets here:.
Visit our recipe pages here for ideas about
cooking with mushrooms.
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Spore
Print: White |
Edible:
Indigo Milky Cap
Lactarius indigo |
Spore
Print: Brown or Khaki |
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SPRING
SEASON
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Morel
- Choice edible species.
Known as Morchella esculenta.
One
of the most distinctive edible wild mushrooms. Has
a rich, creamy flavor that is deliciously earthy,
nutty. We harvest blacks, grays and yellows.
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Coral
Fungi - Edible Species
Also known as White Coral (Clavaria kunzei), Crested
Coral (Clavulina cristata) & Crown-tipped Coral
(Clavicorona pyxidata)
These
unusual fungi appear in many of the same places the
morels do, only they appear on dead hardwood. They
have the smell of newly dug potatoes and the taste
is mild or peppery-acrid.
Note: White Coral is known to be a mild diuretic
for some people. Eating large amounts of any variety
comes with a warning for stomach cramps. |
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SUMMER
SEASON
Chanterelle
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Chanterelle:
Choice edible species.
Known as Cantharellus cibarius. Peppery
in flavor. Delicious! Just picked specimens will have
a sweet smell like apricots. When cooked, Chanterelles
lose their pepperiness, but add a pleasantly delicate
flavor and texture to any dish. |
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Appalachian
Chanterelle: Edible
Species
Known
as Cantharellus appalachiensis.
Is
an Eastern species of chanterelle, easily recognized
by its brownish cap and stem. It is fairly evenly
brown when young, but yellow and yellow-brown shades
as it matures with a brownish spot in the center of
the cap by maturity. Odor fragrant, like apricots;
taste best dried and is a stronger flavor than the
Chanterelle when dried. |
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The
Oyster Mushroom: Choice
edible Species
Known as Pleurotus ostreatus Odor
distinctive but hard to describe. Taste mild, woodsy
not as strong as the Summer Oyster. |
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Indigo
Milky
Choice edible species.
Known also as Blue Milk Mushroom and as indigo (or
blue) lactarius.
The color ranges from dark blue in fresh specimens
to pale blue-gray in older ones. The milk, or latex,
that oozes when the mushroom tissue is cut is a
bright blue. The taste is remarkable and unlike
any other kind of mushroom. Best eaten alone, sauteed
in nothing but butter. These are difficult to get
to market as refrigerating them spoils them so they
are difficult to hold for any length of time. The
'shrooms we bring to market are hours old with this
variety and we never dry them!
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Summer
Oyster:
Edible
species.
Known as Gerronema strombodes.
Rare.
Delicious! Peppery in flavor. Have a very woodsy fragrance
that rivals the fragrance of the morel! Summer oysters
can be a star all on their own or in a sauce. |
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Chicken
mushroom, Chicken-Of-The-Woods, Sulphur
Shelf, : Choice edible
Known as Laetiporus sulphureus
Has
the look, texture and taste of the white breast meat
of chicken. Good sauted in butter or as a central
ingredient of a meatless meal. |
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Black
trumpet mushroom: Choice
Edible
Known as: Craterellus cornucopioides
Rare
in our area. Delicious! Black Trumpets grow wild throughout
North America and Europe, and are usually found at
the base of an oak trees. Black trumpet mushrooms
are known as "la viande des pauvres" in
France, which means "poor people's meat".
They have a distinctively rich, smoky flavor and go
well in many dishes and sometimes are the featured
item in vegetarian dishes.
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AUTUMN
SEASON
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Wood
Ears: Edible
Known as Auricularia auricula-judae
Has
a mild flavor used in mixed mushroom recipes, pork
dishes and hot & sour soup. |
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Lion's
Mane: Choice edible
Known as Lion's mane, Bearded Tooth, Old Man's Beard
One
of the most delicious, is about 20 percent protein
and is known for its flavor, which is like lobster
or scallops when cooked. |
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Chicken-Fat
Suillus : Good edible
Known as Suillus americanus
A
good edible for the fall. Great sauted, baked with
herbs or in a mushroom chowder. A good fall mushroom
when choice species cannot be foraged. |
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Gem-studded
Puffball: Choice Edible
Known as Lycoperdon perlatum
Edible
and choice when young. Mild flavor, delicate texture.
Best sliced and sauted in butter |
One
of the biggest mushrooms I've ever seen....
Giant Puffball.
One of our neighbors, Ron brought this by in early
Autumn 2013. I couldn't believe it, the biggest mushroom
I have ever seen! Weighing in at four pounds and fourteen
ounces with a circumference of 35 inches a giant puffball.
Thanks Ron! Only in Adams County Ohio!
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Hen
of the Woods, Maitake:
Choice edible species.
Known also as Maitake and as Grifola frondosa.
A
polypore recognized by its smoky brown, wavy caps,
worganized large clusters of rosettes growing from
a single, branched stem structure. It is usually found
near the bases of oaks. In Japan, the Maitake can
grow to more than 100 pounds earning this giant mushroom
the title "King of Mushrooms".
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MEDICINAL
VARIETIES WE HARVEST
Just
as there are many culinary mushrooms, there are many,
varieties harveted for medicinal purposes. Traditional
Chinese medicine has involved the use of fungi for
thousands of years. We harvest the varieties which
are common to our area and easily recognized. You
can read about how to prepare these types of mushrooms
and how we bring these to market here.
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Turkey Tail
Known as Trametes versicolor
Turkey
Tail mushrooms are one of the most researched and
respected of the medicinal mushrooms. Known as yun
zhi in chinese medicine. Turkey Tails are tough and
chewy, so they are generally consumed by drinking
a tea made by boiling them for a long time. This type
of hot-water extraction is called a decoction. A turkey
tail decoction is known to boost immunity. Read an
interesting piece from a well known mycologist Paul
Stamets (pdf) "Turkey
Tail Mushrooms Help Immune System Fight Cancer"
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Reishi
Known as Ganoderma lucidum
Reishi,
also known as the "mushroom of immortality,"
is high in B vitamins, vitamins C and D, iron, calcium
and phosphorus. It contains beta-D-glucan and triterpenes,
which strengthen the circulatory and immune system.
Reishi
mushrooms are used to treat conditions such as: viral
infections, heart disease, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, and even prostate cancer. These mushrooms
are thought to have anti-cancer benefits.
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Maitake,
Hen
of the Woods
In
Traditional Chinese Medicine Maitake is used for:
cancer prevention, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS),
hepatitis, hay fever, diabetes, high blood pressure,
weight loss or control, cancer including breast cancer,
and easing side effects of chemotherapy.
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