Mushroom Highlights Newsletter ~ October 2016...2016/10/12  · October 2016 - Mushroom Highlights...

October 2016 - Mushroom Highlights

NewsletterforWildMushroomsPNW❖www.wildmushroomspnw.com

UpcomingMushroomShowsandFestivals

The17thAnnualYachatsMushroomFestivalisOctober21-23inYachats,OR.ThemushroomdisplaywillbeattheLionsClubonFourthSt.behindtheCommons.IfyoucancontributespecimensbringthemonFriday.Therewillbemushroomdishespreparedatsomeofthelocalrestaurantsallweekend.Theweekendisfilledwithguidedmushroomwalksandtalks,mushroomexhibits,andaculinarymushroomgrowingworkshop.Festivalgoerswillalsofindfungiarts,culinarymushroommarkets,liveentertainmentandlotsmore.www.yachats.org/MFest2016.html.

AnyoneintheareaofBellevue,WA,shouldcheckoutthe53rdAnnualPSMS(PugetSoundMycologicalSociety)WildMushroomShowonOctober29thand30th.ItwillbeattheBellevueCollegeCafeteria,2000LanderholmCircleSE.Youwillseelotsofmushroomdisplays,exhibits,andvendors.ItisoneofthelargestontheWestCoastandthelargestPSMSeventoftheyear.www.psms.org/show.php.

TheOregonMycologicalSocietyhavetheirFallMushroomShowonOctober30thfromnoonuntil5PMatMillerHall,WorldForestryCenterinPortland,OR.Youwillseebeautifullydisplayedmushrooms

fromaroundtheregionandtalktomushroomexperts.Therewillbevendors,booksforsale,mushroomcookingsamples,speakers,andmore.www.wildmushrooms.org

Mt.PisgahArboretumMushroomFestivalinEugeneisOctober30aswell.Thisisthe34thfallcelebrationofmushrooms

andtheharvestseasonco-presentedbyMt.PisgahArboretum,CascadeMycologicalSociety,andLaneCommunityCollege.TheeventisthelargestmushroomdisplayontheWestCoast.Hundredsoflocally-collectedwildfungiwillbeondisplaywithexpertsonhandtoansweryourquestionsandidentifyanyspecimensthatyoubringin.Thefestivalalsofeaturesahugeplantsale,ascarecrowcontest,children’sactivities,hayrides,craftvendors,mushroom-inspiredfood,

freshapplecider,wine,livemusic.Thiscelebrationstartsat10AMsocomeearlybeforethecrowdsappear.www.mountpisgaharboretum.com

Lotsgoingonthismonthsomarkyourcalendarnowandplantoattendorvolunteertohelpatanyofthisyear’sevents.Tobesuccessfultheshowsdependonvolunteers.Theyareonlyabletoputonagreatshowyearafteryearbecauseofyourhelp.Formoreinformationcheckouttheirwebsites.Thisisawonderfulwaytospendafalldayandlearnmoreaboutwildmushrooms.

GrowCultivatedMushrooms

Strophariarugosoannulatacanbecultivated.Thecapsgetaswideas20cmwhenmature.Theyareconsiderednotonlyedible,butchoice.Itisoneofthelargestspeciesinthisgenus,successfullycultivatedoncompostedstraworwoodchips.

GrowingMushroomsinyourChickenCoop

WhatifyoucouldhaveachickenrunthatliterallyeatsthemanurethatchickensleavebymixingwoodchipswithmushroomspawnoftheKingStropharia(Strophariarugosoannulata).Thismethodcombatsbothharmfulbacteriaandodor.Theaddedbonusisthatthismushroomisalsoedible.AbagofKing

Strophariarunsabout$25toinoculate1cubicyardofchips.

1. Layer6-8inchesofhardwoodwoodchipsinthechickenrun.Mixinthespawnasyougo.Laydownpoultrywireontop.

2. Ontopofthisfilteradd3-4inchesofwoodchipsmixedagainwiththespawn.Wormsattractedtothespawncometothesurfaceforit,inspiringthechickenstoscratchandworkthechips.Allthismixingcreatestheperfectmushroom-growingarea.

3. Watertherundailyforthefirstweek,thenweekly,washingitdowntothebottomlayerwherethespawniswaiting.

4. Ontheoutsideofthecoop,addafootortwoofwoodchips.Ifthecoopislocatednearadownhillslope,makeatrenchtocapturesomeofthewatertoslowitdown.Fillwithhardwoodchipsandspawn.Themyceliummatgrowsquicklyspreadingoutwardfromthecoop.

5. Harveststhemushroomsattheedgesofthecoopthroughoutsummerandfall.Boththestalkandcapareedible.

6. Waterthetoplayerofthewoodchipsweekly.Replacetheentirefilteryearly,andyoucanharvestanicelayerofsoilthatdevelopsfromthenutrientbreakdown.(fromPSMSNewsletter,Sept.2016,byJenniferWilson)PhotobyM.Trappe

HiddenParasiticFungiintheDigestiveTract

Agroupoforganismscalledmicrosporidia,invadetheintestinaltractofmanyanimals,causingdiarrheainhumansandimmune-compromisedpatientsmoresevereproblems.Manyindividualscarryatleastoneofthe14speciesthatinfectpeople.

