First Chanterelle Mushrooms of 2011

Chanterelles we have harvested near Vancouver, Washington on September 18th, 2011.

Fall Mushroom Season Starts Early!

Apricot colored Chanterelles are one of the many edible varieties of mushrooms harvested from the forests of the Pacific NW for commercial or personal use.  Mushrooming can be a fun pastime throughout the year in some areas of the northwest.  Always use caution when collecting any wild mushrooms, clear identification can mean life or death.  Chanterelles are one of the most readily identifiable, with a keen eye.  Someone who can tell the difference between a chickadee and a house finch can, with some research can identify chanterelles with ease.

Be Prepared!

When you go hunting for mushrooms in the forest, be prepared, for anything.  Always tell someone where you are going.  Don't go out alone.  Take water, food, and other necessary items in a light backpack like you would for a short day hike.  Make sure you have a knife to cut the specimen cleanly, leaving the bottom "root" in the ground.  You may find several different kinds, never put them together, take paper lunch bags to keep them separate.  Paper bags can get wet and fall apart, so put paper in plastic or in a woven basket.

Items we always take include:   

• Brightly colored rain gear - seriously people no one likes to be cold and wet in the forest or mistaken for a deer, most mushrooms are harvested in the forest during hunting season. 
• Take Bear spray, wild animals are on the move during hunting season, and you don't want to be on the menu.   
• Knife. 
• Paper bags.  
• Water.  
• Nuts- or any food with high calorie and protein content.
• Field Guides, (2) for cross-referencing.  
• Hiking boots, don't go out with someone who is not wearing them either - unless you can carry them out with a sprained ankle or broken leg.

Mushroom resources and links:

All That the Rain Promises and More by David Arora, is an absolute must have for the western half of the U.S.

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms
 
youtube.com has many videos, with footage from many who harvest mushrooms frequently.

Pacific Northwest Key Council  http://www.svims.ca/council/keys.htm is a very comprehensive guide for mushroom identification.

Natural Resources Canada BCERN: Matchmaker Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. http://www.pfc.forestry.ca/biodiversity/matchmaker/index_e.html