This shabbat I decided to process my turkey tail harvest from earlier in the winter that has been hiding in my freezer killing the mites that love to snack on turkey tails and destroyed my unfrozen supply last year. Before they were rinsed and put into the dehydrator I trimmed the woody bits and inspected them for freshness , yellowing, and to double check I correctly identified them as Trametes Versicolor. I had a very large discard pile and felt very bad just throwing that in the trash so decided to do what I usually do with mushroom scraps, give them back to the forest. So off we went to the forest and on the way we met these ducks. While putting down the scraps I threw one in the lake to see if it would make the ducks curious. They were very interested and soon about a dozen ducks surrounded me wanting to know what I was sharing. One duck tasted a bit , squaked in disapproval, and then they all dispersed quickly dissatisfied with my offering. But I know the soil loves it. This recycling is an important part of making medicine and harvesting mushrooms for me, and brings me into deeper connection with the cycles I’m benefiting from. Photos by my amazing wife Mara.
Mycelium Memory 