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Indeed.
And the truth is we live in a society where there is an epidemic of allergies, not least because we are no longer properly exposed to the real world as infants. Let them eat dirt.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-Them-Eat-Dirt-Oversanitized/dp/1616206497
>meat tongs
Aha, so that's the trick!
I was thinking one of those ceiling-mounted-light-bulb-changer-extendable-pole-grabber thingies, or maybe an apple-picker claw basket.
This is a copy/paste of one of my comments...
I always recommend this; is to contact the local agriculture extension office or local community college of the area you live in. These local experts either personally know or they personally know who to contact regarding foraging info. Books by Samuel Thayer and Euell Gibbons are excellent, but they cover a very large area to be able to sell to a large audience. (Which is fine...)
But, most people spend 99% of their time in just one local area. Learn to key and classify the local plants here, and then all the sudden the other books in other areas start making more sense. https://www.amazon.com/Botany-Day-Patterns-Method-Identification/dp/1892784351 is a good book.
Also check MeetUp for any local groups in the area too.
I highly recommend an app such as "Mushroom Identify". I'm sure there's an iOS equivalent as well.
I tried to use the app to analyse your pic, but unfortunately without seeing the underside and stem, and perhaps smell, it is taking a wild guess.
Pick up a copy of the Peterson Field Guide for Eastern US (https://www.amazon.com/dp/039592622X/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_zlTIub0TPCHW2).
If you know someone with the knowledge, spend some time with them learning, but the Field Guide can help you identify a number of edible plants in PA.
Edit: Spelling
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Identify-Queen-Annes-Lace-Wild-Carrot
To eat carrots you should know the difference. But, we normally eat carrots when the greens are relatively small and the flowers are months away. The hemlock root is partially hollow and for not smell like a carrot. The carrot root is solid and definitely smells like a carrot.
I use two apps. Shroomify serves as an interactive field guide and it does a good job of giving me an idea of what I'm looking at. I also use Seek by iNaturalist. It's a database driven AI identification app. It does an amazing job with most plants, especially the most commonly foraged ones because that tends to be what gets uploaded. It does really poorly with mushrooms and animals but if you connect to iNaturalist and upload your pictures you can help train the AI to be better.
You can sometimes find bags of dried ones in health food stores or more upscale markets, or you can order them from amazon
It's not the same as a fresh one obviously, but it gives you an idea of the taste.
At least according to the <strong>Locavore's Handbook</strong>, anything that smells like onion or garlic is safe to eat.
I currently looking into this Japanese extract Amyloban 3399 for treating a client with schizophrenia. It is expensive but shows promise for it and other cognitive disorders, where others don't have the evidence.
Here is a relevant study, I think by the docs that isolated it. There is a bit about other conditions and you may want to see if there are other published papers by the same docs, or obvs Google 'Amyloban 3399' and whatever your family are facing.
Due to the high cost, I hope that regular consumption of home cultivated lions mane would be a good maintenence option after some relatively expensive treatment with the extracted compounds.
STL, STEP files, those printed products sell like hot cakes currently in Estonia in blueberry and cowberry season
https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/tool/mobile-berry-harvester-3d-print-forest-garden-berry-picker
This is the one I'm talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Southeastern-United-States-Bessette/dp/081563112X
The others could be as good or better though. Not sure. Probably best to read some reviews of each. Usually in the description they will say how many species are covered
I assume you mean Roger Phillips?
> I really want to start hunting and I need some good field books, I am in Switzerland but from London. So books aimed towards Europe I guess and not in German as I haven't learned the language yet.
I am the author of the most comprehensive book on fungi foraging in temperate Europe ever published in English. It covers everywhere from the Alps and Pyrenees northwards, although it is primarily aimed at the British market. The fungi are largely the same in Switzerland and south-east England.
See reviews:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edible-Mushrooms-Foragers-Britain-Europe/dp/0857843974
I'd offer to send you a signed copy, but it will be cheaper for you to get it from Amazon in Germany.
I did when I first started getting more serious into foraging. Then I realized I never used the app because I always remembered where I found things.
