October 2026 Sunriver Scene - Flipbook - Page 20
Foraging
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species and much more. While
there are many edible and
delicious options on the forest’s menu, many species that
a forager will find are inedible
or could potentially be poisonous. Equipping yourself with
knowledge is the first step to
safely foraging for mushrooms
this fall. I have been foraging
for fungi for about 7 years
and still have much to learn.
Mycology (the study of fungi)
is a growing and evolving science. I have foraged and eaten
over 15 distinct mushroom
species and still proceed with
caution and patience with every
mushroom hunt.
As a novice I would highly
recommend starting by simply meandering on trails and
paying attention to your surroundings. Find areas that
retain moisture with a variety
of foliage. Look for fungi and
take pictures or samples, make
note of their characteristics.
Some useful questions to get
you started would be: Where
is it growing? What does the
spore-bearing surface look
like? What are its anatomical
features? This technique will
help you strengthen your
identification muscles and
you will begin to notice differences, qualities and markers
that once seemed difficult to
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spot. I would recommend using books, guides and other
published resources to reinforce
your understanding along the
way.Do not rely on identification phone apps. Apps can
be helpful, but they often
misidentify and will never be
as accurate as a trained forager.
OCTOBER 2026 SUNRIVER SCENE
Once you feel confident in your
identification skills you can begin to forage for edible species.
Congratulations! You have
found your first edible mushroom and feel confident
enough to eat it. Before you
do there are a couple things
to keep in mind. First, there
are very few wild mushroom
species that can be eaten raw.
As a general rule of thumb,
be sure to fully cook any
foraged mushroom before
consuming. Second, make
sure that a particular species
does not react with you in a
negative way. Some people can
be allergic to certain mushrooms and not others. Any
time you want to eat a new
wild mushroom, cook a small
amount, consume and wait
until the next day to eat more
provided you had no adverse
reactions.
Now that you are equipped
with the knowledge to begin mushroom foraging, embark on your first excursion
this October. As winter sets
in Central Oregon will have
far fewer edible species for
foragers to indulge in. The
time is nigh, get out there and
enjoy the end of the fall foraging season!
