What do you forage?

Trying2keepitReal

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I know it isn't raspberry season, but is it true that there is not a poisonous "fake" raspberry out there? That if you find berries-raspberry or black berries that they are all edible? I would love to forage more but I am a super wus when it comes to getting sick. I don't want to poison us.

and is it ok to pick at all state parks? I never heard that before either.

Tons of mushrooms out here, but same thing, don't know what is good and what isn't.
 

NH Homesteader

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I’ve never heard of anything that looks like a blackberry/raspberry, and we eat lots and lots of them that we find!
I’m nervous about mushrooms other that chicken of the woods and Chaga, lol. I don’t love mushrooms so I really only do Chaga tea. Which reminds me… we haven’t done that in a while… going to make some!
 

Alaskan

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I know it isn't raspberry season, but is it true that there is not a poisonous "fake" raspberry out there? That if you find berries-raspberry or black berries that they are all edible? I would love to forage more but I am a super wus when it comes to getting sick. I don't want to poison us.

and is it ok to pick at all state parks? I never heard that before either.

Tons of mushrooms out here, but same thing, don't know what is good and what isn't.
For berries, you just need a really good book.

I love my berry book. (Which I can't find at the moment... but here is a link to Amazon with the same book)


Anyway, it is pocket sized, CLEAR, clearly organized, and tells you if there are any similar poisonous berries.

Same thing with mushrooms.

For shrooms we use 2 books. A simplified local only book, and then a bigger northwestern mushroom book. Again, both mushroom books list all possible look alikes, and how to tell them apart.

When I first started I went to a mushroom meet-up /learning hour at the local park. It was super helpful, but now in these "times of covid" not sure you can find one to attend.

As to picking from public land. From what I understand it is fine, BUT you need to gather responsibility. It is easy to damage the mushroom bed, and the mycelium grows very slowly. When you harvest a mushroom you need to use a sharp knife and cut off the fruiting body without damaging any of the mycelium (the roots of the plant).

If you are very gentle/careful with your harvest, then new mushrooms will pop up on the same spot every year, and you will know where to go.
 
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