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Category: Wild Edibles

Coral Fungi and Puffballs

Coral Fungi and Puffballs

A foraging trip in Falmouth today yielded a number of edible mushrooms (in addition to the sighting of a lot of interesting non-edible ones not described here). Basket of foraged edible mushrooms – Coral Fungi, Puffballs and Boletes. The first edible we came across was a Coral Fungi, Clavulina cinerea, also known as the Gray Coral fungi. The individuals we found were approximately 3 to 4 inches tall, and had an erect, coral-like shape, with many branches forming from the…

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First Frost and Rose Hips

First Frost and Rose Hips

Last night marked the first frost of the season in Bourne. Recording occurrences such as the first frost is important to the study of phenology. Phenology is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena. The word itself is derived from the Greek word phaino, which means “to show or to make appear”, and the Greek word logos, which means “study”. Therefore, phenology is concerned with the dates of the first occurrence of biological events and natural phenomena in their…

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Cranberries: History and Picking

Cranberries: History and Picking

Thousands of years ago, the receding glaciers left a series of kettle hole ponds filled with sand, clay and other debris across South Shore of Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, creating the perfect habitat for cranberries.   Wampanoag’s took advantage of these wild plants, harvesting wild cranberries, long before the first European settlers ever arrived. When the English arrived, they were unsurprised to find the cranberry growing here, as they were already familiar with European varieties of cranberries. They…

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Mushroom Walk

Mushroom Walk

This afternoon I got to explore the Coonamessett Reservation in Falmouth with a knowledgeable mushroom hunter. Although I love foraging for wild edibles, normally I’m fairly wary when it comes to mushrooms, since many species can have some nasty effects ranging from gastro-intestinal distress to death. So it was exciting to have an expert to point out which were edible, which weren’t, and fun facts about them both. (Disclaimer: If you have any doubts whatsoever about your identification of a…

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