This is supposed to deter and warn is it, not encourage?
Foragers have been warned of an abundance of magic mushrooms after the mild winter caused the psychedelic fungi to thrive.
Specialists say the warmer weather means the psychedelic, naturally-occurring class-A drug has been found growing in large numbers across Staffordshire and Shropshire.
John Hughes, a fungi expert at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, warned: “The longer the season, the greater the risk foragers could accidentally pick something hallucinogenic, so with the warmer winter this is definitely more of a risk this year than in previous years.
Theresa needs to organise a coach trip to Shropshire.
Though organising is probably beyond the FFC…
They used grow on our local cricket field in the autumn. As teenagers we’d be there first thing in the morning filling bags with them.
At school the first xv’s pitch was famous for producing a decent crop. Remarkable how many were willing to get up early this time of year.
Fly agaric is distinctive: anyone picking them is not making a mistake!
When we would do them we never picked the fly agaric, I think you have to be nuts to do those! The ones we picked were:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybe_semilanceata
Playing fields are ideal for magic mushrooms, easy to spot on mown grass.
A mate of mine used to dry them and then steep them in vodka with a bit of sugar added. Formed a heady brew!!
There.s a field I know in Essex, you could pick yourself a bin-bag in half an hour. Cattle grazing, of course. Can’t beat cowshit for encouraging a good crop.
It amuses that people who’d recoil in horror if you suggested indulging in any of the mainstream recreational drugs will quite happily get themselves wrecked on magic mushrooms. And leave themselves open to possession & supply charges by having jars of dried ones about the house & passing them around friends.
The outfield of Stokenchurch cricket ground was renowned as the best magic mushrooms for miles when I played there n the ’90s.
“The ones we picked were…”
Bloody hell, so much fun just blasted into the mower’s collection box.
The price of a sheltered life.