September 2014

Rover - been busy lately haven't been on much. You asked for an update for Nakusp. There are a lot of pickers in the area, shrooms are going well in some areas, starting in others and some haven't started yet. Still lots of wormy, but getting a bit better. Pines are $10. Not much chanterelle or lobster but starting to see a few more. - Jean's Mushroom Station in Nakusp, Hwy 23 N Nakusp - 250 265 4147 hewat@telus.net - Happy picking!

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Hi all Does anyone know if there is a buyer in hope or boston bar? There's been a lot of rain and fluctuating temperatures which (in these areas) cause a good flush.

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Thanks Lobo! The "Prince" is such a beautiful mushroom to eat. Smells of almond and has a distinct sweet flavour. The larger flags can be used to house smoked salmon and a soft poached egg inside with chopped spinach and basil much like a portobello......jeez, making myself hungry!

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Kootenaybrother; you need to try (matsimanspice) it's fantastic sprinkled on whatever you cook. I purchased lots of them from matsiman @ his cost back when I was selling fresh mushrooms to chefs and included one free with purchase, it was advertising for both of us. I don't know if it helped him, it was an experiment for me and I stopped my delivery route soon after that due to health deterioration. Now with my stroke I am out of the picture and may never sell again. I really liked his powered chanterelle spice also. ................ Fishgod; yes the link worked for me and I liked the photo.

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Gotcha Matsiman, Just hoping the links are working. KootenayBro, haven't tried powder in spaghetti but have used in soup, gravy and rice. Let us know how it turns out!

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Latest experiment, Dehydrated matsutake and the I grinded the dry pine mushroom into a powder.going to add it to my spegetti sauce recipe hoping to achieve a unique sauce additive ! Bon appetite , and have fun in the bush! Going in on Thursday hope to find buckets full! Good luck to all!

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Matsiman and others, are you able to see the photos I am sending by using the links?

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Hi Lobo, the poem was actually courtesy of Mushroom Poet. The viewing of it was made possible by Matsiman himself! Is sometimes easy to get user names mixed up, I did the same thing yesterday with yours and boletus Joe lol!

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...thank you for the mushroom & poem viewing Fishgod. I guess I shall try posting my mushroom poem if I can find a copy. I gave a copy to Murray & Cecila several years ago and they keep it on one of the upright freezers, perhaps I will place a call to LaGrande if I cannot find my stash.

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Last year I went to one of my best matsi patches only to find that over 90 percent were flagged out nearly broke my heart :( the patches were even better than I thought they would be. I think part of the reason was because all of the roads got ripped out and you had to hike in several miles over hard terrain but I was a few days late. I figured that they would be late this year by a week or two we will see.

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By the way guys I posted on a mushroom hunting site here in Oregon that this is a very informative site on fungi. For you all here in Oregon and Washington it a site on meet up. Some are seasoned some are new to mushrooms. Please Be Nice.

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Hello all, Looked between Newport and Pacific City last weekend found about 5 pounds of lobsters. Was hoping for more oh well. The weather was perfect for ocean time 70 and clear. And a ship load of huckleberries.

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Woo hoo! My patch of Prince mushrooms are fruiting once again. Went for a walk to a park where I find morels early summer. Just missed literally hundreds of shaggy mayne shrooms)turned to ink. Hundreds! Never seen so many in my life. If you guys are out in urban areas and parks always look in bark mulch. The mulch is sometimes from an area which carries spores of shroomies you don't usually find in your own back yard. I find morels right in surrey, bc when the time is right in bark mulch. Think I mentioned before though you must be sure no herbicide/pesticide has been used in the area.

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Trinap,the person on Craigslist is most likely trying to get what he can,as it stands I'm selling mine for $8.lb.im not sure about everybody els but I think the going rate from buyers is $5.lb. I hope this helps. Good luck and be safe.

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Thank you Phantom Picker. How about Lobsters? ?? I saw on Craigslist someone was selling them for $15 lb. That seems very high.

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Would there happen to be any mushroom buyers on the island that buy pines that anyone know of ?

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Mushroom Poet, My email is on the top, to the left of the banner. Thanks, Matsiman

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Hey Matsiman. If you have an email I can send you the file with the poem and the pics.

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I find too that they sure can pop with no warning and under less than ideal circumstances. or they can do a no show.

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some picker, I think you hit the bottom line. Matsi can be found under unusual conditions with no rational explanation based on observations. Matsiman

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Every picker who has been at it awhile has found pines were they shouldn't be, and pines in a dry spot and knows of rings or patches that are strong and pop most every year, good season or bad. How much moisture pines need to grow is a different question than, can pines pop in unusual conditions due to genetics and or stress. Pines love to pop where your not looking

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It is well established that there are regional physiological differences within a species for plants, so why not for fungi. That said, it would be difficult to separate out the environmental responses vs. genetic differences without reciprocal transplant studies or genetic investigations. It may be that in Canada declining temperatures and increasing rain come together more often than in the central Cascades.

I prefer to take the easy route. Documenting environmental conditions and fruit production in both areas and evaluating the data. I have done just that and can find no differences in environmental needs.

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Here is the reply I received from a scientist regarding the genetics questions. It is well established that there are regional physiological differences within a species for plants, so why not for fungi. That said, it would be difficult to separate out the environmental responses vs. genetic differences without reciprocal transplant studies or genetic investigations. It may be that in Canada declining temperatures and increasing rain come together more often than in the central Cascades. It sounds like differences in needs could be possible, but extremely difficult to substitute. I prefer to take the easy route. Documenting environmental conditions and fruit production in both areas and evaluating the data. I have done just that and can find no differences in environmental needs. Matsiman

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snowpack in the winter folks. low snowpack in the winter and hot early spring and summer especially with dry weather equals poor crop. of course if you have plenty of rain and hot weather together during the summer growth cycle, well that's different.

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Amen to that, Matsiman. Sure would make the world alot easier to live in. FULL BUCKETS TO Y'ALL...matsigurl

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some picker, Good one on the stump producing mushrooms a few years after the tree is dead. I have also noticed the same on a few occasions. In fact. one of the indicators I use to locate possible matsi area is old stumps of host trees. Can't say it this method works well cause I haven't put it to the test enough times to have any conclusions.

According to science publications, matsi mycelia can live for years after the host tree is gone. Their food supply comes from other mycelia still attached to a living host nearby. These aren't my conclusions. They come from science publications. The paper also states a different species will also provided what is needed to what has been cut off from food. Kinda like Avatar movie, they communicate and help each other survive. Too bad people aren't that way. Matsiman

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I know something about growing plants. both outdoors and indoors. in another life I was what used to be called a "guerilla grower". I've grown indoors and hydroponically as well. hey has anybody tried growing mushrooms hydroponically? Lol.

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To finish my post...Thursday-Saturday to Mt. St. Helens area Cougar, WA area. Contact me at matsigurl@gmail.com. I need transportation from Vancouver, WA to the area THANKS

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imo it's easy to overthink this stress thing people. excessively high heat in summer and early fall along with water deprivation during the same time period are forms of stress and never beneficial to our mushrooms. Especially if it comes on top of year, or many months, long drought and hot weather. Under similar circumstances apples are much smaller than normal and woody, not good. Corn stays small and is poor eating quality, a plants growth is stunted from water deprivation in either the growing or flowering stage. and any yield is much smaller.

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Now if I could just get a few days off of work to go find out if my theory holds true...lol. I guess there is still two months of picking left (give or take). Full Buckets everyone, matsigurl Ps...anybody who would like to pick this weekend up in PNW (IE.

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I was open to the stress theory and was waiting for someone to set parameters for what they considered stress. No one has answered this parameter question. I'm waiting for an idea of what they conceder stress before evaluating any influence their idea of streets is.

The truth it that I don't believe stress is necessary to produce matsutake. However that would depend on the individuals definition of stress. I do have hard data which somewhat sets parameters for matsi production. These parameters could not be considered stress from my definition. Rather required environmental conditions needed to produce fruit.

If stress is a major influence then why does the majority believe a perfect season is not too hot, not too cold and an abundance of rainfall. Doesn't sound like stress to me, but then again it depends on one's definition of stress.

Anyway thanks again for the input. The visitors who are here to learn will appreciate it as well. The others will never accept anyone's input if it isn't what they know as fact.

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What if it is the mycellium that gets stressed from lack of moisture, not the mushroom, wouldn't that possibly affect the pinning process. Morels would be more like annuals as they fruit from a single spore, matsis live for many years, even when the trees they associate with die the pines can still grow from the root system for a few years. farmers stress orchard crops by many methods for different reasons, to promote root growth, to force a final crop or to improve flavor or shelf life. Stress affects almost every form of life, why wouldn't it affect shrooms?

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i remember about three weeks ago we had a little frost in the morning for a couple of days .... that was followed by warming and hot days ,,, then we had rain and last night it cooled down and it is clear and just a few degrees above freezing now ...it will get warm again tomorrow ... i am thinking this is close to conditions to kick a flush just by temps ... will check when i get some free time .. tells me something though when the stations aren't open yet ....until then i will be in the woodpile .... gl full buckets.

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Hi Matsiman, U hit the jackpot because I just so happen to BE a botanist. As well as an avid mushroom hunter, I have thirty years of horticultural and botanist experience. I have studied them because they fascinate and intrigue me. What happens when a plant is subjected to "stress" varies greatly. For instance, when an annual flower such as a marigold is put under "stress" by a lack of water, it wilts and will usually die if it cannot find moisture anywhere. However, a healthy annual flower, which is artificially "stressed" by withholding water until it is almost dead, will flower very heavily in the days following the stress as long as it is given the thing it needs, which would be adequate moisture in this case. However, it is quite possible that a mushroom fruits for very different reasons. Annual flowers are on a "schedule." They will have approximately six months to cycle from a seed to a plant that will produce seed. This is a cycle that is complete in two seasons. Mushrooms, in many cases, can form and actually fruit in a matter of days or weeks, which is why spore dispursal is commonly the way most mushrooms will reproduce. Stress could be applied to mushrooms and I would imagine in certain cases, it would allow a mushroom to be more fortuitous in its fruiting . I also believe that in some cases, "stress" would actually be detrimental to the fruiting process. Mushrooms require so many certain conditions at precise times in the growing sequence that it would seem that stress could just as easily kill the mushroom as a lack of water could kill a marigold flower. So that's what I know. For what it's worth. Matsigurl PS:::::FULL BUCKETS TO ALL

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I'm kinda with Randlerandy on this season. So far it has been a down year and prices are still high as the proof. High for the pickers I mean, compared to last year anyway. Sometimes the pines just don't come in any quantity and NOBODY knows why.

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Phantom picker. thanks for the responce. Sounds like the season there is a little better than I thought. But then angin you probably have some of the best spots. Haven't picked on the Eastside since 97. Hasn't gotton cold enough here in CJ to start much, if any. I don't mean flush, I mean the beginning of penning. Too early to say what's going to happen here. Matsiman

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Wo sure is a lot of people sitting around at their computer rather than out pickin on a sunday........

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Trinap,I'm getting $3.00lb up to date.I hope this helps you. Matsiman.your right I knew I was off on the dates but like I said those seasons I'll never forget lol.went out today and picked 10lbs of pines but probably left just as many wormed,also picked some beautifull bearded tooth,it's been a long time since I've seen so many in one spot.good luck and be safe.

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Ha! Ya so many pines coming for Kootiebrother and everywhere else the dealers have customers on back order and pre-order. So which is it?

