The forests of Belarus are rich in natural gifts. The region’s unique climatic conditions will allow lovers of quiet hunting to find a huge number of different types of mushrooms. To prevent the results of a walk in the forest from becoming dangerous, you need to be able to distinguish poisonous from beneficial species.
The first edible mushrooms begin to be collected in March, but everything depends on the weather and the characteristics of the onset of warm days, the amount of precipitation and other natural phenomena. The collection is completed in late autumn, when cold days and frosts set in.
Where and how to pick mushrooms in Belarus (video)
Mushroom places in Belarus
Most of the mushroom lands are located near Minsk and Vitebsk. The most popular mushroom places:
- Logoischina (Vitebsk direction, forests between the city of Logoisk and the village of Pleschenitsa);
- Khatyn forest area;
- Ilya village;
- Village Stolbtsy;
- Talka station.
Maps of the republic offer developed routes for mushroom pickers. You don’t have to travel far from your place of residence; most mushrooms are found everywhere. Belarus is a territory of mushroom meadows and numerous varieties of useful forest products.
The first edible mushrooms in Belarus begin to be collected in March
Gallery: mushrooms of Belarus (25 photos)
Names and descriptions of edible mushrooms in Belarus
Healthy types of mushrooms have excellent taste characteristics. They are classified in the first category in terms of nutritional components.
Porcini
Another name is boletus. Grows in bright sunny meadows. You can find a tasty variety in birch groves, in small hollows, along forest roads and trails. The leg is voluminous, the shape of the base is cylindrical, the color is white, sometimes you can see brownish veins. The hat is dense and massive, its surface is similar to velvety fabric. The color depends on the growing conditions and the type of soil. It can be white and dark brown. The pulp does not change after collection and remains white and dense. Mushrooms love to hide under moss, so any forest lover will be delighted with this find.
Chanterelles
Small fruits grow in families. Therefore, collecting them is always a joy; one find is enough for a good dish for a large family. The variety can be found in deciduous and mixed types of forests. Chanterelles begin to appear in June and finish growing in September. They got their name because of their bright red color, similar to the cunning forest dweller. Hats rarely have the correct shape. More often they are twisted, wrapped, twisted with a wave. The lower surface has folds in the form of plates. The rare color and shape distinguish the variety and make it impossible to make a mistake.
Oiler (summer or grainy)
Large groups are found along roadsides. Butterfly grows in families, small fruits gather around large ones. It is impossible to count the number of one family; there can be 3 or 30 of them. In harvest years, one group unites with another; these are no longer families, but towns of edible gifts. Small hats from 2 cm, large ones – up to 10 cm . The surface is slimy, the skin is easily removed, a bright yellow or yellow-brown surface appears underneath.
Old mushrooms turn green and lose density. The flesh of the cap also has a yellow tint. The leg is thick, shortened, its surface is granular. This is where one of the names of the oiler comes from. The stems and tubes of the cap produce droplets, so when the oiler is collected, they feel the moisture.
Oiler (summer or grainy)
Green moss
The name suggests the place where the first mushroom varieties appeared - moss. Experienced foresters say that moss mushrooms grow next to anthills. The smell is reminiscent of forest fruits. The taste characteristics are not high; mushrooms are often taken if there are no varieties with higher nutritional qualities. The cap is brown with a hint of green, the tubes on the inner surface are the same or have a yellow tone. The leg gives off red. Dense gifts have a pleasant mushroom taste.
boletus
The variety has many popular names: obabok, berezovik, blackhead. The mushroom is loved by most gourmets, which is why it has so many names; it is collected by all visitors to the forest. It can grow in swamps, birch groves, and glades. They prefer to appear along forest paths and edges. They are often found among young birch trees.
boletus
Boletus
The edible trumpet variety is a forest visitor's dream. Red caps can be seen from afar. They delight mushroom pickers; hunting for boletus mushrooms is comparable to fairy tales. That is why the red boletus is the hero of many magical stories. The cap is dense and white on sections. The taste characteristics are excellent in the cap and stem. . Redheads can reach enormous sizes, head diameter up to 50 cm, such giants rarely retain their nutritional properties. Small and medium-sized mushrooms are most often collected.
Boletus
Polish
It is part of the moss fly family, but differs in appearance and taste. It is often confused with porcini mushroom, the difference is in the pulp. When cut, it changes color and turns blue. The hat is similar in color to chocolate. The tubes of the lower part are green-yellow; when pressure is applied to the inner surface, it turns blue. The legs are tall, narrow and light.
