WriterByNature.com

May 29, 2007 4:57 pm

There is so much to learn.Starting with mushrooms:

Dryads Saddles

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May 27, 2007 5:42 am

Here’s what I’m dining on after a long day foraging.

The plants are listed below. I like to take a moist paper towel and wipe each leaf, rather than immersing them in water. It’s effective at removing any soil from the leaves. I only harvest blossoms that are free of dirt. (more…)

May 26, 2007 7:50 am

This is a wonderful way to plant a garden.

Instead of planting seeds in rows, create furrows in the shapes of the letters of your name and watch the magic grow!

Materials:

• A small patch of earth for planting
• Small stick or dowel
• Flower or vegetable seeds
• Shovel, hoe, rake
• Planting gloves, watering can

Procedure:
1. Choose an area large enough to make large letter-shaped furrows. Note amount of shade/sun that reaches the area.
2. Use the rake and/or hoe to prepare the soil for planting, if necessary.
3. Choose low-growing seeds that will grow in the amount of sun/shade available in your garden plot.
4. Use the stick or dowel to trace the letters large enough to see the shapes when the plants grow in.
5. Use the shovel to create a furrow - a small grove - in the letter shapes.
6. Plant the seeds in the furrows, cover and water according to the directions on the package.
7. Follow directions on package for watering instructions for young plants.
8. Watch the plants grow in the shape of the letters of your name.

NOTE: For quicker results, use seeds with a short germination time, that come up a week or so after planting. Radishes, marigolds and nasturtiums are good candidates.

May 24, 2007 2:44 pm

According to my experts, morel season is over.

So this Morchella esculenta, or yellow morel, was an amazing find.

There isn’t much else to say. Foraging is typically a surprise.

May 22, 2007 5:04 pm

I’m blessed with mentors this year.

Charlene “Bird Lady” Miller and I first met on Jon Young’s Wilderness Awareness School Forum. This past weekend I finally got to meet her.

I took along my photos and videos for identification. Bird Lady is a retired Wildlife Rehabilitator with expertise in passerines.

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May 17, 2007 6:03 am

I’m blessed to wake to the sounds of robins and cardinals chattering.

This morning, I also got a visual treat.

It rained and then the temperature cooled by 20 degrees or more. I hope this encourages morels.

May 16, 2007 8:44 pm

The days are still getting longer, making it easier for animals to get around. Here’s who was out and about this morning:

This porcupine is aware I’m watching. Porcupines cannot “throw” their quills. Quills penetrate the skin of animals that touch them.

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May 15, 2007 6:41 am

I am so excited to have the opportunity to learn. I found these mushrooms growing at the edge of a farm field on dead elm logs. Their common name is Shaggy Mane or Inky Cap (Coprinus micaceus).

They are not as wonderful as the Shaggy Mane mushroom (Coprinus micaceus), but they are edible.

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May 10, 2007 7:34 am

Spring beauties bloom almost as early as dandelions.

The flowers and tiny buds look really beautiful in an early spring salad.

I used Billie Joe Tatum’s recipe for preparing the tubers, but I found the outer shell tasty, like a potato skin.

Here are some other ways to use spring beauties:

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May 9, 2007 7:32 am

There’s something really magical about finding a fresh mushroom in the woods.

Now that I have experts to consult, I’m motivated to take photos and harvest potential new foods.

I sent this off to George Johanson and a few other COMA folks and sure enough, this is a wild mushroom known as Dryad’s Saddle (Polyporus squamosus). It smelled tasty, but I know enough to be cautious.

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