Edible wild mushrooms found in November

November fungi

In a mild autumn there are still plenty of edible wild mushrooms and fungi that can be foraged for in November, as long as there are no hard frosts. Even after frost some species are still to be found and persist into December. It is surprising how many good edible fungi can be gathered in November so let us take a look at some of the best species.

Chanterelle

Chanterelle mushrooms (Public Domain)

The Chanterelle (Canthrellus cibarius)  is one of the most popular edible fungi and is quite common in some areas of woodland, especially in beech forests. It is a characteristic orange-yellow in colour, funnel0shaped and smells of apricots.  It grows from July until December and is very popular as an edible wild mushroom that is often sold in delicatessens and markets in Europe. Be careful not to confuse it with the toxic False Chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) which is a darker orange colour and tends to grow under pines and on heaths.

Wood Hedgehog or Hedgehog Fungus

The Hedgehog Fungus (Hydnum repandum) gets its name from the downward pointing tiny spines or teeth that are found under its buff-coloured caps in the place of gills. Like its alternative name of Wood Hedgehog implies, it is found in woodland from August to November. It tastes bitter and needs to be boiled in water for a few minutes before further cooking or eating to remove the bitterness. 

Parasol Mushroom

Parasol mushroom (Public Domain)

The Parasol Mushroom (Lepiota procera) is really one of the best edible fungi you can find when foraging. It is large, easy to identify and tastes great after cooking. It grows in fields, often near trees and in the margins of woods. Discard the woody stems and fry the caps or cook as ordinary mushrooms.

Fairy Ring Champignon

Fairy Ring Champignons in a French garden (Photo: Strobilomyces) 

The Fairy Ring Champignon (Marasmius oreades)  is an edible mushroom that grows as its name suggests in rings. It can be found on lawns and on short grassland. There are often many of these fungi in a "fairy ring."  This wild mushroom dries well and is good for storing.  It has a slight almond fragrance. 

Ceps and other Boletus species

Cep (Public Domain)

The Cep or Edible Boletus (Boletus edulis) is a very well-known and popular edible fungus. It is distinctive with its "penny bun" cap and spongy gills. It is quite common in mixed woodland and also grows in grass near trees.  It can be found from August to November on good years. There are many other smaller boletus species, many of which are edible but, as with all wild fungi. you need to be sure of identification. This is where a good fungus guidebook, such as Peter Jordan's Field Guide to Edible Mushrooms of Britain and Europe comes in handy. 

Blewits

Lepista personata near Sofia, Bulgaria (Photo: Paffka)

The Field Blewit (Lepista personata) is a fairly large edible wild mushroom that grows in fields and pastures where its brownish caps can be hard to see if they are among fallen leaves. The stout stems underneath the caps give the fungus its name though because they have a bluish shade to them.  It can be found from October to December and was a very popular wild mushroom in the Midlands area of Britain at one time. These fungi are reminiscent of tripe when cooked. Although generally regarded as good to eat this fungus has been known to cause allergic reactions in some people. 

The closely related and very similar Wood Blewit (L. nuda)  has a slimmer stem and more of a blue or violet-purplish colour. Like its name suggests it is found in woods. It grows at the same time of year and is also edible

Wood Ears

Dried Wood Ears (Public Domain)

The Wood Ear fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) used to be known as the Jew's Ear but in these days of political correctness its name has been changed to Judas Ear or Wood Ear.  And it is aptly named because these weird fungi really do looks like ears. They are fleshy, clammy to the touch and pinkish-brown and shaped like ears.  They grow on the old branches of elder.  This fungus survives freezing temperatures and can be found all year around, though it is at its best in October and November. It dries well and can be used in soups and stews. They are very popular in Chinese cuisine.

There are actually many more edible fungi that can be found in November so why not get a good book about foraging or edible fungi, a book such as Richard Mabey's Food For Free, and go out and see what you can find? 

Magic Mushrooms and the magic of mushrooms in autumn

Why are mushrooms so magical? 

