In so many ways, this has been the year of the mushroom for us. We successfully began growing our own mushrooms this year, and then it rained, and rained, and rained all summer. Not so great for the garden, but amazing for mushroom hunting and harvesting.
If you have a mushroom lover on your list, here are some great ideas for gift giving.
Mushroom Growing Kits
Spray and Grow Kits from North Spore couldn’t be easier. I used a kit to grow amazingly delicious Lion’s Mane mushrooms and got 5 flushes from one kit.
Other Mushroom Growing Kits
Besides Lion’s Mane, kits to grow Oyster Mushrooms are also available:
Log Mushroom Kits
And North Spore also carries log mushroom kits in an even greater variety of mushrooms:
Mushroom Growing Books
Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms by Paul Stamets – this is the definitive guide for the serious mushroom grower, written by the world’s foremost mycologist.
Growing Mushrooms for Beginners by Sarah Dalziel-Kirchhevel – a really nice book for beginners. I used the technique I learned in this book to grow oyster mushrooms on toilet paper. My book review is found here.
Other Gifts for Mushroom Lovers
This beautiful t-shirt with colorful mushrooms will really be appreciated by the mushroom forager on your list.
This is the folding mushroom knife we use; the brush comes in handy for cleaning the mushrooms in the field.
Every mushroom forager needs a bag for collecting. This set of drawstring bags are made of cotton canvas, and are washable.
I love this ceramic mug with vintage mushroom illustrations. It will become a favorite of your mushroom lover.
Old World glass ornaments are always cherished and how much more so when the handblown glass is a morel mushroom.
Dried, wild morel mushrooms are a wonderful delicacy, and make an amazing gift from nature.
Mushroom Cacao Mix from Four Sigmatic is a soothing bedtime treat and a great stocking stuffer!
The tapestry wall hanging of a vintage mushroom poster will be a beautiful addition to your mushroom lovers decor.
Mushroom Identification Books
The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mushrooms is a comprehensive guide to mushrooms of North America. It includes detailed physical descriptions, range, edibility, look-alikes, and more.
A field guide to mushrooms specific to your area is a very helpful tool, especially for beginner foragers. Mushrooms of the Northeast, Mushrooms of the Northwest, and Mushrooms of the Midwest are all highly recommended.
