Liberty Caps 2014 - Updated * pics *

[infinitynlove]

Seems like it is the end of the season over here, they have been getting sparse lately and supposedly we see a frost tomorrow. Very happy with this year though.

I’ve hunted a lot over the years and found only a couple(!). Finally last year I managed to find a reasonable amount, with 3.5g (dried), although I didn’t actually ever get to test them! Last year’s crop can’t have been dried out properly, I went to try them a few weeks ago and found a jar full of black dust!! This year I’m not taking any chances and have been using calcium chloride to dry and am also storing them with a big pouch of it.

This year the harvest has been 12.5g dry (not a touch on what you have found infinitynlove!) so it has been nice for me. Next year I will put some more solid work in to foraging. =))

Hey !
Awesome man 12.5 is 4 - 5 decent sessions, you have some fun times ahead

yes the dust thing is horrible, but if you dry them in a food dehydrator but set the temperature to 80f and leave it on for longer to dry them out properly (often missed), then as soon as you turn the dehydrator off place your shrooms inside a jar with a sealable lid, clean the jar with alchol first, then fill the jar with argon wine gas preservative, also add several desiccant packs, cover the jar so they get no light at all. Place in dark cool environment (under stairs in a box is good), and they will keep for decades. You don't have to to freeze em, outside of water and mold, its the oxygen and light that are the biggest cause of degradation, the argon replaces the oxygen and light isnt an issue as they are covered....

We have been so blessed this year, I almost don't want to say how much we have found, I will just say it turned out to be so much more than we ever thought it could be.

Good personal supplies have been kept, rest have been taken in groups or given away, what a year!

Mannnn!!! I drove 3 hours last weekend to the most incredible Liberty Cap spot I have ever seen (in past years) only to find NOTHING!!! Found some Azurescens, and Cyanescens, though! Can't complain!

I'm still super jealous. Nice work infinitynlove. Those are some gorgeous mushrooms.

Hi there

Thank you for the props

We had a wonderful year, so many awesome nights

So sorry you havn't found any liberty caps, props on finding p.cyans and the infamous p.Azurescens, I would love to try Azures for the first time I have tried cyans before but not Azures

Do you by any chance have any pics of your find, I would love to see them

Peace

 

[d*l*b]

Awesome man 12.5 is 4 - 5 decent sessions, you have some fun times ahead

I figure 8 strong doses with MAOI =))

yes the dust thing is horrible, but if you dry them in a food dehydrator but set the temperature to 80f and leave it on for longer to dry them out properly (often missed), then as soon as you turn the dehydrator off place your shrooms inside a jar with a sealable lid, clean the jar with alchol first, then fill the jar with argon wine gas preservative, also add several desiccant packs, cover the jar so they get no light at all. Place in dark cool environment (under stairs in a box is good), and they will keep for decades. You don't have to to freeze em, outside of water and mold, its the oxygen and light that are the biggest cause of degradation, the argon replaces the oxygen and light isnt an issue as they are covered....

Do you think argon is necessary? I was thinking the black dust issue was down to me not drying them properly in the first place, either bacterial, [unwanted ] fungal or larval issues.

This time I dried to cracker dry, left a while longer, then popped in a smallish plastic box (like the kind you get from Indian/Chinese takeaways) in an open plastic bag suspended above a generous amount of calcium chloride kept in a packet made of newspaper.

I have not seen the deterioration to black dust issue before with cubes, but then they never lasted more than 2 or 3 months, and were thoroughly properly dried with calcium chloride. Likewise Amanita musccaria that were thoroughly dried with heat last year still seem to be fine.

I am not sure that the shrooms will manage a year without getting munched this time but am not too up for risking it. I will move to a glass jar in the meantime, at least that can be cleaned with IPA.

 

[Mr.Peabody]

I wish I had taken more pics of the azzies! I thought I had! The spots I found them in were very exposed to lots of peeps, so I didn't hang around too long. I did manage to snap one of a particularly pretty specimen. There's something about those azurescens, they are just so gorgeous. Elegant is a word that suits them.

The second pic is one of my cyan spots.

 

[infinitynlove]

Do you think argon is necessary? I was thinking the black dust issue was down to me not drying them properly in the first place, either bacterial, [unwanted ] fungal or larval issues.

No gas is necessary, but one way actives degrade is via oxidation, replacing the air with argon means that no more oxidation can occur, thus removing one route to reducing the potency of your shrooms

I was thinking the black dust issue was down to me not drying them properly in the first place, either bacterial, [unwanted ] fungal or larval issues.

