Free Food From God

[Cabin Fever]

We've had several threads regarding wild edibles. Consequently, I would like to share some photos of the common edible and delicious mushrooms we collect in our area. It goes without saying that collecting and eating wild mushrooms can be somewhat dangerous if you are not familiar with the species that you are collecting. Because of this, we collect mushrooms that are pretty much unmistakable when it comes to their ID. In other words, there are not any other mushrooms that look similar to the ones we harvest - at least in our area. As always, before you venture out on a mushroom hunt, prepare yourself first with some instruction from a knowledgeable, experienced guide or by taking an identification class. Lastly, a good mushroom ID handbook in invaluable. The handbook we use is the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. (All photos are ours)

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Blue milk mushroom (Lactarius indigo)

Old Man of the Woods (Strobilomyces floccopus)

Chicken of the Forest mushroom or sulfur shelf (Laetiporus sulphureus)

 

[Cabin Fever]

Lobster mushroom (Hypomyces lactifluorum)

Morel mushroom (Morchella esculenta)

Puff balls (many species)

Besides mushrooms we collect and eat a variety of wild berries, purslane, lambs quarter, hazel nuts, acorns fiddleheads, ramps, dandelion, wild rice, and cattails. I'm probably forgetting a few. Of course, the lakes and forests that surround our home are abundant with wildlife, especially fish, deer, and wild turkey.

 

[lonewolf]

I dont know much about mushrooms but an expert who was running a course on the subject told me there are far more types that will kill you (or put you in hospital at the very least) than are edible, so unless you know what your doing leave them alone.

 

[Cabin Fever]

I dont know much about mushrooms but an expert who was running a course on the subject told me there are far more types that will kill you (or put you in hospital at the very least) than are edible, so unless you know what your doing leave them alone.

I'd agree. The mushrooms we collect are easily identified and have no look-a-likes.

 

[lonewolf]

I'd agree. The mushrooms we collect are easily identified and have no look-a-likes.

I'm not mad on mushrooms, I might have a couple of small ones with a fry up but I'm not bothered if they arent available.
did pick some horse mushrooms many years ago and gave to the local homeless shelter.

 

[Cabin Fever]

I'm not mad on mushrooms, I might have a couple of small ones with a fry up but I'm not bothered if they arent available.
did pick some horse mushrooms many years ago and gave to the local homeless shelter.

Just don't pick up any horse apples for the homeless shelter.

 

[winds-of-change]

Or cow pies. They don’t seem to like those.

 

[Patchouli]

Just don't pick up any horse apples for the homeless shelter.

Horse apples around here are the fruit from the bois d’arc tree. They are huge, round, knobby/bumpy. As far as I know they are not edible.
One year we had a few choice edible mushrooms in the yard. They were excellent and easily identifiable.
Nice selections of groceries ya got there! @Cabin Fever

 

[Cabin Fever]

Horse apples around here are the fruit from the bois d’arc tree. They are huge, round, knobby/bumpy. As far as I know they are not edible.
One year we had a few choice edible mushrooms in the yard. They were excellent and easily identifiable.
Nice selections of groceries ya got there! @Cabin Fever

My wife calls those, "Osage Oranges."

 

[Patchouli]

My wife calls those, "Osage Oranges."

That sounds right!! We had one of the trees on our first property here by the stream. Are you saying you have those in your area?

 

[Bacpacker]

Horse apples around here are the fruit from the bois d’arc tree. They are huge, round, knobby/bumpy. As far as I know they are not edible.
One year we had a few choice edible mushrooms in the yard. They were excellent and easily identifiable.
Nice selections of groceries ya got there! @Cabin Fever

Is that the same tree called Osage orange?. Fruir sure sounds like it

 

[Patchouli]

Yes, @Bacpacker
http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/TreeDetails/?id=61