Corals come in a wide variety of colors and textures. The type shown in the photo grow on dead deciduous wood and in this case the wood was sub-surface so it appeared to be growing on the ground. I was happy to see this coral was fresh and ready for harvesting. I encourage foragers to cut mushrooms vs. uprooting them to allow for future reproduction. Along with that practice I suggest collecting mushrooms in a net or open-weave basket that will allow the spores to fall back to the ground in order to sustain the field of mushrooms for the future.

Like other mushrooms, corals have varied characteristics in taste and texture. Some types if eaten in excess can cause stomach upsets so it is best to eat in small amounts at first to see how your system reacts to it. Although you can sample a small raw portion for taste it is best to cook them for general consumption. I was pleased to fry mine in butter when I returned home.

I encourage all aspiring mushroom foragers to locate an expert in your area to positively identify your finds for safety sake and to assist you in learning more about this enjoyable pursuit!

Raspberries are known as an aggregate fruit or compound berry meaning that it is composed of many parts. These small globes of juice form the berry wall. A distinctive structure or identifier of a raspberry is that once the berry is pulled off the stem it leaves behind the inner core and when you invert the berry for inspection there is a hollow center.

A few days later I was visiting a sweet eighty-something lady who on occasion tells me about her days growing up in the mountains of Northwest North Carolina. As a child she and her siblings would go out into the woods and gather various edibles of which raspberries were included. She said that they collected three types: yellow, red, and black. They would have to wait until they were ripe before collecting them yet before the other neighbor children would beat them to the patch.

The large cluster of berries shown in the photo are not yet ripe and will increase in size and darken when ripe. You can see compound leaves of three that are jagged edged and when you inspect one it will reveal a silver-gray underside. It is also interesting to note that the leaves can be collected to make tea and has been medicinally used for a variety of treatments… most notably for feminine reproductive system health but is also considered a good tonic herb with a rich supply of vitamins and minerals.

As a side note… most compound berries are known to be edible and are generally a safe bet for consumption. These might include raspberries, black berries, mulberries, boysenberrys, dewberries, and thimbleberries to name a few. If in doubt, it’s always good to seek the advice of local experienced naturalists or herbalists who are in the know.