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Any updates on van island? (Other than east coast - went out all day Saturday and got skunked). I might try Campbell river or west coast if any chantrelle in those areas? Is Rod opened in CR yet? Zed

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Going price for chanterelles. ..???? I have a restaurant that will buy all I can pick. But want to be fair and also not get ripped off. Thanks. I'm in the skagit/what com county area

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Phantom picker, I think your talking about 95 and 97 in the Crescent, Chemult area. Your right, by the middle of the season you couldn't put your foot down without stepping on a matsi. It was fully dressed at daylight, with jacket, and shorts and tee shirt after about 11:00 AM. We were running the air conditioner in the car going from patch to patch. I was doing the study by Miller Lake. That's where I have pound and temp stats. I can say just how much we picked and what the weather was like. There was a RAWS Station (remote automated weather station) very near the study site and we were camped there by mile marker 10 on Miller Lake Road. Began camping about first of August and left Oct 1. Matsiman

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Stress,I to had seen this twice,once in 94 or 95 the ground had a little moister but it was hot,we were picking in teashirts.We were picking clusters of 60 to 120 mushrooms and then in 2000,it was dry and hot that year and pines were everywhere and pricess were lousy,.$1.25 lb lol but we still made $150.00 a day each it was crazy.Never seen so many mushrooms in my life and probably never will again the way it's been going for the last how many years.Now a days clusters may have ten mushrooms if your lucky and rings of mushrooms I haven't seen in many years as well.I may be off on the dates a little because I never kept records but those seasons are imbedded in my mine I'll never forget them.good luck and be safe.

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Water, cold and heat or lack of have been described as conditions which would cause stress. At what point is there too little or to much of either that causes this stress. I ask because it is unclear. Is it 20, 30, 40, 50 60 degree F for too cold, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 degree F, for too hot. The same goes for % of moisture or rainfall.

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I have some food for thought, questions and information, on this stress and matsutake discussion. No time to express now. Will later this evening. If you that are posting long messages would like them formatted for easier reading and understanding, email them to me formatted and I'll post. Matsiman

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Pulled 18 lbs of pine buttons outta the bush 10 $ per pound # 1 buttons 180$ plus lobsters and number 2,3,4,5,6 s total 240 $ for 6 hours in the bush , good day in the bush! Pickers are out in full force, lots of action in the bush!Chanties and lobsters going for 3 $ per pound, I'll have tove to go back in a week to check thoses patches again!Good times!

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Boletus Joe; Yepper, it happens with morels also in similar fashion at the edge of some burns. …… Fishgod; Should be good for many more years, especially if you place that bag in the freezer.

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my understanding, is stress can cause mistakes in the dna in cell division and create small changes in the plant. it is very important for the survival of any species in extreme situations, drought, too much rain, volcanic ash, etc. Its possible that plants inherited that trait from fungi as that was just as important in the evolution of fungi in a rapidly changing environment.

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Hi all, Does anyone happen to know the shelf-life of dried Morels? Found some in my cupboard that I dried and vaccum sealed 3 seasons ago.........oh what a great season it was!

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Whats up dudes. Still no show around here other than wormy's. Well there's a few non wormy but it aint worth the trouble of pickin them if your trying to make money as it don't even pay for the gas. Spent 40 bucks in gas yesterday and got two good no 1's. That was it. I get a sense from reading comments on here that people are getting desperate for some hope and good news. All the ideas about how a crop can happen under not very good conditions. I hope this don't cause false hope. Sometimes nature can be a princess and sometimes a bitch.

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Morning to the board,,,,, On the topic of "Stress" Here is something I have observed on a number of occasions. You have probably lost good Matsi area to logging. I have noticed that if an area in or near a Matsi patch is logged in the late spring or early fall..... Well I have noticed that along the margin of the logged area where the Matsi's grew you will get a huge flush of very nice shrooms. I have called this the "Death Rattle" of the patch, the one last push of mushrooms for that patch. It is a sad thing to see, yet if you hit it right you will get a whole lot of product. Also it has been my experience to know that they never grew there again in the following years. even when (on one occasion) the area effected by the logging was only about 20% of the patch. Now that is what I call "STRESS"......... has anyone else seen this sort of thing????? I have seen great patches affected even buy logging well above a patch as well.... drainage, light distribution, wind direction, all disturbed. and thus ruining a patch. Well I too could write a book....

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Fiddlehead Heaven, Thanks for very informative description of how to grow a mushroom under controlled conditions. I also have cultivated in a lab. Your method is similar to mine. Your temperature changes are far more than I did. Maybe that's why I wasn't good at growing.

Your definition of stress is not one I would have come up with, but yes the cooling could be called stress. I was assuming some picker was talking about high temperature stress.

It is good to hear someone else has seen a bumper crop with no rain and extremely high temps. Have you ever seen a good flush with low soil moisture. We took soil moisture in our water study. Patches we watered averaged 30% soil moisture. The ones we didn't 8% soil moisture, relative humidity low. We got more mushrooms from 8% than 30%. The exception was 2 to 4 times more weight for maturity, #1 verses #1, in 30%. Matsiman

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I wish I had a couple of days to really add something of value here in this post. I could write another book on just this one subject. Anyway back in the early 80s and before I ever picked a wild mushroom in a forest, I was growing mushrooms ( and please don't ask what kind, it caused me enough trouble back then and don't need to revisit those day's again) What you are calling stress, I call Trauma and yes indeed it has everything to do with mushrooms fruiting. Let's look at how we grow mushrooms in a chamber. First we make a substrate to inoculate with spore (not going into lengthy details on procedure) Once we inoculate the substrate with viable spore we put this into a separate container with water that is temp. controlled at 86 degrees. The lid to the chambers are closed so the substrate is in total darkness for 27 to 30 days at 86 degrees, this is called the incubation period. After the incubation period the now solid block of mycelium is taken out and submerged in very cold water for 24 hours in a cooler to lower the temp. of the mycelium from 86 degrees down to around 37 to 40 degrees. After this temp. shock (trauma) the block is then either broken up and layered between many layers of manure & straw or sawdust, or left whole and rolled in vermiculite to create a casing over the mycelium and placed into new chamber where the constant temps are kept at 74 degrees and with the humidity maintained at 96% to 99% in the chamber with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. ( Note here that the inside walls of the chamber are misted with water daily to maintain the humidity inside the chamber, but never is the block or the mushrooms spayed with water) And after 3 to 4 days the mushrooms will start pinning, then growing to harvestable size after 7 to 8 days. After the first flush is completely harvested, we then put the block of mycelium back into the cold water bath treatment in the cooler for a second temp. shock & awe. And then of course back to the 74 degrees with high humidity again for a second flush. This procedure can be repeated up to four times. So if everyone has been observant , after the mycelium has formed, it goes through a series of Traumas, in this case the temperature (a trauma) changes are used to manipulate & induce the fruiting of the mushrooms and further flushes. If everyone thinks long and hard about what I have just shared with you, think about what makes Morels spring up after a fire, why are there always more mushrooms near or at the edge of a trail or road? Fire, and strong vibrations are traumas too and will stimulate the mycelium to fruit. So in conclusion, temperatures and relative humidity play a major role in the fruiting of the mycelium. All rain does is lower the temps in the soil and hopefully be enough to raise and maintain the relative humidity for fruiting , and as Matsiman say's it's the tree's (or if you will, the substrate or host) themselves that provide the water and nutrients required to keep the mycelium alive and feed the fruits. But it's temp. changes (traumas) and relative humidity that will determine if the mushrooms will pin and grow or not. In 2006 the temps were 100 degrees plus here, but so was the relative humidity every day for about two months with no rain for that period, and we had a bumper crop of almost every kind of mushroom that I know. There were even mushrooms that I had never seen before or haven't seen since. There were a beautiful array of Boletes like I have never seen before, in particular were white and pink velvet boletes that I didn't even know to exist. Imagine that, A Pink Velvet Boletus, both the stem and the cap were velvet!! And did I take pictures? No I didn't because it was my first season here and thought maybe they were here every year. Stupid, stupid, stupid me!!!! Anyway, hope you have enjoyed my story or maybe not! Either way, I'm off to find my own Pine patches here on the East Coast. Cheers, Dwight In new Brunswick.

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Some Picker, Been giving some thought to your suggestion stress has an influence in matsi fruiting. I don't think stress has any influence in number of mushrooms. Wet or dry years the temperature model works the same. However, stress could effect size, flavor and possibly trigger to fruit.

Matsutake is feed by it's host tree. During stress I would think this food source could have a different chemical make up. Might change some aspect of fruit. Really couldn't say.

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If you lost a cell phone near Pemberton, BC in the bush, check the Mad Morel Bull Board. Someone has found 1 and is looking for the owner. Matsiman

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Newbie, I would imagine you already know that Cowichan valley on the island is a great place to forrage

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Newbie, Welcome to the wonderful world of mushrooms! I wish you the best with your treasure hunting. Be safe!

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Mike Ford; I find that the ash laid down from the Mount St Helens eruption makes an excellent growth layer for most any mushroom. The pumy soils of Oregon are excellent also especially for matsutake. In my opinion around Mount Shasta and basically any volcano or vent is good to check for matsi if there is a layer of similar type of soils. The Oregon Dunes sands have similar density and produce very well in some areas and I have also found them to be good for chanterelles. Early in my wanderings in matsi areas of BC, I did not pay attention to soil types but I found that matsi grow with or without ash, pumy or sandy soils in areas of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and many more Western as well as Easterly States. I am a matsutake connoisseur who has traveled much; but not an expert, but am only sharing some of my personal observations.

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Thanks Fishgod! I will be back up north island in a week, so I will have time to stop at the buyers, meet and hopefully have a few questions answered. Thanks again for all the great info everyone!

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Hey ya'll. Spent part of the day wandering around the side of Mt Adams today. Found lots of lobsters, some chanterelles, a bear's tooth, one king bolete, and several chicken of the woods that still had nice soft tips. So had fried Chicken with my supper tonight. Seemed to be a good amount of chanterelles and lobsters and Matsutakes being brought into the buyer's stands.

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Hey north island picker could u email me address is firepitover@gmail.com I could be of some help to u thanks Gary

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Hi all, I just spoke with buyer Fred. He is set up at the esso gas station in Nakusp. He is buying for $12/ lb #1. And also offering a gas bonus 10%. If you need his number I posted it earlier. In a couple of weeks he will be set up at Skinny's grill in Hope B.c. From my meetings with Fred he seems a good guy and not at all afraid to point folks in the right direction.

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Newbie and other newbies, If you know where there's a buyer it really can pay to hang around them a bit for info. Some people coming to sell will talk and also the buyer will usually be more than happy to tell you where to pick because if you hit a mother load chances are you will sell some to the buyer and that is good for him/her. Just my observation

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Thank you guys all for your response! I'm going to go out this weekend and I will post pics of what I find. I did some picking last year with a seasoned picker, and I learned a lot, I'm just doubting myself and wanting to be 100% sure!! Also, for anyone who is interested, there is a buyer set up in northern campbell river. You go over the bridge on the way to hardy, and he's 1 km past the Toyota dealership. Haven't stopped to talk to him. Don't know what the prices are. But he's there.

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Anyone here of any buyers on Vancouver island north Campbell river area or further north?

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I am finding messages on the Say What You Want Board that should be on this board. I won't transfer messages from that board to this one. If you want to get a response from visitors, you need to place your message here.

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some picker, I can't say if fungi are subject to a stress crop fruiting. Unusual fruiting is not uncommon with matsutake. It is unusual because we can't come up with a reason. I can say that I have found no greater environmental influence in matsutake fruiting than temperature. This is contrary to what most believe, but I can't find anything to discount my findings and do have allot to support. All the educated I have contacted say it is a mycological event and is controlled by mycology not botany. Matsiman

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I wondered if the genetic variations create varieties with different fruiting habits and seasons and if the unusual pop in an unlikely spot or dry year could be a stress crop, stress crops are very real in the plant world, fungi?

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some picker, Never saw your message. It is possible it was lost while I was editing. Could you ask again? Matsiman

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My post mentioned genetics and stress crops, never used any name other than some picker, am enjoying the discussion

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I will continue to search for an answer. I don't think I'll be able to find anything to help support your theory. The information may not exist. Good question in any case.

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I am the person who asked about genetic differences, my post was deleated. but I am interested in what you find out. thanks

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Poet, Do you rap? If so do you have any music of yours to share? Really like your poem! It paints a picture in my head.... Thanks for sharing your work with us!

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Boly'queen, Can't answer your question. I don't have access to any weather info from that area. Basically if you had a cooling 2 to 3 weeks ago and a moderate warming after, warming 4 to 10 degree F for a few days, there is a good chance on the next cooling and warming of a flush. Quality of flush as for number of mushrooms depends on length and height of warming. Matsiman

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Hello Matsiman, I'm a beginner in pine mushroom picking (cuz i'm from France). I'd like to know, from your big experience in it, if, with the very dry summer in BellaCoola area an the weather now, if you think that it'll be a good year there? They are not growing yet! Thanks.

