Jul 10
17
Hurley Rail Trail Needs a Host
While there is most usually someone at each walk knowledgable enough to take on the role as walk leader, we are still in need of a host for the upcoming Hurley Rail Trail walk on the 24th. All it takes to be the walk host is to know the walk area, know that we have permission to be there and help organize the pre-walk checklist, and release forms.
Please help out if you can…
Posted in Mushroom Walks by .
Jul 10
11
Hurley Rail Trail – Sat. July 24th
Keep your calendars open and hope for more rain!
July 24, 2010 – Saturday
Hurley Rail Trail
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
More details coming….
Jul 10
9
Mushroom Spawn Transfer
For everyone who missed the original mushroom spawn transfer, here are some photos. Elmer prepared a fresh batch of rye berries. He then transferred one jar from the original batch into those jars. The first batch was 100% successful – no mold! We'll see if round two is just as successful. A small amount of prepared mushroom spawn is transferred into another set of jars. Here is a photo of inoculated jars using leftover dowels from mushroom plugging.
We also experimented with the straw and basket method. First, we chopped up 3 baskets of straw into 1-3 inch pieces using a garbage pail and a weed whacker. The straw was then soaked for 2 hours in 2 coolers in140 degree water and anti-bacterial soap to sterilize it. We strained as much water as possible, added some lime to start the decomposition process, added more hot water (140-160 degrees) and let soak a little longer. At this point we strained the straw and let it cool a bit. Each basket was layered with straw and mushroom spawn inoculated rye berries (oyster mushrooms). There's going to be a lot of mushrooms for the November meal!
Posted in Edible Mushrooms Mushroom Cultivation by .
From Barb Plume, Walk Host:
Colgate Lake was dry and free of mushrooms, and since hot dry weather is predicted for the next week, it's off until it gets a fair amount of rain. Carla and Lisa checked an alternate site (Rail Trail – Tn of Rochester) and it was likewise dry as a bone. No luck.
On a more positive note, the swimming was wonderful. So, we'll check back in with a rescheduled walk after conditions improve.
Posted in Uncategorized by .
Keep your fingers crossed folks, the rain is moving forward. Earlier today it said rain on the 12th – tonight it said the 11th. Maybe it will move up to the 9th and 10th to perk up those pesky 'shrooms!
Jul 10
1
May the Chanterelles Begin!
It's never an easy decision, deciding where to go mushroom hunting on your day off. Living in the Mid Hudson Valley there are SO many options. Seriously, do you continue to travel down the paths you're familiar with or head to new territories? Mushroom season is so short when you really come down to it – particularly for specific tasty edible mushrooms. If you only have 2-4 hours per week to go hunting (foraging actually. I like the term hunting because it makes me think of Elmer Fudd from Bugs Bunny – sorry Elmer!) you really have to pick your locations carefully.
Right now chanterelles are just starting to fruit. Last year, our first foraging for mushrooms, we found them in Hyde Park. Not a lot, just a small patch, enough for a cheese and chanterelle omelette; that location hasn't shown any activity yet though, and we haven't hit that mother lode spot that many veterans have. So, off to explore new spots.
Tuesday we ventured to Wilcox Park in Milan, Dutchess County. It's a county park that offers swimming, ball fields, camping and a number of hiking trails. Any day that we actually find something good in the mushroom family we consider a good day. Sometimes you find what you're looking for; sometimes you find something new and unusual. Being that I haven't hiked at Wilcox Park in at least five years, and didn't have mushrooms on my mind back then, I had no idea what we would find.
We took to the trail off the parking lot and got pooped really quick going up and down some fairly steep hills. Eventually we found the hiking trail I had traveled once before. Unlike last year at this time, the ground was exceedingly dry. We quickly realized that if we were to find anything today we would need to stick to creek beds and wet spots. Though, I say wet spots loosely. The ground was so dry many of the wet spots were pretty much dried with the plants starting to brown out. We knew we were getting to better spots when the mosquitos forced us to get out the pest sprays.
It's rather fun meandering through dry or semi-dry creek beds. You get to see the lay of the land from a different perspective. And it's easier to see under the plant growth along the edge of the bed. Coming around a bend we finally found what we were looking for: chanterelles! Just getting started, there were a few taking shape with a few dozen little orange spots scattered throughout the leaves where others would be popping up any time soon.
For us, it's officially chanterelle season now. We can just hope for a little more rain…
Posted in Edible Mushrooms Mushroom Hunting by .
Jun 10
30
Colgate Lake Directions
Our first big event of the year. Clams, mushrooms, good fiends and mycophiles. Sounds good?
Tickets are $35.00 in advance, $40.00 at the event. Children Ages 6-12 are $15 each, Ages 5 & Under – Donation
The advance tickets are $35 each and must be purchased by July 7th.
Please contact Elmer to reserve tickets
July 17th, Saturday – Wittenberg Sportsman's Club Clam Bake, Host/Leader Elmer LeSuer. Plan to spend the afternoon, as you are sure to enjoy this day! It's all centered around the Wittenberg Sportsmen's Club Annual Clam Bake feast with all the trimming's and live music in the Club's Sheltered Pavillion. Don't forget the pre- and post-event mushroom walks too!
Jun 10
30
Mushroom Walk Survey
We invite everyone to take a fun survey at surveymonkey.com. We're hoping to gather information so we can make the MHMA better for everyone. We'll be posting results in two weeks.
We'll also be using some of the results to finalize the remainder of the walks for the year. Click on the link and have fun!
Click here to take the MHMA Survey
This is the first of two surveys, so keep checking back…
Jun 10
25
Chanterelle Sighting Contest
MHMA MEMBERS: The Morel First Sighting was a lot of fun, so we decided to add two other mushrooms to the first sighting list. Here are the rules for our new contest… Good Luck!
MHMA member Connie Rovingo is a jewelry maker and she will help us in the design process trophy toppers for our three trophies… She does such fine work and may actually specially design one or more of the trophies for us..…. (Morel, Chanterelle, and Hen of the Woods (Maitake))
OFFICIAL RULES:
I). Contestant Must Be An MHMA Member In Good Standing.
II). Must take and submit 3 photos of mushroom still standing…
1). zoom-in shot of mushroom to confirm species & show it has not been cut
2). zoom-out to show mushroom and time & date on cell phone
3). zoom out to show mushroom and "wild" area around mushroom Must be a raw photo not edited, "touched-up", or cropped in any way…
III). Must be a non-cultivated mushroom, growing in the wild found in Ulster, Dutchess, Greene, Columbia, or Orange Counties.
IV). "Verbal (or Digital) Entry" must be submitted to club president within 24 hours… Pictures must be submitted to club president within 48 hours…
V). Trophy Prize will be awarded as soon as it is ready or as soon as possible following the Official Declaration Of Winning by the Club's Standing President.
VI). The trophy shall be kept in the possession of the current champion but shall remain the property of MHMA. Each year, the previous year's winner or designee shall present the trophy to the new winner.
VII). 3 Trophies To Be Awarded For “First Found” are:
1). Morel – (Black Morel – Morchella elata or Yellow Morel – Morchella esculenta)
2). Yellow or Golden Chanterelle – Cantharellus cibarius
3). Hen Of The Woods – Grifola frondosa
VIII). As The Judge, The MHMA President is Not Eligible To Win Any Of These Trophies!
The official dedication and naming for each of the trophies shall be determined at the Winter Meal 2010.
Submit any suggestions to Elmer…
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Find Out More About Connie And Cavallo At: