Photo courtesy of Ligia Freyter - Poland
Mushroom hunting (Grzybobranie) -You don't need a gun for this type of popular activity in Poland, but you may find some folks shooting mushrooms with their cameras. The weapon of choice is usually a nicely sharpened knife. You may find a few edible species starting in spring, but fall is the time of year when mushrooming goes into full swing. Although mushroom hunting is popular in many countries, in Poland this activity has a life of its own. Mushroom picking season in Poland is similar to the shopping madness during the Christmas holidays that we go through here in the US.Picking the non-poisonous mushrooms is not something that can be learned from a book. In Poland children learn early what are good and bad mushrooms. This knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. Mushroom picking is a family activity, which is usually part of some hiking and adventures in the woods. When learning what mushrooms are good, it is highly advisable that someone knowledgeable go along on the hunting excursion as a guide and teacher.
Photo courtesy of Krzysztof Firkowski - Łódź, Poland
The word for mushroom in Polish is "grzyby". The mushrooms that you buy in the grocery store here are bland by comparison to the varieties that can be found in the wild in Poland. During one of my visits to Poland, the relatives I was with made a stop at some roadside stands and made their pick of 7 different types of mushroom from those vendors (they played vendor against vendor for the best prices) and the next day I was treated to the best mushroom soup I have ever had in my life. I would not consider myself a mushroom freak, but when I get a craving for them, I have to have some.Mushroom hunting is a skill, but also includes some luck. There are particular trees that appeal to certain types of mushrooms, and there are areas that tend to produce the same mushrooms every year. Heavy rain in fall will produce huge mushroom patches. In some places there are so many mushrooms that you can be in the woods and smell the aroma of mushrooms in the air. You must remember that once you find a good spot for mushrooms, never tell anyone about it! It is important that you remember where this location is and be sure to keep it a secret, as there is a lot of competition for good "hunting" spots.
So you can continually have a good mushroom crop, you must harvest them correctly. You should cut your mushrooms about 1/4" above the ground and never pull it out by the root. Be careful not to step on the area you have just made your harvest from.