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whestcoast, I did a search for genetic diversity of matsutake. Matsutake Genetics Search Lots of info to sort. I can understand little of what is there. Maybe you can understand better. It appears there is great diversity even in the same region. Don't know what that means, but it's a start. Best I could do is check with some of my PHD contacts. They know of much more about the work done in the field of genetics than I. What's more is they understand what they read. Don't know if they will respond. Probably won't if they don't have an answer. Matsiman

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Hi I am located in northern Vancouver island looking for a buyer haven't heard of any buyers up here yet but there's lots of chanterelle's popping up and id like to start sell some soon!!!

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ol'gulch & luvporcini thank you for the info, gona have to find some and try them out.Went out today and shanties have gone to mush.I wish I could say that I had found lots of pine but,that isn't the case.What I did find however were 80% wormed out.its still much to warm and as far as the rain goes it could stop any time now.Even the cauliflower had worms we could use sme cool weather now to get rid of the bugs.Even the small amount of babies that I had seen were mush from worms.it isn't looking very promising but I'm not going to give up just yet lol,you never know and untill then good luck and be safe.

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Hey I am going to go looking for matsi's in the woods but one guy told me they need to be rooted in volcanic ash ad if their isn no ash then they wont be found there. Is that true? Another said they grow without the ash sometimes. I'm in Wa state. Can anybody help me out here?

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Truffledog, got your message. Those pogies are tossed I'm fairly sure. Not in that business anymore. I'm retired!! Matsiman

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Mushroom Poet, Thanks for the permission. I'll get it up today or tomorrow morning. If you have a pic you would like to put with the poem, please send. I'll place a link here in a message when the page is up. Don't know about the rest, but I get different pictures of what you describe. Matsiman

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Hi Shallon, Please forgive my ignorance, what town are you located in? Thanks.

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Yes Matsiman, you can put the poem on a page. Happy button hunting. I'm just off to the patch.

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Hi Everyone. My station will be up and running on Sunday Sept 28th. Located at 2051 Grafton ave Open 4;30 - 8 pm daily. I will be buying yellow and white chants, lobsters, cauliflower, bolete and pine.

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Btw, I don't sell shrooms. Just keep in with the buyers so I know where my next meal is coming from!

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The mushrooms are poppin, their jobs they are droppin At night they're not stoppin, in our little valley In the distance a flag, so I run with my bag I look for the brothers, the hat is their mother I turd in my drawers, there are three chunks or four The reason is there, a large grizzly bear It starts to get scary as the forest gets thicker Not from the critters, but the crazed eyes of a picker I do what I want, I'll sleep on the moss Cuz out here in the forest, I'm my own boss If you get lost, the bigfoot will come To watch and protect you, til up comes the sun We kick back in the shack, cards, drinks, and lies The stories start growing, price, weight, and size But the price it has dropped to two buck a pound What the heck buyers, quit messin around All of us know that it's based on a lie A six pack and burger is all I can buy The fleas and the worms are no reason to pout I have twenty patch's, one's bound to white out The days become short, the shrooms moldy with slime These are the signs, that I'm clear out of time In spite of the sadness, we let out a cheer The real pickers know, that there's always next year My feet are real #&@%$# sore, but I'm still having fun Look at that bump, my sweet number one

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Hi John, You could try Fred, he is a buyer who usually sets up in Hope but could probably point you to a closer buyer. His number is 1 (250) 315-8367 or the main office is 18005754393. Good luck. Have you been out picking? If so anything good to report?

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price drop in terrace again.hope you make enough to cover expences,as these mushroom companies don/t care.put the cost on the backs of the pickers.same shit every yr,yet the prices of food riseshasn/t change3 in the last decade.lol

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New to faser valley,would like to find a buyer for mushrooms please,call john 604 832 5456

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I have moved from Van Island to the fraser valley.I would like to find a buyer,

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Boletus Joe, Hey I was going to put a note saying the count could be 2 to 3 times less than it indicates due to visitors refreshing the page. If visitors don't like the counter, I'll take it down. No problem.

I like the debate also. Finally someone who has some good points to make. I hope he can come up with weather data for me to run. Don't care if I'm right or wrong. Just want to know .

I'll need to check, but I think there were some genetic test done here and Canada on Matsi. Pretty sure there was one done here, but don't know for sure. That stuff is way above my head.

I kinda skimmed the last 24 day weather data at Chemult. Doesn't look good on paper. We'll just have to wait and see. My guess would be a small flush as it warms. Hitting the patch is the only way to know for sure.

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FYI.... I use Matsiman.com as my home page. I didn't want your counter info. to be squid. As a matter of interest I wonder how many of us that visit do in fact use this page as their "home" page. ------ BTW, great debate, must be a lack of product. I know I'm not finding much.

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whestcoast, I understand what you are saying. I don't think it is possible that matsi in your region needs are any different than this region, or any other for that matter. I do have 24 years experience.

There was one buyer here in CJ in the mid nineties who said that unlike the matsi in Chemult that needed cold to flush, the ones here needed rain. It is highly unlikely there is a difference in basic needs.

I did a model for a guy in Terrance in the mid nineties. He had been using rain to forecast for 8 years and was dead on each time. The ninth year he forecast the best year ever cause of rainfall. It was the poorest year he had seen He sent me the data sets of temps for Terrance and Belocola. I ran the model on each. When I sent it to him he was suppressed I knew the years Terrance had a good crop and Belolola didn't. I got email from him a few years latter and he said he had been using the model 4 years and it worked well for him He said he was able to forecast even when the dark woods would fruit and when only the more open areas would.

I don't think you realize I was a commercial picker for 17 years and have daylight to dark picking experience as well. Hell we picked in the dark for awhile. The numbers on this page are what my wife and I picked here in CJ. http://matsiman.com/boswellbioeco92-2005.htm

There is a possibility you could be correct, but not likely. I'm sure I couldn't demonstrate you wrong, because I don't have any information to disprove your theory. The information may be available, but I don't think so. Your region does get more rain, so probably couldn't find a year where there was little or no rain and a good crop.

I can assure you that temperatures are the primary control at all stages of matsi production. Too much rain can cause a crop not to form because of a lack of warming during formation. Too much rain also water logs growing mushrooms. Rain is good, but I doubt it has anything to do with production besides cooling or warming soils and adding moisture to a forming and growing crop.

I won't you to know I am sure you have far more observational knowledge than I cause you are a matsiman. Just means you can't get enough learning about the mushroom. I stopped observing in 2007 and just picked. Even though I think you are mistaken, I would sure like to get some weather data from the areas you pick and see if there is a dry year that produced a good crop. you would know. Then we would both know if your theory is accurate.

We are all here to learn.

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Hey matsiman, i think sometimes criticism is mistaken for lack of respect--i think i speak for the vast majority of folks on here in that we have tons of respect for you. You are passionate, intelligent, generous and motivated and have been in the game since before it was hip. My take is that your a bit obsessed with matsi knowledge which makes you extra sensitive when someone refutes you. You have research plots and osu connections and all this but to those of us that have picked bucketloads of matsi for years this seems a bit frivolous. We have experiential knowlege not experimental knowledge yet it is still worthy. The issue I have with your no rain needed for matsi flush comment is that its based on your experience in your REGION. Your region is southern central oregon which is a much dryer region than many and through evolution the mushrooms there have probably adapted to this and pop with less rain. The mushrooms that have genetics that make them pop in dryer weather have passed on their spores more than ones that dont. Further north where overly wet soils are more common the mushrooms that fruit well with excess rain have passed on more spores. I do not doubt for a second your claim that youve seen good flushes with no rain in your region. However, saying this is true of matsis in every region is a reach, and though we have no hard data or college presentations to back it up, this is contrary to what alot of us northern pickers have seen with our own eyes over the years.

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Morning All, I've been playing with finding gold since I retired. I know their are others who visit who do the same. So, I put a link above, center on the top links bar, to gold spot market (Kitco.com). Gold has been going down, but just as much fun to look for as mushrooms. Matsiman

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Oops, got the description backwards on the pigs ears. That should be beige on top & lavender underneath.

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Ol Gulch, I have found Pigs Ears on the Oregon coast. I think they are delicious! I was lucky enough to find them before the bugs devoured them; just a few in the bottoms of the mushrooms. Phantom Picker, they are not the same as jelly ear. Pigs Ears are similar in shape to the Chanterelle. They are a beautiful lavender in top & beige underneath.

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Thanks shroomgirl, I'll keep keeping an eye out for them! Phantom Picker: the one we were talking about is Gomphus clavatus, a chanterelle-esque mushroom. I think the jelly ear is a small smooth cup fungi of some sort (but I'd have to check again to be sure of that.) its off to them woods for me now!

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Is pigs ear also known as jelly ear ? Have a good one everybody and be safe.

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Hey ol' gulch Yes, I have eaten the pigs ears. Most of the time they are pretty good. Hard to get them ahead of the bugs. Found some nice early ones last month on mt. hood, but it was so dry out they were the consistency of cork. Newbie, always be sure of your ID. The lookalikes actually don't look like Chanterelles once you know what real Chanterelles look like. And no, not the same smell either. Always a good idea to join a club if possible. Enjoy! It's always a wonderful time in the woods! Full buckets to ya'll!! Fall has fallen finally here in the PNW, and the anticipation of a good harvest is upon me!

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Hey newbie- Gomphus floccosus, Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, and Omphalotus olearius are all the chanterelle lookalikes that I'm aware of. The first is all wooly or scaly on top, the last two have true gills. None of them have the delicious chanterelle smell. Just be careful, especially at first, and learn to identify em all. Soon they'll be unmistakeable. Speaking of gomphus, has anyone here tried pigs ears? they've eluded me so far- those and the horn of plenty are the last chanterelle family things I have yet to find.

User_Name: looking for price on pines
Date: Thursday September 25, 2014
Time: 11:08 PM

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hi also looking for price in terrace area for pines?!?! and if it is a good time to go out?!?!

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Newbie, I believe the look alike to chantie are called gomphus. Here is a link to a Bing search. There are pix. Chantie look alike Matsiman

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Hi Newbie, False chanterelles........hmmmm. The real ones are unmistakable once you know them. They don't have gills per say, they have attached "veins". Long and the short of it..........do not take any chances. If you are not sure find someone that is or hit the books. "Jack o lanterns" are a type of false chantie and I believe they may be poisonous. It ain't worth the chance, ever! It can take hours to get sick or even weeks with certain shrooms. Be careful and be positive. No guesswork. Can you post some pics of your findings or send them to Matsiman. Each pic should be under 150kb if you send them to him. Even if you post pics folks may not offer positive id but would probably be able to tell you they are not the right kind if the pics are decent

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Hey newbie get some good books and start studying !its good times in the bush!

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Just back from chemult and it doesn't look good at all. Weather channel says below freezing every night on the 10 day forecast. Worms and rotten early in the season, now too cold for too long. Bummer.

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Pulled some hedgehogs today , they went great on to of my cheese burger , good walking the dogs!

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Just wondering if the buyer in Campbell River is open or if there will be one in courtenay this year? Thanks, Mike.

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Hello! I am wondering if anyone has experience with false chanterelles? I am wondering if they have the same wonderful fragrance as chanterelle mushrooms do? Also, has anyone in this forum ever mistakenly eaten any and gotten sick? Thank you!!

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Thanks chef. That's always how it goes there. Lowest prices too. But lotsa fun

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I left the Kootenay area yesterday.. was there for a couple weeks. There was only a few pines and chanterelles. Bad year so far but the rain falling all over BC at the moment might help us a bit. Cheers, full buckets to everybody

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broken feather, Thanks for the information. Visitors really appreciate the sharing. Matsiman

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prices at the zoo sept 24 2014--- 20.oo-22,00 and going down not a good showing thru hazeltons and kispiox

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I don't think anybody will tell anybody else anything here. You have to go see for yourself or know somebody.

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In Nakusp: Tons of pickers (much more than any year I have seen) fighting for very few pines.

