Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets

[snugglekitty]

So, I have now smart-skimmed about 160 pages of this book, and it is just... mindboggling.

Did you know that fungi are an essential part of a healthy forest?
Did you know that a controversial paper published in Nature suggests that slime mold can be used as a model for neural networking?
Did you know that myccorhizae (sp) develop symbiotic relationships with trees, from which both the tree and fungus benefit substantially?
Did you know that mycelium can be used to break down toxic waste, stop soil erosion, bring back forests, and eliminate pests?

Now, I've never been one of those people who are INTO MUSHROOMS, if you know what I mean. I've never ingested hallucinogens of any kind. But I'm starting to wonder about those claims of mushroom intelligence, made by Terence McKenna and others. It seems that fungus is capable of a lot more than I was aware of. I'm so glad I'm reading this book. I think that someday, I'm going to grow mushrooms. Mushrooms to eat, and mushrooms to make my backyard a happy and habitable place.

The most amusing thing I've found out about so far? Specially made chainsaw oil full of psilocybin spores. Cut down a tree, watch a host of magic mushrooms grow in its wake.

Comments

[starphire.livejournal.com]

How in-depth is this book - would you call it a layperson's introduction, or does it go into some biological detail?

Of course deeply symbiotic relationships have evolved between all sorts of organisms. But I especially love the ways the fungi break down complex molecules into more easily recyclable ones. Without them, we'd all be sitting on piles of slimy goo and starving to death.

I should check and see if those guys in Maine have the shiitake mushroom growing kit in stock again.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

Biological detail, totally. There were many places that I skipped a paragraph because I didn't understand the terminology. My science background is scant, I wish I had taken a class in botany in college.

Actually, on reading it, I thought of you and ceelove and your plan to move to the Northwest and live more sustainably. I bet you'd find this book a wonderful resource.

It talks in depth about things like how to start your own mushroom garden based on local native mycelium colonies. And how to improve your soil quality using fungi.