February Fungi Foraging in Cornwall

Developing your passion

The world of mushroom foraging is highly addictive and I make it my mission to add one more mushroom to my foraging tool belt each season. Going in search of a specific mushroom has taken me on so many adventures over the years. I’ve grown really fond of learning the intricacies of each mushroom in order to positively identify it and the buzz that comes when you finally land upon a new spot that yields the motherlode of Porchinis, Chanterelles, Morels or my personal favourite, Wood Blewits.

Each time the seasons roll around and those familiar caps poke up through the leaf litter it’s like being greeted by old friends again, and nothing gives me greater joy than handing that knowledge down to my daughter Océa, who has been mushroom foraging with me since she was a baby (as Luna is now).

Begin your education

I suggest the following starting points:

– A foraging walk with Matt Vernon: https://tinyurl.com/4rcvv5ye
– A good pocket guide to take out with you: https://tinyurl.com/yby63w9u
– A really comprehensive guide to cross reference when you get home. Roger Philips is considered a Guru of the mushroom and foraging world, sadly now deceased, there is no better book than his meticulous “Mushrooms” guide: https://tinyurl.com/2ejv5way

If you are unsure whether a wild mushroom is safe to eat or not, please seek advice from an expert. Eating a poisonous mushroom can be fatal – or at least make you feel very unwell, so don’t risk it. There are many foraging courses you can join where you can be guided by an expert. Foraging is carried out at your own risk.