Mushrooms have something magical about them whether they are the hallucinogenic varieties or simply because of their weird forms. The way they appear so quickly after rains is just like magic. And mushrooms have always been associated with fairy tales.  Gnomes, pixies, elves and fairies are often depicted along with toadstools, with the red and white spotted fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) being one of the most popular mushrooms associated with the fairy folk.  How many times have you seen pictures of gnomes or fairies sat on these fungi or even living in them?

Alice in Wonderland in Public Domain

And the hookah smoking caterpillar in Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland is depicted sitting on a mushroom!

Wild mushrooms in the Fall

Autumn is the time when all sorts of wild mushrooms appear, seemingly overnight in many instances. This is the time of year when it is easiest to discover fungi growing in the countryside, in parks and gardens.  Some species are, of course, edible and many people go out foraging for these edible species, species like the Edible Boletus or Cep (Boletus edulis).

Cep in Public Domain

There is something exciting about discovering wild mushrooms. It is like feeling we are in touch with our hunter-gatherer ancestors of long long ago. 

Every year the mushrooms and toadstools start to appear not long after the autumn rains have soaked the ground.  We find clumps of fungi popping up in grassland, in the forests and even in our flower-beds and garden plots. 

The Fly Agaric

Fly Agaric Photo: larsjuh) 

The fly agaric is one of the most colourful toadstools we can find in autumn. It mainly grows under birch trees and pines and is so easy to spot because of its brightly coloured caps. This fungus is hallucinogenic and has been thought to be connected with the origins of Santa Claus. This is because its effects when consumed can include feelings of floating, also because it is used as an entheogen by tribal people and shamans in Lapland and Siberia where there are reindeer, which are the animals that help pull Santa's sleigh at Christmas.

The Liberty Cap

Liberty Cap Magic Mushroom Photo: John Johnston

The liberty cap (Psilocybe semilanceata) is probably the most well-known "magic mushroom" because of the psilocybin and psilocin it contains, which substances cause intoxication and hallucinations when consumed. This has caused it to become considered as a drug and it is illegal to possess these mushrooms in the UK now. 

The liberty cap grows in fields, on grassy hillsides and on large lawns in parks. It is very common in some areas and continues growing until the first real frosts. 

You can read more about the fly agaric and the liberty cap in my book Herbs of the Northern Shaman. 

Weird fungi like the Earthstar

Earthstar Photo: Orangeaurochs)

Earthstars are some of the weirdest fungi you can find in autumn, and they can persist right through the winter months. They look like some sort of strange alien life-form with arms like a starfish and an inflated sac in the centre that can puff out clouds of spores.  These fungi can actually move but this depends on weather conditions which enable the arms to move the body of the fungus up from the surrounding earth. Often they will break away completely but this does not matter because the fungus is still able to disperse its tiny spores that are blown away in the wind.

One of the most well-known earthstars is Geastrum triplex.  It is mainly found growing under beeches, although I had a colony of this weird fungus growing for many years under a large privet bush at the bottom of my garden.  It was like magic, how they arrived there, like a mini invasion of alien beings from the stars and looking like stars.

The Private Life of Plants: Earthstars

Fly-tipping is illegal but on the increase - a sign of the times!

 

Illegally dumped rubbish. Photo by Steve Andrews

Fly-tipping or illegal dumping is on the increase in many places. It is unsightly, a potential health hazard, damaging to the environment and against the law.

Sadly our countryside, back lanes, roadsides and other areas of public space are getting filled with rubbish. Litter is bad enough, especially plastic items that can end up in rivers and drains and make their way to the sea where they can kill turtles, seabirds and whales, but all sorts of domestic and industrial garbage and waste materials are getting dumped. 

Plastic bags can easily get blown into waterways or end up in the branches of trees or stuck in bushes and hedgerows.

It is mainly domestic rubbish that gets so irresponsibly dumped like this but also materials from industry and construction gets thrown away too. Besides looking like the mess that it is, illegally dumped rubbish attracts rats and other pests, and can contain dangerous toxic materials that can be a serious health risk to animals and humans.

Large items, such as mattresses, old cookers and fridges, are just as likely to be dumped as bags of smaller types refuse.  Clothes, kitchen utensils, toys, garden rubbish, broken glass, carpets, rugs, bricks, building materials, televisions, tyres, broken flowerpots, tiles and furniture are some of the items and materials that are often thrown away like this.