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Hoping to head out this weekend but feel its still too early for Matsi's in southern bc, may be golden Chanties around.Our Matsi's are usually at their best in late oct to mid Nov. maybe even later with the unusually long and hot summer.

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Soooo nobody wants to share any info on nakusp. That means it's just pumpin shrooms

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Got a serious downpour 15 to 20 ml, lots of soggy mushrooms out there! Our outdoor shitake project ,the shrooms are huge must be all that rain we got! Looking forward to a good second flush!That was definitely the warmest September rain I experienced, here in the koots could be in for a long season great times tromp ing in the bush ! Found some the awesomest Old Growth had to hike far but it sure was worth it!

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The one next to the lighter is a prince(same as the one with spore print and the large ones growing under the bush) when flesh is crushed and rubbed in the fingers there is a distinct odour of almond. These could well be the best tasting shrooms I have ever eaten and they cook up crispy and are massive in size!

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Oh, and the photos of the others(with spore print) are the wonderful Prince mushrooms. I posted the prince photos on this board last year and People were helpful, wasn't able to get a confirmed id though but physically showed one to a friend who helped with identification.

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Matsiman, Strange how the last part of the link didn't work. Normally it works perfectly. I remember having dial-up internet and compared to today's speeds it was indeed painfully slow! Would be great to see some photos and videos on the board if folks use youtube or a photo sharing app. Those photos I posted were some random Matsutaki, white chanties and king bolete. The boletes I was lucky and gathered 58 of them in 2 or so hours (1500 ft elevation crawling under wild blueberry bushes on the local mountains of vancouver B.C.)

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Garfy, Gary from Cedar, can you drop me an email with your contact? Thanks, Jeremy poole.j@shaw.ca

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Fishgod, The link didn't work, but I fixed. The problem was for some reason the last 4 figures weren't included in the link. Still one could copy paste the link. I tried to go there, but after 10 minutes it still wasn't finished downloading. 4 kb per second is my problem. Matsiman

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It's using my iphone, quite sure you can get it for other phones and devices.

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Fisgod Photos
Just click the link above, this is using photobucket. Hope it works or you'll think I'm an idiot lol!

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Hi mad morel, I found that for photos, photobucket is easy to use and free and available for most devices. Youtube is great for video and also free and easy to get and use. Then all you have to do on either is copy the link and paste it to your posting and folks can just click on the link. Don't know if this helps any

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mad morel, I can post pix for you. Just send them with whatever caption you want, and I'll put them on a page like before or link them from 1 of your messages. I can put a link to where you have them posted. If you send to me, I ask that each pic be 150kb or less. I'm only on dialup, connect at 44kb. Actual down load 4 kb per second. Matsiman

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Doing fine Andy even though I'm getting tired this has been a veay long season now that your rain is back my Chanterelles are going to go wild and the pines are up and looking good. I do have a 10% in worm problem but that's not bad at all. It's to bad we can't post photos and videos to show what we're finding, cuz I've got a lot to show. as soon as the rain stops attached is back up again I'm going to do another video of what is actually there at this

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Thanks for the advice Fishgod. Ol' Gulch, they looked more like the ventricosum. I will have to double check the latin listed in one of David Arora's books. The pic he included in "All that the rain brings" was dead on to what we were finding. I'm going to check a few spots up here in WA on Saturday. Plenty of chanterelles around but I'm anxious to find some pines. I'm surprised I haven't found them in my chanty spot because it looks to be ideal. Maybe it's not high enough in elevation or something.

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hey there anyone know of any buyers for chanties vancouver island cedar area thanks gary

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Hi i am just looking to see what the prices for pines are in the terrace area we come from the simpson so not much contact in that area for us to find prices if someone would be kind enough to let me know thank you

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Our trolls are still posting on this board. I am deleting them as soon as found. Thank you all for not responding. If you do respond, you only fuel their hostility and could become a target as well as me.

It seams their primary goal is as believed to discredit me. Same stuff, I'm posting under several names and holding conversations with myself. I have deleted 7 of their messages since I put up the say what you want board. They have not posted there. Thanks again for your patients and non response. It really helps.

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Places that are having long term extended drought, especially severe drought are much less likely to produce Matsutake. Even with rain at this time there will be far less mushrooms overall. That's fact jack.

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Rain pretty hard up here in the koots , epic season so far the recent pine mushrooms have been tight!Supposed to rain on and off for the rest of the week!My shitake backyard patch is really starting to produce, this rain really seems to help make them get really big ,Ive got some shrooms with a 5 inch diameter !My freezer is packed this year , Eat your profits , its the only way you get your fair share ! Loads of shrooms to all ya pickers out there!! And have fun!!

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Hey Eric, is one of these the mushroom you've been finding? http://www.mushroomexpert.com/catathelasma_ventricosum.html http://www.mushroomexpert.com/catathelasma_imperiale.html The first time I saw C. Imperiale I was fooled, I'll admit it. then i smelled it and saw the decurrant gills, and got very disappointed. They have a bit of a different color to the cap than a matsi though, so I can usually avoid false excitement now. They're listed as edible, and I've eaten them a few times when nothing else was up and I had that mushroom craving. Not too bad once cooked, but they do need the thorough cooking you mentioned to get rid of a slightly nasty taste and smell they can have raw. I have found them in both areas yielding pines and areas that do not, so I guess they're not a good gauge of that. That's about all i have to offer on the subject, hope its helpful. Good luck out there!

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Eric, Good to hear! I also enjoy eating them as much as finding them. As far as finding Matsi's my most productive areas seem to be steep mountain sides south or west facing with old growth trees and moss on the ground. Find it's better if there is a clear cut area on one or both sides of the area I am hunting as it seems they like that type of filtered sunlight. I climb these areas in a zig-zag pattern and work different sections in that manner. Sounds funny but I swear sometimes I smell them before I see them, once you have smelled a Matsutaki there is no mistaking with other shrooms. Have harvested many pounds of these babies yet still get super exited when I find a healthy patch. As far as cooking them a light tempura type batter and dipping in a soy or hoisin sauce is awesome!

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Hi Matsiman Thank you for all your method of predicting pine growth- we use it constantly and it works for us!

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Thanks fishgod. I'm very observant and have confidence iN my id skills. These have the decurrent gills and all the other characteristics. I'm just hoping to figure these matsis out so i can increase my diversity In the kitchen. Elevation and whatnot. I enjoy this site when the hate is absent by the way. Great resource.

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Thanks for the info matsiman. Heading back to cresent area sat to hunt pines The last couple trips have been very good learning experiences. Thanks for the info. If you have anymore tips im allways ears.

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Hi Eric, I have also found "mock" Matsutaki even very close to large patches of real Matsi's. I am no expert but I would definitely not recommend eating any mushroom that you are not 1000% positive about. The mock ones I have found I believe are a type of Russula which smells quite musty. Don't take any chances with shrooms. Had a friend who ate false morels.......some say they are edible however, she wound up in hospital with renal failure, not cool! Certain mushrooms can make some folks sick when consumed with alcohol such as "shaggy main". Even if a shroom is edible beyond doubt (spore print etc.) one should not over indulge as we all have different tolerances to certain foods. Like I said, I'm no expert but these are things I've learned. Best to be safe than sorry is my suggestion

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Matsiman, I've been picking various edibles for about ten years and have struggled to find matsutake. I got lucky and found a flag accompanied by a few buttons last year. Amazing how thrilling that mushroom is to find. This past weekend i found some mock matsutake. Will this same forest produce the matsutake we seek? I read that the mock is very tasty but requires ample cooking. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

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Jeremy, There are 4 stages to growing a matsutake mushroom. In the 1st stage the soils and mycelia are cooled to approximately 58 degree. Could be a little cooler or a little hotter.

Moisture is necessary at all stages, but not rainfall. Rainfall can improve all stages, but is not necessary. The mushroom receives it's moisture from the host tree. Excellent crops have been documented with almost no rain for 3 months. As I recall we were picking significant amounts during the last month of the three.

You can have a good crop with little or no rain, but not if the temps don't cooperate. Ask someone who cultivates at home. Most types require a temp change to pen and fruit properly.

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Pulled out 7 lbs of tight pine buttons, 12 lbs lobsters , and 35 lbs of nice Chanties good day in the bush!!

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Matsiman, sorry, but what "discovery" did you make? That mushrooms need water to grow or that "pine mushrooms" can grow without direct rain but with moisture provided by host trees and the aquifer? Yes I have read the hundreds of pages of "research" and stats but still not quite clear on the revolation of mushrooms can grow without rain...? Not trying to be a smart ass, your site is very useful but it gets conveluted with all this mis-information. IMHO

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Thanks guys. I know there are some who have benefited from the info in these pages. There is no need for them to show support by posting. I have always believed the information is more important than the one who made the discovery. I very much appreciate you expressing your gain from this site in a message. Matsiman

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Lobo, Boletus Joe, thanks for the heads up on the other page. I forgot to change the included page. The messages you will see there now are from this board. I'll keep this board posted if anything informational is posted there. I kind doubt there will be anything posted there. I think these guys just want to demean me publicly and not solve any differences. Thanks, Matsiman

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Ha Ha Ha.... Andy...... now everyone will want to go there..... Be carful what you wish for.

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Boletus Joe, Liked your comment on the Say What you want Board. I'm the only one who will see it. Your right, the hunt is the fun. Matsiman

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Vern, Well sure that is possible. Someone could have came to the same conclusions I have, but all the scientists and other reputable organizations no nothing of any such information.

I didn't stumble across the information I spent 5 years collecting information and talking to PHD people and other mycologists and botanists. They all thought I was crazy the same as you. From all indications I have investigated, this information is not available anywhere else. You and others have said rainfall is needed to produce matsutake. So where is your documentation that says my findings exists prior to 1995 when I completed my study and it was presented to OSU. I assure you I would really like to know where you can find my findings before 1995?. We started with what I said about rainfall was impossible, now your saying this info was always available and your just questioning who originally made the discovery. Hey If you want me to say I plagiarized someone else's work, it's not true.

It seams you have a personal problem with me. So talk to me, please stop your innuendos on this board.

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Your problem is credibility. Would you at least admit here and now that it is entirely possible the information you "discovered" and have credited yourself with colud have been know to others BEFORE you stumbled across it?

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J Gunville, It's hard to say. I haven't been monitoring the weather up there. I did see some temps on TV a couple weeks ago. Seems to me I thought it was going to get cold enough to begin a new formation. As I recall, it then warmed moderately. This warming likely started pens, babies mushrooms to form. They will be triggered to start growing on the next cooling. The wet weather will make them larger and promote the flush. By promote I mean help soils cool. You might want to look at this page. http://matsiman.com/fruitform.htm Matsiman

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No offence Vern...... If you don't like this board, find another. If however, you feel the need to blatantly argue rather than discuss there are plenty of sites and boards for that.

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This is pointless. There's no reason to think you will ever consider any other perspective than your own and have said so. Frankly any information that is relevant on this site can and has been copied long ago. I have no use for any of your high and mighty garbage.

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From my observation too much rain and moisture actually ruins mushroom crops. Makes absolute sense that trees provide moisture to the earth as they also provide air which we breathe. Nature has its ways of looking after itself. Too bad humans can't work the same way!

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Maitsiman, do you think the rain we have coming wed and thurs will help all them little buttons shoot up from the roots of the host tree? Your site has been very helpful, and I can use all the help I can get. Hopefull.

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Spent the last two weeks in chemult cresent lake area looking for matsatake found very little. It is dry no water. Everybody that lives in that area says we need rain. ?

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You people still don't get it. This discussion is about rainfall's importance to formation of matsutake mushrooms. Not what makes them grow, not where they get their moisture and not about what you have seen or what others have told you. It's about a good crop being formed with no rainfall and having the hard data that demonstrates just that.

It seems all of you have some sarcastic comment in reference to my findings. None of you have said anything that discounts what I have said. I have already said where the moisture comes from. It isn't magical. The host tree provides all the mycelia needs, thus the water source. Please stop badgering me with your character attacks.

If you want to talk mushroom I'm here. If you what to ridicule me. I will delete your message. It's simple, demonstrate to me through rational discussion as Steve from oregon did, or hard data disproving my findings. Most of us are here to learn or share what we have learned. Many of the latest comments sure don't fit that description.