Here are a couple popular options:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navigation.offlinemaps.gps&hl=en_US
I've been foraging and eating wild mushrooms for a Loooong time, (50 + years) and the best single guide I've come across is the National Audubon Field Guide To North American Mushrooms.
BIG caveat here.
Harvesting wild mushrooms is not an endeavor that should be taken lightly. Understand that "edible" doesn't mean "Yummy"! (I'm talking to you, "edible" slime molds). Many of them can kill you and many more will sicken you to the "please let me die!" stage of temporary illness. Learn to make a spore print and even use a cheap microscope to identify the spore size/shape. The Audubon guide will explain these processes. Don't just go pick a bunch of random Mushroom varieties and carry them home together in the same basket to identify them later, bad ones can contaminate good ones. Edible also doesn't mean that you'll not react poorly to some variety, people have food allergies, and will (rarely) have a reaction to a perfectly safe & edible wild food.
Having now terrified you, I'll tell you that there are MANY wild mushrooms that are an absolute delight to eat, and learning how to identify them is not really that difficult. Be careful, which means be knowledgeable about what you're doing and enjoy the fruits of the Earth.
Links...
http://www.namyco.org/spore_prints.php
Have Fun and Eat Well!
Make sure you identify them correctly. My first impression was not chanterelle but jack o lantern fungus. Make sure it doesnt' glow in the dark (not a good method to distinguish btw)
Nancy Turner rocks! I know her personally and she is an amazing woman. I've been involved in a super cool project and she's helped out tremendously. https://www.etsy.com/listing/107922237/pre-sale-indigenous-plant-identification
We've (Feasting for Change Working Group - made up of a bunch of First Nations and allies) made these 65 cards to take out with you on hikes. They tell you about the traditional uses - food and medicinal about 65 Indigenous plants.
I know that this seems like self-promotion cause I worked on them, but they're going to benefit a great FN school and their programs.
I agree with this, I would recommend getting water valves which are just these little s shaped things that fit to the top of the bottle with a cork to let the gas out but don't let anything contaminate it Edit: these but not specifically this item you'll need to get separate stoppers for the smaller bottles
Agertina altissima. White snakeroot. Do yourself a favor and pick up Newcomb's guide to wildflowers. If you're already paying attention to leaf arrangement and margins, you can handle the next step. this will teach you to ID plants by more than their picture. https://www.amazon.com/Newcombs-Wildflower-Guide-Lawrence-Newcomb/dp/0316604429/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Y5WD25ZLWWL9&dchild=1&keywords=newcombs+wildflower+guide&qid=1623074859&sprefix=newcomb%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-1
My wife agrees with you! She used to do that pretty often, then I got her something like this (but in black):
She just rolls it up and leaves it in the bottom of anything she is carrying - adds no weight, but adds a lot of storage capacity!
Get Botany In A Day and learn to properly key and classify a plant first. Then all the sudden all the other books will make more sense.
The problem is, new foragers want a picture book to match a picture to a plant.
Then reach out to your local agriculture extension office since they are experts in your local area. They will have literature or know someone in the local area. Also seek out your local colleges to see if they have an ethnobotany department.
There are a lot of great books, but they cast a large net to a large audience to sell the most books. Start locally since you will be foraging locally 99% of the time.
Amazon has several kits, not sure if they're available to you though. They're so easy to grow that surely somebody has them in Sweden
It's an old Amethyst Deceiver.
You need a decent book. Big discount on the hardback on Amazon - cheaper than the paperback:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edible-Mushrooms-Geoff-Dann/dp/0857844598/
Try Essbare Wildpflanzen Ausgabe: 200 Arten bestimmen und verwenden. Amazon-Germany link, which includes some sample pages
This book is amazing, though in German. It has lots of diagrams and color photos (and so weighs a ton) and should be understandable even if you can't read much German.