Ryzhik. This variety has a rich history. It decorated the tables of royal families and ordinary villagers. The hat has a plate shape. The beautiful color is clearly visible in the grass: orange circles turning into red and pink. Concentric shapes on the surface are clearly visible. Drops of orange juice are visible on the cut. Mushrooms are suitable for various recipes: pickling, boiling, frying. A special dish is saffron milk cap on a spit.
How to choose an edible mushroom in the forest (video)
Poisonous and inedible types of mushrooms in Belarus
In the republic, you can also pick up dangerous mushrooms by mistake; they can lead to severe poisoning of the body, intoxication and death. Such natural formations are divided into two groups: inedible and poisonous. The latter are more dangerous. They cause death and severe illness. Hallucinogenic varieties growing in the forests of Belarus will lead to terrible damage to the body; it is better to avoid them.
Inedible varieties
- Gall. Externally similar to boletus. They are distinguished by the type of tubes and the shape of the cap. The skin is covered with fluff, which gradually disappears and the surface becomes smooth. The variety has no odor. The pulp is pink and bitter. A dark mesh appears on the cut.
- False chanterelles. They can be distinguished from real ones by the shape of the cap, especially along its edges. They are smooth and clear. Edible ones have ruffled edges. Pests are very fond of false mushrooms; worms eat away the pulp of inedible ones, as they do not do with real varieties.
- Lines. The body of the varieties is similar to that of a peeled walnut. The same incomprehensible protruding surfaces, crumpled and compressed into a single head. The hats stand on short stems, hollow and covered with wrinkles. The color of the skin varies, it ranges between yellow, red with various shades.
- Peppery. The mushroom can be confused with an oil can. The rounded shape of the cap, the pulp, the stem - everything almost completely coincides with the appearance of the edible variety. The difference is that the skin is not removed from the surface and is completely fused with the body of the mushroom. The taste is reminiscent of pepper, hence the name.
Poisonous species
- Death cap. Dangerous variety of lamellar type. Inexperienced forest lovers confuse it with russula and champignons. The caps change color and can be pale green or gray. The surface of the upper part is convex and stretched. Toadstool has no smell or taste. The length of the leg reaches 16 cm; under the cap there are rings that gradually disappear.
- False or false foam. The upper part is bell-shaped, gradually widens and becomes flat. Dangerous varieties do not have a skirt under the cap. The taste is bitter and unpleasant, the smell is the same. The somewhat poisonous variety differs in color: yellow with red or orange, the end of the cap is lighter, darker towards the center.
- Fly agaric. Red hats, known from pictures in children's books, attract children. Especially dangerous are those that emerged from the ground without white spots. They are confused with redheads and russulas. It is important to look under your head. There are plates that are characteristic of toadstools. Mushrooms can be very large, far visible among the grass.
One of the main topics of September is mushrooms. Hundreds of photographs and social networks testify to the unprecedented boletus harvest. And if lovers of quiet hunting enjoy picking mushrooms, then doctors and rescuers are on guard. During this period, people can get lost in the forests, and mushroom poisoning has also been reported. Victoria Potonya I asked how the mushroom season is going in the Brest region.
Vyacheslav Sobatovich, a mushroom picker with 40 years of experience, finds mushrooms almost with his eyes closed. As a rural person and a forestry worker, he knows mushroom places well. He goes on a quiet hunt rather for the sake of excitement. Preference is given to the quality of trophies.
September turned out to be generous for mushrooms. Only the lazy didn't collect them. For some mushroom pickers, this is an opportunity to earn extra money. Some are sold near the highway, others are taken to the market or handed over to procurement points organized by the regional consumer cooperation.
Mushrooms grow all year round at this enterprise near Brest. It is the largest champignon grower in the CIS. A resident of a free economic zone with Belarusian-English investments is constantly expanding its area and production volumes. The lion's share of the delicate product is exported to Russia.
Champignons are not picky mushrooms. They grow on compost with peat and ripen in 2 weeks under a certain microclimate: a temperature of about 20 degrees and high humidity. Automatic watering is provided so that the mushroom grows by leaps and bounds.
The company is convinced that growing champignons is profitable. More than 6 hundred tons of fresh mushrooms are received per month. In the workshops, the product is collected using Western technologies, thinned and packaged. It is planned to increase volumes; a new workshop is being built here. Additional jobs will appear next year.
