Introducing: Longview Alive has a Cohost!
Welcome back to another week of Longview Alive! I am Jessi Stead, your enthusiastic host. I am beyond excited to introduce you to my amazing new co-host, Aaron Brown. Aaron is an incredibly credentialed microbiologist and nature enthusiast. He brings a wealth of experience in foraging and blogging about his fascinating findings on his TikTok series, "Get Outdoors with Aaron."
I am very excited to share Aaron’s captivating 4-minute mycology video of mushrooms that he just found in the woods here at Longview Farm. Be sure to watch that and read along as he shares some of his incredible finds later in this section on mycology.
But first, Berry Watch!
We have wineberries ready for the picking here on the farm and you are invited to pick your own!
We are encouraging you to bring your own basket and get out to the farm this week for your best chances of picking the ripest wineberries in abundance.
Go ahead and park on the side of the road and embark on a self-guided tour to find the berries based on the map below.
While the blackberries and mulberries are no longer fruiting, you are welcome to pick the walnuts from the black walnut tree if you see any and take them home with you as well.
Since our nocino workshop, we have scavenged enough black walnuts to create two additional mason jars of nocino for a total of 4 jars!
🍄Mycology Report
Mycology is the study of fungi which includes those that produce mushrooms. There has been a lot of precipitation these past weeks on the East Coast, and this is great news for those hunting mushrooms. Moments after setting out on a hike through the woodlot adjacent to the Longwood Farm Gallery, an array of mushroom species were observed.
Mushrooms are actually the fruiting bodies of a fungus. The majority of this fungus grows beneath the soil surface, much like roots of a plant.
“Think of mushrooms as the fruit of the fungus, just like the berries on a wineberry bush”.
These mushrooms come in an array of sizes, shapes, and colors. Still, the basic structure of most mushrooms remains the same. There is a stem, a cap, and a spore bearing surface. This surface can have gills, pores, or teeth-like structures.
Once the spores, or “seeds” of the mushroom have matured, they are released into the environment. Even though they are extremely small, when released in huge quantities, they can be seen with the naked eye.
When the mature spores come into contact with a suitable environment, they begin to germinate and grow. The fungus continues to grow, gathering nutrients and water as it explores the area around it. Once the conditions are right, the fungus is ready to regenerate, completing its lifecycle.
Join me as I venture into the forest in search of these incredible mushrooms. In future posts we will be learning more about fungi, including its biology, characteristics for proper identification, the best places to locate mushrooms, and much more. Until then, I’ll see you on the trail!
Some other signs of Summer…
There are beautiful blue daisies on the side of the road, vegetable gardens and herbs looking like they are going to produce fruit soon, fireflies lighting up the night, cicada shell treasure hunts and endless lawns to mow.
In terms of conservation and other foraging efforts going on, you can see a number of baby cedars poking out through the tops of the fields.
We have an invasive patch of Mugwort on the edge of our property - closest to the view that Longview Farm is named for. Mugwort is delicious in teas, and it's easy to dry, and you can just throw it in some hot or cold water or add lemon.
Mugwort makes a yummy tea that is purported to relieve stress and give you vivid dreams!
Workshop Reminder!
Before I go, I want to remind you to check out our July workshops. There is still time to sign up for these workshops — on July 23rd and 26th.
Reception of “Kami” by Kiya Nicole
Finally, I want to congratulate Kiya Nicole for her successful opening of the three-generational art exhibit that is in the gallery right now called "Kami: Interpreting the Beauty of Nature Through 3 Generations."
Your next chance to see the show is at one of the workshops, Sunday Open Hours from 12 to 3pm, or 1st Saturday Live Music on August 2nd from 5 to 8pm.
You can look forward to another exciting week of Longview Alive with Aaron and me. Until next time!
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