The Hunter Gatherer Society

The Praiseworthy Puffball A Great Beginners Edible Mushroom

Long before my venture into the foraging world I was vaguely aware of the edibility of the common yard puffball. In general, my family was averse to the harvesting of wild mushrooms. However, the puffball did receive notable mention from my grandmother when I was a child. That was the first and for a long-time last mention of wild edible mushrooms outside of course of the very popular morel. As I began to explore the world of wild mushroom hunting the puffball, being common in my area, was a great fist run at the collection and preparation of edible mushrooms. It took very little research to understand the identification and edibility of these little white wonders and again in my[…]

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mushrooms to forage in the fall

Top 5 Wild Mushrooms to Forage This Fall

Fall brings one of the most exciting times for mushroom hunters, as forests nationwide come alive with some of the best edible wild mushrooms. Here’s my guide to five of my favorite mushrooms to forage each fall, with a bit about where you can find them, what makes them unique, and the best ways to enjoy them in the kitchen. 1. Chanterelles (Cantharellus spp.) Chanterelles are truly a prize to find. These golden beauties catch your eye immediately with their vibrant color, and I can often smell their faintly fruity aroma before I even see them. It’s a mix of apricots and earth that, once you’re familiar with it, becomes unmistakable. Identification Tips: Chanterelles have a trumpet or vase-like shape[…]

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Edible Plants and Mushroom Foraging Resources

When foraging edible plants and edible mushrooms the first time the vast number of them can be overwhelming. As I have mentioned before, the best way to get started is to pick a select few that you feel comfortable identifying and begin there. As you search for those edible plants and/or mushrooms be sure to photograph other discoveries that you make and try to identify them later using the web and your resources. Similar to what you forage you should start out with one or two good field guides to use for identification. As you forage more you will inevitably pick up more and more resources. Often, I am asked what books and field guides I use when identifying wild[…]

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Foraging for beginners

Beginning to forage for wild Edible mushrooms and plants

You must love the outdoors, or at least want to love the outdoors to be a forager. It is sometimes referred to as quiet hunting. You can spend hours in the woods walking miles and come home empty handed. Or, sometimes, you will be in the right place at the right time and stumble on to the motherload. However, if you expect the latter each time you will be frustrated, disappointed, and it will bring an end to your foraging journey. Foraging is about so much more than finding wild edible plants and mushrooms. It is about reconnecting with nature in a way that was always intended. There is simple soothing and even healing benefits to slowly searching through the[…]

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