Man needs difficulties; they are necessary for health. Carl Jung
Had a special interest in mushrooms ever since I learned how to walk and remember anything. Parents took me mushroom hunting way before I was walking around in the forest with them. Back then I mostly poked unhatched froglings in the mud, snails that were already eating mushrooms or playing with dead tree sticks, pretending it was a sword.
Since little boy we also have a tradition that's coming up shortly with giving a blessing from church to homes of relatives and friends for good year, safe home and positive energies. This year I'm well-prepared for a long ride with it, although normally people shared the 'fire' by foot, my father showed me few ways of using a car to do that and travel longer distance.
This year I've tried out new things, kind of grew a special interest in fungi and learned what how and where, everything about Chicken of the woods mushroom. It does taste like chicken, is super healthy, has medicinal uses and learned it grows on more than just one kind of tree's.
I've also been amazed when I heard, well saw a hat made out of a mushroom. Wanted to try making a leather ever since, but never figured out a way nor found a big enough fungus.
Over four months ago I soaked one big amadue mushroom in hopes that it will soften the outer shell. It did not.
Two weeks ago I decided to take a big of everything to help me open' the fungi and try getting "trauma" layer out of it, which I believe is the part that is like leather. Also called vegan leather.
When opened it up, I separated layers, cut it to 1 cm thick pieces and boiled it.
.jpg)
As it boiled for 10 minutes I took it out pieces by piece and hammered it softly to desirable thickness. After second boiling the layer started tarring apart and I soon realized that soaking the mushroom for way over 3 months prior to this is a bad idea.
.jpg)
It's far from perfect, smooth or real leather looking, but it is my first leather that I've never though I'll make myself.
I still want to try a tea out of it, that says it has a immune system boosting abilities and many more. Amadue mushroom that is.
Thank you for taking time reading, stopping by, staying positive & wishing you a great weekend out there in nature! :)
I've been waiting for this post!
Intriguing to see these early experimental results... I would suggest a broader hammer, maybe a rubber mallet... should prevent the tearing maybe?!
Yeah a couple of mistakes, main one was soaking it for over 3 months and I didn't really know where the right layer was. Will learn, especially now that I have a special location to harvest. :)
It does take longer than it looks
Me too, me too :D
Is it flexible? On the photos it looks like it would break when bending.
It's really soft to touch, I trimmed the part that looks fragile as I messed up a bit seperating layers it is fexible and strong, the part that is true trauma layer. It has been fun, do you remember when you baked your first pancakes? :)
That's a new one for me. Your entire post in something I had no idea about, I'll need to do a little more reading on this subject; it's fascinating.
I'm glad that I opened the fungi doors have opened to you in the world where mushrooms do rule the world. :)
I really got interest in fungi, it's uses, benefits, nutritions and most of all medicinal uses.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!
I recomend looking up : Paul Stamets