Foraging Friends Inc.

Foraging Friends Inc. Foraging friends, forages with small groups exploring and trading knowlege mainly about plants and tree benefits for culinary use.

Sharing the most response-able ways to engage with the natural world near and far and enjoying our bounty!

My neighbor and I went foraging today. Here’s what we saw. The first 3. People to correctly state where we were in the ...
11/08/2025

My neighbor and I went foraging today. Here’s what we saw.
The first 3. People to correctly state where we were in the comments, can pick up a free, Oyster mushroom kit at the Shamokin Coal township library on Mushroom Monday November 10th.

Do you know about Permission in Place? It’s acknowledging the life in the spaces you travel and asking for permission to...
11/08/2025

Do you know about Permission in Place? It’s acknowledging the life in the spaces you travel and asking for permission to trek there or take anything. We often take life for granted in certain spaces, but nature speaks softly, even when we forget where we are and the life around us. This has consequences in our current environmental situations. It’s important to ask for permission and bring awareness to our footprint.

My group was enthusiastic about asking for permission before our forage. Kevin shared his bag to collect trash, and we found some puffballs and Maria found a gem of a rock. We ran out of time to go deeper into the wooded trail, before some had to return to work. But we returned unused items to the Earth before we left, to complete their decomposition. We plan to go out before Winter and the holidays.

Consider Permission in Place when foraging see if you notice a marked difference. I'd love to hear about your experience.

Enjoy your weekend.

Look here for a notice about our next Foraging event, and Foraging Friends newsletter.

Mushroom MondaysPear shaped Puff ballsWhile out surveying the fifth Ward tracks a few weeks ago, Professor Olyssa spotte...
11/03/2025

Mushroom Mondays
Pear shaped Puff balls
While out surveying the fifth Ward tracks a few weeks ago, Professor Olyssa spotted some sporing puff balls. I looked them up and they were the pear shaped puffballs. Their scientific name is apioperdon pyiforme (pronounced ay-pee-oh-PER-dun peer-i-FOR-mee)

Since they were so far gone with spores, I just released the spores my tapping on them. This is fun watching the ghoulish green puff of smoke disperse.
Though releasing the spores means that at some point I’ll find pear shaped mushrooms on some other part of that area on rotted wood matter.
I hope to find these delicate morsels when they’re firm and white inside, for a nice snack to add to onions or other vegetable stir fry.

If you didn’t know I am hosting another forage, November 5, the time and information is pinned to this page. Registration is required to help me better serve those who want to attend. Knowing who is coming is like sending out invitations to a party. It also helps Foraging Friends plan and get funding for future events. If you appreciate and respect, my work at Foraging Friends. Please register for events, email your questions to thebeautiful5th@outlook.com.

Bountiful harvest and see you on the Trail.

11/01/2025

🙏🏾Thank you!

So much leaf matter but are the trees hosting mushrooms or anything nearby?🧐
10/31/2025

So much leaf matter but are the trees hosting mushrooms or anything nearby?🧐

10/31/2025

I was riding along a road and looking for that might have 🍄‍🟫 🍄‍🟫

Hello Foraging friends! I haven’t posted a mushroom Monday in a min. Let’s look at this one tree we all have heard about...
09/22/2025

Hello Foraging friends!

I haven’t posted a mushroom Monday in a min. Let’s look at this one tree we all have heard about, passed by, sat under and seen.
The great oak tree! The bark of twigs are medicine, the nuts have been enjoyed by animal and humans for as long as one can remember.
Easily felled in torrential weather because there roots aren’t deep.
When they are old and begin to rot, they like other trees become a home for critter like the spiders and insects. Woodpeckers feast on the many insects. Also similar to other trees, like oak mushrooms like Hen of the woods fungi, begin to develop and further the decomposition.
In the photo gallery I have posted picture of the oak, with a bit of Hen of the woods on it. Another old oak near me as well.
The mushroom today is Hen tof the woods.
Let’s Answer 5 key questions you can follow the link for more below.
Question Answer

Scientific Name Grifola Frondosa aka Maitake

What it looks like Grayish brown, spoon shaped or fan shaped on top. It have a whitish or yellowish poor surface underneath.

Trees Large Oaks

When to forage When temp. Drops in Fall

https://youtu.be/uWiaF3ttZXI?si=mKZArFoLB9wzDsPR

Oaks found in PA

09/21/2025

While camping one of the campers thought they saw small animal shadow roam by … maybe this was it?? I haven’t seen a possum since I was a kid in my neighborhood! It will be neat to see one while forging. I obviously wouldn’t pick it up or bother it like this young person. 😳🤣
Friends newsletter is almost done coming soon.  You want to be on the mailing list? Make sure to email Foraging Friends with newsletter and the subject.
PS the email is in the about section on this page
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FN2w2TLms/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Hello Foraging Friends!How was your weekend? … oh really, you had fun too? That’s great!I went on a camping trip with ...
09/17/2025

Hello Foraging Friends!

How was your weekend? … oh really, you had fun too? That’s great!
I went on a camping trip with at Little Buffalo State Park. Raise you hand in the comments if you have been there. what did you participate in? I am curious.

We slept outside …in tents 🏕️ / . I know that is what you do when camping! Let me just say I have always felt we are geared to be outdoors more than indoors.
Did you know, There is a such thing as a hammock tent😳I brought my hammock chair and slept in it but, I think I could use a bigger hammock now! 😎

This adventure for me is part of my journey to try new things. Especially revisit some things on my own terms.
Also to learn new things…and I learned many things. Mostly centered around nature as well as about myself.

Now let me say a little bit about the host. Tiana White, they supplied tents, transport, yoga mats, furnishing for tent meals for the whole event, and we all brought snacks (popcorn over the fire was 🔥✨ !!!) I can’t list everything but we were really nurtured.

We also went to two programs. The first program was flower/plant pressing! Hosted by Anna McGonnell, the environmental specialists. I brought my foraging journal and couldn’t wait to put the array of plants in to decorate. When I get the photos printed I will add some of the photos too.
The second program was a foraging class, by Debbie Naha. Many of you may have heard of her. At least I did, because when I started foraging I wanted to reach out to her, but I got busy and forgot.
She kept the class very simple and engaging.
I don’t personally forage red berries besides raspberries and rose hips. I’m glad I was able to chat with Debbie, as she  identified red berries and the trees they fruit on. I was so happy to forage some at the camp myself, afterwards .
I’ll share a short video about the Autumn Olive berries and white pine, because I was planning to post a video and post about them.

Finally, what did I press? I Pressed, Queen Ann’s lace, cleaver, Spice berry, Autumn Olive and some Chicory flowers. Anna Collected and dried everything but the chicory I foraged after the class.

I think what I love most about our camping trip was the down time, being able to pick around in the woods with genuine people.
Here are some highlight pictures, from our camp out

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