A mushroom hunter walking in the forest can make a drunk look sober. Head down, staring at the ground, looking for any little bump under the leaves, the hunter is anxious to find the next prize.
No, he's not hallucinating.
About 900 mushroomers gathered at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds last weekend to share amanitas, puffballs, honey mushrooms, chanterelles and hundreds more fungi at the 28th Annual Mushroom Fair.
Eureka resident and mushroom guru Dave Largent sat behind a table that displayed books he wrote about fungi. "Fungi are intellectually astounding and intriguing," he said.
"You can't help but love them."
Fungi offer more than interesting looks and tantalizing lore. Some claim they have the power to heal the human body. Mushrooms have long been used to help heal various ailments ranging from neurological disorders to low libidos.
Largent, a mycologist who taught at HSU from 1968 to 2002, estimates over 2,000 species grow in Redwood State Park alone. There could be more throughout Humboldt County, but an exact number is unknown.
Mushroom spores can sit for years as they turn from hyphae to mycelium. Mycelium is a fine web-like mass of hypahe that helps trees and plants receive water and nutrients. Under favorable conditions, hyphae produce mushrooms that complete the cycle by distributing millions of spores.
Enough science. Many people hunt wild mushrooms for dinner. If it won't kill you, tastes good and doesn't make you hallucinate, there is a dish out there that will feature it.
The 'won't kill you' part is important. In January of 1997, nine people in the Santa Rosa area accidentally poisoned themselves by eating the Death Cap, technically known as the Amanita Phalloides. At least one died from liver failure and two more waited for liver transplants.
But millions of Americans pick and eat wild mushrooms every year without getting so much as a belly ache. According to David Fischer's American Mushrooms Web site, "No one who understands the importance of properly identifying mushrooms-with a serious awareness that some species are fatally toxic-falls victim to the Death Cap."
Ronny Davis, an HSU History junior hunts only one mushroom - the one he knows is safe.
"I got a little sack full of tan oaks over Thanksgiving break," he said. Davis, like many locals, calls the matsutake mushroom a tan oak, but matsutake is Japanese for pine mushroom. They grow mostly in the Pacific Northwest and Japan, however the demand for matsutakes is so high in Japan they are exported from the United States. Top quality matsutakes sell for about $30 per pound.
Striking it rich off matsutakes is tough. They are not easy to find and require very particular conditions to have a "good year," Largent said. "Last year was a really good year, and this year is pretty good too."
A few were displayed at the Mushroom Fair along with several hundred fungi species. Experienced mycologists were on hand to help amateurs identify their fungi. The Fair also featured cooking demonstrations and booths with mushroom growing kits and books for sale.
Ben Hart, a former HSU student and member of the Humboldt Bay Mycological Society, recommends aspiring mushroom hunters buy a book titled, "All That the Rain Promises and More…A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms," by David Arora. The little book conveniently fits inside a normal-sized pocket and can be used to make a preliminary identification.
"Once you get your mushrooms home, you can look them up in the big book-Mushrooms Demystified," he said. "Mushrooms Demystified" is also by David Arora. When it comes to learning about fungi, no one book will provide all the secrets, but it is important to consult books and experienced mushroom hunters or mycologists before you cook up your harvest.
Fischer asked, "How dangerous is it to drive a car?"
"If you're drunk or careless, it is very dangerous. If you're sensible and pay attention, it is reasonably safe."
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