| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| fungi2bwith |
St George's MushroomsI found these on my cycle home this afternoon. They semm to be confused and have come up a month early.http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa99/gkrickard/mushrooms2008003.jpg |
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| Jamanda |
Oooh. They look good. | ||||
| cab |
Interesting... The rings on fields are darkening early, and theres the odd inedible spring shroom appearing around here too. Planning a tentative hunt for St. Georges this weekend, weather permitting. | ||||
| PeteS |
Good find Fungi2bwith! Nothing from my St Georges patch and anything that pops it's head up in the next few days will be frozen solid - over Easter heavy frosts (maybe snow too!) return. Mind you, someone on another forum has found Morels.
The blackthorn is now in full bloom down here. Interesting, but it often blooms just before we get a cold spell. |
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| fungi2bwith |
I saw that post about morels. I'm very jealous. I will be looking eagerly over Easter if the weather isn't too bad. | ||||
| Treacodactyl |
Found a small patch of St George's Mushrooms yesterday, growing on a grassy verge outside someone's house. I'm 99% certain of their identity but as it's an area frequented by dogs I don't think I'll try them. | ||||
| cinders |
saw some deep purple almost black mushrooms yesterday Didn't have my camara so no pictures.
Meant to look in my book yesterday,so will look that up now.Thank you for the reminder 
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| PeteS |
At lunctime I spotted 3 huge (one about 25ft across) circles of St Georges mushrooms with dozens of mushrooms! Looks like it could be a good season for these. Now where did I put my basket!
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| bingo |
I launched it over your fence into your back garden. 
I've got a good idea where theose mushrooms are too. 
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| PeteS |
Hmmmm... St George's...
PS - yes Bingo - I did find my basket |
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| bingo |
I was gonna go for a hunt this afternoon but build a raised bed for some Asparagus crowns........roll on not next May the one after. 
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| PeteS |
I go past this St George's spot every morning. Today, to my horror, the remaining mushrooms (and there were loads) had be cut fat by a bl%*dy lawn mower  God that makes me so mad 
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| cab |
Well, the closest patch of St. Georges to work turned out to be under water, so it'll have to be something other than a lunchtime forage to find some! Still, got chickweed, ground elder, cow parsley, three cornered leek, jack by the hedge and crow garlic. | ||||
| PeteS |
After this shock I had a look around my office at lunchtime, there is a lot of grass around where I work. Within about 15 mins of searching I found another patch of small circles starting to fruit And only 1 mins walk from my door! I think it'll be a good season for St George's
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| bingo |
I think it will be a good year for all mushrooms. 
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| cab |
Is this your theory of good and bad years alternating? I didn't believe you until I stopped and had a look at my old notebook, and it seems to be (for the most part) true. |
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| PeteS |
Anyone noticed how (and this is very general) the weather goes in cycles. For example, last year we had a very dry spring, followed by a very wet summer and then a dry autumn. Eventually these cycles are broken but over time it all tends to average out - last year the total rainfall (despite having the wettest summer on record) over the UK was actually about average.
Looking at the long rang forecast it does not seem like (thank God) we will get a dry April like last year. In fact it looks about average, with cold spells (there is one coming next week - frost even snow!), April showers and short dry periods. |
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| slippery Jack |
St Georges MushroomAre these what Rogers website refers to as Calocybe Gambosa ? Site says N America only but I think book says Europe, Roger's says habitat fields, pastureland, lawns, roadside, wood edges. I have looked for but never found in South Wales. Are they associated with chalk soil or anything ? Any further info on likely habitats gratefully received. |
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| bingo |
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| PeteS |
Re: St Georges Mushroom
Hello Slippery Jack, Yes, the common name for Calocybe Gambosa is St George's. The website is incorrect as they occur here in the UK and many other parts of Europe. The habitat is correct - fields, pastureland, lawns, roadside and wood edges - although I have found them well within woods too. However, they don't seem to favour any particular soild type. Probably early for them and all the ones I have found so far this season have been in an urban setting - i.e. surrounded by warm buildings. I believe that this can cause them to fruit a few weeks early. |
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| Treacodactyl |
Rogers' site does give the distribution of St George's as "America and Europe" so it is accurate. | ||||
| PeteS |
Its doesn't and then it does...
http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~5697.asp 'location: North America' 'Distribution, America and Europe'. How can the location be 'North America' while the Distribution is 'America and Europe'? To the beginner which is correct? How can you tell? Whatever, this isn't correct. |
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| cab |
Drop Roger a line, he'll probably be most happy for such an error top be pointed out. | ||||
| cab |
None in the local woods yet 
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| slippery Jack |
St Georges MushroomThanks for info PeteS. Will keep looking. |
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| PeteS |
I found a few more on Saturday, and some of them were quite large suggesting that they'd been there for about 2 weeks. However, it is early for St George's, certainly given the cold weather. What has happened to global warming?