Yes i agree, that is probably the cause of your shrooms turning to dust, I was just talking in general about the best way to preserve shrooms.

This time I dried to cracker dry, left a while longer, then popped in a smallish plastic box (like the kind you get from Indian/Chinese takeaways) in an open plastic bag suspended above a generous amount of calcium chloride kept in a packet made of newspaper.

Sounds like you dried them nicely! if placed in an airtight jar with some replacement gas, co2, nitrogen, argon etc that will really help preserve them for years to come

I have not seen the deterioration to black dust issue before with cubes, but then they never lasted more than 2 or 3 months, and were thoroughly properly dried with calcium chloride. Likewise Amanita musccaria that were thoroughly dried with heat last year still seem to be fine.

I am not sure that the shrooms will manage a year without getting munched this time but am not too up for risking it. I will move to a glass jar in the meantime, at least that can be cleaned with IPA.

Yeah I have seen shrooms turn to dust over time, but it was always down to mold getting on them and eating them away, usualy to either them not being dry in the first place or they absorbed water from the air after they have dried.... In the past I have even tried to eat the black dust which just made me sick with no effects

The ultimate way to store shrooms is in honey, no degradation or loss of actives for decades!

Peace

 

[infinitynlove]

I wish I had taken more pics of the azzies! I thought I had! The spots I found them in were very exposed to lots of peeps, so I didn't hang around too long. I did manage to snap one of a particularly pretty specimen. There's something about those azurescens, they are just so gorgeous. Elegant is a word that suits them.

The second pic is one of my cyan spots.

Superb pics, great cyan flush! is this a man made bed or just a nice patch one you happened to come across?

Peace

 

[Mr.Peabody]

That spot is sort of natural. It's a wetlands restoration/recreation area. They planted a lot of trees, and threw some wood chips underneath. I have found them growing in the thick grass, but of course they are tearing up those wood chips! About 15 minutes of picking yielded about a pound of freshies! Definitely one of my favorite places to go this time of year.

 

[infinitynlove]

That spot is sort of natural. It's a wetlands restoration/recreation area. They planted a lot of trees, and threw some wood chips underneath. I have found them growing in the thick grass, but of course they are tearing up those wood chips! About 15 minutes of picking yielded about a pound of freshies! Definitely one of my favorite places to go this time of year.

Awsome, they sure look nice, iv not been lucky enough to find any cyans this year

maybe next year!

peace

 

[d*l*b]

I got passed the location of a patch in my hometown by someone who was leaving for other climes. I popped down there, but not being too clued up about the things I was not comfortable with ID and didn’t pick. I will have to do some more reading on IDing and possible look-a-likes. They are supposed to be very common here.

 

[infinitynlove]

I got passed the location of a patch in my hometown by someone who was leaving for other climes. I popped down there, but not being too clued up about the things I was not comfortable with ID and didn’t pick. I will have to do some more reading on IDing and possible look-a-likes. They are supposed to be very common here.

Hi there

p.cyans stain blue really easily so if they stain blue and the spore print is black to brown-purple, and they have wavey caps, then they will be more than likely be cyans.

To take a spore print when out, carry with you some white paper and a small ziplock type bag, place one shroom head on the paper in the bag and let it sit, wait say 10 mins+ if the print is the right color with mushroom staining blue, you are good to go.

Paul Statements stated that there are no known poisonous mushrooms in the world that spore print black to brown-purple and stain blue, so if you find some mushrooms that have the right spore print color and stain blue, even if they are not a cyan they will not be poisonous and will have actives in them.

I hope this helps

Cyan pic attached

Peace

 

[DMTripper]

This season was quite good. Got 140gr. dry lib caps

 

[infinitynlove]

This season was quite good. Got 140gr. dry lib caps

Thats awsome, enough to last you probably till next year !

enjoy

Peace

 

[d*l*b]

Jealous at all these mahoosive harvests! I will have to take some proper time off from sitting behind the screen to hunt next year.

Thanks for the cyan pointers infinity, I will put them to use soon enough!

 

[infinitynlove]

Jealous at all these mahoosive harvests! I will have to take some proper time off from sitting behind the screen to hunt next year.

