[salish]

[Mike E.]

Catwoman, The snowball like mushrooms that I was referring to are "hericium abietis". They only grow on the sides of old rotting hemlock trees in old growth forests in the fall. They look like a BIG, (to 30" across), snowball stuck to the side of the tree from a distance. Up close they look like a thousand little icicles all stuck together. You can't mistake them for anything else and they are very good once you get them clean. I pull them apart, wash any little bugs out of them, chop them up and saute them with a little meat or fish and some garlic, onion or shallots...an excellent meal. I was looking at my books last night and if I was going to get just one I think it would be: All That the Rain Promises, and More ...: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms by David Arora As far as mistaking a puffball for an amanita, well it's pretty unlikely unless you just aren't paying attention. Puffballs are homogeneous throughout, whereas amanitas always have an internal gill structure, even when very immature. If you're not 110% sure just leave it, they're really aren't any old, bold mushroomers.

[Mike E.]

OOPS! I forgot to include this link to a good hericium pic. http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Hericium_abietis.html

[Larry]

I'm HUGE on the small wild trailing blackberries found in clearcuts in July, sometimes in late June if there are quite a few warm days. The best pies in the world are made from these. I've been know to bake a pie, let it cool, then eat the whole friggin' pie on the spot. Kind of hard on the stomach, but I can't help it. Also, when you pick a coffee can full of the berries, it's just great to push my face into the can and breathe the aroma of those berries. A bonus is that I look like a large terrier with the can stuck to the front of my face. I also make up several batches of salal jelly in the Fall. The berries are really bland if you just eat them off the bush...but make a jelly out of them, and they turn into ambrosial, aromatic, delicious jelly with a beautiful color. Make my mouth water right now. I'm with you McP, on the shoots of glacier lilies. Also...good old Oregon Oxalis and also the seed pods of avalanche lilies. And..don't forget the wild onion!

[MCaver]

I've heard you can make some pretty good tea from horsetail shoots too.

[catwoman]

Mike E, I know those mushrooms, but I wouldn't have guessed that that's what you were talking about because it doesn't look at all like a snowball stuck to the side of a stump to me. I haven't picked them before, though, but have been pondering it. Do you just pull them off or do you need to cut them off somewhere?

[Mike E.]

Catwoman, They're kind of rubbery/fibrous and although you can pull them off, it's much easier to cut the main stem. On a big one you might want to surround it with a bag first, since they're kind of floppy and hard to hold. One other thing about a number of mushrooms to keep in mind is that some of them contain enzymes which if consumed daily for 3 or 4 days can deplete your bodies ability to digest them and lead to some stomach upset. If you don't eat them daily you'll never notice it. Some like Shaggy Manes can react with acohol to make you sick. A little research pays big dividends.

[McPilchuck]

Salish wrote: "I suppose you heard about the great seminar on survival and living off the land, put on by Hans H. at the Hi Lakers last summer, complete with a bow-drill fire." Yes, Hans is a very good friend of mine, we've shared some wonderful times in the mountain together. In fact, next weekend I am at his house for a wild food game dinner (booze included tho) along wih a few invited friends, too. And since he lives in the shadow of Mt. Si, he has invited me to stay the night and hike parts of the mountain the next day, providing we both don't drink too much <grin>. "All Good Medicine" as Hans puts it.....good food, good company, good humor, and sharing the woods & wilds. Ah, I see Larry knows about those glacier lilies, too. Can't hide anything from that guy, he's been around those glaciers too much eyeing the tender shoots, I should have known <grin>. And I figured you (Salish) woud know plenty about wild foods too, knowing your background as well. Missed you the other night at the TB'ers...hope you are well. McPil

[McPilchuck]

"McP- What kind of nuts do you find in the woods of the NW? (serious queston, even though Quark might be a true answer)" I know where several hazelnut trees are (Filberts) and a few Walnut trees near Oso and in the Darrington area. been gathering them for 40 years plus. In fact, anyone who knows me, knows of the hiking/walking sticks I hand carve --- donating one or two every year at the Hi-Lakers/Trail Blazer Winter Social. And on occasion, one goes with me to a meeting so I can shake a stick at the president when he gets out of line <grin>. If one is looking for nuts and or fruit, search the old abandon orchards out along the foothills of the forest, seek and you shall find. McPil

[Damian]

I once found an old abandoned apricot orchard in the Wenatchee foot hills. The trees were old and knarled, and scorched by the sun. Amazingly a couple were still alive and bore small delicious deep orange fruit. Delicious.

[Mike E.]

McPil, The comments about your friend Hans and his survival seminar has really piqued my interest. Does he have any more of these planned ? If he'll be doing any more of these this summer I'd appreciate it if you could drop me a note or post it to this list. On a side note, I also have made a number of walking sticks. My favorite being hazel nut followed by apricot, apple and pear woods. The country around here, (Wenatchee), is full of these so getting decent stock is VERY easy.

[catwoman]

Sounds like it could be something serious but ..... what is "lag time suffering"?

[polarbear-]

Here are a couple of shroomer links: Forest Service Mycology Team Puget Sound Mycological Society

[Dave Weyrick]

Mike E. posted: Those huge white snowball looking ones ,(hericium), that grow from the sides of dead rotting stumps are pretty good when spiced up, as are the "chicken of the woods" if you get them soon enough. I believe both were found on a day hike to the Mildred Lakes last September up the Hamma Hamma drainage near ONP. I guess a feast would have been in order if I'd had a positive ID. Can anyone tell from the pics if they're the right ones?

Hericium (snowball)?

Chicken of the Woods?

[catwoman]

the top one is. I don't know my chicken of the woods shrooms yet.