And if at the enterprise the mushroom year is endless, then the forest pleases with its gifts seasonally. Now there is the so-called third wave of mushroom picking. The longest. And here rescuers and doctors are ready. People often get lost in the forest and cannot find their way home on their own. According to epidemiologists, at the height of the mushroom season in the region, cases of tick bites and mushroom poisoning have become more frequent.
This year, many Belarusians broke their own records for collecting and storing mushrooms. On the pages of social networks and in news feeds there are many photos of giant mushrooms and huge baskets with forest gifts. According to experts, the mushroom season in Belarus will last until mid-October.
www.tvr.by
WHAT WHAT?
The validity of these words is confirmed by the large supply of mushrooms in the markets. So, at the central market in the regional center, many traders offer to purchase them. However, the prices can hardly be called democratic.
The king of mushrooms - boletus - is in the lead by a wide margin: per kilogram of white mushrooms they ask for 20-25 rubles. Although if you bargain, you can get 15 rubles each.
- And what do you want? – the sellers ask. – The price is dictated by the market. The mushrooms are good, not wormy, collected in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Small and neat ones cost 25 rubles, and less presentable ones - for drying or frying - can be sold for a tenner. Those who buy in bulk will receive a discount. Thus, a basket of peeled boletus recently sold for 2.5 rubles, and saffron milk caps sold for 8 rubles per kilo.
The price also includes boletus and boletus mushrooms. For a basket of “krasnyuks” they ask for 15 rubles, but after bargaining they agree to pay for 10. There are also chanterelles on the market: on average, a liter jar costs from 2 to 3 rubles. And the cheapest ones are boletus: about 3 rubles per kilogram.
RADIATION - UNDER CONTROL
Products sold on the market must be tested. Traders bring the mushrooms they plan to sell to the laboratory, where specialists select specimens for radiation control. Recently, there has been an increase in such work at the central market.
“As the mushroom season began, the number of samples increased, sometimes reaching 20-30 per day,” Tamara Kudravets, head of the veterinary and sanitary examination laboratory, explained to ZARYA.BY. – A variety of mushrooms are brought to us: porcini, boletus, boletus, boletus, chanterelle... Mainly from Pruzhansky, Brest regions, Belovezhskaya Pushcha. We test them for radioactive cesium-137. The norm should be 370 becquerels per kilogram. This season, its excess has not yet been recorded. Only in two cases were the highest indicators observed: 276 Bq/kg was shown by mushrooms collected, according to the seller, in the Kobrin region, and 231 Bq/kg from the Kamenets region. However, these figures are within the normal range, and in other samples the figures are low. Therefore, you can safely buy mushrooms in our market.
DELIVERY TO COOPERATION
However, mushrooms are also accepted from the population at procurement points of the regional consumer union. True, prices for this type of product are lower here than on the market. As a rule, people harvest the first mushrooms for themselves and only then go to cooperators or to the market.
“This year the situation is clearly better than last year, when there were very few mushrooms,” explains Valery Kapitanchik, head of the procurement department of the Brest Regional Consumer Union. – Now people are gradually catching up, procurement is underway in Ivatsevichi, Baranovichi, Pruzhansky, Ivanovo, Kamenets district... Purchasing prices in each of them may differ, but in general we recommend the following. 1st grade porcini mushrooms - 4-8 rubles, 2nd grade - 2-3 rubles, 3rd grade and other mushrooms - up to 1 ruble per kg.
A source of information: Nikolay YARMOSHUK, photo by Valery KOROL - “Zarya”.
Last news:
brestcity.com
On the morning of July 18, the BG correspondent went to the “collective farm” to check if mushrooms had appeared on the market. And indeed, among the shopping arcades, a couple of points with chanterelles were found.
On one of the counters there were chanterelles at a price of 3 rubles per liter. According to a seller from the village of Semisosny, Brest region, there are not many mushrooms in the forest now. If you come very early, you can still find something. And so it’s empty, there are no porcini mushrooms at all. At least in their area.
Pruzhany chanterelles at the Brest Market were sold a little more expensive - 4 rubles per liter jar.
Well, the most expensive chanterelles that we found on Wednesday at the “collective farm” were from the Bulkovo forests; they cost 5 rubles per liter.
Other mushrooms in the forests in Bulkovo, according to the woman who sold the chanterelles, are also difficult to find. Last time she collected only 5 white ones. Recent downpours are to blame for everything: the mushroom litter floats, and its harvest disappears, the woman believes.