New Mexican here. Black morels grow in the Sandias and they are edible (only when cooked) and delicious. The season for those is April/May. There are more than a handful of other edible mushrooms that grow in NM. As far as plants, if you google edible plants New Mexico you can find several articles. Osha is big here. I'm in Santa Fe so I'm not as familiar with the central/southern part of the state.
This may help:
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Edible-Plants-New-Mexico/dp/0998287148
Audubon society field guide of North American mushrooms
National Audubon Society Pocket Guide: Familiar Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Pocket Guides) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0679729844/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_llwyFbFZPCXD1
I highly recommend using a plant ID app (I'm sure there's an iOS equivalent) for your phone if you're not sure. Could be lifesaving!
Get this, go outside, take some pictures of stuff, and check the linked wikis. You'll soon find things that are edible or not edible.
Don't eat anything unless you're 100% sure what it is! You'll want to just get comfortable identifying things for a while. Get a magnifying glass, or even a microscope, if you're industrious.
This is the one I use. It’s pretty complete and not too expensive.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0394519922/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kWQQBbB92MYGP
If they’re inside they’re okay, but those fakes spiderwebs that are made of polyester fiber are bad for the environment, animals pull them apart for nesting and they’re treated with chemicals.
These are surprising better than I expected them to be.
Very mellow and pleasant and the roasts absolutely effect the final flavor notes.
All that the Rain Promises and More by David Arora is the 'classic' I think. It's a great resource, but also like, super funny and charming and great to just sit there and read through. It applies to Western US mushrooms so it should be perfect.
Another image of the cake.
Found this recipe and reduced the sugar to 3/4 of what was recommended. I got these off a tree that no one picks at a place my friend is house sitting at.
This book looks promising. And since plants don't recognize state borders, any list for regional foraging would also be useful. You mentioned natives, but invasives are some of the best things to forage because no worries about overharvesting. https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Edible-Plants-Oklahoma-Charles/dp/1736924125
I have a book on boreal forest foraging that has been really good. Can be found here The Boreal Herbal
I have a few other books that i use to cross reference, one being Editable and Medical Plants of Canada
I just looked in my Peterson Field Guide for Trees and Shrubs and realized I left a few species out. Also check out Fox and New England Grape. If you have access to one, it has some great info on telling all of them apart.
https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Trees-Shrubs-North-Central/dp/039535370X
I couldn't find any info on the single seeds. I wonder if it has to do with how they were pollinated?
I think Midwest Foraging is a good book to start with! Includes basic safety and tips, seasonality, and sorts by location/amount of sun! I feel like I always come back to this book although it doesn't include botanical illustrations of plant parts which would be nice.
CLY Jewelry Aromatherapy... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQRB5XP?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This is the one i have, but it looks like it is unavailable now (i got mine last year) if you look up oil diffuser necklace you should be able to find something similar. I know there are similar ones on etsy as well if you look up the same thing
So it’s a 2.5 gallon “corny” keg. I also have a mini CO2 regulator so I can pack the keg in a cooler and take it on the road! https://www.amazon.com/Beer-Keg-Charger-CO2-Dispenser/dp/B07NRD1BPJ/ref=sxin_21_pa_sp_phone_search_thematic_sspa?adgrpid=119905918929&content-id=amzn1.sym.d6734e8e-dff2-499e-a147-afab244e29e0%3Aamzn1.sym.d6734e8e-dff2-499e-a147-afab244e29e0&am...
Have you tried long rubber tipped hobby tweezers: https://www.amazon.com/Tweezers-Straight-Jewelry-Industrial-Electronic/dp/B0922NKNX5/ref=mp_s_a_1_7_sspa?crid=7BLQ3880JTUB&keywords=12+inch+rubber+tipped+forceps&qid=1655597109&sprefix=12inch+rubber+tipped+forceps%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-...
This book was an awesome read! I bought it when my husband and I went dispersed camping up at Homestake Peak.
Yeah, a hoop with a V, a teardrop shape, a hook, or a bent two-prong fork could all work; you can experiment. No need for the net part when the fruit are as firm as unripe - just let them fall to the ground - though with a net the same tool can be used for softer ripe fruit.
You could also find the perfect garden fork like so and attach it to the end of a hollow telescoping pole.
Hey,
I’ve got a book by a penn state professor that’s specific for the northeast and ideal for Pennsylvania forests. Got it at a local book store after getting advice from the lady behind the counter. The book is by Bill Russel and here’s his website.. It’s got color pictures, detailed descriptions, possible false relatives, and edibility scales. Very easy to read especially for a beginner. link to specific book
Earthwise Reusable Mesh Produce Bags - See Through - Set of 9 - Ultra Strong Lightweight Mesh Drawstring, Barcodes scan through Grocery Shopping 12x17 inches, 12x14 inches, 12x8 inches (Sheer Mesh) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711M2L88/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3FYACC0CSM26PQ87CBS0
I’ve been reusing these similar mesh bags for foraging for years. Would absolutely recommend if you can’t find those ones
I made preserves with mine from last year. I used a food mill to get rid of the stems, but you could probably just put it through a sieve if you don't have one (or just blend them).
It looks like it dried up and split. It probably had a normal cap previously when it was fresh?
If you want a good identification book try Mushrooms Demystified. You can follow an identification algorithm that even includes spore prints. It is an older book but great.
Some days I wana wear my dinosaur dress and I dont because then people will talk to me lol so I dress my normal boring self. https://www.amazon.com/CowCow-Womens-Dinosaur-Tyrannosaurus-Sleeveless/dp/B01GZO1B7U?th=1
Probably not the same but I found this on Amazon M MAXIMUMCATCH Maxcatch Line Casting Stripping Basket Fly Fishing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019SM932Q/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_ASA75C861VTRQQG45F20?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Not a pocket guide, but this book is great for the Southeast: https://www.amazon.com/Southeast-Foraging-Flavorful-Angelica-Regional/dp/1604694998
IMO it's a good idea to learn to identify all plants and their uses though, I spend lots of time just walking through the woods taking photos of plants I don't recognize and using the iNaturalist app to try to identify them.
Midwest Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use 109 Wild Herbs for Health and Wellness https://www.amazon.com/dp/1604696559/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PE16J7HT99NKRP06FJAB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 I founds this book on Amazon. I live in the Midwest US but there’s books on other regions too
If you want IDs for the mushrooms you find, you'll have to get better photos.
Here's a few additional pieces of advice:
- You probably already know this, but do not eat mushrooms unless you are 100% confident in your ID, regardless of what someone on the internet tells you.
- Don't waste your time on reddit. People here are way too eager throwing out bad IDs and dangerous misinformation. As hated as Facebook is, I've found that Facebook mycology groups are going to yield far better/quicker results than anywhere else. Not only because they're a larger community that's more active, but the standards for posting accurate information are far higher there.
- Your photos should include as much detail as possible, including the cap, stem, gills, etc. If you smell something in particular or notice staining, those details help too.
- You've done this well here, but capture the mushrooms in their environment. If you found it growing on or near a tree, include a photo of the tree as well.
- Get a mushroom ID book that's relevant to your region, and read the shit out of it. General mushroom ID books can be very helpful, too (see All That the Rain Promises and More).
Good luck IDing your mushrooms!
I've used various brands of fireboxes over the years, this is my firm favourite. It's sturdy and sets up in seconds. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07R1N4QQ7?\_encoding=UTF8&fbclid=IwAR32BjB4Y5deM1ARaAy0KHjAirWGUdw5IjfzqFM7HI5VPM0YfqXMI53mcAs&pd\_rd\_i=B07R1N4QQ7p13NParams&th=1&linkCode=li2&tag=cornishwild04-21&linkId=d4e2aa5e9dc3de346cbfe1...
A Field Guide to Mushrooms of the Carolinas (Southern Gateways Guides) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1469638533/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_ZZ23XVXYHXZQF62WDMN9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I have gotten a lot of use out of this one for mushrooms!
There's always Euell Gibbons' Stalking the Wild Asparagus, published in 1962 - not quite an ethnobotanist's writeup, but an interesting read nonetheless. It's a sort of mix of field guide (although I wouldn't recommend it as an actual field guide), recipe book, personal essays and anecdotes, and local histories of the plant.
Also, seconding the Braiding Sweetgrass recommendation!
OP is a spam bot.
But if you're into foraging than also consider this foraging app. Just in time for valentines day! Forager's Journal
Can I jump on the spam bandwagon?
Check out my app I made to mushroom hunters! So cheap you can buy one for yourself AND a friend without worrying about it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.richmondgamesstudio.foraging
Second the laundry bag. I have one with back straps and it’s great. Let’s the spores escape as you walk and you never run out of space if you find some big patches. I also like the small mesh bags for gym clothes https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Drawstring-Equipment-Storage-Swimming/dp/B07VBHNYY4/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?crid=O9MV0SGUYXRY&keywords=mesh+bags+strap&qid=1641313129&sprefix=mesh+bags+strap%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-11
Since this is a spam post. I hope no one minds if I also spam a product I like.
Forager's Journal: It's like Google maps meets iNaturalist.
Since this is clearly a spam post by a spam bot.
I hope no one minds if I shamelessly plug my android app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.richmondgamesstudio.foraging
Version 2.0 is coming out soon! In version 2.0 we are moving from google maps to Open Source Maps. Plenty of built in trails!
I found this one to be really nice since it's meant to carry 10-14lbs of cat and handles mixed forages well. It can handle heavy fruits, antler, and rocks without crushing anything you put on the top. It's also mesh and non-crushing for mushrooms. I also have some mesh laundry bags to keep things organized in the backpack itself. They fit great in the little side pockets.
I use something like this for collecting mushrooms. Keeps my hands free for when I inevitably trip on a root haha
Heavy Duty Mesh Drawstring Bag, Sport Equipment Storage Bag for Beach, Swimming https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07VBHNYY4/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_0K0CGACB01Q99SW039DY
One thing that's neat about string bags is that you can remove and replace the string straps really easily if the ones they come with are too thin or short. And the mesh is good for keeping the air flowing over your foraged finds.
Canvas Foraging Pouch, Upkey Waterproof Leather Belt Pouch, Bushcraft Bag Waxed Foraging Bags for Hiking, Collapsible Waist Packs for Outdoor, Camping, Hunting, Beach-Combing Seashells Berries Nuts https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B095YYHNKT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_7ZCGX5V60ZFV66J03BXQ
I'm not familiar with any courses, but this cheap new Kindle ebook details 140+ plants in the New England states (edible, medicinal and poisonous) and most of them are found in Massachusetts - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KN5989K
Although this foraging book focuses on the New England area, there will be a great deal of overlap between the plants detailed in it, and those that are present in your state, although you will have to do a quick Google search to verify which are present.
Very cheap ebook! - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KN5989K
Here's a new one I just wrote. Very cheap Kindle ebook :) It contains 140+ relevant plants in the New England area, although of course many of these plants can be found in many other U.S. states.
AVANTO Slim Fit Running Belt with zippered Wrist Wallet, Phone Holder For Running, Passport holder, Travel Money Belt, Waist and Fanny Pack for Women and Men, Feels Like Second Skin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L8BKM9X/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_9DQ879WK68GXVM3VXJKD There are a couple things like this floating around.
Northeast Foraging: 120 Wild and Flavorful Edibles from Beach Plums to Wineberries (Regional Foraging Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1604694173/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_JKAKX9007T41DMGXQVQD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I'm very new to this and the north east. I'd love to hear any book recommendations you have! I'm also hoping to find foraging classes in my area
u/thomas533 I'll throw my hat into the ring.
I'm a mod over at r/BathroomShrooms. There I made use of the automoderator to help keep the sub PG (All of the shrooms and none of the bathroom humor).
I'm also an avid mushroom hunter.
So much so, that I also made an android app just for relocating my spots. Forager's Journal
Since eagle fern (pteridium aquilinum ) is toxic and cancerogenous, how can one make sure that you pick the right one? Most fiddle heads look similar to me.
