Finding A Decent-Sized American Chestnut Tree

It’s always a good day when I find an American chestnut tree. It’s an even better day when I find an American chestnut tree of a decent size.

Admittedly, I mostly feel this way because American chestnut isn’t an incredibly common species where I live.

A fungal disease known as chestnut blight kills most American chestnuts. The fungus cuts off the flow of water and nutrients within trees. Starved of nutrients, the trunks of American chestnuts die.

But the roots remain alive. They give rise to sprouts which eventually become new trunks. Sometimes these trunks live for many years, and sometimes I find them in the woods.

Such was the case a few days ago when I encountered a living American chestnut by chance. More than just a stump sprout, this particular American chestnut was a decent-sized tree.

Needless to say, I was excited. I promptly decided to capture the experience on film to show you what an American chestnut looks like in the autumn season.

You can watch the very short video here.

Speaking of decent-sized organisms, I recently found a large enoki mushroom. In fact, it was the largest enoki mushroom I’ve ever seen. To view a short video on that experience, check out the Learn Your Land Instagram and Facebook pages.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

Samhain Treats: Rowan Berry Honey Caramels

Samhain Treats: Rowan Berry Honey Caramels

Identifying Trees Without Looking Up

Conventional ways of doing things aren’t always the most effective ways of doing things.

Take tree identification, for instance.

We might think that we have to strain our necks in order to identify trees. If we don’t look up into the canopy, how else are we supposed to learn?

We can look down instead.

When we look down at the forest floor, we discover clues. After analyzing these clues, we can easily determine which trees are growing nearby — without even looking up.

During a recent walk, I attempted to identify trees based on what I observed beneath my feet. I brought my camera along to show you just how effective (and fun!) such an exercise can be.

If you want to learn how to identify trees without looking up, check out the new video!

I also recently posted a new video in which I discuss an edible mushroom known as hen-of-the-woods. To view that video, check out the Learn Your Land Instagram and Facebook pages.

Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for your continued support!

— Adam Haritan

A RUSSIAN CELEBRATION W/ ROWAN BERRY JELLY

A Russian Celebration w/ Rowan Berry Jelly

Sassafras: Beauty and Utility

Sassafras: Beauty and Utility

How To Find Mushrooms In Dry Weather

Any forager will tell you that mushrooms are abundant when rainfall is plentiful.

The reason for this correlation is simple: fungi love water.

Nearly every stage in the life cycle of a fungus requires water — from spore germination, to nutrient uptake, to reproduction, to spore dispersal.

But water isn’t always plentiful. Sometimes it’s scarce. During prolonged absences of rain, many foragers have difficulty finding mushrooms.

I count myself as someone who finds fewer fungi during dry spells, but I’ve also learned how to improve my chances of finding at least a few prized mushrooms when rain is scarce.

In a brand new video, I share 5 tips that will help you find mushrooms in dry weather.

You can watch the brand new video here.

Even when rainfall is plentiful, you probably won’t find many mushrooms in alvars. Instead, you’ll see rare plants that grow nowhere else. To learn about a federally endangered plant that thrives in alvars, check out this recent Instagram post.

Thanks for reading and watching!

— Adam Haritan

SUMMER SOLSTICE “BLACK BALSAM”: A DIVINELY FEMININE LIBATION

Summer Solstice “Black Balsam”: A Divinely Feminine Libation

Intuitive Herbal Sun Teas for Summer Solstice Healing

Intuitive Herbal Sun Teas for Summer Solstice Healing

Love That Lovage

The Herb Society of America Blog

By Maryann Readal

Lovage, Levisticum officinale, is The Herb Society’s Herb of the Month for June. It can be a difficult herb to find in nurseries where I live in Texas. This spring, though, I did find a nice-looking lovage plant and decided to give it a try. After doing some research, I learned that lovage is native to the Mediterranean area and Southwest Asia. It is an easy-to-grow perennial that can reach a height of six feet and a width of three feet. Needless to say, I had it planted in the wrong place, and I had to move it to give it more room to grow. It dies back in the winter, but returns in the spring. It can be cut back in midsummer to control its height. Lovage thrives in sun or partial shade and needs well-watered soil. If it does not receive enough water during the…

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Is This Edible Mushroom Toxic On Certain Trees?

Greetings,

Before I share a brand new video, I’d like to remind you that Trees In All Seasons is currently open for enrollment until Monday, May 22.

This online course teaches you how to confidently identify over 100 trees in every season — spring, summer, fall, and winter. When you enroll, you gain immediate and unlimited access to over 75 exclusive videos that lay the groundwork for successful tree identification.

You can register and learn more about the course here.

Tree identification is an excellent skill to learn if you are interested in foraging mushrooms. Many edible mushrooms grow in association with trees. When you learn the basics of tree identification, your understanding of fungal ecology improves.

One popular mushroom that grows in association with trees is chicken of the woods. Despite its popularity, chicken of the woods sometimes has a questionable reputation. When this mushroom grows on certain trees (e.g., angiosperms), foragers praise it and consider it undeniably edible. When this mushroom grows on other trees (e.g., conifers), some foragers vilify it and consider it suspect.

I recently spent some time in a conifer-rich woodland and decided to film a video in which I share my thoughts on this controversy.

Is there any truth to the claim that conifer-derived chicken mushrooms are potentially toxic?

You can watch the new video here.

Thanks for reading and watching. If you’d like to improve your foraging skills by learning how to identify trees, consider enrolling in Trees In All Seasons by Monday, May 22.

—Adam Haritan