A year ago, during our “raid,” there were quite a lot of chanterelles on the “collective farm.” The price of a liter jar varied from 3.5 to 5 rubles. Most often they asked for 4 rubles per liter, and 2 for a half-liter jar. They also sold other mushrooms. Although traders noted that there were almost no mushrooms in the forest due to unstable weather.
Read also: The Ministry of Forestry reminded about the rules for collecting mushrooms and berries
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Most likely, this year's yield will be high. It has been noted that the most mushrooms are usually found in the Vitebsk and Minsk regions. We present to your attention several places where you won’t leave without a basket of mushrooms.
Mushrooms near Minsk
Avid hunters often choose long-distance routes. After all, it is believed that the further you go, the more mushrooms you will collect. In fact, you don't really need to travel very far. There are no fewer mushrooms in the Minsk forests than in other forests of Belarus.
Map of mushroom places
Logoischina
Everywhere, various mushrooms are accepted by procurers: boletus, boletus, boletus, fly mushroom, boletus, honey mushroom, russula, chicken. But the most commercial mushrooms are chanterelles. Thanks to this, an amateur mushroom picker who knows the area can earn very good money during the season.
If you have a personal car, then the best decision would be to go to the forests, which are located in the Vitebsk direction along the highway (from Logoisk to the village of Pleshchenitsy). There are a lot of mushroom places there. It is best to go to villages such as Molodi (located at the 9th kilometer), Mostishche, Aleshniki (at the 12th kilometer), Krokva (at the 19th kilometer), Pogrebishche, Takovshchina (at the 21st kilometer).
If you don’t have your own personal transport, then, if necessary, you can use public transport. The train does not go to these places. You can only get there by bus, which doesn’t run that often. The most popular route is the Logoisk-Ugly-Shvaby bus route (to Zembin). But during the high season there are sometimes not enough places.
This place near Minsk can be called one of the most mushroom places. The continuous huge forest between Logoisk, Pleshchenitsy and Zembin stretches for many tens of kilometers. These forests are located in such a way that you can find a wide variety of mushrooms in them.
Vileyshchyna. Ilya village
Boletus, common chanterelle... The car route will be more comfortable. We drive to the village of Ilya from Minsk, focusing on the recreation center “Economist” (from the educational establishment “BSEU”). Here are the most mushroom places. You don’t even have to get to the Economist, because the forest in these places is very large.
Columns
In Stolbtsy, mushroom pickers will find many noble specimens of mushrooms (chanterelles, boletuses, boletuses, boletuses, autumn mushrooms). A reference point for the places where they gather can be called a tourist center called “Vysoky Bereg”. You can get here by personal transport, by bus, and by train. By car you will have to drive along the highway towards Brest, turning at Stolbtsy to the village of Nikolaevshchina. Buses and trains run in the Brest direction from Minsk. Stolbtsovshchina pleases the eye with its picturesque nature. In addition, it is the birthplace of Yakub Kolas.
Talc
This mushroom route is more suitable for those who like to walk, as it can take 5-20 kilometers. Mushroom pickers must be prepared physically and spiritually for such a road. By commuter train from Minsk you need to get to the Talka station, in the direction of the train, go through the village, go through a small field, go into the forest, pass the summer cottages, a large field, follow the river to a small bridge, cross it to the other side, go into forest... And you can start picking mushrooms.
If you're not sure, don't put the mushroom in your basket.
Of course, you should only eat mushrooms that you know well. Otherwise, it will cost you more. Is it scary to go alone and accidentally cut off a toadstool? There is a way out - “silent hunting”. Minsk agricultural estates, which are located in picturesque forests, welcome guests in Belarus. There are a lot of mushrooms there. The owner of the house agrees with you in advance and becomes a companion in the difficult task of picking mushrooms. After long walks through the forest, you will also have the opportunity to relax in the estate: soak in the bathhouse, enjoy delicious kebabs, cook fresh mushroom soup.
If you go into the forest alone, take with you everything you need so as not to get lost: mobile phone, compass, matches, knife, something for a snack. Be sure to tell your friends and family how long and where you went. This will make it possible to begin searching if you do not return at the appointed time.
Mushroom dishes are very tasty, but they are heavy. For example, young boletus mushrooms are much healthier than onions and carrots. When dried, they will be higher in calories than eggs and boiled sausage. But giving mushrooms to children under the age of seven is strictly not recommended. This is because their body contains an enzyme that breaks down mushroom protein. Naturally, everyone decides for themselves whether to look for their favorite mushrooms in the thickets or buy champignons in supermarkets... The choice is only yours.
