"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have been somewhat neglectful of the garden of late, but have noticed
that
there are some mushrooms growing in the lawn.

The growth is pretty widespread, and I don't recall seeing anything like
this before.

If you go to http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~chelodge/Mushrooms/ you will
see five pictures.


Just got the following response from a mushroom expert:

"The mushroom in the picture is Agaricus Bisporous a cousin of the field
mushroom and edible."

So looks like we may have an unexpected bonus crop this year.

I am still puzzled as to why we have suddenly got a crop - where did the
spawn come from?

I am assuming that it has developed because we have had such a dry summer I
haven't been cutting the grass.

Now pondering if it has lain dormant since the 1920s when the back garden
was still a field, or if there are mushroom spawn everywhere just waiting
for a chance.

Shame there is no room in the freezer for them all.
Wonder if I can dry them?

Cheers
Dave R

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
news:bnapu7$u04l7$1@ID-

Shame there is no room in the freezer for them all.
Wonder if I can dry them?

Indeed.. they dry very well. I have a dehydrator but you can dry them in
the lowest oven heat with the door open just a wee bit.

Ophelia

The message
from "David W.E. Roberts" contains these words:

Just got the following response from a mushroom expert:

"The mushroom in the picture is Agaricus Bisporous a cousin of the field
mushroom and edible."

Good. A. bisporus is generally believed to be the parent of cultivated
mushrooms. Most Agaricus species have four spores per basidium, but
bisporus (hence its name) has only two, as have the cultivated
varieties.

So looks like we may have an unexpected bonus crop this year.

I am still puzzled as to why we have suddenly got a crop - where did the
spawn come from?

Judging from your photographs, it must have been there for many, many years.

I am assuming that it has developed because we have had such a dry summer I
haven't been cutting the grass.

It will have been there for ages - unless of course, someone has treated
the lawn to some mushroom compost in the past.

Now pondering if it has lain dormant since the 1920s when the back garden
was still a field, or if there are mushroom spawn everywhere just waiting
for a chance.

Spores are airborne. If they alight in a suitable spot, and the
conditions are right, the spores begin to grow and produce mycelium - or
if you like, spawn.

Shame there is no room in the freezer for them all.
Wonder if I can dry them?

Yes, they dry easily, but when you rehydrate Agaricus the results are
like leather. String them up in a warm dry place, or slice them and dry
them on racks or pass a cotton thread through them (with the help of a
needle) and string them up in a warm dry place.

I dry them until they are crisp, then wop them up in a liquidiser until
they are powder, which I use to add flavour (and protein) to stews,
casseroles etc, or as a seasoning.

Other types of mushroom which dry rock-hard I grind up in a coffee grinder.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm