Fun with clay and fire

Over the past 7 months or so, I’ve been attending a ceramics class once a week. While mainly focused on wheel-throwing, I really wanted to learn more about firing sculptural work. As I have progressed, I’m glad I now have a foundation in making pots. Here is a frog sculpture, freshly dipped in glaze and awaiting final firing. I’ve had little time to sculpt lately. I do enjoy it and I want to get a few more pieces done before the big move. I know we’ll not be able to take much, but at least I’m creating some Christmas gifts.

Shiitakes, 2nd flush

Altered the path of our hike tonight to check on the shiitake logs again. Despite the dry conditions we were pleased to find another flush ready for harvest. Stir-fry tonight, soup tomorrow.

Chicken-of-the-Woods update: I was all ready to sample what was a very tender and nice looking specimen (pictured a few entries down). I revisited the stump with knife in hand only to find something had eaten all but a nub of it. I was disappointed, but have resolved to find another before the month is out and the prime season is over.

A fungus among us

More tree fungi. This looks like Turkey Tail. It is sort of old and bleached out. It could also be False Turkey Tail. I’m going to have to look more closely at the underside next time I’m out. Whatever it is, it’s the predominant visible fungus in our woods.

“Sorry Charlie”

While out in the woods Sunday and thinking of mushrooms, I stumbled across this edible polypore fungus. Locally called “Chicken of the Woods”. It’s also called a Sulphur Shelf mushroom. After a long drought, we’ve finally got a little rain over the past 2 days. I went back to check on it today and found it had nearly doubled in size. They are considered choice eating. I’ve never yet tried one. In a couple days I’ll probably harvest this one. Likely stir-fry it. And experimentally try a tiny piece. If I were a completely healthy person, maybe I wouldn’t be so cautious. I have to consider the well-documented history of a mildly severe allergic reaction with this species in 5-10% of the general population. I’ll let you know the outcome. Life is risk, eh?

Shiitake Surprise

Shiitake Surprise

We hiked a path less-taken in our woods yesterday and went down into a valley where we seldom walk. I'd placed a bunch of logs down there 2.5 years ago that I'd bored holes in and inoculated with mushroom mycelium. I put them in the deep valley by a small creek hoping they would get enough moisture to grow. For the first year or so, I would check them periodically to see if they were fruiting. After a while I gave up thinking they were probably dead from the summer droughts.

To my great surprise and joy, we found shiitakes sprouting from them yesterday.

We had the first harvest in some soup last night. Delicious. So much better than whatever variety we get from the grocery store.

These are the Night Velvet strain. A warm weather variety. With fall manifesting here in earnest now, I'm not sure how much more we'll get this year.

I bought the inoculate, a punch-tool and some wax daubers from Field and Forest. I happened to have some paraffin on hand to seal the holes up.

I recommend it to anyone with some smallish diameter hardwood trees that need thinning. I understand oak is best. Poplar and others will work, but aren't as productive. Just don't experiment with hickory (like me), unless you want to wait a while! Harvest the green logs in the very early spring, before they start budding. It's an inexpensive, low-maintenance way to grow something tasty.

Fall and butterfly entropy

It's looking more like fall. The drought is causing premature leaf loss in the trees. The butterflies are getting fewer. Except for the Monarchs, who seem to have just arrived. The others that remain are a little ragged. Like this Fritillary sipping on some thistle.

Aztec corn

Some Blue Jade dwarf corn. It's an Aztec heirloom variety we decided to try this year in some pots. Despite drought conditions and our spotty irrigation, we've at least managed to generate a bunch of seed for next year. In past years it's been hard to find. All the good sources seem to sell out early.