If you want I will make you a special page where you can call me names and attack my character all you want with anonymity. The public won't be able to read what you post, but I will. I won't be able to respond, but you will get a confirmation page confirming the message was posted. In fact I will make the page and delete ALL messages attacking me on this page. you can have your say in private. Any rational discussions can be conducted on this board.

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Nite falls, the humidity in the humidity level in the air rises and is then pulled in. Viola! Mushrooms have grown from powder dry dirt. I find this to be especially true of puffballs btw.......

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Interesting discussion. Seems to me the problem here lies in a lack of understand by both sids. On the one hand it can be easy to conclude mushrooms have sprouted and grown from dry dirt, which is impossible of course as the moisture came from somewhere. On the other hand it can seem that way if you don't know the source of the moisture. In my own experience the moisture has been found to come from the air, yes right from the night air! As well as deep in the ground below the dry powder dirt. Just this spring I pulled lots of spring kings from what would seem to be bone dry/arid/parched ground where there had been no rain in weeks. The key element here is there was moisture deep on the ground and the mushrooms pulled that moisture in. Actually it was a heavy flush and very good quality and most people would have dismissed the area as being to dry to produce anything let alone prime quality spring kings. The key element here is the undisputable fact that the moisture came from somewhere. Period.

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by the way Andy you're right about the temperature I have been using your message for some time now and I find it almost perfect we have been without rain for some time now but due to the 3 storms that come through the summer and cool the ground down then the small one up we ended up in the upper 90 s dry as a bone but matsutake finally come up the best part is very few ones this year I've always felt temperature had something to do with a gross and not water rain just increases the size and qu ality

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this is been a long season and I'm getting tired of picking chantrelles been picking them since this second week of July and it's getting harder and harder to keep up just when I think that I Have caught up The rain comes back and it's going to get crazy again. No one would wonder How come I'm getting all the chantrelles and no one else in the state of Washington is doing as well Just happens to be prepared for major thunderstorms this summer With heavy rain and one sunshine But not all the patches that I have Have for juice like this One patch has. Just checking videos of this passion placement on YouTube Just look up Augustine born SR on YouTube It's been one hell of a microclimate this year at this patch.

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i am going to go out and check soon as we did have some cooling about three weeks ago and a little touch of frost ... we still need some more cooling and it is forecast now so will give it a try. no rain of any amount yet .. would love to have some and they say its coming . i just hope they come and will use any info i can get to help me on my searchs for matsu. Allotropa i find in my many of my patchs , always the older dried out one or the chewed ones .. i have a spot to go check and it always seems to get some. Soon ..until then back to the woodpile. With the price of hydro going up more people are turning to wood heat so i am swamped with firewood orders ... too old for this ... not whining ,,, well maybe just a bit.. cheers full buckets ...

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Thank you Matsiman, Appreciate your response. Anyone else on the board concerning the other types I mentioned? Btw.....I stumbled on this board quite some time ago and always look forward to getting back on here once the season(s) get going. Very much enjoy reading all your stories and findings. I don't personally sell my harvest.........I eat it lol! Hope you good folks don't mind too much when I share a recipe rather than talking Biz. On another note, a couple of years ago I bought a decent back country GPS and loaded a Topo map onto it. Found this to be a very useful tool not only to avoid getting lost but excellent for marking found patches of shroomies. Before that purchase I used logging tape to mark my trails and even toilet paper. GPS for me was a solid investment

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Vern, You have always seemed to be a level headed guy. Why would you call me close minded cause I won't let you ridicule me on my site. If I am closed minded, why would I offer $500.00 to learn something? Matsiman

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Fishgod, We have been collecting information since 2001 targeted at harvest method and sustainability using the best harvest method. Your description of how you pick matsi is the same as we use. We have informally examined the stats from 30 we pick and 30 we don't pick. We can see no effect from picking. Don't know about the other mushrooms you mentioned. I'm sure someone else on the board can answer.

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I don't appreciate being edited in a way that changed the meaning of my comment. It shows how truly closed minded you are.

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Hi all, Have been harvesting shrooms for a few years now. I gather shaggies, bolete, matsi, chanties, morel, lobster, hedgehog, lobster and prince. All of these I harvest using a knife and cut the stems very close to the ground. The Matsutake and lobster however, I pull the whole "boot" or stem out of the ground.....carefully of coarse. Am I harvesting correctly? Would not like to feel I'm damaging future potential crops or environment. Any input please.

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Steve from oregon, good to see ya here. Yep you are right. Every living thing needs water and the best patches are the ones that get plenty of moisture. Matsutake is no exception. Matsutake receives all it's water and nutrients from it's host, not from it's surrounding environment, according to science publications and the scientists I worked with. Even in the driest of years the host will supply the mycelia with water and in wet ones, more water. The subject of discussion is: Is rain fall necessary to produce a significant amount? Matsiman

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To me it seems like comments sense anything living needs water to grow well as far as I know. So I would think that the best way finding a good patch would be if the patch was getting water from some other source. Maybe a natural spring? Anyways the Oregon and Washington cascades are predicting rain the week the coast as well.

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Vern, Thanks for the reply. I can appreciate that you dissagree and respect that. Matsiman

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OK I have had enough. Some of you posting recently have your head in the sand. You refuse to believe something new has been discovered about the environmental formation needs for matsutake. Most of you, maybe none, have taken the time to look at the forecasting models I developed. Others have. OSU satiations did and reported it worked. It has been tested by USFS, BLM and pickers. Test areas were Canada, US and Mexico. All who tested found it to work.

I will give a $500.00 US dollar reward to anyone who can produce data, rainfall, temperature and pounds of mushrooms picked during that period, which indicates rainfall is necessary to produce a good crop of matsutake. I can produce the same items that show no rain and a bumper crop.

We are here to learn from each other, not fight. If I'm wrong, produce evidence to prove I am. Don't mind being wrong, cause I will learn something. Please stop the name calling. It doesn't bother me, but have some respect for the people who come to this page to share. They don't want to listen to a verbal childish fight, I thrive on just that. I have defended my findings with far more educated and experienced people. I will continue to defend, but only with those seeking facts. Prove me wrong and collect your reward. Thanks, Matsiman

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Bring it on? What is that? I simply don't agree with your findings but do appreciate your work. I have no desire nor time to waste on this matter.

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Vern, I edited your message because of the obvious sarcastic reference to me. If you would like to debate the subject, bring it on. First you should be sure of my findings. What I actually say about the importance of rain. I do say it can be beneficial, but not necessary for a good flush.

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We'll what a lively bunch around here lately. Lol. Hey Kim no matter what some claim you bet that kind of weather matters! Rain matters too. Anybody with any sense knows that.

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I live just down the road a bit from there and we're well aware of whats going on. The weather forecast is for well below freezing temps for every nite later this week and high elevation snow/freezing rain advisory. I spose this doesn't matter tho.

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Got rain in chemault oregon yesterday and high grade ratio picking up!!second strong flush on its way!

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Was just talking to a little bird in the "Zoo" .... Shelly (buyer) got 9 baskets of #ones last night.... and she thinks there is a flush coming on. But the feeling is that it might be short lived. So make your own decisions people. If you are within 300km. It might be worth a look. I don't know about anywhere else in the north.

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hello every one.... I will not be opening this season unless volume increases. Sounds like my winter falling work may start early and that is a conflict with the buying season. My good friends Shelly and Ray are set up in the zoo and will treat you and your product with respect. If things change I will repost.....stay safe....fill your bucket...and above all enjoy the times in the woods with your picking partners Thomas

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JC, Thanks for the report, It's good to hear some people have a decent picking area. You don't really need to keep records to generally know chances of matsutake and when to start looking. With a little knowledge of previous flushes in your area, you can even know where to look. That is elevation and aspect. I suggest those interested read this page:http://matsiman.com/tips.htm In the end, a scout is the best way to know what is happening. Yep boots on the ground tell the story. Matsiman

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Matsiman, complete respect to you and all that you have studied and accomplished as to matsutake fruiting in the PNW. Handy J hopefully will read the studies and learn from them as he is not a commercial picker and does not see whats going on in the woods. Right now being that it is only sept. 21st. we are seeing a fairly decent probably above average flush in Washington cascades with below average rainfall and well above average temperatures. So go figure i do not keep charts of patches temps and humidities but most people think there is no way there are matsutake fruiting right now in these areas. Over 1000 pounds a night coming in, is a fruiting for sure not epic but definitely a fair amount. There is my two cents and valuable harvesting info that this site does lack nowadays with the yahoos posting. Thanks again.

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Any south/central vancouver island chanterelle or pine buyers open? Looks like we are on the verge of a good flush considering the rain last week and in the forecast

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I would like to apologize to all the visitors on the board. My discussion with Handy J about rain and moisture reverted to name calling and character attacks. I kind expected as much, but was hopping I could get something across. His first responses were hopeful. I decided to leave his last comments.

User_Name: Handy J
Date: Sunday September 21, 2014
Time: 05:17 PM

The attack is on me alone. I can handle the insults.

Many visitors only visit this page. There is much information on other pages. You don't need to rely entirely on the message board. Read some of the other science based info and you can figure it out for yourself.

Once again, I apologize. Matsiman

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Handy J, I didn't delete your post. Just now found the last one saying I deleted. Don't know what happened to the original.

I don't need any recognition. I'm only interested in good info getting to the public. Don't know who warned you, or why, and don't care.

You have changed this discussion from debate to personal attacks on my character. Maybe that was your intent to begin. If you feel you have no say here, leave. Matsiman

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Does anybody know the paying price for pines @ the zoo? Please reply, thank you once again..

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Yes there are buyers at the Zoo. ( go see Shelley) Lobsters and all other shrooms not to bad but still slow on the Pines, Is what I hear. Full baskets people. It may be warm now, but don't get caught in the snow....

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Hello, can someone give me an update on pines @ the zoo. Is there anybody buying? What's the paying price? Thank You..

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Hank, I didn't say I wasn't taking comments. I said your personal conclusions are made with a lack of information and if you wanted to debate using statistics and or science publications, I would continue the debate. I have published information or statistics contrary to your conclusions. I'm sure you believe what you believe and so does most of the mushroom picking world. Hell everybody believed the world was flat at one time. I no I'm fighting a loosing battle. It took 10 years for most of the scientists a OSU to finally see it for themselves. Dave Pilz, was professor at OSU, found out in 97 at Chemult. I quote "never seen so many mushrooms out of dust". Took 10 years to demonstrate to Dan Luoma, also a professor at OSU. He is a believer now. Your are certainly welcome to post and your experience is valued. Matsiman

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Not taking any comments on growth or lack of growth this year in North East USA ? I thought people might like to know what is happening with the lack of matsutake so far this year. I have been picking and training people for picking mushrooms for over 20 years. If you don't repost what I took my time to write,maybe I should not post here again. From what I have heard from University Mycologists when I started picking years ago that they have noted seeing certain years that come with very low amounts of Matsutake flushing.This year so far we have a very low amount seen in the wild.The last time I have seen a low amount was when there was global cooling from large amounts of Volcanic dust in the upper atmosphere.This year just seems to be late flushing and very low amounts when they do come.Not blaming it on lack of water or rain,just noting that it seems to coincide with brooks/streams dried up that I have never seen dry in the 20 years I've been picking. The best flushes have always seemed to come out when we have hot humid weather and after hurricanes with lots of lightning. Rain amounts seemed to help flush up Masti that were already growing in the ground but were under thick roots and hard ground and needed a little help to be seen. In the Northeast they do not grow in soft thick soil like under large Red Pine trees out west.

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So you deleted my post which read: I see you have strong opinions as do others. You haven't gotten the recognition you deserve, have you. I see how fragile and childlike you've become and was warned about that. No need to argue further.

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anyone find any pines in terrace area? Are there any buyers around? and what are the prices? ty

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Handy J, Thought that might be your reply. Well I don't believe in what people SEE. Statistics can be great help when coming to a conclusion. These aren't my opinions. They are the conclusions of a team of scientists and a review board comprised of scientists. What we see is not considered. Only the numbers and the way they are analyzed are considered. The team I worked with are from the Mycology Department at Oregon State University.