Fly-tipping in Portugal Photo by Steve Andrews

The varied and beautiful countryside of Portugal, where I am now living, is so often spoiled by this serious problem. Back home in the UK the situation is just as bad. 

A report by The Guardian newspaper states that fly-tipping is up as much as by 20% in England after many years in which it was diminishing. 

Higher taxes on legally dumping rubbish at landfill sites, as well as cuts in local services are blamed for the problem. Closures of recycling depots and not as efficient local rubbish collection services have helped increase the problem of fly-tipping too. 

Although flytipping is against the law and local authorities will take action to prosecute offenders, it is often difficult to find out who the culprits are and much of the activity is carried out under cover of darkness. 

It is difficult to understand the people who care so little about the environment and the health of others with the eyesores they create with their illegal dumping of trash. 

Personally it makes me very annoyed seeing how this problem is getting worse. It really ruins my day when I am out enjoying a walk but come across a mouldering pile of refuse cast into an area of natural beauty!

So what can be done about this?  Of course, if we see it going on we can call the police, or if by some chance we know who is responsible then it can be reported. Unfortunately this environmental crime is so often carried out under cover of darkness.

Perhaps local groups of volunteers can be organised to help clean up countryside sites too? 

It is really such a shame and a sad sign of the times to see our rural areas being turned into rubbish dumps!

Outdoor life and recreation in London - parks, lakes and city farms

More to London than just its famous buildings

London is the cosmopolitan capital of the UK, and apart from famous buildings, such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, as well as places of interest like Trafalgar Square, the city has plenty of parkland offering inner city recreational areas.

Primrose Hill, London (Photo: yaili)

Hyde Park

One of London’s largest and most well-known parks is Hyde Park.  It is one of the eight Royal Parks of London and is famous for its Speakers’ Corner where lively outdoor public speaking and debate can take place.

Speakers’ Corner (Photo: Wally Gobetz)

Visitors to London often choose hotel accommodation for the length of their stay and there are plenty of hotels to choose from near Hyde Park.

Hyde Park has a large lake known as the Serpentine. It is often used for sporting activities including swimming. In 2012 it was the venue for marathon swimming events in the Olympics.

Ducks, geese and a heron on the Serpentine (Photo: Christine Rondeau)

The western half of this lake is called the Long Water. It is divided from Hyde Park by a bridge and is in Kensington Gardens.

The Long Water (Photo: Jon Colverson)

Regent’s Park

Regent’s Park is a very large park situated in the heart of London’s north-west.

Regent’s Park Lake (Photo: S Pakhrin)

Its 395 acres contain many attractions and amenities, including London Zoo, Queen Mary’s Gardens, Primrose Hill, Regent’s Park Lake, and the largest outdoor sports area in London.

St James’s Park

St James’s Park is another of the Royal Parks of London with its own lake.

Pelicans in St James’s Park (Photo: Garry Knight)

Here you can expect to see ducks, geese and even a resident colony of pelicans.

Richmond Park

Richmond Park is the largest of all the London parks and is situated in the south-west of the city.

Deer in Richmond Park (Photo: Sam Greenhaigh)

It is important for nature conservation and has hundreds of deer living in it, as well as a number of ponds and streams that attract wildlife.

Green Park

Green Park lives up to its name because this park in central London has no buildings and no lake, but plenty of grass, flowers, bushes and trees.

Baseball in Green Park (Photo: nikoretro)

Its peaceful atmosphere make it a great place to relax and very popular with sunbathers.

London’s Commons and Heaths

London also has a lot of commons and heaths that make great places for walking, having picnics, relaxing and enjoying nature.

Hampstead Heath (Photo: Francisco Antunes)

Clapham Common and Hampstead Heath are two of the most well-known.

London’s City Farms

London has many city farms that offer a slice of rural life without leaving the city.

Hackney City Farm  (Photo: Rosa G.)

These farms often offer volunteer programmes as well as catering for children.

The River Thames

A view of the River Thames (Photo: Berit Watkin)

Besides the parks, commons and city farms, London’s River Thames offers all sorts of outdoor activities, including boating, water sports, wildlife spotting or simply strolling on the riverbanks.