The Fungus Among Us
One of my favorite things about our little homestead is seeing what different things pop up in our surroundings each season. Spring comes with an array of new things every year. Today's adventure was searching for different fungi around our home area. Here are a few that I've found in Tennessee.
Mock Oyster Mushroom:
This was my first find of the day. Mock Oyster Mushrooms get their name bc they look like the tastier version of mushroom called Oyster Mushrooms. While not poisonous these mushrooms do have a sulfur or rotten vegetable smell so eating them is likely not pleasant. Their spore print is pink and they can be found on rotting logs.
Turkey Tail Mushroom (The cancer fighter):
These guys were quite common in my trails. Turkey Tail Mushrooms come in an array of colors but always have a fanned turkey tail shape. They are known for their wonderful health benefits against cancer as well as strengthening the immune system. (I will provide a link to info on the cancer treatments at the bottom of this post) The spore print is white to yellow and it can be found on trees and rotting logs.
Hen of the Woods:
Very similar to the Turkey Tail Mushroom in design I was made aware that this pretty cluster is actually Hen of the Woods. This mushroom is a popular culinary delight in Japan by its other name the Maitake Mushroom. This mushroom is characterized by its curved or spoon shape and it's wavey strips. They grow in clusters around trees or logs. These look like last year's leftover bunch. The spore print for this one is white.
Benefits of Turkey Tail Mushroom:
Thanks for this! I am interesting in collecting mushrooms, but know so little about it, other than you have to be sure about what you've got! I recognize these but did not know what they were, esp. Turkey Tail.
I love mushroom hunting. It shows...you really know your stuff. Makes me want to learn more. I've done some reading, but I really want to do more. There's so much to be explored regarding mushrooms. I like your comments about being connected, integrating yourself with the ecosystem. Your inference about the deer seems a bit fanciful to me, but I wouldn't disregard that personal meaning you found in the thought. And what do I know? Not enough to say I'm any kind of expert on the matter. I can't tell you that's not what happened, because I don't know. There's a whole lot we don't know.
Animals are amazing. My friend was walking her dog by my place today and told me he caught a scent and came bounding across a field into our yard and up our stairs. We take for granted the consciousness of animals, I think. They can't talk, but they know quite a lot through their other senses. They surely speak in other ways that we don't think to pay any mind to.