Most likely, this year's yield will be high. It has been noted that the most mushrooms are usually found in the Vitebsk and Minsk regions. We present to your attention several places where you won’t leave without a basket of mushrooms.
Mushrooms near Minsk
Avid hunters often choose long-distance routes. After all, it is believed that the further you go, the more mushrooms you will collect. In fact, you don't really need to travel very far. There are no fewer mushrooms in the Minsk forests than in other forests of Belarus.
Map of mushroom places
Logoischina
Everywhere, various mushrooms are accepted by procurers: boletus, boletus, boletus, fly mushroom, boletus, honey mushroom, russula, chicken. But the most commercial mushrooms are chanterelles. Thanks to this, an amateur mushroom picker who knows the area can earn very good money during the season.
If you have a personal car, then the best decision would be to go to the forests, which are located in the Vitebsk direction along the highway (from Logoisk to the village of Pleshchenitsy). There are a lot of mushroom places there. It is best to go to villages such as Molodi (located at the 9th kilometer), Mostishche, Aleshniki (at the 12th kilometer), Krokva (at the 19th kilometer), Pogrebishche, Takovshchina (at the 21st kilometer).
If you don’t have your own personal transport, then, if necessary, you can use public transport. The train does not go to these places. You can only get there by bus, which doesn’t run that often. The most popular route is the Logoisk-Ugly-Shvaby bus route (to Zembin). But during the high season there are sometimes not enough places.
This place near Minsk can be called one of the most mushroom places. The continuous huge forest between Logoisk, Pleshchenitsy and Zembin stretches for many tens of kilometers. These forests are located in such a way that you can find a wide variety of mushrooms in them.
Vileyshchyna. Ilya village
Boletus, common chanterelle... The car route will be more comfortable. We drive to the village of Ilya from Minsk, focusing on the recreation center “Economist” (from the educational establishment “BSEU”). Here are the most mushroom places. You don’t even have to get to the Economist, because the forest in these places is very large.
Columns
In Stolbtsy, mushroom pickers will find many noble specimens of mushrooms (chanterelles, boletuses, boletuses, boletuses, autumn mushrooms). A reference point for the places where they gather can be called a tourist center called “Vysoky Bereg”. You can get here by personal transport, by bus, and by train. By car you will have to drive along the highway towards Brest, turning at Stolbtsy to the village of Nikolaevshchina. Buses and trains run in the Brest direction from Minsk. Stolbtsovshchina pleases the eye with its picturesque nature. In addition, it is the birthplace of Yakub Kolas.
Talc
This mushroom route is more suitable for those who like to walk, as it can take 5-20 kilometers. Mushroom pickers must be prepared physically and spiritually for such a road. By commuter train from Minsk you need to get to the Talka station, in the direction of the train, go through the village, go through a small field, go into the forest, pass the summer cottages, a large field, follow the river to a small bridge, cross it to the other side, go into forest... And you can start picking mushrooms.
If you're not sure, don't put the mushroom in your basket.
Of course, you should only eat mushrooms that you know well. Otherwise, it will cost you more. Is it scary to go alone and accidentally cut off a toadstool? There is a way out - “silent hunting”. In Belarus, Minsk hosts guests, which are located in picturesque forests. There are a lot of mushrooms there. The owner of the house agrees with you in advance and becomes a companion in the difficult task of picking mushrooms. After long walks through the forest, you will also have the opportunity to relax in the estate: soak in the bathhouse, enjoy delicious kebabs, cook fresh mushroom soup.
If you go into the forest alone, take with you everything you need so as not to get lost: mobile phone, compass, matches, knife, something for a snack. Be sure to tell your friends and family how long and where you went. This will make it possible to begin searching if you do not return at the appointed time.
Mushroom dishes are very tasty, but they are heavy. For example, young boletus mushrooms are much healthier than onions and carrots. When dried, they will be higher in calories than eggs and boiled sausage. But giving mushrooms to children under the age of seven is strictly not recommended. This is because their body contains an enzyme that breaks down mushroom protein. Naturally, everyone decides for themselves whether to look for their favorite mushrooms in the thickets or buy champignons in supermarkets... The choice is only yours.
A special feature of the Republic of Belarus is the predominance of a temperate continental climate, with warm and humid summers. The mushrooms growing here prefer sod, sod-carbonate and sod-podzolic soils.
