gorgeous day up here in t'mountains- with a dry Summer, followed by plenty of rain- now the sun has come back and temps rise- it's time to go and hunt in those mountains for wild 'shrooms. Too busy today- but will be up there with my basket and dad's Swiss army knife and his stick- can't wait.

Any other wild foragers out there? A good year for hazelnuts too, and sloes.

ME! Although I cannot seem to find any good spots for chantellers.... Any ideas where we could go to find them?

I tried last year, but the problem relies in "identification"...
I brought the 'shrooms to the pharmacy which was the one on duty for "'shrooms identification".
The staff told false information regarding "Lactarius deliciosus" (Saffron Milk Caps) saying they are poisonous, while in fact they are not.
I found a link where some specialists explained how that type of mushroom is not tasting good in Switzerland (a bit sour) as opposed to some other european countries. Yet, one can eat them.

Anyway, I don't know many spots but I heard there are plenty!

Right now it's full of blackberries in the forests, and wasps.
Probably plenty of ticks too!

Ahh ticks...They can find me anywhere :/

Our local identifier (the detail is put in the local paper at this time of year) is a true expert and would never make a mistake.

Saffron milk caps are eaten a lot in Italy, but here not at all. I think that the ones here are a different sub-species, and although not poisonous, they do not taste nice.

I grew up in the Jura, and spent hours and days foragins with my mum and dad since I was a toodler- so I know my local 'shrooms very well- even some that no-one would believe are edible and excellent too, like hygrophore rouge ponceau (later in the autumn). Too busy this week-end, but will go tomorrow and see if there is anything left- but mid-week is always best.

Chanterelles are not really that numerous here, the ones I find most are 'bolets' (porchini/Steinpilz), Millers (meuniers), wood blewits, parasols, écailleux for vinegar bottling (great for raclette), pieds de moutons, p'tits gris, etc. Got a dozen books in English and French for identification and cross-referencing- but I never pick what I am not absolutely sure about.

I have books, but would like to go on a course, as in reality they often look quite different to the pictures. Does anyone know of mushroom picking courses running around the Zürich region?

You mentioned "your local identifier". What does this means? Where could i find this identifier?
I am interested in exploring this area of finding mushrooms and i am struggling finding a way out of identifying the mushrooms correctly. I bought books but i am always afraid if i identified correctly or not. Therefore, i was looking for a way to cross check the mushrooms.
Thanks for any hints on this topic,

"your local itendifier" German: Pilzkontrolleur, French: Contrôleur de champignons, Italian: Esperto in funghi

To find one local to you or your foraging are enter post code here:
http://www.vapko.ch/index.php/de/ein...lstelle-finden
(Please respect local collection limits and collecting bans)


It may also help to get in contact with a local mushroom club: http://www.pilze.ch/links/ch-vereine.htm

Look on your commune/gemeinde website. They usually give details of the mushroom identifier for the area and the times and location where they are available. It's an expert who will look at the mushrooms you take in and tell you what they are and if they are edible or not.

As they say, your Commune/GEmeinde will give you the info.

How about checking your Migrosschule brochure too (pick up on the advertising board of any Migros) as most areas will also offer foraging courses you can join, one or two week-ends.

From my amateur opinion, it should me morel hunting season again.

Anyone find any yet? Planning to head out hunting?

What kind of weapon do you use? Long barrel shotguns?

hahaha---no I just stole that picture from reddit---but got me in the mood for a good hun!

Someone posted this yesterday. The Morels growing somewhere in Switzerland now.

http://imgur.com/aQs0gTf

OH just found some morels in our neighbor's garden today. I'm hoping she (neighbor) doesn't like mushrooms..

Has anyone on here tried spreading morel spawn to other areas? I want to have them growing in my garden, too...

You can, but I think it's a 20 year+ process. You'd have to be in it for the long game and no guarantees.

People buy these truffle trees on the west coast of the US. Their truffle hound is long gone by the time it fruits.

Well take a Geiger counter with you along with your Swiss army knife. Wild ´schrooms still glow in the dark with Cäsium 137, 27 years after Tschernobyl.

It was 30 years ago (26.04.1986) so now about half of it decayed. And lugola liquid was awful!

http://www.bfs.de/DE/themen/ion/umwe...-wildbret.html

30 years, correct. Even if half has decayed there are areas where the ionizing radiation in mushrooms is still in the regions of "thousands of Becquerel" Foods with over 600 Becquerel are not allowed to be sold.

(from Bundesamt für Strahlung, Germany)
Bestimmte Pilzarten und Wildarten sind in einigen Gegenden Deutschlands durch die Reaktorkatastrophe von Tschernobyl noch immer stark mit Cäsium-137 belastet. Der Süden Deutschlands – vor allem Südbayern und der Bayerische Wald – sind davon besonders betroffen. In den letzten Jahren (2011 bis 2015) wurden Werte von bis zu mehreren Tausend Becquerel pro Kilogramm bei Wild und bei bestimmten Speisepilzen gemessen.
In Deutschland ist es nicht erlaubt, Lebensmittel mit einem Radiocäsiumgehalt von mehr als 600 Becquerel pro Kilogramm in den Handel zu bringen. Für den Eigenverzehr gilt diese Beschränkung nicht.
Wenn Wildbret oder wild wachsende Speisepilze in üblichen Mengen verzehrt werden, ist die zusätzliche Strahlenbelastung zwar vergleichsweise gering, aber vermeidbar. Wer seine persönliche Belastung verringern möchte, sollte in den höher belasteten Gebieten Deutschlands auf den Genuss selbst erlegten Wildes und selbst gesammelter Pilze verzichten.
http://www.bfs.de/DE/themen/ion/umwe...-wildbret.html
What I am saying is just be careful and don´t eat too many.

__________________
Back in Bavaria, god´s own belly button.