June 2025 Mycoscope Equinox Harvests | | Our Forests Within Your Reach Surprised by the popularity of our excursions? To meet the demand, we’re adding a few more dates to our summer schedule. Don’t wait! - Lanaudière: August 16 and Sept. 14
- Laurentides: August 30
- Eastern Townships: August 24 and Sept. 28
- Mauricie: September 6
More announcements to come — long live local tourism! Excursions | | He Could Grow His Own Mushrooms! During the Sunday morning workshop on June 15, our expert will introduce you to mushroom growing techniques — on logs, in garden beds, or in backyard plots. The session includes a hands-on activity, and you’ll leave with a starter kit to grow your own at home. An opportunity you won’t want to miss! Workshop | | Basket- Ball Your shop is stocking up on a wide variety of baskets: large and small, practical or whimsical, made of wicker or fabric, for the back, shoulder, or hand, with or without pockets — all at unbeatable prices. All baskets are on sale this month to kick off the foraging season: 15% off! A perfect gift for an adventurous dad this Father’s Day. | | 15% off our outdoor mushroom cultures!
Morel, wine cap, shaggy mane, and wood blewit — take advantage of spring or late summer–fall to start your mushroom patch in the garden, under the trees, or in your vegetable plot! | | Boletes Already? Typically, mushrooms that live in symbiosis with trees appear later in the season. But you might spot a few of these delicious edibles as early as late spring — and occasionally among them, boletes associated with oak trees, sensitive boletes (Boletus sensibilis), and American porcini (Boletus americanus), the North American look-alike of the famed Italian porcini. | | Several species of Suillus boletes are abundant in early autumn, but they can also appear in late spring — including Suillus tomentosus, Butterballs (Suillus weaverae), and the Slippery Jacks (Suillus luteus). All are associated with pine trees and are considered good edibles. A key trait of this genus: their caps are covered with a gelatinous film protecting them from the cold. However, this cuticle can have a laxative effect. It's recommen-ded to peel it off, or alternatively, dry and rehydrate the mushrooms before cooking. | | Deaf Ears Judas ears (or wood ears), which the Chinese simply name “black mushrooms,” decompose primarily dead conifer wood and sometimes elderberry. They’re called “ears” because of their shape and texture, while “Judas” refers to the biblical figure who hanged himself on an elder tree. | | In the forest, you’ll now encounter our native species—often overlooked—(Auricularia americana), appearing from as early as April through November. The species (Auricularia polytricha) offered dried at the Mycoboutique is cultivated in China. Ubiquitous in Southeast Asian kitchens, Judas’s ears wonderfully enhance our spring roll recipe. | The Last of Us Deadly pandemics have recently inspired influencers, writers, and screenwriters alike. In the popular American TV series The Last of Us, a contagious fungus takes control of infected people. Horror stories often feature imaginary fungi that emerge from skulls. These are inspired by cordyceps—species that parasitize insects, consume them from the inside, take control of their bodies, and then reproduce. Rightly, they are nicknamed zombie fungi. | | Our military cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris), like the ophiocordyceps (O. sinensis) used in traditional Chinese medicine, attacks moth larvae buried underground. It poses no danger to humans. The military cordyceps is visible in our forests from August to October. Of course, it’s also available in stores, either dried or as a cultivation syringe. Often the subject of fabulation, its primary value is medicinal: it contains anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor compounds, notably cordycepin. The Fungal Pharmacy documents its proven properties. In reality, no pandemic has ever resulted from a transmissible fungal infection. Unlike viruses and bacteria, very few fungi survive the internal heat of our bodies. Could climate warming promote harmful mutations? Attention is then drawn to non-contagious species from rather thermophilic genera such as Candida and Aspergillus. Enjoy the Series! | | | | |
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