The spring mushroom picking season in Belarus begins quite early
The spring mushroom picking season begins quite early. As soon as the leaves appear on the birch tree, that is, already in April or May, it is quite possible to go on a quiet hunt. The most common spring mushrooms are morels and strings called “smarzhki”.
Ordinary stitch
It has a wrinkled and hollow cap with winding folds. Coloring may vary from light brown to dark brown-brown. In the last ten days of March and early April, the fruiting bodies of this variety smell of melted snow or spring streams, but a little later, around May, the mushroom aroma becomes more pronounced and very pleasant. The leg is white or cream-colored, wrinkled and hollow, shortened.
The line is gigantic
Most often found in deciduous forests. Characterized by a larger, lighter beige or slightly beige-yellowish color, less folded cap. The stem of this variety is also shortened, without a pronounced mushroom aroma and taste. Used to make mushroom powders, as well as preparing first and second courses, snacks.
Common morel
It has an irregularly reticulated, ovoid or spherical, hollow cap, the edges of which adhere to a yellowish or gray-brown stem. The mushroom pulp is quite thin and tender, fragile, whitish in color, with a weak aroma. The leg is hollow, cylindrical, whitish or brownish in color, with a powdery coating. IN found on old fire pits and in garden and park areas.
Morel cap
It has a thimble-shaped hat, put on a fairly high leg and attached to it at the very top. The surface is longitudinally wrinkled, yellowish-brown on the outside and whitish on the inside, without a pronounced aroma or taste. The hollow stem is white, waxy, cylindrical in shape, slightly widening at the base. No pre-boiling is used for preparation.
Where to collect chanterelles in Belarus (video)
Names and descriptions of summer mushrooms in Belarus
Comfortable soil and climatic conditions are favorable for the growth and development of many types of edible mushrooms, which, according to their nutritional value, belong to different categories.
White mushroom or boletus
One of the most valuable tubular varieties with a cap having a smooth or slightly wrinkled surface. Young specimens have a convex cap, but as they grow it becomes flatter. The color is light brown, brown or burgundy brown. The pulp is strong and juicy, whitish in color, with a very characteristic mushroom aroma. The legs are quite powerful, cylindrical in shape, with a light beige-brown mesh surface.
Boletus
The cap of the variety is velvety, reddish-orange, relatively large in size, initially convex in shape and slightly straightens as the fungus grows and develops. Young specimens are characterized by density and sufficient elasticity of the pulp, but over time the fruiting body begins to gradually soften. When cut, the boletus pulp quickly turns blue or black., and the pronounced aroma is almost completely absent. The stem of the mushroom is hard, with a grayish-white surface, covered with fibrous whitish or slightly brown scales.
Chanterelles
The cap and leg of the chanterelle form a single fruiting body, the color of which can vary from light yellow to yellowish-orange. This is the most popular variety in Belarus. The cap is smooth, slightly depressed or funnel-shaped, with slightly wavy edges. The pulp is elastic, whitish in color, with an unexpressed fruity odor. The leg has a fibrous type of pulp.
Autumn types of mushrooms in Belarus
During the long autumn period with warm and fairly humid weather, a second wave of growth of edible varieties is often observed.
Honey mushrooms
The variety is characterized by yellowish-brown caps of medium size. Young specimens have bell-shaped caps, which may become prostrate over time. The tall, thin, elastic leg has a film-type ring characteristic of the species, which separates and sags during the growth and development of the fruiting body.
Mosswort
An edible tubular species from the Boletaceae family. It is distinguished by a dry, slightly velvety, sometimes sticky, cracked cap. The pulp is whitish, yellowish or reddish in color, sometimes turning blue when cut. Leg with a smooth or wrinkled surface. Spore powder is brownish in color.
Poisonous mushrooms of Belarus
Not only edible varieties grow abundantly on the territory of the republic, but also a large number of poisonous and deadly species, especially for children and people with poor health.
Death cap
The most dangerous poisonous lamellar species, capable of causing fatal poisoning. Caps with a gray or olive surface, convex or prostrate, with white flesh that is tasteless and odorless. The leg is white, cylindrical, with a characteristic thickening at the base.
False foam
The cap of the mushroom is medium in size, bell-shaped in young specimens, and almost flat in adult, old mushrooms. The main color is reddish-yellow or yellowish-orange, with a darker central part. The stalk is thin and hollow, with a fibrous structure. The ring on the leg is missing, and the yellowish pulp has a bitter taste and unpleasant odor.