Links: https://www.expertsvar.se/pressmeddelanden/sjuk-av-ormbunke/ https://www.amazon.com/Fern-Growers-Manual-Barbara-Hoshizaki/dp/160469467X
If you're still interested, the app is now out!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.richmondgamesstudio.foraging
So far it's release to any English speaking country and some Spanish countries.
If it's not available where you are at. Please let me know and I'll correct it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.richmondgamesstudio.foraging
I use GpsStatus on my phone for approximate tracking, it doesn't have a satellite view but you can create waypoints and back them up on google drive if cloud storage is your thing. I like being able to save waypoints and then use a separate app to note down more detailed information on my waypoints.
I find it easy to load in a saved waypoint and just walk up to it by following the compass in the app.
I am in a similar situation to you. I am looking for a lot of resources focused on Europe for foraging after moving from North America. I don't know if it is the best but I picked up a copy of this for France, I haven't read entirely through it yet but my light skimming makes it seem decent. The publisher also various other books for mushrooms and more detailed fields. I also have a number of older german guide books to use, but these obviously require knowledge of german and can be a bit more difficult in trying to source a decent copy. Hopefully this helps, if you find anything else I would love to see
I am using this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bazinac.aplikacenahouby
It is developped in and localised for central europe, but the app is translated into english as well
These are two Japanese artbooks by Emi Tamaki (玉木 えみ) , where she personifies different species of mushrooms as cute anime girls. I order the books through Japanese Amazon here:
The problem with picture books, is that people try to force the plant they are looking at, to match what they see in the book. And when foraging this isn't a good idea. Plus most foraging books cover a very large area so that it can sell the most books to the most people.
But if you learn to properly key and classify a plant, then you use the book to verify what you are seeing. Get Botany In A Day and have her watch the video also. The next thing you know, she'll instantly recognize plants all over the place.
Also since people forage within a few miles of their homes, call your local agriculture extension office and they can point you to local books, persons, plant walks that are local to your area. And also check with your local colleges about potential ethnobotany books they have. Best to learn foraging from the people that lived for thousands of years in your area, versus some dude that is just writing a book to sell nationwide.
I live in Maryland and this book has been my Bible. I live how it also has a section organized by season: https://www.amazon.com/Southeast-Foraging-Flavorful-Angelica-Regional/dp/1604694998/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Southeast+foraging&qid=1601078088&sr=8-3
Just start out with easily identifiable things, and slowly add one or two new plants whenever you're comfortable with what you have learned so far. Start with plants that have no poisonous look alikes (blackberries, dandelion, blueberries, June berries, autumn olives, raspberries, etc) and work your way up.
Here’s a couple books from a publisher I like.
Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers--E: Eastern Region
The ones I have have full color reference photos and really good descriptions.
The problem with picture books, is that people want to try and force the picture to match the plant they are seeing. What you need to do, is learn to properly classify a plant first, then it becomes easier to learn its characteristics.
I suggest Botany In A Day by Thomas Elpel. Use it along with his video, then all the sudden you will start recognizing plants based on some patterns, then all the other books will make more sense.
https://www.amazon.com/Botany-Day-Patterns-Method-Identification/dp/1892784351
I got something like this, though it wasn't from this exact seller. You definitely need more than a couple blocks and the main downside of this model is the relatively short legs. This year I am building a small table to provide a solid base, plus a cutout for extra height under the spout. Unless you already know you want making cider as a major hobby, a 1.6 gal press is plenty. In just an afternoon I'm able to make way more cider than I can reasonably drink.
I do trim any obvious bugs, cut big apples in half, and then grind to a slurry in my food processor. I looked into a crusher but it just doesn't make sense for how little cider I make.
I process some cider into either boiled cider (reduce by a factor of 2 or so) and into cider jelly, which is the most delicious preserve I have ever made. I'm still working on the acid correction required for cider jelly made from harlson apples since they get harsh when reduced that far.
