Mushrooms: Small Wonders

Betsy Conroy sent beautiful photos of mushrooms she discovered while walking the trails on July 9, 2024. A sense of seeking arises once you realize the vast array of colors, textures, sizes, and shapes of mushroom species along the trails. When you slow down enough to truly look, these little wonders await finding.

According to UConn’s Home and Garden Education Center, well over 1,000 species of wild mushrooms have been described in Connecticut. People have been foraging for mushrooms – a type of fungi – for thousands of years. Fungi have their unique place in our natural world. While plants make their food through photosynthesis, converting light, water, and carbon dioxide, fungi absorb nutrients directly from their environment. If you are interested in foraging, you should learn from experienced foragers familiar with local mushroom species. The Connecticut Foraging Club offers walks, classes, and other learning opportunities. Peterson Field Guides – A Field Guide to Mushrooms: North America, written by Kent and Vera McKnight, is recommended by UConn’s Home and Garden Education Center.

Thank you, Betsy. Your lovely photos remind us that joy, inspiration, and awe can be found in small forest discoveries. All we have to do is slow down and look. For more of Betsy’s photos please visit: https://www.fireflyhillfarm.org/pastevents