This spring certainly isn't like last year - at this time I was in the graden having a BBQ. And the mushrooms are very different. I have several trees that are good for Oyster mushrooms. Last year, by mid-March, I was collecting loads and they were in full swing. This spring they did start to fruit at mid-March but then suddenly stopped. This happened to all 4 tress and there has been nothing since. |
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| Steve A |
Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm a keen forager, particularly mushrooms. Got a call froma friend of my dads on Saturday. He said he had a ring of 'shrooms growing on his front lawn & asked me to id them. They were St Georges. I was gob smacked, as there's snow on the ground here!
None of my usual spots are showing any yet, & i don't think they will till things warm up. |
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| PeteS |
Hi Steve A, welcome to the forum. We've had snow on the ground here (for a brief spell on Sunday). St George's seem to grow slowly. I found a big ring, plus three others, at the end of March when it was much warmer. These were in town, surrounded by flats, and I believe that mushrooms in an urban environment can fruit earlier (by several weeks) than those out in the country. I also have some small rings just outside my office and these are fruiting too. | ||||
| skedone |
looks like the year will be good lol found these this morning ALOT more were there came from to ... now to find some morels
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| PeteS |
Hello Skedone, welcome back mate. Where have you been? Hibernating?
I am surprised that so few people have yet to found St George's. Although the majority of my spots are not fruiting yet I have a couple of areas right outside my office that have been fruiting since the end of March. Here is my lunchtime haul from yesterday cleaned and ready to eat... 
Goes well simply sauteed in butter with some wild garlic added at the end of cooking - on toast or with scrambled egg. |
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| skedone |
Thats how i cooked mine lol with wild garlic it was like it was begging for it to be added, Maybe u can answer a question whats a good way of preserving them ? do they dry well ?
as i am falling over them lol at mo cant seem to not find them lol and its not like there could be much to mix them up with, Tho i did find a wood blewit in a garden today at work so who knows and been off line a lot due to moving home and family commitments and finding new areas were i now live lol but will be back on the scene again now life is getting back on track been bad 3 months |
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| bingo |
I found 1.5 k of St Georges today.
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| PeteS |
I'm going to pick some tomorrow (St George's Day). I bet I can equal that
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| skedone |
i could equal that in one area and i have about 6 5 mins from house | ||||
| bingo |
O.K. Skedone .....PeteS, nobody likes a bragger.
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| PeteS |
5 mins! That's too far Mine are about 30 secs from my office. Will pick them tomorrow and post pics.
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| bingo |
If they're still there. 
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| PeteS |
Well yes. Good to see this forum coming alive. It had become a bit dry 
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| skedone |
5 mins included stopping for a beer in the pub mate lol
and any way when i were a lad all we had to eat were gravel |
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| slippery Jack |
St George's MushroomI have been looking for last two weeks in South Wales but without success. Could that be significant ?Haven't found any Morells either ! |
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| PeteS |
Hello Slippery Jack, where abouts in South Wales are you? I know parts of South Wales. There should be some St Georges about.
As for Morels - they are very hard to find and there are two types in the UK. The Common Morel (Morchella esculenta - supposed to be the best tasting) is only really found on calcareous (chalk/limestone) soil and is known to prefer ash trees. Morchella elata seems more common than the Common and seems to be only found on wood chip (very rarely elsewhere) in people gardens, again favouring calcareous soil. |
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| PeteS |
St George's day St George's mushroom haul. Picking these on St George's day is great
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| sean |
And you found a penny too.
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| bingo |
I found 4k of these today.
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| Jamanda |
Not one! Not one titchy tiny one. Nor a morel 
What will you do with 4kg?
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| bingo |
Sold them. |
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| skedone |
SOLD them but that kind of talk is not aloud here lol good show tho mate no bugger will buy them round my part of the world
i gave loads to friends and family oh and one shop owner is trying them to see what he thinks and he might see them for me (he owns deli and fruit veg shop combo) |
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| bingo |
Anybody else think raw St Georges taste like watermelon? | ||||
| Minamoo |
I found some today! I am oh so pleased! My first ever St George's. A bit battered and bruised after being mowed but still edible.
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| PeteS |
Yes, I think that they do. In fact the taste raw could be said to be better than cooked. Definitely underrated. They are everywhere at the moment. I cannot believe that more people aren't finding them. Maybe they are and are just keeping quiet or maybe people on this site don't forage for mushrooms anymore. Just to break the 'boredom' I got Fair Rings today to go with the St George's. The season has definately started! I am off to hunt Morel tomorrow. However, I have a feeling I'll come back with yet more St George's |
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| skedone |
i did not think there were safe to eat raw???? | ||||
| PeteS |
Yep, fine raw. There was even a recipe for raw St George's on BBC TV last weekend on Something for the Weekend...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/mushroomcarpaccio_88686.shtml |
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| skedone |
cheers dude i just tried them raw and there not bad not one you could eat on own tho they need a dressing |