Do You Forage For Mushrooms?

It's certainly mushroom time of year around here and they seem to be popping up everywhere. 

But I must confess to being a wimp when it comes to foraging mushroom. 

A bracket fungus on the "fairy tree"

I've been on a foraging course many years ago as it's something I'd love to have more confidence in, I probably own 6 or 7 mushroom identification books and yet I just feel it's not worth the risk.

I have plans to grow mushrooms in the future for my own consumption but in doing so I should easily be able to tell which ones they are but when it comes to wild ones I'm sure we've all read horror stories of misidentification and sometimes from people who claim to be experts. 

So aside from field mushrooms do you forage for these wild treats yourself?

Or do you think it's not worth the risk?

Growing Mushrooms

I don't think I've ever spent so much time in the house as I have since our second daughter was born!
So On Sunday I decided to have a quick sort out of my seeds and I found a couple of packets of mushroom spawn. They were both well out of their sell by date but I thought I had nothing to loose from trying it so I ventured outside in the rain to have a go.

A little out of date but never mind!

 The first packet was Shiitake mushrooms (careful how you write that one!) this called for a freshly cut log split in two. Cut to ten minutes later, a slightly lighter willow tree from the far hedge and a couple of well placed blows with the axe and I had all I needed!
All I did then was to spread the mushroom spawn out on the slit log and tie it back together before placing it in a plastic bag.

A split willow log - not much good for fire wood so maybe a better use for them!

Apparently this bag has to stay in a warm place for two months. Now our house is far from warm but I guess it will have to do, hidden in plane sight under the radiator in the dinning room for now until I get told to move it!

Not what I'd call hiden but never mind!

 The next batch was for chestnut button mushrooms. this called for horse muck (I had cow but I doubt it's that fussy), a plastic bag, some straw and some compost.

The second batch promises mushrooms much sooner!

 I put in a few kg of muck, a load of straw and the mushroom spawn in the bag and mixed it together before pressing it tightly down.

Adding straw

Straw and much mixed together

 I then "capped" it with compost before leaving it in the greenhouse to hopefully grow mushrooms in a few months time.

The capping of compost added for the mushrooms to grow through

I've no idea if either of these will work but it's worth a shot.

My grandfather and uncle (on my mothers side) used to grow mushrooms in the turkey houses on their farm. This was normally after Christmas as they were empty by then, turkeys being a seasonal meat, but mum said they never made much money at it so they only did it for a few years. I must quiz my uncle on it the next time I see him.

Anyone else grow mushrooms? I'd love to know the secretes to growing them on a small scale - I'll need to be able to do it if I ever want to be self sufficient! Any links or tips would be great!