Fly agaric red
Fly agaric is easily recognizable thanks to the glossy, bright red cap covered with white dots. Young specimens have a hemispherical cap shape, which becomes concave over time. The stem is cylindrical, white or yellowish in color, with a tuberous thickening at the base.
Thin pig
For a long time, the variety belonged to the category of conditionally edible, but today it is a poisonous mushroom. The cap is fleshy, slightly convex in shape with rolled felt edges, or flat and funnel-shaped. The edges may be drooping, frilled, or straight ribbed, often wavy. In young specimens the surface is olive-brown or olive-brown, while in adults it is grayish-brown or rusty-brown. The flesh darkens when cut. The leg is solid, shortened, matte, smooth, ocher-olive or dirty yellow in color.
Hallucinogenic mushrooms of Belarus
Just a few years ago, it was generally accepted that hallucinogenic mushrooms do not grow on the territory of Belarus and are imported from neighboring states. However, as practice shows, a psychoactive substance called psilocin is found in large quantities in mushrooms belonging to the genus Psilosybe. The appearance of such mushrooms is similar to ordinary toadstools.
The average dose per dose is 6-10 mg and causes euphoria in the user after about a quarter of an hour. Mild euphoria is usually accompanied by changes in visual perception and acoustic sensations. With repeated use, a pronounced but gradual degradation is observed, which forms a painful condition similar in symptoms to schizophrenia.
Also classified as hallucinogenic are: Panaeolus parilionaceus, Panaeolus sphinctrinus, Panaeolus phoenisecii, Sulfur head (Hypholoma syanescens), Inocybe acuta, Gymnopilus juno nius), Mycena pure (Mycena pura) and Dung beetle woodpecker (Corrinus riceus), as well as stinking row (Tricholoma inamoenum) and San Isidro (Psilosybe cubensis).
How to pick mushrooms in Belarus (video)
Places and times of mushroom picking in Belarus
Collection is carried out from early spring until a noticeable fall in temperature. Different species are found not only in well-sunlit edges and lawns in coniferous forests, but also in shaded areas of deciduous and offset forests. Some species grow along roads and on decaying tree stumps. The growth pattern is also different, so fruiting bodies can grow either singly or in random groups, rows or rings.
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Kira Stoletova
Belarus is located in the temperate continental climate zone. Summer and spring in the republic are warm and humid. Therefore, mushrooms from the Minsk region are collected from early spring to late autumn. Some “hunters” manage to collect good harvests in winter, under a layer of snow or on tree trunks.
Main characteristics
Unusual forest organisms number approximately 100,000 species worldwide. There are about 200 of them growing in Belarus, of which 60 are considered edible. All mushrooms near Minsk have their own category, according to the degree of edibility and taste.
- edible;
- conditionally edible;
- inedible;
- poisonous.
The first 2 categories are completely safe for the human body. They are prepared in different ways, and the types that belong to the 1st category (champignons, russula, white mushrooms and mushrooms) are suitable for food without heat treatment.
Conditionally edible and inedible, it is better to pre-soak and rinse several times in running water. All the milky juice will come out with the water and along with it an unpleasant bitterness that can ruin the taste of the finished dish.
Edible species
Minsk forests are rich in berries, medicinal herbs and mushrooms.
Forest mushrooms come in summer, autumn, winter and spring. But still, the best period for a mass gathering is traditionally considered to be the end of August and the beginning of September for these places.
The most popular in the Minsk region:
- underpads;
- white;
- morels;
- boletus;
- chanterelles;
- boletus.
The first to appear from under the snow are morels and strings - their caps are wrinkled, which makes them sharply different from other species. After the May holidays, they are replaced by raincoats.
In early June, the earth begins to warm up. And wet boletus caps appear from under last year’s rotten leaves. They have a colorful look. Their description cannot fail to attract attention. The brownish, smooth and shiny caps of young individuals proudly flaunt on a dense cylindrical stem. The pulp smells pleasant when cut and has a light beige tint. The fracture will not change its color even after an hour.
Representatives of the Polish mushroom species appear in coniferous forests and mixed forests at the end of June. Outwardly they look a little like white ones. Velvety delicate hats attract attention. The leg is thick and yellow when cut. The aroma is strong and pleasant.
Champignons are universal mushrooms; they are good in any form. They bear fruit from June to October. The white caps stand out clearly under the fallen leaves. Under the outer layer of the cap there is a thin film connected to the stem. In older specimens it bursts and separates from the base. The flesh of these forest beauties has a slightly pink tint.
