I want to pick mushrooms?
Question:I have a 1 acre behind my house, in the woods. Mushrooms grow there all the time. How do I know what to pick?? I don't want to get high, I don't want to die from poisoneous mushrooms, any suggestions?? Regards-Bob.
Answers:
I'm a mycophile, amateur mycologist and the "so called expert" around here. Nearly every day this time of year people come to my door with mushrooms to be identified. Even with my dozens of reference books and the Internet to back me up, I'm reluctant to identify edible mushrooms. Of the dozen or so known edibles in my area there are poisonous lookalikes and what I call my foolproof four. Most geographical areas will have it's own four. Do as suggested and find someone in your area like me or better than me to be your mentor. Even if you never eat a wild mushroom they are a fascinating subject to study and photograph. Remember there are old mushroom hunters and bold mushroom hunters, but no old and bold mushroom hunters! RScott
I wouldn't do it. Only professionals can pick them, and the ones that you buy in stores come from farms that grow them in huge rooms indoors, they don't actually pick them. Your best bet is to just leave them alone because you don't know what you're doing.
don't eat them you cannot tell which are poisonous and which are safe to eat
The other two answers are absolutely correct. Leave the toad stools alone.That is what poisonous mushrooms are called.
I would not pick any until you had a seasoned mushroom hunter with you. There are people who know mushrooms; but you have to find a person educated in them for real.
Many of them look very alike.
i agree with kimberly k. don't do it . it would be pretty stupid to do it. i would suggest getting at least 15 books on mushrooms.
A picture book will tell you what to eat.
Don't even think about it until you've studied mushrooms with very knowledgeable people. Books can be misleading. If you have a college nearby, there may be a botany department with a professor familiar in mycology...mushrooms. Another idea is find out if there's a mycological society nearby and join. These people tromp through the woods looking for edible mushrooms and can teach you too.
Seeing that there is a mushroom named "death cap", you should not pick wild mushrooms. Buy them at the store.
DON'T DO IT! Even the "pros" have made mistakes.
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