The first American publication was by Dave Hosford, a professor at Washington State (http://matsiman.com/formalpubs/ecology_and_managemencovert.htm) I was part because I was consulted and provided data. The Boswell figures on this chart are mine ( http://matsiman.com/formalpubs/images/pubecomanagefigure16.JPG . His study site was vandalized by someone who had helped with data collection. I am listed in the Acknowledgements for my participation. Doctor Hosford had studied with Japanese scientists 15 years before this publication.

Rain can cause soils to cool and initiate penning or a flush, but is not necessary to cool soils. Rain or moisture sure does make them bigger. We found 2 to 4 times larger.

I could go on with my qualifications due to my participation in other science publications, but it is pointless. You believe what you believe and I'm not going to change that. Don't want to try. My intent in even replying is to give others a chance to evaluate the formal science publications and decide for themselves.

I really don't want to debate the issue with you unless you can supply statistics or site science publications to go along with what you know to be fact. I assure you I can.

Lastly I won't you to know why I am being so persistent about this issue. It has nothing to do with you. This site is for good reliable information based in science. I know allot of bull is posted here. Most of it I can't confirm or deny. When it comes to SOME aspects of matsutake, I do have the credentials and data bases to back myself up. If I didn't, I would say so with I don't know.

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Just got into Vancouver. How is the mushroom picking looking up around Squamish?. I have heard it has been too dry and hot and we desperately need rain.

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I would also like to say that while I don't have much time to debate issue this today I can relate a story from personal experience. As a child in the early to mid 70's I went with a friend of mine and his family Matsutake hunting on numerous occasions. My friend and his family were of Japanese descent and had been harvesting these mushrooms since their arrival in the states in the early 1920's. My friends grandfather who was approaching 100 years at that time (the late 70's) told us many stories about long treks through the old growth forests in search of these as well as other mushrooms. By the way you couldn't just jump in a modern car and run down the highway to a patch then either. It was more of a several days camping affair according to him. Although he was too old and frail to go any longer he was a wealth of information and his son, my friends father was our guide and mentor. So you see, for me, most people who claim to be the discoverers of information regarding these fabulous fungi are simply late to the party.

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I was speaking of mushrooms overall and what I said is generally accepted as fact. I don't mean to contradict your opinion matsiman but there are others with as much or more study experience. For example you studies claim moisture plays no role in fruiting. Others with more experience have disagreed with that assessment. Isnt rain a fator in temperature? Of course it is. Wasn't the study your were involved in defunded a number of years ago? The study of the American Matsutaki began long before the 90's .

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Hello mushroom community. Do you think its worth it going out for chanterelle this week or just wait for 2 weeks when the ground really gets saturated.

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Handy J, Don't want to contradict what you said, but that's not what we found during the studies, and I think you have an uninformed conclusion as to the moisture to mycelia transfer. There are some science publications on http://matsiman.com/formal_publications.htm page you should read. Basically matsutake mycelia likes it hot and dry. Too wet over along period kills it. It is hydrophobic, resists absorbing moisture. There are other points you will discover if you read. Personally I have picked bumper years with exactly the conditions you describe. I'm not saying it will be a good year, but it an't cause it's too dry. Anybody remember 1995 in the Chemult Crescent area? Matsiman

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this message is for Jay I have some pines and am in the clearwater area give me a shout if interested 250 320-6134

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Problem is extended high heat makes the ground dry out down deep and the mycelium gets fried. This has been the case all over the place. Then the rain doesn't soak in especially on hills. Think of the potted plants in your home - They get super dry and the water just runs off without soaking in, so kind of like that. You all know what I mean right?. If the forest roads in your area are powdered dirt it's probably already too late for a decent season. By the time the 'shrooms do show it's like two day before the freeze. Be realistic not stuck in somebody else's fantasy. On the plus side if you do happen to catch a late season flush you can usually get enough for you own use and dry or freeze some for later.

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I believe there's tons of shrooms on Van. Island, just have to know where to look and when. Woss L. for starters... look under the ferns and new second stands ~ 20 yrs old and up. the new growth is surprisingly tall and may look older than they are. I think cutting chati's or plucking them doesn't really matter, its just the stems. it generally comes down to the age of the tree and other enviro. factors that determine a small or large crop. lots of fungi in W. Koots: a few pines, lots of drying chanti's, some lobster and hedgehog. have a balst out there, colors are awesome now and the waters are great for swimming. happy trails

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Checked patches around nw end of lake cowichan and was pleasently suprised at 1 of 3 patches

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Went out to check new ground today,was a hall of a hike and found 1.1/2lbs of pine.thought there would have been a lot more but still somewhat dry.The rain that we got was not enough to give the ground a good soak.Its getting late in the season and not to burst anyone's bubble but,I think that if it doesn't happen by the end of the month it probebly won't happen.Besides the heat that we've been having I've seen seasons where you find a few here and there and nothing more and nothing less untill it's all over,so I'm hopeing that this is not just another repeat.untill then good luck,be safe and be aware of your surroundings.

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Well after many years of picking commercial around reedsport/coos bay we're out. The last couple years have been so poor and hubby finally got full time work we cant just quit our jobs and go pickin for a few weeks if we even get that much of a season which is doubtful. Actually the last few years haven't been good anyway and I can make more at min wage and what little tips I get. I'ts been a long time since there was good money being a picker. HEY...- Has anybody else heard of a NEW BUYER opening up in Florence? OMG what a case of terrible timing there for sure.

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Hey Squidz If u c this message, plz e-mail me asap I will heading to clearwater tomorrow and i am very interest in ur pinemushrooms. joh851128@gmail.com Thank you Anyone near by clearwater e-mail me if u hav pines User_Name: Squidz Date: Monday September 15, 2014 Time: 06:12 PM Messages I got 3 1/2 pounds of pines in Clearwater, BC. Any buyers? Where are the buyers? What are the prices these days?

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Wow it was 100 degrees in Medford today. This on top of a months long drought. I dont think that rain last week did anything but evaporate. S Oregon will be dam luck if they have any mushroom season at all this fall. If anybody doesn't believe how bad it is down there go check out the western regional climate center website. The 30 day rainfall chart tells the story for the whole west coast including Canada. Giving people a false sense of hope is not what they need.

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Something to be noted: If you do find edible mushrooms in urban or populated areas you must be positive that there has not been any herbicide or pesticide used in the area as these chemicals are dangerous if consumed

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Hi Matsiman and everyone! Just to wish you all a productive and enjoyable upcoming season. My cast iron mushroom pan is seasoned and ready to cook! Btw.......if you like crispy shrooms I have found that peanut oil is the bomb! I have been fortunate enough to find a patch of prince mushrooms which continues to produce every couple of months all year round. So happens its in the complex in which I live. In bark mulch of coarse. If you are lucky enough to find the prince it is a beautiful mushroom to eat.

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Monsoon in the forecast for southern BC........ Let's hold our breath and hope for the best.... Full buckets everyone.

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just woke up ...my easy chair is just way to comfy ..anyhow thats not a problem at all phantom and i have a hard time too but luckily i go to quite a few places where there is very little human footprint .. hard to find those spots but i see you are finding new ones too...it still hasnt rained enough here yet for shrooms ... guess i better check soon anyhow because you never know til you put out the effort.. start with easy access and go from there .. looks like the kootenays are getting some by some of the posts on here . Sounds like they had more rain than here at the right times. Anyhow good luck and i sure hope its a good season for all... was just outside and its a huge bright big star sky here ...

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Garf,sorry about that man,I was surprised to hear you say something like so but,on the other hand I understand because I also have done so in the past but now a days I have a real hard time leaving any trash that I see on the ground.The sad thing about it all is that the SLOBS and that's putting it mildly don't care because they know that pickers like my self and others that do the same will pick up after them and that just burns my ass man.Anyhow tomorrow I will be going to Chek some new ground that I recently found and hopefully I will be rewarded lol.good luck to all and be safe.

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Biggest pull of the year total of 60 lbs. of pines,Chanties ,and lobsters!Good day in the bush!

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Thank you for the info mushroomdave. With your positive results, seems I need to change my ways. Cheers right back!

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Please do not respond to posts in poor taste. I will delete them as soon as I find them. If your post is deleted, do not respond here. Email me for an explaination. Thanks, Matsiman

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Cabazon i guess i will answer you although its probably just a waste.. if you read my post i say i can double what i get at the stations most of the time... thats not hard if you know people who will buy your mushrooms privately and i do ...its not really rocket science .. and it was me phantom picker and i have had days where i come across garbage in the woods and have no room left anywhere to pack out more stuff.... it happens and some slobs leave behind a bunch of stuff it becomes more difficult ... i do what i can ... packing sixty ,, seventy lbs and adding more ..not that day ...

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I didn't say I was finding commercial amounts of all of those things, just that I've seen them. The chanterelles though I can easily get 10-20 lbs a day right now. Albeit these are spots that can yeild 100+ lbs a day during the peak of the season later in November. I think y'all just aren't checking the right pockets, or are too far away from the Cascades or something. I don't know what else to say.

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hi kootgirl, been picking shrooms for 30 years. I use to cut them in the ground but the last 25 years I pull them. heard lots of negative crap about this subject but my patches have gotten bigger and healthier over the years.cheers

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I have been picking on van island for 20 years..... I call BS on chef. There are not " lots" of chantrelles here period. Many know me on this board. I have my suspicions that there is someone posting multiple times to get people out in the bush. Over the years I have seen this ploy or grift used many times.... Fell for it a few times. Last Saturday I hiked for 8 hrs in Buckley bay and found 5 dried up lbs. all other gates south were closed. There are no buyers cause there are no mushrooms. Zed.

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I'm getting lots of channys on the island.. any one know of buyers right now??

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Hello out there in the pine mushroom world @ the zoo, are the pines coming yet? Please reply, full buckets to all.

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Well I for one don't have any time to go look for mushrooms far away from my home area. Theres gonna be a big pop of one kind or another mushrooms any day now is the mantra, always has been. But this season trickles away with each passing day. It's not fun or exciting to find little or nothing. Spinning tales of hundred pound days of some super picker to get the mob motivated to go out and look isn't new either. But it is fiction. I feel sorry for anybody who tries to make money picking mushrooms this season.

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We have chanterells on our property in the Kootenays and hubby and I like to go wondering and pick them. He likes to pluck them out of the ground and I cut them. I would sure appreciate to know the correct way to gather these gems. Thanks!

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Howdy folks, hey that national weather serv forecast looks bad but some people always seem to find mushrooms no matter the weather. Usually anyway. As far as that rain down around cave junction last nite goes, I watched that and it was really a tropical downpour. I mean real badass rain. All the way up around Roseburg is right. Het the prediction if for some reall hot days now and with all that rain it should make the chanty's pop but good. I don't care who knows or comes here since I'm not a commercial picker.

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Btw ya hi all. In a year like this there will be lots of people fishing for information about mushrooms. I know everybody knows that but I feel I must remind you........ DONT TELL ANYBODY WHERE OR WHAT KIND OF MUSHROOMS YOU ARE FINDING! Compaines are so desperate they WILL send scouts to the area and of it looks good they will send pickers and a buyer! So keepa you mouth shut!

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Um ok ya I believe all that. Sounds like somebody fishin to me...Make some big claims, brag or whatever an see if you catch any replies. Ho Ho Ho.

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Nope. I know this is the internet and all but I really am not blowing smoke this time. In the last month I have picked. Chanterelles Lobsters Chicken of the Woods Bear's Head Tooth Cauliflower (didn't pick though, too small) Hedgehogs Porcini and late burn Morels. Greys are still popping at one of the burns we hit last spring. Still yet to find... Winter Chanterelles Blue Chanterelles (?) Pig's Ears Matsutakes and what else?

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We have a friend who is the most hardcore mushroomer ever and knows everything about everything. It's who we went out with last time.Just so you know he hasn't found anything but chanties. Nothing else, so are you sure you didn't just see those other mushrooms in a dream?

