Field Reflection #6 - Mushroom Hike

          Mushrooms. I think of the squeak they make when I bite into them raw. They have that spongy texture and adhere to your teeth. Mushrooms have been an important part of human history, especially the magic mushrooms. Know as the “flesh of the gods”, these mushrooms were used to induce a trance, produce visions and communicate with the gods. Mushrooms demonstrate a great impact on agriculture and the environment, and they have great potential for generating a great socio-economic impact in human welfare on local, national, and global levels.

            Today our natural history class would be hiking through the Dallas-Barnhartvale Nature Park, looking for mushrooms with Dr. Gary Hunt, an expert in mushrooms and a retired professor.

            The class arrived at the main parking lot of the park. We all began to exit vehicles and gather, awaiting further instructions from our professor when Ho! Two large German Shepherds jumped out of a truck parked at a home bordering the park. They galloped towards our group and leaped on whomever was closest, giving kisses anyone who made eye contact. One of the dogs even jumped into two vehicles students were getting out of! An embarrassed owner grabbed the two dogs while apologizing profusely, then dragged the two rascals’ home.

            Everyone settled down after all the excitement and Gary walked over to our scrum from his car. He is a nimble man who looks like he hikes in the woods a lot. He looked very fit, and he has an appearance of intelligence when you look him in the eyes. He wore keen hikers, black hiking pants, and a beige water proof jacket with orange trim. There were two items that he wore besides the basics that really stuck out to me: an oversized MEC fanny pack that he may have bought in the early 90’s, and a grey hat. That grey hat. It reminded me of a mushroom cap! This little mushroom man looked like a mushroom!

We began our walk descending down a hill through the park. Every so often we would stop at some mushrooms and Gary would gingerly bend over and pick a mushroom as if it was a small kitten. He would then explain why it was growing where it was, the mushrooms’ characteristics, and he would tell us the genus, as well as spell it out for us. He took great care in teaching the class about mushrooms, and with great passion as well. To my understanding, and what I understood from Gary is that to pick mushrooms on a daily basis is to be intimately involved in the web of life.