Thanks for the cyan pointers infinity, I will put them to use soon enough!

hi

Yeah i get like that, but my friends have wanted to go picking more than me this year, so its all really worked out well

Your more than welcome for the advice shame p.cyans are not prolific yet in the uk, but who knows what the future holds

Peace

 

[infinitynlove]

Update *11/11/11*

Hello

Some minor issues, we have had a light frost mid last week, so i was fearing the worst, that is, the season might be over... we did plan to go picking all day, but stuff came up, so I only had 15 mins to spare so I thought why not see if the light frost has ended the season

Thank heavens it hasn't !

but on the three fields we have found 90% of our liberty caps, the farmer has decided to let their cattle graze on our prime spots ... eating up all of the grass and trampling and virtually destroying the ground in all of the fields ...

In 15 mins, I found about 8g wet then I had to go, but there are so many fields that we havnt bothered looking in so there is still hope but our prime fields are probably done for this year ... if the cattle, who have ate up all the grass, are moved onto another field then maybe we could get a last flush, but i am not holding my breath.

3 pics from today, 2 of shrooms growing and 1 of what i found in 15 mins ... not much but there is still time left in the season

Peace

 

[infinitynlove]

Ahh dry days ahead

So hopefully we can find some new fields, determination !

The beauty of liberty caps is they are literally everywhere, but when they are wet they can really blend in but when they are dry they turn white and due to them always being in clusters they stand out like a sore thumb

so hopefully we can get lucky, the quest continues

Peace

 

[infinitynlove]

Update *28/11/11*

Last update, season is over, we have had our frosts and they are almost all gone.

We where able to get one last day of picking in, pics below.

I love liberty caps
Untill next year!

 

[GOD]

I was a profesional ( industrial ) mushroom picker for about 35 years and a grower for about 20 years . I read the thread and these are some notes i made as i read . Maybe they help . I hope so .

@ Panaeolus subbalteatus . They come from very weak to weak and its not worth the time fo me because of that . One time one gets a slight effect and another time nothing at all .

@ Yanking them out of the gound . That unformation comes fom edible mushroom pickers . Those mushrooms are bigger than liberty caps , mostly gow in different areas and have a strong conection to the myceleum . That means that when one yanks them out they rip bits of myceleum with them . I seriously doubt that that makes any real difference to the amount of those mushrooms available .

Liberty caps are not growing on a lump od crap or wood that gets ripped out with them = MIGHT do a little damage to the myceleum .

Picking liberty caps with a pair of scisors is not realistic for anyone other than someone who just wants a few trips . It isnt needed . Liberty caps grow in MASSIVE quantitys . In some fields it would be possible to harvest them with a harvesting machine .

@ Where they grow . Cows and horrses trample them and the myceleum to death . Horse piss kills the fields . You should look for hills and valleys and sheep fields . Cows and horses eat them ........ its wierd watching horses and cows tripping because they have eaten them . Sheep cut the grass down so you dont get wet feet and they eat around the mushrooms .

USUALY but not always they grow on fields that have had no machines on them and also no fertiliser . That means that good fields are often steep .

Its better to go in the afternoon so you dont get wet and cold ...... and by that time the most spores have dropped off .

When you find a good field DONT TELL ANYONE . Most people cant keep thyeir mouths closed and try to buy friends by takeing them with them . I made the mistake ......... and after that the spot had loads of people rapeing them . I know fields that others dont know that have had good amounts of miushooms on them since 1974 . Other fields are good fo one season and then never again .

The mushrooms that you pick on a dry day are better than on wet days . Its easily posible to pick enough that your fingers will be black and you will start to trip . The dry one also dry faster and dont go moldy .

If its windy and the grass is longer its better to pick with the wind in your face = you can see them much better than if the wind is in the other direction .

If you eat a few before you go into a field it can make your vision better .

Rain doesnt realy make a difference to if they grow . They grow where they grow and dew is enough for them to grow .

If you find a good field ook at the trees and see in wich direction they grow = wich way the wind generaly grows and go in that diection to find more .

NEVER go in fields where you ae visible . You ae ttespasing on a famers land and the mushooms belong to him = You are stealing them . Farmers know what they ae and what you are doi ng as it was in the speial pres that farmers read over and over again . I have had a shotgun pointed at me and been threatened with it by a farmer .

@ Psilocybe cyanescens . If you live in an area where they will grow they are the best bet for outdoor culture . They are in my opinion by far the easyest psilocybye mushroom to grow and when they grow they produce MASSIVE harvests . When growing them i only ever sterilised one time . All the other times i didnt . I will post some pictures later . I spent about twenty years looking fo them and didnt find a single one . Then i decided to grow a lot of myceleum and plant it outside in the mid 80s and again in the mid 90s . I put some in compost piles in the city garden department heaps and they kindly spread it though the whole city . Now the whole city is full of them . They grow in every park ....... on the green stripe in the middle of the road outside the court ...... and along the banks of the canals = Free for everyone . Where people know about them only a few grow . In other places one can get enough for oneself and all ones friends for a year in a few hours easy picking .


