A Fun Day With Fungi!
I'm no mycologist — a mushroom expert — or even a mycophile, as I don't call hunting for edible wild mushrooms a hobby. However, seeing the mushrooms around Linville Ridge, in all different shapes, sizes and colors, made my walk the other day fascinating! I couldn’t help taking photos to share, and decided to do a little research of my own. Here are some fun fungi facts I found:
Before the invention of synthetic dyes, mushrooms were used for dyeing wool and other natural fibers. They are organic compounds that come in a myriad of colors, and I can now see why!
Mushrooms contain more protein than most vegetables, but be careful, wild mushrooms can be dangerous as many of them found in the wild look very similar to the edible variety. Portobello mushrooms, button mushrooms and white mushrooms are all the same mushrooms at different levels of maturity.
Finally, lightning makes mushrooms more plentiful, according to ongoing research that offers a solid scientific basis for Japanese farming lore.
The next time you're strolling around Linville Ridge, take a good look around — you just never know what will be sprouting up!