I got this really great dehydrator on amazon! it works really well for the price, it’s about $40!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008H2OELY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.cQUEbMP928MF
(i’m not sponsored or anything i just like my dehydrator)
This is my favorite mushroom guide! all the rain promises and more
Make sure you learn the deadliest mushroom types so you can avoid look alikes, and remember to positively ID each mushroom type you find from a guide and to make sure it is not a similar looking type that may be poisonous. For example, the shaggy parasol and green spored parasol look very very similar, but one will make you very sick. You could also look into joining a local mycological society.
I’ve got a number of mushroom books, some geared towards general identification, others specifically towards edible mushrooms. I really like my Audubon field guide for general identification, but my favorite for edible mushrooms is The Complete Mushroom Hunter by Gary Lincoff.
I’ve got a number of mushroom books, some geared towards general identification, others specifically towards edible mushrooms. I really like my Audubon field guide for general identification, but my favorite for edible mushrooms is The Complete Mushroom Hunter by Gary Lincoff.
Food For Free is pretty much considered the gold standard: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Free-Collins-Richard-Mabey/dp/0007183038/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548249135&sr=8-1&keywords=food+for+free
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Would anyone recommend these two books? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Foraging-California-Finding-Identifying-Preparing/dp/0762786841
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edible-Medicinal-Plants-Gregory-Tilford/dp/0878423591
They have been highly recommended and also seem to be the lightest i can find.
Northeast Foraging: 120 Wild and Flavorful Edibles from Beach Plums to Wineberries (Regional Foraging Series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1604694173/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Ckm3Bb7NN4Z17
I have the Midwest version of this and I love it! It’s wonderful to just sit down and read, but also good to use as a field guide!
I have the Upper Midwest version of this mushroom guide. I really like it. It has top edibles, top toxics, and look-alikes for both with toxic look-alikes in the case of the edibles. There are no drawings, all reference pictures are color photos. The mushrooms are also divided by physical structure, colors, etc. Highly recommended.
Or fasten an inverted cut off quart or 2 liter bottle to a pole with a hole cut into its side.
I too am in MD, pg county. i found this to be a great choice.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/303836.The_Forager_s_Harvest
I liked this as well.
https://www.amazon.com/Stalking-Wild-Asparagus-Euell-Gibbons/dp/0911469036
I will assume from your other comment/post history that you are unaware that this link is an Amazon Affiliate link (you can tell from the "tag=avocadobestev-20" in the URL.) The reddit spam filter flags and blocks any post/comment with affiliate links. Your best bet to bypass the filter is anytime you want to post an Amazon link is to leave out any part after the Amazon Product code. So this link would be:
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and none of the unnecessary stuff :
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Fell free to re-submit this with the plain link instead. Even better, make the new post a text post and include a review of the product if it something that you have personally used!
I just put 1-5 heads into a reusable fine mesh bag (like this one) and place that into a large jar or pitcher. Then you pour cold water over the buds and pull the drawstring on the bag. If you use enough the first batch is ready in minutes and the mesh bag does all the straining. You can keep refilling as it gets used up but you may have to let it sit longer to get the flavor you want. The color is a pretty good indicator of how sour it's going to be.
Thanks! Medsger in <em>Edible Wild Plants</em> makes black haw (Viburnum prunifolium) sound like the tastiest fruit in the world, but it seems MA is out of their natural range and I certainly don't have enough info to get to a species ID at this point. Thanks for the tip about pollen on the stems. Is there a viburnum key somewhere or other things to look out for to help ID toxic species?
I thought the way the berries grew looked a lot like elderberries. I was thinking Sambucus canadensis (mostly due to range) but the leaves didn't feel like a perfect match. Are there any poisonous elderberry lookalikes that you know of?
You can check some options here. Idiot's Guide on Foraging has information on common North American wild edibles.
In addition you can check the following book: https://www.amazon.com/Foraging-California-Finding-Identifying-Preparing/dp/0762786841
Nope seeds don't bother our house at all. I think deseeding drastically cut yield and not being a fan of waste I'd rather keep them in.
If you want a smooth puree try a chinoise