@ Mushroom picking . NEVER PICK BABY MUSHOOMS AS YOU CANT RELIABLY IDENTIFY THEM .


@ " we where chased out of the field by 2 bulls " ........... Bullocks and not bulls ? Bulls mostly fight with eachother . Bullocks are curious and come and say hello ...... and you have a serious chance of being licked to death .........

@ " cultivating semilanceata indoors " .......... Why ? They grow in masses ....... tons and tons of them .

I've never heard of anyone haveing sucsess gowing them indoors . Outdoors its possible but hard . I used to live in a field in a circus caravan and clean my mushooms on a table in the field . One year they grew under that table = They came from the spores of the mushooms i picked .

@ " The erowid.org psilometric scale of comparative potency of Psilocybe mushrooms shows them being the third most potent psilocybin producing mushroom, i agree! "

Unless its been changed read it again . From what i remeber there are several things to read there and what comes out is that the content is variable but the strongest ones are = to the strength of any others and better than most . Liberty caps can be very strong depending on where they grow and maybe the genetics . There is dispute amongst experts if there are several sub types of Liberty caps . Unfortunately i havent found one that is interested in looking at that subject . The customers response was always clear . The libety caps always went firts . The Cyanescens came after that and the cubensis was always the last ......... probably because they are weaker , the bulk and the asociation with pukeing .

@ " level X? experience "....... Dont want to be rude but that is silly . Different mushrooms and different batches have different quantitys in them and one amount one day can do more or less than the same amount on another day .



@ " 3.5kg fresh " . Thats possible on a good Libey cap field or on a good Cyanescens patch in one day . I can say more about amounts if asked .

@ " whats peoples view on the effects of lib caps over cubensis? " ...... Take the liberty caps . They are strronger and you have less bulk to eat and libety caps are not asociated with pukeing . A tea is easyest on the stomach and comes on faster and clearer ........ because its purer .

@ " Golden Teachers " .......... Thats a trade name . Cubensis are cubensis . Most shops grow and sell different customers who want different " types " the same myceleum under different names . Thats an open secret in the world of profesional mushroom growers . If you think about the logistics of growing and the very small market for mushrooms it is obvious . One sees it on a lot on forums where people are complaining about contamination in grow kits . That often comes because the growers grow a charge and then when it stats to run out they break the cultures up and grow cultures from cultures without doing it in sterile conditions .

@ Different psychedelics do different things . I cant remember where it was but it was about the time leary was doing his thing legaly i read a report that said that when people ae injected with traditional psychedelics they cant tell the difference . The difference comes from expectation and set and setting .

@ WOW !!!!!! ....... Go picking on a clear night at full moon in a sheep field when its dry . They refelct the moonlight ........


@ Blueing reaction . It is NEVER a sign of activity . Some liberty caps dont bruise blue and some non Psilocybie mushrooms do . It is a part indicator when other indications fit .


@ Purges #32 Posted : 01/11/2014 18:20:35 ........ Some of those mushrooms dont look like liberty caps . The bottom one on the first picture for example .

@ Psilocybe Cyanescens and frost .......... I have often seen them with snow on their caps .

@ Drying them ........ on a piece of paper on the top of a cupboard it takes a few days . In a cool dark place with no air they stay potent for years . Psilocybe Cyanescens dont last anywhere near as that . After 4 years noone wanted them .

@ Black spots . Throw them away because it is probably bacteria or mold ..

@ " the farmer has decided to let their cattle graze on our prime spots " ...... Thats what they are advised to do in their magazines if they see people picking mushrooms on their fields .


Comments . thoughts and questions welcome .

 

[infinitynlove]

Hi there

Thank you for your detailed comments, advice and tips.

You mentioned many things there that mean a lot, the bit about farmers putting cattle on the field when we where spotting picking shrooms....

The issue of shrooms being ate by cows and horses but not sheep!!

I LOVED that you put some cyans mycelium in the city compost!!! now they are everywhere!!! thats hilarious !!!

We tried to inoculate a few fields by washing the shrooms and diluting the purple spore water and watering new fields.... hopefully next year ....

Great post, thank you, some great tips there, learnt a lot, i only wish i read this BEFORE this season was over.

Peace