According to the eccentric forums of the mushroom realm, I hail from the mecca of fungi. Every year in the Pacific Northwest, the autumn rains quench the vast mycelial networks’ thirst and give rise to a blossoming some foragers find more delightful than spring. I ignorantly assumed that I would partially be leaving that valuable season behind by moving to the Midwest. I actually find a longer, comparably bountiful season in Ohio.

My earliest recollections of foraging date back to the late 90s. My father and I would park his Corolla in highway 101’s fog for an escapade into the ominous rainforest. Occasionally, we would find a clearing where one could see a sea of terracotta orange. Upon closer examination, there would be hedgehogs and chanterelles – Hydnum repandum, Cantharellus cascadensis, Cantharellus cibarius – choice edibles that my mother would stock her hearty stew with. As I grew, I began to source different species and general identification became a hobby.

The drive to Ohio brought the occasional mushroom. The Rockies contained the spongey spore-bearing surface of Boletes. As I crossed into Ohio in August, my new labmates and I stumbled upon a patch of chanterelles that yielded over 7 lbs. within an hour of picking .Those became some solid black bean burgers, soup, and a vodka tincture that could have benefited from a shorter infusion. Lol. We also found the coveted black chanterelle – the black trumpet. These were the flavorful core of a nice ricotta pasta. Greatest of all, this chanterelle harvest was in the middle of Ohio’s summer.

Chanterelles come strong for only a couple months out of the year in Oregon. Out here, they thrive from July to October, and maybe a bit in the spring. I have found considerable diversity in the Metro Parks of Columbus, and the state parks to the south and north. Mushrooms are a delicate treat from the violent rolling storms and their rain. On the contrary, Oregon’s dry summers force mushrooms to seek refuge from parchment underground.

Ohio fungi are a welcoming surprise. As I watch this grey cloud loom over my brick home, I know there are bountiful days ahead.

Written by TPS Fellow Zach Konkel

Photos:
1. Tremella fuciformis
2. Galiella rufa - the 'peanut butter cup'
3. Byssomerulius incarnatum
4. Isaria sp. infecting a cocoon