SACRED CHEROKEE FOREST
LIKE A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
SO LADY-LIKE
HIDDEN VALLEY
EWWW...GROSS!
WATCH YOUR STEP
BLACKBERRY PIE
Since it's been so rainy, we've had nothing but mushrooms on the brain. They typically flourish in these wet, damp conditions and we've been hoping for a break in the rains to go on a hunt. Our limited experience indicates mushrooms tend to pop up after rains when the sun comes out. They rarely come out during the actual rains, and the sunlight alone doesn't do much good unless it comes out immediately after rains.
This afternoon our window of opportunity momentary opened and we set out with James and Mickyle on a quest. Oops, the canine in charge here, also joined us. We inspected the field where the goats and llamas graze, but had little luck. Onward we ventured, further into the forest. We hiked along the creek, which is running significantly higher than usual due to the heavy rains. Eyes glued to the ground, we meandered through the forest hoping to find some shrooms. We were able to find three different types: inky caps, false morels, and some unidentified mushroom. It's so hard to spot them and even harder to correctly identify them, but hopefully in a few years, we'll have a better grasp.
Even though the mushroom hike wasn't a total success from a foraging standpoint, it was exciting, because we explored an ancient Cherokee holy place. Years ago there was a prominent and thriving Indian settlement in this area, just adjacent to Myrtle Glen Farm. Walking over the land was somewhat spiritual, and made us wonder what great skills and knowledge ancient folks possessed and could have passed on to White settlers had circumstances been different. Certainly many Native Americans would have been expert mushroom gatherers. Sometimes it's easy to fall victim to thinking you know everything and avoid seeking help or guidance from others. But realizing you need help is often the first step to learning and broadening your horizons.
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