puffball mushrooms

MelissaLynne

Found a nice patch of puffball mushrooms in our yard today. We harvested them and will make spaghetti tomorrow! Yummy. My 4 year old loves mushrooms and is very excited.

Torey

Awesome! We love puffballs. Haven't seen any yet this year. Last year I harvested one that weighed over 9 lbs.

MelissaLynne

@torey wow to 9lbs! Ours are only nickel to quarter size.

Torey

@MelissaLynne It isn't unusual to find big ones in this area if the conditions are right. Sure was last year. This wasn't the only big one. We harvested several that were in the 6-7 lb. range. I saw some in a field that were bigger than the 9 lb. one but it wasn't possible to access them with any ease and of course I din't have my camera with me.

Torey

This is the 9 lb 2 oz. one.

naomi.kohlmeier

Good grief! A 9 lb 2 oz puffball mushroom! My folks would stop when they saw puffballs in a pasture. My mom would cube it and fry it in butter and make mushroom gravy to eat over toast. As a kid I loathed this meal. Now I would eat it and love it! I'm sure glad my folks exposed me to foraging! So fun to come upon nature's bounty.

judsoncarroll4

Congrats! I've been foraging for over two decades now and never found a big one!

Torey

@naomi.kohlmeier & @judsoncarroll4 It was just the perfect conditions last year and I think we might have another similar year, if we get a bit of sunshine now that we have had all this rain. Mind you, we seem to grow pretty big ones here in BC. This is a link to one found 4 years ago, just a couple of hours north. https://globalnews.ca/news/2830208/giant-mushroom-found-in-prince-george-backyard/ There are reports of a 57.4 lb. one being found in southeastern BC. Or maybe its the whole of the north cause there is this one from Ontario. https://www.tbnewswatch.com/local-news/puffball-mushroom-could-be-world-record-largest-438718

It is a favourite treat in our house, when we get lucky enough to find them.

Torey

This is an article that includes a story about a woman who thought she was looking at a herd of sleeping sheep in a field. Turned out to be puffballs. This is a few hours south. And according to this article, BC is a "mecca" for mushroom pickers. http://sunpeaksnews.com/wild-about-local-mushrooms-6245.htm

judsoncarroll4

@torey... holy cow! I'd put up a lifetime of pickled mushrooms and duxelles in one season!

MelissaLynne

@torey my hubby(who has lived in this area for 40+years) said that he use to occasionally find volleyball size puff balls in the local HS baseball field. I will have to start checking when I go through town :) will have to check if they use chemicals...

naomi.kohlmeier

I live in Nebraska and have never seen one bigger than about seven inches in diameter.

Torey

Got my first of the season! 5 lbs. 12 ox. Its been a wet spring like last year and now we are getting some heat so I expect more over the next few days. The race is on in the neighbourhood to see who can find the biggest one this year.

It has been shared with several people and I still have a big piece left.