Stalking the Wild Mushroom

On Saturday we did the most amazing class. It was the Smoky Mountain Field School Hike for collecting wild mushrooms. We went to the Greenbriar Area of the Smoky Mountain National Park.

Mushroom collecting is best in the Spring through Fall. Our instructor was Coleman McCleneghan PhD., and she led us on a journey through the tiny world of mycological fungi. As a rule collecting is not allowed in any national park situation, but because mushrooms are the fruiting body of the plant they are an exception to this. We had a most interesting day and were taught how to identify the mushroom by making a spore print. I loved this aspect (the artist in me) and can't wait to take this to another level and see what I can do with them. This is such an easy and rewarding project I will save it for another post.

Calocera Viscosa
Yellow tuning fork fungi

I do know this one! It's a Chanterelle, it's delicious to eat and I was the one to find it! 

White Polypore 

One day I'll know what the name of this is!

Cyathus
The common name is Bird's nest 

Polypore