Foraging for mushrooms is a rewarding endeavor. But it can be difficult to figure out what you need, since the world of mycology supplies can be tricky. Luckily, we’re here to help. Read on to discover our four essential foraging tools every beginner needs.
You’ll Need a Permit
First things first: you’ll need a permit to forage on land. You can’t just walk up to a mushroom and start cutting stems. Mushrooms are considered an integral part of the forest’s flora, and depending on what you decide to forage, you could accidentally harvest an endangered species. So it’s important to have all your ducks in a row here. While no one will likely haul you to prison for trying to forage, you could end up with a hefty fine. Plus, the permits are usually free, so there’s no excuse not to get one.
Cleaning Tools
A nice paintbrush—or even a soft toothbrush—is useful to brush off dirt and other debris from the mushroom. This also saves you precious time, since you won’t have to clean it when you get home, saving you work later. Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about the dirt in the foraging basket soiling your other foraged mushrooms.
A Pocket Knife
A pocket knife is an indispensable foraging tool that every beginner needs to get started, but you must use it properly. While we’re sure you’d expect us to say that you can use your knife to harvest your mushrooms, that’s a misconception that could cost you your efforts. Instead, you’ll want to use the knife to check for worms and gently clean the stems with it. (For cultivated mushrooms at home, clean harvesting scissors are the right tool.)
Garden Trowel
If you can’t use a knife to extract mushrooms, what can you use? A garden trowel. This tool can cleanly extract the entire mushroom—stem, gills, and all—and can dig little holes, breaking up the earth around the mushroom for cleaner extraction. Keeping the whole mushroom intact also makes identification easier; our guide to mushroom anatomy explains what to look for.
There you have it! These supplies are perfect for foraging beginners. For species-by-species timing on wild finds like morels, chicken of the woods and chaga, see our harvest timing field guide. And if you’d rather skip the woods entirely, a gourmet mushroom grow kit brings the harvest home.