WINSTON WEEKLY©[1]

October 12, 2025

Vol. 3, No. 41

FALL FORAGING[2]

There are endless opportunities to create and make fall foraging traditions and memories. The Nottingham Forager wrote,

Sometimes there’s mushrooms

Sometimes there’s not

We all used to eat them

But then we forgot

We grew them in houses

And wrapped them in plastic

Tesco made us forget

Foraging is fantastic

Then along came old Lucy

Basket in hand

To restore foraging knowledge

Across this great land.

Fall mushroom species in parts of the Midwest include oyster, Chicken of the Woods, and Puffballs. There are multiple mushroom hunting tips, but these are essential: 1) dress appropriately as foraging areas are often deep in the woods and around dead trees; 2) use a mesh bag or a basket with open spaces as the mushroom spores scatter as you collect them, fostering future growth; and 3) know how to safely identify mushrooms as some “look-alikes” are poisonous, and cooking or canning cannot make poisonous ones any less dangerous.

Although fall mushroom hunts are a popular fall foraging activity, foraging for walnuts, hazelnuts, pinecones, and even leaves can foster lasting memories.

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

If mushroom hunting is an option in your area, explore what types of mushrooms are available and ways to safely pick and use them.  If mushroom hunting is not an option, consider other types of fall foraging and activities, from crafts to recipes.

---

[1] A Sunday newsletter and blog by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2]Resources: Poem is titled The Forgotten Fungi; Fall Mushroom Foraging in the Midwest, Oct. 3, 2024 blog by Jenny, https://www.mushroom-appreciation.com; Lisa M. Rose, Midwest Forging: 115 wild and flavorful edibles from burdock to wild peach, Workman Publishing, 2015; Connie Green and Sarah Scott, The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food and Recipes, Avery, 2010.