Welcome to the blog (and also the wonderful world of mushrooms).I can see that you are very excited by the thrill and adventure of this sport. Please remember that there are thousands of mushroom species to be found and that the difference between safe and not-safe, even deadly, species can be very subtle, even microscopic at times.

I take it your ‘pinkies’ are a species of the genus called Agaricus. The common store mushroom is a cultivated species within this genus, but it is very difficult, even for experts, to distinguish among wild ones.

Be careful. Join a local group, get hands-on training, and begin to learn the characteristics which differentiate one species from another. The ‘pinkie’ Agaricus arvensis may satisfy your appetite, but the ‘pinkie’ Agaricus placomyces will make you wish you had never tried wild mushrooms.

And also be careful with what you find ‘online’. Distinguishing sound advice from ignorant opinion can be just as difficult as telling safe mushrooms from ones that are toxic.

When learning a new species of mushroom, I like to follow it for a season or two, learning which characteristics are stable and which change with the temperature, humidity, substrate, etc. before I commit it to the test of my gut.

I am old, not bold. Call me a fuddy-duddy, but here I am, safe and sound after collecting and eating wild mushrooms for the past fifty odd years!

Good luck, good learning, and good hunting.

Bill

Well, the reply to your second comment has somehow wandered away during the transition to the new web design, so, let me again say that the mistake in posting a link that didn’t work is entirely my own mistake. I was so much in a hurry to tell you about Roz and Lauri’s course at Eagle Hill that I neglected to check the MMA link. I am glad that you found their site via alternative pathways.

And, to help you plan in advance, if not WAAAYYY in advance, I can recommend two other courses at Eagle Hill this fall; these are:

Sep 6 – 11 Biodiversity and Biological Surveys for Studying
Mushrooms and Other Fungi: Optional Followup Bioblitz at Acadia
National Park David Porter

Oct 10 – 15 Mushrooms of Coastal Maine During the Fall Foliage
Season Gary Lincoff

Gary, as you may know is the popular author of the most popular and useful mushroom field guide used in the Northeast: The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. Gary and Sam were great friends and colleagues, and word is that they still talk to one another about mushrooms on both sides of the great beyond!

David Porter has taught academic mycology at major universities along the east coast, but don’t let that frighten you. He and I were roommates at a Foray in Maine a few years ago and I can assure you he is as easy going and down to earth as they come. You can’t go wrong with either of these superb teachers.

I hope you are finding mushrooms. Here in the mid-coast area of Maine, the mushrooms are surprisingly scarce in this the wettest of recent years. This can quickly change however, and when it does I hope to see the entire summer and fall spectrum on display at the same time. I am getting ready.

Bill

The link for Michaeline Mulvey gave me a “Page Not Found” error, but I found the Maine Mycological Association using Google.

I had seen an obit when Sam died. A loss to the mushroom world, for certain. I thoroughly enjoyed his enthusiasm at the workshop I attended.

I will let you know how I make out. Might take awhile as the calendar is too full so I have to plan WAAAYYY ahead.

Welcome to the blog. Yes Sam was something. He passed recently at the age of 92, active to the end. A fitting obit from the New York Mycological Association can be found here http://www.newyorkmyc.org/nymsfusion/news.php?readmore=9

To learn more about Maine Mushrpoms you might try MIchaeline Mulvey at the Maine Mycological Association. http://www.megalink.net/~swampie/mma.htm The club has walks and talks suited for both beginners and advanced collectors. This is the club that Sam started.

Greg Marley conducts hands on classes in the Rockland area. mushroom@midcoast.com

For Intermediate and advanced mycology try Dr. Laurance Leonard, lleonar1@maine.rr.com He and Roz Lowen are teaching a course on Maine mushrooms at this very moment! Hurry!!! http://www.eaglehill.us/programs/nhs/nhs-calendar.shtml

Thanks for your encouraging words about Leslie’s blog and our articles.

Remember mushrooming is in some way like birding: some are easy to identify, some difficult. If you can tell a robin from a crow, you can easily be 110% certain with some of the easy ones.

Let us know how well you made out!

Bill

Unfortunately, that workshop was held in a very dry year and I have not taken another opportunity to get myself educated on identifying wild mushrooms. Recently, however, I have been reading some writings of Paul Stamets and my interest in wild mushrooms has been rekindled. Can you recommend a source here in Maine where one might find occasional workshops on the topic – I am not keen to try wild mushrooms on the basis of books alone. I was kind of taken with that 110% notion.

Thanks – always enjoye your blog (not just the mushroom topics)