Theseparticularsingle-celledorganismsdosomethingthathasnotbeenobservedbefore.Theymultiplybystickinghostcellstogether.Thisishowtheyspreadinfection. Thefactthatparasiticfungistayhiddenwithinanorganhasimplicationfor treatment,sinceexistingdrugshavenotbeeneffectiveagainsttheparasites becauseofhowdifficultithasbeentodetectthem.

MushroomsandVitaminD

Sincecommercialmushroomsaregrowninthedark,itissomewhatoddthattheyareagoodsourceofvitaminD,thesunshinevitamin.Theyareoneofthefewvegetariansourcesofthisvitaminwhichisalsofoundnaturallyincodliveroil,fattyfishsuchasmackerel,salmon,sardines,andtuna,oreggsandliver.Itisestimatedthat10mushroomsprovide10%ofthedailyvalueofvitaminD.RecentresearchsuggeststhatexposingmushroomstoUVraysforjust5minutescouldincreasetheirvitaminDcontentto100%oftheRDA.

WithoutFungi,AllEcosystemsWouldFail

MyceliumRunningbyPaulStametsstatesthatfungiare“thegrandrecyclersofourplanet,themyco-magiciansdisassemblinglargeorganicmoleculesintosimplerforms,whichinturnnourishothermembersoftheecologicalcommunity.Fungiaretheinterfaceorganismsbetweenlifeanddeath.”Yetmostofusonlyrecognizemushroomsassmallprotuberancespokingthroughthelawnorforestfloor.Untilrecentlynotmuchwasknownaboutfungiandtheirimportantrolesinourworld,andhowmuchisyettobediscovered?

FungusIdentifiedasKeyFactorinCrohn’sDisease

Thisisthefirsttimeafungushasbeenfoundasakeyfactorinthisdisease.Alsolinkedwasanew

bacterium.ThisgroundbreakingfindingwaspublishedintheSept.20thissueofmBio.Thiscouldleadtonewtreatmentsandcuresforthisdebilitatinginflammatoryboweldisease.Seewww.sciencedaily.comformoreinformation.

MushroomoftheMonth–Chlorophyllumrachodes,theShaggyParasol

YoumayhavelearnedthismushroomasLepiotarachodes,butthenamehaschangedtoChlorophyllumrachodes.Thecapcanbecomeaslargeas20cmacrossandthestalk20cmlong.Thecapisroundedforalongtimebeforebecomingmoreflattenedandhasaslightcentralbumpinage.Thebackgroundcoloriswhiteordingybuffwithlargecoarseorshaggyscalesthatarelightbrown,reddish-brown,tocinnamon-brown.Soon,theybreakintoaconcentricallyarrangedpattern.The centerissmoothatfirst,soonbreakingupintosmooth, upturnedscalesandbecomingincreasinglyscalytowardthe margin.Themarginisoftenfringed.Surfaceisdry.

Theringis whitebecomingbrownishinage.Itisdoublecrownedand oftenmovable.Thefleshiswhitebutbruisesorangeand thenturnsbrownish-redespeciallywhenthestalkisinjured.Gills arefreefromthestalkbeingwhitetosometimesadingybrown toreddish,especiallywhenhandled.

Thestalkmaybeclub-shapedbutthereisabasalbulbthatisusuallyundergroundbutcanbeseenif

youdigthemushroomout.Thestalkstartsoutstuffedwhenyoungthenhollowinage.PhotobyB.Pruitt

Thisisverytastymushroom,butcookitthoroughlybeforeeatingsincesomepeoplebecomeillifthisisnotdone.DonotpickandeatLepiotasorChlorophyllumsifgrowinginthewoods.Theselook-alikesmaybepoisonous.Chlorophyllumrhacodesisusuallyanurban-growingmushroomfoundingroupsorringsonthegroundunderconifersbutalsounderbushes,ingardens,incomposepiles,nearstables,inparksandmeadows,alongroadsandotherdisturbedplacessuchaslawns.Thereareoftenseveralcropsproducedeachseason.Ifyoupicktheminsomeone’slawnbesureithasnotbeensprayedorchemicalsappliedtotheareasincemushroomscanconcentratethesetoxins.PhotobyK.Scates

StuffedShaggyParasolMushroomsfromtheForagerChef

ThecapsofChlorophyllumrachodesarewonderfullyconcaveandjustbeggingtobestuffedwithsomething.Thestalksareinterestinginthattheyhaveadifferentcookingtimethanthecaps.Choppingthestalksupandcookingthemforastuffingisagreatwaytogetbythatissue.Shaggyparasolshaveamuchbetterflavorthanmostcommercialmushrooms,butyouneedtomakesuretheyarethoroughlyandcompletelycooked.Allowthemtocoolabitandservedjustwarm.Serves4-6asanappetizer.