Belarusians deservedly consider porcini mushrooms to be the most valuable, which appear in July and delight their fans until the end of October. Their aroma and taste are unique: bright and strong, completely balanced. Their flesh does not change its color in any form; even when dry, it remains completely white. For this quality, mushrooms received their name, which over time became generally recognized in science.
Saffron milk caps and chanterelles undoubtedly deserve attention. They look attractive. They taste great.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
The fox has its own doubles, but upon closer examination you will notice that the similarity is superficial. First double: false fox. It is characterized by the following points:
- the cap is orange, not yellow;
- the leg is delimited from the cap;
- the edges of the cap are smooth, not wavy;
- the hymenophore is lamellar, not folded;
- the leg is hollow, not solid;
- the flesh is dense, cotton-like (in older ones), and not elastic.
Second double: yellow hedgehog(but here only an extremely inattentive person can confuse it with a fox). Here it is enough to look at the hymenophore - in the chanterelle it is folded, and in the hedgehog it is represented by many spines that are easily separated from the lower surface of the cap.
Mushroom places near Minsk contain about 4 species of honey mushrooms. They are summer and autumn, meadow and field. They always grow up in big families. From one place it is easy to collect more than one full basket and feed them to a good company.
Inedible and poisonous species
Poisonous mushrooms:
- death cap;
- gall fungus;
- red fly agaric;
- false chanterelle;
- false honey;
- poisonous rows and talkers;
- satanic mushroom;
- pepper mushroom.
Pale grebe can cause poisoning, even after ordinary touching. Its toxins are strong and penetrate through the skin into the blood, causing bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and fever. All mushrooms that have been in contact with it automatically become poisonous, they must be thrown away without regret - after all, your life and health are at stake.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Pepper mushroom prefers dry coniferous forests and is found from July to late autumn. It can form mycorrhizae with young birch trees. This type of mushroom is often confused with butter mushrooms - it is not for nothing that its synonym is pepper butterfly. It is distinguished from boletus by:
- taste (bitter, pungent);
- color of the hymenophore: red, but in real butterflies it is yellowish;
- leg: absence of film ring.
The literature often states that pepper butter is “inedible due to its pungent peppery taste.” However, many experienced mushroom pickers believe that:
- You can eat it by adding it to a mushroom dish instead of pepper;
- after prolonged cooking, the unpleasant pungent taste disappears.
Toadstools and false honey mushrooms are often confused with common honey mushrooms. Satanic or bilious is mistaken for noble white. But upon careful examination, the satanic one has a fine black mesh on its stem, and the gall one reveals itself with an unpleasant aroma and a burning taste that does not disappear even after soaking.
Hallucinogenic species
Several species of rare hallucinogenic forest organisms grow on the territory of Belarus:
- paneolus moth (moth moth);
- dung beetle;
- fibre, sharp;
- mycena pure;
- the row is smelly;
- Hymonopylus Juno.
They include the so-called. psychoactive substances that cause nervous system disorders. This substance is psilocin, and with its repeated use, a painful condition occurs, leading to personality degradation and schizophrenia.
Where to look for mushrooms
A map of the Minsk mushroom area indicates that many edible varieties grow along the highway.
- Vitebsk direction: along the highway, 4 km from Logoisk and to the village of Pleshchenitsy there are good clearings with boletus and boletus.
The villages of Mostishche and Aleshniki (12 km from the city) are excellent places for collecting honey mushrooms.
The Logoisk-Ugly-Shvaby bus runs regularly from the bus station. Having reached the agricultural town of Zembin on it, you can harvest a crop of saffron milk caps and chanterelles from the nearby forest. Near the village itself, along the walking paths, you can come across russula and spring morels.
The Khatyn forest traditionally provides rich harvests of various types of forest organisms for those who like to “hunt” in it. Throughout the season, a huge number of lovers of these delicacies come here.
- Vileyshchyna: to the village Ilya, located here, is best reached by car. Mushroom spots are located near the Economist recreation center. This area is characterized by an annual good harvest of russula, value and morels.
- Talkovskoe direction: ideal for hiking; there are a lot of mushrooms here both in summer and autumn. It’s easier to get there by train from the central station and walk through the field to the forest, past the dacha plots, along the river. The interval of such a walk varies from 5 to 20 km. Therefore, good physical preparation will not hurt.
Conclusion
Mushroom picking is a pleasant and rewarding activity. In the forest you need to take a sharp knife, a convenient box or basket, a compass, a supply of water and mosquito protection.