Harvest of Mushrooms in Altai Region Unveils Abundance of Worm Oil and Seed
In the Talmenka and Troitsk districts of the Altai region, chanterelles are currently abundant, providing a bounty for local mushroom pickers. However, the situation in the Altai forests is far from typical this year.
Mushroom foragers have been exploring the forests, hoping for a diverse harvest, with their hopes pinned on improved conditions in August. Unfortunately, the assortment in the Altai region, apart from chanterelles, appears to be limited.
One subscriber to the "Mushrooms and Mushroom Pickers of Altai" group shared that this is the worst year for mushroom picking in seven years. The subscriber, who usually avoids the white mushroom, managed to find plenty in the past. However, this year, the pickings have been slim, with only one bolete and a handful of wormy milk caps discovered.
Towards the end of summer, the main catch for these foragers is chanterelles. Other mushrooms, including toadstools, seem to be scarce or absent. Other mushrooms, such as milk caps, boletes, and birch boletes, appear very rarely in the Altai forests this year.
Despite the scarcity, the search continues. The mushroom pickers remain hopeful for a more diverse harvest in August.
It's worth noting that the most commonly referenced blue-stemmed mushroom in the Altai region and parts of Siberia is the Lactarius indigo, also known as the indigo milk cap. This mushroom is distinctive for its blue to blue-green stem and cap, and it's edible and sought after in local foraging communities. However, without recent or specific regional reports, the presence of this mushroom in the current Altai harvest remains an informed inference rather than a confirmed fact.
For those seeking more precise or up-to-date information about the specific mushrooms currently foraged in the Altai region, consulting a recent local mycological source or regional foraging report would be necessary. After rain, there are even more chanterelles in the Altai forests, offering a glimmer of hope for a more bountiful harvest in the coming weeks.
Despite the limited variety of mushrooms in the Altai region this year, the search for an improved home-and-garden of edible fungi continues, with a focus on the abundant chanterelles. However, other commonly foraged mushrooms such as milk caps, boletes, and birch boletes seem to be absent or scarce in this year's home-and-garden lifestyle due to the unfavorable conditions.