Ingredients:

1lb.youngshaggyparasolmushrooms,capsunopenedandstalksremovedandreserved(about12-15mushrooms)

1Tbsp.softenedunsaltedbutter,plus2Tbsp.forfinishingthedish

1Tbsp.shallot,diced¼inch

1tsp.choppedfreshthyme

2oz.highqualityslabbacon,diced¼inch

¼cuptoastedpankobreadcrumbs,plusanadditional½cupforfinishingthedish

1Tbsp.freshchoppedItalianparsley

¼cupgratedgranaPadanoorparmigianareggianocheese

¼cupdrysherry

Method:

1. Dicethemushroomstalks.Cookthebaconinapanonmediumheattoreleasethefatandbrownlightly,thenaddthedicedmushroomsstalks,garlic,thyme,andshallot,andcookfor2moreminutes.Seasontotastewithsaltandpepper,thende-glazethepanwithsherry.Cook,stirringoccasionallyuntilthealcoholhasmostlyevaporated,thenremovethemixturetoabowlandstirinthecheese,¼cuptoastedbreadcrumbsand1Tbsp.ofsoftenedbutter.

2. Heattheovento375.3. Mixthehalfcupofreserved,toastedbreadcrumbswiththeparsley,thenpackthemushroomcapsfullofthe

stuffingandplaceinawidebakingdishorcastironpan,topwiththebreadcrumb-parsleymixture,anddotwiththeremaining2Tbsp.butter.

4. Bakefor25minutesoruntilthoroughlycookedandhotthroughout.5. Serveimmediately.

CheckoutChefAlanBergo’swebsiteatwww.foragerchef.comforsomegreatmushroomsrecipesandotherinformationaboutforagingandwildmushrooms.

SomeoneStoletheBlob

InNorthCenterIllinoissomeonestoletheBlob,whichwasamysteriousfungalmoundthatspilledoutofayardmorethan15yearsagoandwasafixtureeversinceonthesidewalkinfrontofthishome.AroundLaborDaytheBlobwentmissing.Notascrapremains.JustastainonthesidewalktomarkthespotwheretheBloboncelived.Thepolicearemystifiedbythefungusthief’smethodofremovalandwhatcouldbetheperson’smotive.Despiteitsspongyappearancethemoundwasrockhard.Youcouldnotjustbenddownandpickitup.Youwouldneedaspadeorsomekindoftoolanditwasalmost3feetlong.SonowthisbitofhistoryonMontrosestreetisgone.Somanypeopleenjoyedseeingit.Someevenkneeleddowntotaketheirpicturewithit.Itwasindescribable,indestructible,andnowjustgone.ByPattiWetli,www.dnainfo.com,Sep21,2015

EgyptEasesErgotBanonWheatAfterSellerOutrage–Part1

Egypthasliftedabanoneventraceamountsoftheergotfungus,Clavicepspurpurea,initswheatimportsaftersellersenragedbyCairo’sdemandsboycotted,threateningthesupplyoftheworld’slargestimporterofthegrain.ThisannouncementbytheCabinetreinstatesrulesallowingimportedwheatcargoestocontainupto0.05percentofergot,inlinewithglobalstandards.Thisamountofergotfungusissupposedtobe“harmless.”

Clavicepspurpureaisextremelypoisonousifeatenbycattleorhumansinproductscontainingtheinfectedgrain(wheat,rye,barley)andcancauseviolentpoisoningknownasSt.Anthony’sFire.Itcanproducehallucination,aburningfeeling,etc.Itwas

theoriginalsourceofLSD,thepotentpsychedelicdrug.Therearetwotypes:convulsiveandgangrenousergotism.Thefirstischaracterizedbynervousdysfunctionsandthesecondoneiswherevictimsmaylosepartsoftheirextremities.Thecureisavoidanceofthefungus.

Thehistoryofergotfunguspoisoningsisveryinteresting.ThroughtheyearstherearemanyeventslinkedtoitincludingitsroleintheSalemWitchHuntof1692wheresomewomeninSalemdevelopedpeculiarbehaviorsaftereatingergot-contaminatedfood.Itdoeshaveitsuseinmedicinesinceitcontainschemicalsthatcanhelpreducebleedingbycausinganarrowingofthebloodvessels.

Ergotisparasiticontheovariesofgrainsandeventuallyreplacesthem.Itiscommonlyseenprojectingfromthefloweringpartsofgrassesbeforeitfallstotheground.Thesearedarkpurpleorblackgrainkernels,knownasergotbodies.MorerecentlyergotsproducedbydifferentstrainsofClavicepspurpurea,andthosegrowingindifferentsoils,mayproducedifferentergotalkaloidcompositions.Thismayexplainthedifferentmanifestationsofergotismindifferentoutbreaks.Lesswealthycountriesaremorepronetobeingpoisonedbytheergotfungusandismostcommonintheryeplant.Infact,itsoccurrencewassocommonthatitwasthoughttobepartoftheplantuntilthe1850’swhenthetruenatureofergotwasunderstood.Formoreinformationseewww.botany.hawaii.edu.PhotobyH.Barnhart