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Sup dudes! So summer's over and it's fall again. Burning man was awesome. Again. And we just want to say there is no point working for nothing. At anything. It just depressing to search all day and find little or no mushrooms and really if you be honest with yourself aint that the truth? No amount of "oh I love the outdoors so much" overcomes the fruitless hunt. We got some chantrelles like two weeks ago, about two dry pounds, equal to one full bucket fresh and our friends got another bucket the next day. otherwise zippo and we are like 50 bucks in gas into what we have so that is definitely not cost effective.. Maybe we get some more rain and but if your counting on it you set yourself up for disappointment, just saying. Peace out.

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It's not that bad, guys. I've made over a $1000 the last few weeks just on chanterelles alone. Been seeing Lobsters, Porcini, Cauliflowers, and all the usual suspects lately.

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That can not be Garf man,that doesn't sound like him if you know what I mean.Pines are scares right now so if you do find some don't give them up so cheap,name your price if you have personal buyers.DO NOT leave any bottles,cans and whatever hidden even if you don't have room,make room after all how much room can it possibly take?.Ive been out a few times and picked up a tremendous amount of bottles cans and garbaged already from last seasons pickers.good luck everyone,be safe and most of all pack out what you pack in!

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The National Weather Service long term forecast is out this morning and dammit, it couldn't be worse. Long term especially. Big brown spot (way below normal rainfall) covering the entire west cost mushroom area from Norcal way up into Canada. Sure a few places got some good rain yesterday, Cave junction to Roseburg area just got hammered with super heavy rain and some areas in Wa and Canada got a little badly needed moisture too. But this will not be a good fall or spring if the NWS Climate prediction Center is even a little right. It's gonna be hunt and peck people, is my guess, for any of the small scattered areas you can find that got sufficient rain (over a thousand mile long area up the west cost. OMFG!!!!!!! I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER !!!!!!!

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Garf you are truly a legend in your own mind. Puzzling though, why you would waste time picking, if you can double the going price with such ease. Even the exporters would love to learn your trade secrets.

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wow we have some rain....light rain but all night i think....maybe just maybe we could get a few yet . I am really hoping for a few and am guessing there will be a shortage this year so should get a decent price if there are . I usually get twice as much as the stations pay anyhow. If the prices are decent i will sell to stations also. Its just business and i never sweat over it. I just love to do it...The fall is my season ...love it....cheers and full buckets everyone...pack out what you take in and maybe a little more ... i hide stuff if i don't have room... bottles go somewhere where they cant get sunlight and the possibilty of reflection fire ... g

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Yes squids there is or was a guy there, gabe is his name. Call westcoast wild foods for his contact #

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Hey Jess, if you can get down to the Duncan area after a couple of days of rain which seems to be in the forecast I can show you the basics? Drop me an email if your interested. poole.j@shaw.ca

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Some rains a comin. Were heading down to coos bay, roseburg or someplace down there this weekend to go all "patch pirate" on slow people who wont get out of the way! Lol! It's the only way to get any mushrooms! I mean pick or get out of the way time. Long drive but hey that's where the shrooms will be so..........

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Would anyone take a frist timer out and show her a few thing tips and tricks ii live in nanaimio

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Zed: Agree in nanaimo we have had 3 days of rain since may. Bone dry everywhere...no mushrooms whatsoever

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Cranberry, my best day has been 15 lbs but it was a fun day of hiking and choking on dusty logging roads. Anyone relying on info from this page regarding mushrooms from Vancouver island..... Don't waste gas or money on the ferry. We need rain bad. Zed

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RayofHope, I agree with you 100%........ supply/demand, buyers do not pass that on to "pickers"...... I personally approach local high-end restaurants and farm markets to sell directly, to hell with the Asian and European markets, there are enough local outlets here. Last year I was offered $2lb for #1 Golden Chanterelle, not really worth the time, fuel money or effort IMHO.... I ended up selling my baskets to local restaurants for $10lb and they were happy as hell because they were offered less quailty, not as fresh and for more money from "other" suppliers. This is only my opinion and not bashing buyers but they need to know the concept of supply/demand. Happy picking everyone. :-)

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...well we are getting all the rain that Odile can send, it sure tore up Cabo. 3 to 8 inches expected tonight in Tucson where as less than an inch caused flooding and derailed a freight train last storm....... now for the good news; it ought to be a banner year down here in the SW for lobster, yellow chanterelles, kings, matsi etc in the high country where I cannot roam like previous fall seasons, dad-burn stroke. Oh, it is a sad day that more than a hundred structures burned at Weed in that forest fire.

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Hey Dread Yes! Buyers are in bad shape, but i wonder why. Maybe in past years of lowballing everyone and saying it's bosses making them keep prices down? Well if this years Pine season looks to be bad means supply will be bad thus demand great and prices up! But this won't happen because buyers and their buyers will keep prices down like every other year. I say find your own market within the nearest metropolitan city like an oriental market and start delivering your mushrooms directly. If it the demand is there then start taking orders and maybe find your own pickers.

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Discernment is definately required these days as you sift through "free information " here or anywhere. Not like the good old days when you could just hang around one of the 7 restaurants or 12 buying stations at the Zoo and see for yourself : ) My observations posted earlier you can trust. You have my name on it. Crandawg keep hangin on and IF the fallrains arrive tomorrow call me maybe end of Sept. Don't give up your day job this year though. As for me got a wedding for M to go to then back to the saltmine. Strike is over

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Darren, I've always been interested in canning mushrooms but everything online says you shouldn't do with wild ones. Would you be willing to share your process?

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Hi Shantyman and zed!! Been hanging off the back of garbage trucks for what was supposed to be a bit of filler until the mushrooms came, but alas that gig is dragging on. Can't for the life of me understand this 9 to 5 thing, and like the rest, sure would appreciate some rain. Like you, though, don't want to get too optimistic. The chanties on the central Island have tried their level best to pop, but, as we speak, 99 % are not worth the trouble to pick. Crispy critters they are, and don't know of any buyers who would give a wooden nickel for them. Shantyman, I was going to ring you the other night and ask if it was worth heading up there, but by the sounds of it, it isn't. Especially if your early patches are bone dry and not producing. I hope all is well, though, Grampa and please say hi to the new Granny too. Haven't spoken to Morgy Baby in a year or so, but please wish him the best for me. And zed, my pine patch out of QB has been recently decimated. Yahoo, those short sighted bastards have struck again! And my surrounding chanty zones have so much sun exposure now in a matter of days anything that pops is wiped out or refuses to grow. There is plenty of moisture in the hollows, but they are later producing, so I suppose time will tell on those ones. As for the back forty, one zone popped along the big creek and the rest is way too dry. Not even any whites, and, as you know, they pop like mad back there. Biggest weekend to date 46 lbs - that's two days - and lost a heap to heat attrition. Don't want to be the doom and gloom guy, but the chanties have tried to come, and have been thwarted by the heat...it is rare that they try again, in these parts anyway. And, I don't think that the day of rain we are expecting on Thursday is going to make any kind of difference to the crop. I do hope I am wrong though...this garbage gig is dragging me down. GL folks and happy pickin's if they do decide to come!

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https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chanterelle-mushroom-pickers/190576794346679 Local Vancouver Island pickers and references to buyers, for what its worth... ;-)

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keep your spirits high! a lot of rain is comming, as usual. anybody know of any chanty buyers on vancouver island, any at all? i'm gettin tired of having to eat 20lbs a day!

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We have been pulling in pounds of the golden chantrelles here on Vancouver Island. Would happily sell them if the buyers were here and the price was worth it. Right now we are canning and freezing them.

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Got email from my study partner. He was at the study Sunday. Reposted 4 pounds picked. Grade 1 - 5. Mostly dry and wormy. He said very few babies. Said didn't look good. For those who don't know where the study is, it's west of Diamond Lake at 5200 to 5600 feet on north side. Matsiman

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Well we are all optimistic we shroom pickers. BUT if we don't get some BIG volume of rain VERY soon, I would say the season IF it happens , won't start till LATE October. The Channies I have been finding are very tasty, with a touch of mould. And so light they keep floating away. Thats all I have to report.....

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Hey man I don't mean to be negative but you have got to be realistic. The buyers are in bad shape just like people hoping to make some money this fall and if there isn't a commercial flush buyers wont come set up. It's one thing to find a few mushrooms and another to have a big enough harvest to call it a commercial amount. I haven't heard of anyplace that's having a commercial harvest or expecting to have one, except maybe chemult and randle and even then the poor pickers are lucky to make expenses,getting a couple pounds A DAY (maybe) !!!!!! the buyers are the only ones who come out ahead in a season like this, if that's what ends up happening.

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I got 3 1/2 pounds of pines in Clearwater, BC. Any buyers? Where are the buyers? What are the prices these days?

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Just checking to see whats up here lately! It looks like lots of people hoping for something big in Canada, I don't see much happening up there this fall. I doesn't look too good for chemult/ crescent lake for pines this season either since it's way too hot and bone dry. Randle will probably be a bust or near bust as well. In fact nowhere looks good unless you get lucky and stumble into a little patch somewhere. Pretty much all of Or and Wa are toasty dry and if any rain comes it will probably be too late. I was thinking of heading down to southern Oregon later but they have been in such severe long term drought a little rain wont save their season either. So, that's what I think. I'm pretty sure a lot of gas money will be spent trying to find mushrooms to sell be people desperate enough to try but I'll just settle for whatever I can get for my own personal stash, maybe some chantys or something if we get some good rain in Wa. Too bad too I was hoping to take my vacation time to go commercial picking for pines. Oh well there's always next year, maybe.

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Anyone in the north have any price updates? Around terrace the Nass or the zoo? Any comments will be appreciated.

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Well my fellow pickers it looks like we got some rain and cooler temperatures on the way, starting Wednesday, and continuing on till at least Sunday. Up here in the terrace area it's looking to be a promising weekend! Full buckets everyone and wish me luck!!

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I would like to be optimistic about the season up north but see no reason. Draught covers it; every stream, lake, river and mudpuddle and "indicator mushroom " is chanting in unison "WATER...WATER". Hummmm..maybe he's bloofing. Clouds keep streaming over head w/o so much as a drop. Zoo is shrinking too

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Still pulling some shrooms and firewood outta da bush not to mention a few huckleberries! Rains in the forecast season shaping up nicely gonna hit the springs on Tuesday should be good!

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You don't live in Canada..... To answer your question....YES.... mushrooms grow everywhere in the world. If there were no mushrooms we would not be here. Period. ---------- look under your house, look in your shoes, look in your garbage.... look in the parks, look anywhere there is any kind of vegetation..... or rotting material..... and you will find mushrooms.... well add a little water and get the temp just right.... Hell they even grow in my truck....In fact you even have fungus growing on your skin, between your tows. very small but there all the same... go find some cow dung, chances are if it's old enough you will find shrooms on it. But best of all just Google it....

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Goes without saying Vancouver Island needs rain.....Ps. Island Timberlands, Timber west, etc. still logging the piss out of the island. Went to Buckley bay yesterday and not 1 of my old patches left!!! zed

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FUNGI FUNGUY & Stickman, Yes, I am open in the Nakusp area now, not much coming in yet, only about a 1/2 to a lb or two to be had by most pickers at this time but it does look promising so far. I'm taking Pine, Chanterelles, and lobster. The pines are a bit small yet and fairly wormy, depending on the area but coming as long as we get more rain soon, the crop of chanterelles and lobster is not that great yet but may also improve with time and rain. --Jean's Mushroom Station - Nakusp. Just past the kuskanax bridge Hwy 23 N Nakusp. 250265 4147 hewat@telus.net. Will be doing the rain dance. Happy picking to all!!

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Hi guys, I have gone to pick pines couple of times with my friends in hell's gate area, and whistler. Had so much fun, and got so into mush picking. Anyone wanna take me to your spot? I will provide a ride and food. Please email me if you are nice enough =) namgilee604@hotmail.com

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If one has pine's at this time and would like to sale them and can't find a buyer what dose one do?. I have Chanterelle's,fryed chicke,boletes,blue chanterelles and white chanterelles,yellow foot chanterelles,blue-capped polypore,bear head and Matsutake all for sale. My Yellow chanterelle's any all of the above are from the Eastern Slop's of the Cascade's and are Freshly picked on order, we have been picking yellow Chanterelle's all summer long and and have to many we need more sale's "But if you are a buyer" we well not sale them for less then($15 a lbs us). You can find out more on what we have on facebook by looking me up Auguststeinbornsr or Augustmoon1788 also video's on youtube just type August Steinborn sr. we have had lot's of fun this year at picking Chanterelle's and taking photo's of many mushroom's. We have about two month's to go and hope many of you well be picking soon Fullbuckets to you all and Enjoy what is left of the Season. And thank's to you Matsiman for your report...........Mad morel.

