How to Find Edible Mushrooms
"Hunting" for or gathering edible mushrooms is an outdoor activity enjoyed by many. Fresh mushrooms gleaned from the wild are tasty and free. However, they also can be dangerous if you pick a poisonous mushroom. Protect yourself from picking a poisonous mushroom by knowing what to look for before you go out mushroom hunting. Checking your finds against pictures online or by contacting your local cooperative extension office to make sure the mushrooms you want to eat are safe. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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How to Find Edible Puffball Mushrooms
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Know where and at what time of year edible mushrooms grow in your community. Go hunting for edible mushrooms in these spots and at these times to avoid bringing home something poisonous. Look in late summer and early fall on lawns, pastures and decaying pastures and in woods.
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Research edible mushrooms before you go out. Know what their distinguishing features are and look for mushrooms with those features when you go out hunting. For example, look for "puffballs" (Lycoperdon and Calvatia) which are mushrooms that from a distance look like golf balls. These edible mushrooms have round or pear-shaped caps that are always white, tan or gray in color. Some have a base that looks like a stalk while others have no visible stalk until they are picked.
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Pick and cut one of these mushrooms down the center. Look for an inside that is completely white on the inside or center of the mushroom. This is an edible mushroom and will usually range from 1 to 12 inches in diameter.
How to Find Edible Bearded Tooth Mushrooms
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Look for white mushrooms that appear to have clumps of hanging white "fur." These types of "bearded tooth" mushrooms have no poisonous look-a-likes and are safe to eat.
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Go hunting for bearded tooth mushrooms in the late summer or early fall and look specifically in wooded areas as these mushrooms always grow on trees, logs and stumps.
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Look for mushrooms that are large and shaggy. Cut the mushroom open to ensure that the inside is all white before you take it home to eat.
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Tips & Warnings
Read about poisonous mushrooms before hunting to provide added protection against bringing home a dangerous kind of mushroom. If you have any question about whether a mushroom you have picked is poisonous, take it to your local extension office for an opinion or leave it where you found it. Do not consume it.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit mushroom image by David Sexton from Fotolia.com
