Chance to try cultivated cyans...

[null24]

Whaaat!?! Cyans in the summer!?!

A FOAF who I'm told is extremely talented has apparently learned to pull off a psuedo-indo grow of ps. cyanescens and I've been fortunate to receive a sample to assess.

I'm posting this because I've seen questions here before about cultivated cysns, and their relative potency to wilds. My source who is acclimated said a gram and a half was equal to an 8th of his penis envy strain, and more visual, x which is in line with my experience with hunted specimens.

I'll let y'all know how it goes in the interest of science.

Oh, we also intend to try smoking some rue extract at the peak if we remember to, so that'll be even more data...

A couple weeks ago my city was introduced to dockless pay to ride electric scooters, and we may rent a couple to do some electrified electric scootering... Wish us happy trails...woot!

 

[benzyme]

gonna try the same, but I don't have favorable substrate

I have several means of analysis...

 

[null24]

gonna try the same, but I don't have favorable substrate

I have several means of analysis...

This truly is a friend of a friend and i don't know the particulars of what he's doing. But I'm intensely curious! My contact tells me they are interested in exchanging some knowledge, so...thanks for the knowledge.

From what i know, they spawned onto cardboard, and sandwiches it between alder wood chips. I don't know if they did anything to the cardboard.

I have no idea how this was pulled off, i called it a psuedo-indo because fwiu it's in a shed that has no internal air control. This is the hottest summer by a looong stretch I've seen in NW Oregon in 30 years so I'm stumped on this.

But they are definitely cyans, and they were harvested last week in PDX...

They are in the teapot simmering at this moment.

Excited...

EDIT: okay, now I'm a little weirded out. Inspecting the dry specimens, i don't see any bruising, at all. I saved four from the tea i made, and do think there was some blueing at the base of some, but think it's strange that these ones have none. My camera sucks, but I'll attach a pic.

 

[downwardsfromzero]

Cyans in August is entirely possible. I know this to be the case.

The damp cardboard cloning method definitely works. Suitable substrates include just about any non-resinous hardwood. Birch, ash, oak, hazel, maple and beech all work as well. I've seen the mycelium start to colonise well-weathered pieces of Norway spruce, even.

Those dried specimens don't look right, however. Do you have a pic of the fresh specimens?

Attached pic shows fruiting of P. ovoideocystidiata in late August. Alas, I'm unable to locate any pic of the August p. cyanescens fruiting. I missed most of it while away travelling.

 

[Loveall]

Hi null24, how was the tea you made? I hope it all went well.

 

[null24]

Those dried specimens don't look right, however.

No, they don't do they? They look very similar in size and shape to "wild" specimens if collected, but the lack of blueing and the stem coloration disturbs me. The stems seem too red.

I was tired last night after work, and chopped up the majority and made tea. I kept the ones there for a couple microdoses later. I do recall that the ones in the tea did have some blue at the stem butts.

The specimens all looked like they were not clipped from the substrate and had some substrate attached that looked white and stringy- cardboard fiber?

I'm only familiar with specimens I've collected hunting in the fall around here, and it's impossible not to cause major blue bruises on those. Caps and stems will look black they get so dark (i know that some poison species do bruise black, not mistaking that) and you can watch it happen.

These are too...not bruised. I'm weirded out on eating them. Went on chat last night to talk to folks about it, still not very resolved on the issue.

I plan to contact the source this morning and question him on it. Being a generally untrusting and suspicious person, I'm afraid they may be experiencing a relapse on one or another of their drugs of addiction. Christ, that would be worse than bad if that's the case.

Hi null24, how was the tea you made? I hope it all went well.

Well we aren't even scheduled yet, it's supposed to take place this afternoon.

I have this thing, where if i announce anyanything prior to it actually occurring, that act seems to jinx it. As you can see we have a problem. As a harm reduction advocate, I'd advise AGAINST eating those. We are proceeding, or not, with high caution and seeking more info. Staytuned.

I know this grow is real, and a thing, and i have sourced very good cubes through the same channel. The info I've gotten from that person, who knows little about production, indicates to me that the person doing it is professional. The cubes from them have also been in very good condition, closed veils and little to no bruising.

I've just never seem a cyan with none.

EDIT: There was a day when my motto was "F it" but these days I'm a little more cautious. I've asked to meet the grower before i take these. Now to get the truth. I'm tempted to send in the specimens i have left to test.

 

[Loveall]

My vote is that if there is any doubt don't proceed until you can clarify.

 

[downwardsfromzero]

One thing I've found is that cyanescens smell yeasty even when dried. Hope this helps, although I'm the wrong side of the pond so who knows?

 

[null24]

They do have that smell, but that is not a good indicator. Galerinas do too.

After talking to my friend, he says they are something called " golden pietrys"???

