I saw a news article going around recommending that people grow their own vegetables to stretch their food budget and thought people might also consider foraging, which is why I’ve been posting resources for how to do those things with lower risk.
(I’m not fully confident in plant identification, in fact I’m a bit shit at it, it’s just a casual interest. So I don’t give advice or actually forage. I have just been linking known public fruit tree maps where you won’t gather something inedible or get in trouble, and resources for soil safety testing.)
However - while I think I did mention this before it’s probably important enough to get its own post.
Don’t trust every foraging guide off Amazon.
That recent Melbourne mushroom poisoning case was charged as murder but it’s a reminder of how risky inexperienced foraging can be, and the fake ai guides recommendations of tasting mushrooms to identify them could be deadly.
Please please, if you find yourself in food insecurity and want or need to turn to foraging because the food bank can’t help then please buy reputable guides with known authors, stick to well known plants only or link in with experienced local foraging groups. Preferably all of the above.
Some of them charge like a wounded bull for ‘tours’ but as community gardens and seed libraries exist I’m sure there are groups that would help you for free.
Also try to get onto organisations like FareShare or Food Not Bombs if possible.
Edit: Mushrooms are fantastic nutrition though if you can’t afford to buy much meat anymore. Protein, chewiness, umami, B12. If you don’t have any issues with FOD MAPS they can help keep you well fed.
I can’t guarantee that homegrown would be cheaper than buying them (kits can get a convenience markup) but if you have your heart set on picking mushrooms and don’t have an expert to show you the ropes, consider buying a kit.
This will come with known safe varieties of mycelium and as they come in a flat compact growing box and prefer low/indirect light they can potentially be grown in a small spot inside.
Zagorath - 2.1yr
Holy shit that's terrible.
If anyone does use these books and gets sick as a result, the author/publisher should be held liable. That is completely irresponsible.
6
melbaboutown - 2.1yr
It would be hard because there isn’t really an ‘author’ per se, a fake name is made up by scammers who generate the automatic text. And the publisher is Amazon.
3
Zagorath - 2.1yr
If Amazon has a way to send them their money, they must have a way to get in contact with them.
If they don't, then Amazon should be culpable.
5
melbaboutown - 2.1yr
Yeah there needs to be more oversight.
2
No1 - 2.1yr
Every now and then I see mushrooms growing and wonder if I should pick them and cook them up.
But then I remember I hate having the in-laws over, so I leave them alone.
melbaboutown in frugal
Mushroom pickers urged to avoid foraging books on Amazon that appear to be written by AI | Fungi | The Guardian
https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/01/mushroom-pickers-urged-to-avoid-foraging-books-on-amazon-that-appear-to-be-written-by-aiI saw a news article going around recommending that people grow their own vegetables to stretch their food budget and thought people might also consider foraging, which is why I’ve been posting resources for how to do those things with lower risk.
(I’m not fully confident in plant identification, in fact I’m a bit shit at it, it’s just a casual interest. So I don’t give advice or actually forage. I have just been linking known public fruit tree maps where you won’t gather something inedible or get in trouble, and resources for soil safety testing.)
However - while I think I did mention this before it’s probably important enough to get its own post.
Don’t trust every foraging guide off Amazon.
That recent Melbourne mushroom poisoning case was charged as murder but it’s a reminder of how risky inexperienced foraging can be, and the fake ai guides recommendations of tasting mushrooms to identify them could be deadly.
Please please, if you find yourself in food insecurity and want or need to turn to foraging because the food bank can’t help then please buy reputable guides with known authors, stick to well known plants only or link in with experienced local foraging groups. Preferably all of the above.
Some of them charge like a wounded bull for ‘tours’ but as community gardens and seed libraries exist I’m sure there are groups that would help you for free.
Also try to get onto organisations like FareShare or Food Not Bombs if possible.
Edit: Mushrooms are fantastic nutrition though if you can’t afford to buy much meat anymore. Protein, chewiness, umami, B12. If you don’t have any issues with FOD MAPS they can help keep you well fed.
I can’t guarantee that homegrown would be cheaper than buying them (kits can get a convenience markup) but if you have your heart set on picking mushrooms and don’t have an expert to show you the ropes, consider buying a kit.
This will come with known safe varieties of mycelium and as they come in a flat compact growing box and prefer low/indirect light they can potentially be grown in a small spot inside.
Holy shit that's terrible.
If anyone does use these books and gets sick as a result, the author/publisher should be held liable. That is completely irresponsible.
It would be hard because there isn’t really an ‘author’ per se, a fake name is made up by scammers who generate the automatic text. And the publisher is Amazon.
If Amazon has a way to send them their money, they must have a way to get in contact with them.
If they don't, then Amazon should be culpable.
Yeah there needs to be more oversight.
Every now and then I see mushrooms growing and wonder if I should pick them and cook them up.
But then I remember I hate having the in-laws over, so I leave them alone.
What a 2023 way to die.