Tag: Wild Foodism

The Small Mushrooms We’re All Overlooking (new video!)

Greetings!

Just a reminder that on Monday, September 16th, I’ll be opening registration for my online course Foraging Wild Mushrooms.  This course is designed for beginner-level mushroom enthusiasts who are looking to confidently and successfully harvest wild mushrooms for food, for medicine, for study, and for fun.

If you’re interested in signing up for Foraging Wild Mushrooms, mark your calendar for Monday, September 16th and visit this link.

And now on to this week’s brand new video!

I’ve never been one to judge a mushroom based on its size.  Teeny-tiny fungi can be equally as fascinating as big, beefy mushrooms.

During a recent walk through a beautiful forest, I encountered all kinds of small mushrooms whose roles were no less essential than those of the larger fungi.  Rather than keep these fungal encounters to myself, I thought I’d pull out my camera and document the fun.

If you’re interested in learning some neat things about a few of the smaller mushrooms that may be growing in your neck of the woods, check out the brand new video!

Speaking of fascinating fungi, have you ever met a blue mushroom that smelled strongly of anise?  Pictured here is one such fragrant fungus that commonly decomposes forest debris during the summer and autumn months.  To learn more about this mushroom, and to view more photographs, check out the recent Instagram post!

Thanks for reading and watching, and as always, thank you for your support!

-Adam Haritan

Foraging Wild Mushrooms — Online Course Registration Opens Next Week!

Greetings!

I’m extremely excited to announce that, in anticipation of the upcoming autumn mushroom season, registration for my online course will be open next week on Monday, September 16th.  Since the course’s first launch in May, I’ve added several new videos and will continue to add them throughout the year.

Foraging Wild Mushrooms is a four-season course designed to help you confidently and successfully forage wild mushrooms.  Whether you’re interested in foraging for food, for medicine, for study, or just for fun, this online course covers the most important lessons to get you started and to keep you going!

This course is presented entirely online and it features over 70 exclusive videos that cover all the essentials for beginner-level mushroom hunters, including mushroom ecology; mushroom biology; common edible mushrooms; medicinal mushrooms; poisonous mushrooms; cooking techniques; medicine-making; and more.

Upon registration, you can watch the videos at your own pace and you will have access to the course forever.

Please note that Foraging Wild Mushrooms will only be open for registration for one week only, from midnight on September 16th to Monday, September 23rd.  After September 23rd, registration will be closed.

If you’re interested in signing up for Foraging Wild Mushrooms, mark your calendar for Monday, September 16th and visit this link.

I’ve derived so much enjoyment foraging wild food and medicine from the fungal kingdom over the years, and I’d love to help you experience the same life-changing thrills too!

I hope to see you on September 16th!
-Adam Haritan

Who Knew That The Chicken Mushroom Could Have An Endangered Look-Alike?

Greetings!

Within the world of mushroom hunting exists a regionally-dictated and arbitrary list known as the “foolproof four.”  Such an assemblage includes choice edible fungi that are easily identified.

Chicken Of The Woods, with its vivid colors and meaty texture, is one wild mushroom whose name is frequently included in “foolproof four” lists across North America.  Ask any seasoned mushroom hunter, and he or she will tell you that few wild fungi resemble Chicken Of The Woods.

But few doesn’t always mean zero.

There are mushrooms that, at least from a distance, can certainly resemble Chicken Of The Woods, and featured in the following video (and pictured above) is one such look-alike that’s actually considered to be critically endangered in some forests around the world.

If you’re interested in learning more about this bright orange fungus that can indeed resemble Chicken Of The Woods, check out the brand new video!

And in case you missed it, I released another brand new video last week without sending an accompanying email.

This time, we’re talking about a common plant that undoubtedly lives an unconventional life.  With names like Devil’s Guts, Strangle Weed, and Love Vine, this wild plant is despised by many people and surprisingly cherished by others.

Check out the video if you haven’t seen it already!

Thanks for reading and watching, and as always, thank you for your support!

-Adam Haritan

August (and Blackberry Jam)

Staghorn Sumac Sugar Fritters — Gather Victoria

A Bunyol is a Spanish Sugared fritter, so these are Staghorn Sumac Sugar Bunyols. Imagine a warm doughnut (without the hole) rolled in a silky lemony tasting icing sugar and you’ve got the idea. A bunyol (or buñuelo) is a small yeasty bun traditionally enjoyed in Spain on All Saints Day (Nov.1st) which is dedicated to the memory of the…

via Staghorn Sumac Sugar Fritters — Gather Victoria

Botanizing Along The Pennsylvania Turnpike (New video!)

Greetings!

First, I’d like to say “thanks!” to everyone who registered for the upcoming Midwest Wild Harvest Festival in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.  The event has officially sold out, though if you’re looking for additional opportunities to learn foraging (specifically mushroom foraging), look no further than the annual Gary Lincoff Memorial Foray on September 21st in Pittsburgh.

Tickets are still available for this latter event in which I, along with Bill Russell (author of Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic) and Rick Kerrigan (the foremost authority on North American Agaricus mushrooms) will be presenting during the afternoon lecture sessions.

And now on to this week’s brand new video!

I get the feeling that most people wouldn’t consider major highways to be prime habitats for botanical exploration.  Interestingly, however, areas that are perpetually kept in an early stage of ecological succession — especially areas that receive ample amounts of sunlight — can harbor incredible numbers of plant species.