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This message is for Garf ! Garf could you please private message me at dwight.thornton@gmail.com You are the only one that I know of who is still around from the Pemberton area in the late 70s and early 80s that might be able to answer some puzzling questions that I have. Hello to everyone else out there on the mushroom trail, hope you all have a good fall season with full buckets for you. Can't say I know a lot of the new people here on the message board anymore, but I have enjoyed reading some of your posts here today and welcome to the world of 'Feast Or Famine' My advise is this for you newcomers ; Do it because you love it, and as a hobby, and if you can make a little cash while doing what you love, then you will have a very good time doing it. If your doing it because you need the money, then my heart goes out to you for the disappointments that are to come for you. There are other careers that pay much better with a steady pay check with less travel involved these day's !! Cheers, Dwight in New Brunswick

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Went out today,-1 on the hill and +12 by noon, lol.lots of white shanties and a few lobsters but nothing els.I also have seen seasons like this and I'm not going to say what I think because if theres one thing that I've learnd over the years is never try to predict the pines lol. There's still time yet so all we can do is wait and see.Good luck and be safe.

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Found a few more wormy pines, last nights frost probably took out most of them bugs , firewood time!

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no signs of mushrooms yet and i dont expect anything until we get a good downpour and then a few days and more damp cool wet otherwise we will get a few white chants and a few pine stragglers and the usual boletes .... now with that update back to the woodpile,,,,oppss forgot , delivering handsplit cedar shakes today... gl and fill your boots ... lions bay here i come

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I tried today for a few hours after work. At a productive patch and nothing yet. About 3-4 asshole mushrooms so the pines can't be to far behind. I'm gonna try the Nass this weekend so wish me luck

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Has anyone found any pines in the Terrace area? If so, what are the prices like?

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Things have been coming in pretty slow for me. I try and get out every couple days. So far far I've found a few chanterelles. A few lobsters, trumpets, sweet tooth, and just today 2 bolettus. All of which have been eaten in burgers or just today my wife made a beautiful cream of mushroom soup. Once they start really coming in I'm going to be sure to dehydrate and vacuume seal enough for my family and then consider selling. If the prices are to low by that point I'll dehydrate more and gift them out for Christmas. The 2 joes have robbed us enough.

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Also be sure to park right beside any buyer. And offer any picker 1-2 more a pound then what there paying. You'll load up in no time. And honestly any good buyer want mind.

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Hey terrace visitor send me your email. I'm not sure anything is popping just yet. I went out this evening for a few hours and only found a few bolitus and a few trumpets. But when the pines come in, which should be any day now, I'd be happy to sell a few to you.

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Where can one buy locally picked pine mushrooms in Terrace this time of year?

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Hi all, I'm a buyer in the nakusp area and so far there are a few white chanties out from the summer rain and one wormy pine per square kilometer, right now expect to make 50-60 bucks a day in the absolute best chanty ground. Text me for updates anytime at 250-775-1158. Btw we always have the best prices, don't sell in town this year!!!

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Yah mushroom bandit, I agree with you on the prices , if they are too low I don't sell my shrooms I much rather keep them in my freezer, usually I'll dry sauté them vacu seal them up and into the freezer they go if prices go below 10 $ per pound it's not worth it, frikken gas is 1.40$ per litre . But I must say I really enjoy walking through the bush, and with the right recipes these wild mushrooms are awesomely delish!!There top value rests in my belly , not to mention all the awesome medicinal values that they hold

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Just go back from north of nakusp , pulled out 35 lbs of chanterelles , a few pine buttons , most of the were wormy, lots allotropia pine indicators a little too early for the pines but prime time for the white chanterelles Happy hunting all!!

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actually i pick there almost every year. but it's recreational. the prices "in town anyways", magically drop within hours of a good flush. its very frustrating. dont sell you tight buttons for four bucks. so its fun but no money. other than that "vacantcrayfish" the buyers will point you in the right direction

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if you go picking in nakusp, keep some money aside to get home. the prices are horrible. i picked there once and got 4/lbs then went west and got 25 the next day. its fun there tho

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thanks for posting that andy i was up there tuesday when it opened 20 per lb left friday it was 12 i was able to make gas money is all it dont look good hh

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Hi, new to mushroom picking here. Headed to Nakusp area for pines, was wondering if there are a decent amount of buyers out there. Or someone who wouldn't mind to meet up and share some of their knowledge with me as I am eager to learn more about it. Vacant.Crayfish@Gmail.com

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Hey boat people when I was living down in Victoria. I actually found some one on Craig's list. The guy didn't have wheels so he was willing to trade his knowledge of a few patches and some different edibles for a ride. Good trade in my book. And he also shared a few places to sell them as well. We only went out once together but I learned a lot.

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Morning All, Went to study Saturday. Not much happening. Found about 20 mushrooms in 4 clusters. Grade from 1 to 5, dry and wormy. Nothing new coming. A few babies, but they are drying out and won't grow. A few chanties, small and drying. Matsiman

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boatpeople the hot dry summer will make for a very poor mushroom year in the areas you are talking about . Not to discourage and my only suggestion is to hike and look . I have tons of spots and it was all leg work . Hike , Hike and more Hike. I still find new spots by the same method and once you know what to look for it comes easier. Have to find new areas to make up for the ones being logged ... good luck ... we need rain and until then i will be IN the WOODPILE....

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Rover, thanks for responding. We've been spending a bit of time up around clear creek/Harrison east FSR, decent elevation, connects up to Skookumchuk... Is there any hope of finding chanties and pines through that corridor later in the season or are we wasting time? Lots of chickens to eat and great camping anyhow!

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Boat people not much area left to pick pines on s coast to much logging has been done just lost more chanty patches pine patch ribboned so it will be gone soon.nothing to speak of for pines up north to dry no rain in forecast so its a waiting game here nice camping weather though

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Hi everyone! We are a pair living all over the coast in our sailboat and/or Toyota. We're planning to do some mushroom hunting this fall around south coastal bc. I've had some experience hunting certain silly mushrooms in the U.S. Pnw but now interested in the edibles in this area. We would be very grateful to anyone who might let us tag along a few days to learn the ropes. In exchange for your generosity we could take you sailing or whatever. The big dream is to eventually find ourselves some spots to harvest from the water so we could live out of our boats AND hunt pines. There are worse ways to spend the fall! ; ) J.carcin@gmail

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Nakusp area starting up ... white chat, lobster and a few pines. bon chance!

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Hello! I'm looking for a BUYER for #1 #2 pines! Email me at Kingofbane@hotmail.com text or call me at 250-936-8110

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ok, for inquiring minds. i ran in to rick, a mushroom buyer here in terrace. 20 per pound for pine. 3 for chanterelles and lobster and 4 for cauliflower. he had one basket of yellow chanties on the table and 1 caully. no pines just yet. i heard from a reliable source that there is one buyer open in the nass and they're not getting any pines yet either.... come on already, wish this season would start. need more rain i guess, but looking at the forcast its not looking to good. hope you guys are having better luck elsewhere.

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Thanks Arrow Shrooms , will be sure to get a hold of you close to next weekend and see how things are going there .... cheers :-)

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Hey Kootenaybrother, Why don't you send me an email and we can talk about it in more detail. forestedibledelights@yahoo.com

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Mike Brat: re anyone know buyers in the Nakusp area. I am one and have been buying over 20 years here. No one is officially open as of yet. There are a few nice chanterelles a few pickers have brought in while out checking patches. A few lobster are starting. Nothing much in the way of pine yet, only a couple of wormy ones so far. With the rain and the recent temps it won't be too long. My # is 250 265 4147 or hewat@telus.net. Happy picking.

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Oh and as far as pricing I'm not sure yet. Rick seems to be the only buyer as of yet, and he's not in his shack. Just has a sign on the door saying to call if you have shrooms

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Hey wants to pick in terrace, it's not quite happening just yet. I've been hitting the bush just about every day and other than a few baby calliflowers nothing yet. We have been getting some rain and the nights are getting cooler so it's just a waiting game right now. Hope this helps.

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Hey forest delights what kind of prices are you paying , and what species are you looking for lobsters,chanterelles,hedgehogs,matsutake ,boletes? Wild ginger?Salale?Huckleberries perhaps ?What kind of numbers are you paying and what is your location?Dried morels?BackYard grown shitake?

User_Name: want to pick.terrace
Date: Thursday September 04, 2014
Time: 08:38 PM

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Does anyone know if picking has started in Terrace, BC area yet? And what are the prices.

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Hello All!, I'm looking for some good quality mushrooms and wild edibles to offer my clientele, I distribute through my own website and have several restaurant's that I do business with all over the country. I'm not looking to deal with the huge buyers, I'm looking to establish relationships with some good experienced foragers that can provide me with candy product and know how to package the mushrooms for shipment. I have an airline account but would prefer to use yours if you have one. I would also be interested in someone who can drop ship for me as well as provide bulk weight. I would need wholesale pricing, I know all the big players and I know what they charge. If anyone can help me out shoot me an email: forestedibledelights@yahoo.com Lets see if we can help each other make some money.

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i found two nice tight little buttons just a few minutes out of the truck then nothing else. but its a very small little area i use to see if there out. i seen a asian guy with a half safeway bag full but he was about three clicks from his truck. pines are just starting

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we had a good dump of rain in the kootenays. My niece is watching the children of the corn. I'm gonna head up and take a good look around my "not so secret spot". I'll keep ya posted unless i find lots, in witch case i will just stay silent.

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Hi everybody! Wondering if anyone is still picking mushrooms/huckleberries in Mt. Adams/Trout Lake area or if better prospects on the north coast? Gas has gotten too much, but itching to venture out.

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picked about 10 lbs of nice Lobsters near sicamous the other day. Looking forward to going to Nakusp next weekend , anyone know any buyers there and what the prices are like ? thank you mikebrat@hotmail.com

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Hi northern picker, sorry I didn't get any prices But will be sure to ask when she gets to area With phone reception and post them

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Hi Tukaluk, I have never heard of Wask Lake. Roughly where on Vancouver Island is it located? Thank you.

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Found 20lbs of chantrelles in the west koots on sunday - nice big ones. This rain should bring out another flush....some nice lobsters around too. Didn't see any pines though

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Sorry, it's a camp up north of Kitwanga. Great for pines. Big picking spot in Northern bc.

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Just got out for a quick stroll through the old growth.Found some comb tooth,a coral like mushroom,choice!Also found some pines, two one was wormy and the second was surprisingly a tight #1! First matsutake of the year , and pulled out some lobsters , they were good quality!Rained pretty hard last night and cooled down significantly could be the trigger we've been waiting for!!

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Yo euvol, You can message me at kootenaybrother@gmail.com.pretty good dump of rain last night , gonna hit nakusp really soon! Potential for buckets full of mushrooms!Mine as well hit the hotsprings while I'm out there!

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Went out today and found some possible new ground,it sure looked good,almost every kind of shroom was out there except for pine.Found some beautifully yellow shanties thou and plan on having some for dinner tomorrow lol.Garf,if you ever do make it this way look me up I think you'd like this little piece of paradise lol.Its just a matter of time now and bumps will start to appear I hope.good luck to all and most important be safe.

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Kootenaybrother - how to contact you ? I'm in Nelson bc too...would like to chat.

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Saw dude selling chanterelles out side the Walmart in nelson bc 5$per pound ,shrooms looked quite nice I must say!

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Good morning all, this is a great resource! I live and pick in the Cowichan Valley area of Vancouver Island BC and have good luck with Golden Chanterelles, with some rain arriving there should be the start of a good season. If you are intersted in #1 fresh picked and delivered mushrooms on the same day please email me to make arrangements, thanks and good luck to all the pickers out there, Jeremy poole.j@shaw.ca