We're all connected

A crisp, fall morning turned into an opportunity to explore connections of all types. From the Wood Wide Web to the ways our lives entangle outside of the forest, we observed the wonderful alchemy of being entwined and in relationship with community and space. We humbly thank the Saratoga County 4H for donating use of their Training Center, and to the Saratoga County Agricultural Society HOME+ARTS for their support in underwriting this special event.

An additional thanks to Julie Rohr, who not only provided the pathway for this partnership to come to fruition, but who also graciously snapped and shared many of the photos featured in this recap.

What did we find?

We truly enjoyed the energy and abundant mindset of those who ventured on this foraging experience. With so much to learn and such little time (trust us, you have to drag us out, usually!), our dear foragers did an excellent job adjusting their sight and exploring land in a whole new way. The days leading up to this Foraging Experience did give us a bit of rain, which coaxed the appearance of a variety of flushes! We're so grateful to have shared in this very special experience with you. Here's a look at a few of the things we found:

Laetiporus sulphureus

Chicken of the Woods

Fruit bodies are generally bright orange to pale yellow/tan as it ages
Fertile surface area is pored; a golden yellow underside releases white spores
Lacks a stipe; Laetiporous is a fungus that attaches directly to wood and often grows in overlapping shelves (shelf or bracket fungus)
Saprotrophic: COW loves dead and dying hardwoods (in my experience, mostly oak, but they will grow on other trees and conifers occasionally)

Grifola frondosa

Maitake/Hen of the Woods

Weakly parasitic, soft-fleshed polypore that usually grows at the base of oaks, and causes white butt rot (saprobic on rotting wood)
Smoky brown, wavy caps, with a white margin, organized in large clusters and rosettes, coming from one branching stem structure; velvety or bald
Pores run down the stem, often near the base; lavender-gray to white, with yellow staining
Firm, white flesh
White spore print
A well-loved mushroom, especially in various Asian cuisines

Armillaria spp.

Honey Mushrooms

Pathogenic and parasitic fungus that grows in tight clusters, usually on hardwoods, but sometimes on conifers. It causes white, pulpy rot in wood, spreading via rhizomorphs from tree to tree
Golden yellow to brownish, bald cap, with few yellow to brownish scales near the center
Fertile surface area is tight, attached gills that are whitish to pinkish to brownish
Sturdy, yellow-edged white ring (or attached veil) on the tapered stem
Whitish to pinkish flesh
White spore print
Cook your honey mushrooms thoroughly! If you are extra-prone to GI distress, blanch them first. This will also help rid the mucilaginous factor; you can also work with it by cooking honeys in soup, which will help thicken it.

Entoloma abortivum

Aborted Entoloma/Shrimp of the Woods

Parasitic on Armillaria, and saprobic on wood and leaf debris; find these in places you'd find honey mushrooms and Maitake/hen of the woods
Flushes in the late summer and early fall
"Aborted" form—an irregular glob of tissue that has a whitish surface, discoloring brown; white and pinkish areas inside
Contains hyphae from both Entoloma arbortivum and Armillaria species, indicating that Entoloma essentially parasite honeys in a similar fashion as Hypomyces and Russulaceae
Pink spore print
Smells farinaceous (mealy/watermelon rind)
Flavor and texture of shrimp when cooked!

Ganoderma spp.

Artist's Conch

A cousin of Reishi! See how they are both part of the Ganoderma family? I just wouldn't eat an Artist's Conch!
Grows right on the wood in shelves and brackets
Has a matte cap
Pored fertile surface area
Great fun to etch into the pored surface of fresher Conchs. The lines quickly darken. Let your Conch dry out, then use as ornamentation in your home or garden!

Trametes versicolor

Turkey Tail

Common polypore meaning "of several colors"
Surface of cap has concentric rings with a white margin
Surface of cap is velvety and smooth
Pore surface is whitish to light brown, with small round pores
Grows in a rosette pattern and tiled in layers in groups or rows on logs and stumps of deciduous trees, resembling the tails of turkey
Polysaccharide-K (PSK or krestin), extracted from T. versicolor, is considered safe for use as a therapy for cancer treatment in Japan where it is approved for clinical use
Another wonderful medicinal, turkey tail tea is easy to make

Tremella mesenterica

Witch's Butter

Considered a jelly fungus, Witch's Butter has gelatinous, orange-yellow fruit body
Frequently found on both dead but attached and recently fallen branches and rotting logs, especially after rain
Occurs widely in deciduous and mixed forests
Smooth fertile surface area and no cap
Lacks a stipe
Spore print is white-to-yellow
It's like nature's Jell-O!

Amanita muscaria var. guessowii

Fly Agaric

Variety of well-known Amanita muscaria is distinguished by a yellow-to-orange cap, rather than red
Has warts on the cap
Ring on upper stem from universal veil, also found in the shaggy material along the stem
Grows from an egg/volva
Gills narrowly attached or free from the stem; white; close or crowded
White spore print
Toxic: We do not recommend consumption

Notes on consumption and more

As they say, all mushrooms are edible once.

Use caution when consuming wild foods. No mushroom will harm you by touching it, smelling it, or even licking it. It is the actual swallowing and consumption we want to be aware of.

That being said, 99% of edible wild mushrooms should be thoroughly cooked before consuming to avoid gastrointestinal distress. If you're unsure how an edible mushroom will affect you, try a small amount and wait several hours before trying more, to see how your body reacts.

Fresh mushrooms should be stored in a cool, dry place, around 38°-42°F. Field cleaning your mushrooms is the best way to keep them tidy and limit your prep work later. Do not rinse mushrooms in water until you're ready to use them; this helps prevent rot and lengthen their freshness.

Should you choose to dehydrate your mushrooms, please note that your finished product is still considered raw, and should be cooked before consuming.

Saratoga Wild Roots are Danielle Kuehnel and Eve Bucwinski

Both women are Wild Mushroom Food Safety-certified professionals based out of Saratoga County, New York. For us, foraging is a passion and a way of life, and one we love to share with others. Together, we wander forests, experiment with kitchen chemistry, host hyperlocal and seasonal supper clubs, and teach our young children everything we know about all of the above. We offer public and private forays, workshops, and other educational opportunities, in addition to a variety of wild-foraged food products. Come drink the wild air with us!

Danielle Kuehnel

September Foraging Experience, in Partnership with the Saratoga County Agricultural Society HOME+ARTS

September 28, 2024 | Saratoga County 4H Training Center, Milton