He knows a lot about gourmet cooking but isn't the mycologist. It's his friend that cultivates and he's been telling me all about the operation from the get-go when his friend got the shed going. And that person is knowledgeable just judging by the second hand info I've gotten. I've also sampled a couple cube varieties of theirs that were beautifully processed. But still bruised. I can tell my friend is translating the information he is getting to me as he frequently misremembers words etc.

I do trust the guy, it's just that i know what I'm capable of if i was relapsing and do know that he has access to his DOCs, which are heroin and meth at his home, and is under a ton of stress. We are friends through the recovery program that we mutually attend and I've seen him struggle with his sobriety for years.

So... Golden Pietry anyone? Has anybody heard of theseor something that sounds like it. And no he said he knows the difference between teachers and they are definitely not that.

Kinda bummed. So close to season...

I really appreciate the help from the community on this, helps making decisions with support. As stands, i am suspending but not aborting entirel until further data comes in.

Another question- how long do y'all think the tea will last before it gets contaminated itself? It's just water, mushroom bodies and some honey. Filtered out the solid bits and separated. There is some milkiness in the tea, and it's color is very brown with no hint of blue. Tea usually has a blueish cast in certain light, this doesn't.

The final word as of now?AAAAUUURRRRGGGHHHH!

That and hunt and grow yourself, know and trust your source 100%

 

[jbark]

Freeze the tea till ya know.

JBArk

 

[downwardsfromzero]

hunt and grow yourself, know and trust your source 100%

Basically this, innit? :!: :?

Given the potential for disaster with what the mushrooms could be, it's best just to leave it this time.

If you can do some microscopy with the remaining specimens, all the better.

 

[dreamer042]

You could evap a bit of your tea onto a plate and hit it with some ehrlichs reagent to see if any indole alkaloids are present.

 

[null24]

You could evap a bit of your tea onto a plate and hit it with some ehrlichs reagent to see if any indole alkaloids are present.

I didn't know that was possible. I don't have any reagent available, but that is good to know.

The above advice remains applicable and solid, but it's been determined that these are indeed psychoactive and produce no ill effects. Still have no idea what the strain is, if there indeed strains of ps. cyanescens. It was called "golden pietries" or something in text...?

Took a pic of the matter from the tea, which i had chopped finely with scissors and it indeed is blue and there are bits of visible perlite. My cam sucks so i haven't bothered posting, it's blurry close up the color is off so it does no good.

So far, I've only taken a shot glass of the tea, which was quite tasty actually cold (no lemon, just tap H2O, honey, 3 grams shrooms simmered low heat covered 50 minutes, reduced by 1/2 to ~100ml),30 minutes ago and feel pleasant mild effects. Now that the weekend is shot, i am hoping the tea stays good until the next.

The take-away for me from those whole embarrassing thing is:

1. Again, growing your own, or, if you live in an area that supports them (& you likely do unless you're in a desert), learning how to identify and hunt your own in season is the best way to source mushrooms.

2. If that's impossible, 100% know and trust your source, and that should be a cultivator with whom you have a good relationship.

3. And personally, don't jinx an event by pre-announcement.
(No, I'm not superstitious!):thumb_up:

Eventually, the report will find its way here. Thanks all for the support, advice and assistance! That's why I'm here!:thumb_up:

 

[jamie]

The stem color, lack of bruising..and out of season(it's been very hot and dry in the PNW) leads me to some level of doubt, but not enough to claim they are not cyans either. Ive seen them not blue much.

 

[dragonrider]

I think one of the reasons why liberty caps are a much more popular species among mushroomhunters, is that there are no deadly look-alikes.

Oh, man...how many times have i stood in intense doubt in front of abunch of mushrooms, thinking "could these be cyanescens?". Statistically i should have been right at least a couple of times. But then again, if i would have eaten them all, i also should have died at least once...statistically speaking.

 

[downwardsfromzero]

bits of visible perlite

With this and the photos it seems as likely that you got some straightforward cubensis.

A test to definitively exclude Amatoxins and similar would be reassuring. No simple reagent test springs to mind so having plenty of milk thistle to hand would be prudent, IMHO.

 

[null24]

The stem color, lack of bruising..and out of season(it's been very hot and dry in the PNW) leads me to some level of doubt, but not enough to claim they are not cyans either. Ive seen them not blue much.

I'm in Oregon, and yes it's been a nasty one. We've been breathing all the smoke from fires up near you, Jamie, making our air worse than Beijing's in Portland! I'd agree with you except they were not wild specimens. I have determined they are psychoactive, but since i chipped away at the small supply have decided to micro dose with them over this week.

likely that you got some straightforward cubensis.

I'm going to call them cyans. I think the lack of blueing has to do with the fact they are cultivated. Cyans are very morphologically distinct from cubes, and although dry, these indeed perfectly (other than blueing-which was observed in the bits retrieved from the tea) match specimens I've found outdoors locally.

EDIT: the ongoing saga: a pic sent viatext said to be taken last night- it's like one of those pictures of Bigfoot or a UFO, but there you go. Arranging a meet-and-visit...