Such is the case with the Pennsylvania Turnpike — a 360+ mile highway that traverses the entire state.

I recently spent some time exploring an area alongside the Pennsylvania Turnpike in search of native plants that thrive during the warmest weeks of the year.  And of course, I decided to film the experience.

If you’re interested in seeing what it’s like to botanize along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in mid-August, check out the brand new video!

 

 

Bad hair day or fungal overgrowth?  Unfortunately for this spider engulfed in mycelium, things aren’t looking too good.  Have you ever seen something like this in your neck of the woods?  Check out this Instagram post to learn more!

Thanks for reading and watching, and as always, thank you for your support!

-Adam Haritan

10 Wild Summer Mushrooms — Polypores, Boletes, Gilled Fungi, & More!

 

Greetings!

This summer season has been full of programs, traveling, turnpike tolls, ticks, and of course… mushrooms!  A big “thank you!” goes out to everyone who has attended a recent event in which I’ve led a walk or have given a presentation.

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be participating in two upcoming events this September.  On Saturday, September 21st, the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club is hosting its annual Gary Lincoff Memorial Foray.  I, along with Bill Russell (author of Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic) and Rick Kerrigan (the foremost authority on North American Agaricus mushrooms) will be presenting during the afternoon lecture sessions.

Also, I’ll be leading mushroom programs at the annual Midwest Wild Harvest Festival in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin from September 27th-29th.  Additional instructors for this year’s festival include Samuel Thayer, Ellen Zachos, Leda Meredith, and Erica Davis.

More events are forthcoming.  Stay tuned!

And now on to this week’s brand new video!

One of the benefits of traveling during the summer season is seeing, documenting, and filming different kinds of fungi that grow in varied habitats.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been physically in the presence of hundreds of mushrooms (over 400 species just this past weekend alone!) and I’ve enjoyed immensely their unique shapes, sizes, smells, and spores.

For this week’s video, I thought I’d narrow down the list a bit and showcase some of the more fascinating fungi that I’ve recently encountered.

If you’re interested in learning a few neat things about 10 different mushrooms (all of which may be growing in your neck of the woods!), check out the brand new video!

 

 

Even during dry periods, a hardy group of mushrooms can reliably be found.  Pictured here is one such species that fruits in seemingly fungally-barren woods during the summer and autumn months.  Check out this Instagram post to learn more!

Thanks for reading and watching, and as always, thank you for your support!

-Adam Haritan

A Forest Grown Future for Pennsylvania’s Precious Ginseng — Good Witches Homestead

In Pennsylvania’s lush, green Appalachian foothills, our North American ginseng thrives. It’s here in these undulating woodlands that Randy has tended our certified organic and forest grown ginseng for more than 30 years. “There are very few people who are cultivating the plant in its wild habitat,” said Jennifer, Mountain Rose Herbs’ Chief Operations Officer. “It’s a […]

via A Forest Grown Future for Pennsylvania’s Precious Ginseng — Good Witches Homestead

Strange Oysters & Other Summer Mushrooms (New Video!)

Greetings!

First, I want to say “thank you!” to every person who has attended one of my foraging programs this year.  One of the best parts of traveling to new areas is meeting and spending time with an incredible number of wonderful people who are thrilled to learn new plants and mushrooms.  I’ve had a blast so far this year hopping around different states and I certainly don’t plan on stopping any time soon!

As a reminder, I’ll be participating in the West Virginia Mushroom Foray from July 19th through the 21st at Blackwater Falls State Park in Davis, West Virginia.  While my Friday morning walk has already filled to max capacity, I’ll be offering a presentation on Saturday for all participants.

Additional instructors this year include such notable authors as Arleen Bessette, Walt Sturgeon, and John Plischke III.

You can learn more about the event by clicking here!

And now on to this week’s brand new video!

Fungally speaking, summer is off to a fruitful start. The ample rains and warmer temperatures have been very conducive to fungal activity here in the Northeast, and if similar conditions persist, 2019 could be a banner year for many summer mushroom species.

While on a recent walk through a local wooded area, I encountered quite an array of mushrooms — some edible, some not so edible, but all fascinating in their own right.

One species in particular caught my eye because of its close resemblance to oyster mushrooms, and upon closer inspection, its true identity was revealed to me.

Have you ever seen a mushroom that looks like this?  Would you consider it to be an oyster mushroom or something else?

Check out the new video to learn more!

Amongst thunderstorms, cloudy skies, and rainbows, this beautiful mushroom contributes significantly to the array of phenomena that characterize the early summer season. Few mushrooms are as photogenic as this one, and if you’d like to learn who this unique fungus is, check out the recent Instagram post!

Thanks for reading and watching, and as always, thank you for your support!

-Adam Haritan

June Flower, The Rose.

Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs's avatarCrooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Chloris, the Greek Goddess of flowers, crowned the rose queen of all flowers, a title that the rose deserves today as much as it did in the Golden Age of Greece. Not only is the rose of unparalleled beauty, but it has also proved itself to be useful in a hundred different ways. It has been prized for its medicinal value, cherished for its sweet scent, and appreciated for its delicate flavor.

chloris greek goddess

The legend of the origin of the rose is from the days of the Roman Empire. The story is told of Rhodanthe, a woman of such exquisite beauty that she had many, many suitors. She showed little interest in any of them and sought refuge in the “Temple of Diana.” Her suitors were persistent, however, and followed her there, breaking down the gates to get close to her. Diana became incensed at this and turned Rhodanthe into a…

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