Not quite sure where to put this

[prairiemom]

Food Storage? Hunting/fishing? Survival? 'Cause it kind of fits several categories.

Just wondering if anyone here has every gone mushroom hunting? Where? How successful were you?

How about other foraging for other food in the wild--berries, fruit, etc?

Is this something you would like to learn more about? I grew up in WA and we had friends that took us mushroom hunting several times when I was a kid--I LOVED it. I've never been since and would like to teach my boys about it. So I just contacted the (only) mycological society in ND and asked what they have here, where I can go to find mushrooms, etc. And it occurred to me this might be a good class or demonstration for our Preparedness Fair next year. But I don't know...would it be something that would interest you at a Preparedness Fair?

[Earthling]

I would love it! My dad knows how to hunt mushrooms but did not teach me - now he's too old - age 99. My daughter's inlaws have taught them. They live in France and it is a common outing for families in the country to go look for mushrooms!

[phylm]

A word of caution: unless you are an expert in mycology, I don't think the food value of mushrooms is worth the risk...a mycology expert in a Vermont college died when one little amanita (death cup) was inadvertantly gathered with his day's finds. Here in Florida, a sister in my ward went for a walk the other day and found 3 different kinds of lovely mushrooms. Fortunately, she googled them before she prepared them...they were all poison. The only ones I ever cooked in Vermont were the morels. They are very distinctive, and come out only when apple trees are in bloom.

Now, wild foods are another matter. There should be some wild food foraging enthusiasts in most any area. I taught it for some time in Vermont. Even put on a lunch and demonstration at the hospital where I cooked, for an open house. For the most part, wild plants are richer in food value than the garden crops we grow.

It is useful to know that the inner bark (cambrian layer) of many hardwood trees were used as a breadstuff by Indians, and it is nice to know which roots, greens, berries, etc., are edible in a true survival situation.