Marcel

Based on some of the talk on another thread (click here), it seems like it might be a fun thing to organise a SAB forum fungal foray in the Sydney area (and other areas too, I guess; I ain't gonna stop ya). We'd meet at an agreed upon area and go off alone or in small groups to find and collect and photograph specimens, and then meet up and compare/help each other with identification/do high-fives/do doughnuts in the parking lot/etc. We could round it off with some beers afterward, to make it all social and friendly-like. As I mentioned earlier, for obvious reasons, I think we should make it clear that this won't be a big group sub hunt, but a little foray in which we will look at various fungal species, irrespective of their culinary/spiritual interest. I had suggested Saturday the 21 of May, but it looks like there won't be any rain all week (and there's been very little in the past week and a half) and that may make it all a little disappointing. Perhaps the 28th of May, then? As for possible locations: Boronia Park in Hunter's Hill Lane Cove bushland (maybe in conjunction with the above location as they're relatively close to one another) Bola Creek in the Royal National Park The mould farm that is my wardrobe Any other suggestions? Everyone's welcome, and all interested parties should throw forward any ideas in this thread.

You're absolutely right and I agree with you there, but as ballzac says, the question of "why?" remains. What I mean is that it's not Lamarkian to suggest that hairiness can be bred out, but it is Lamarckian to suggest that a predilection for hairless women and men can be bred into the species. For example: you can breed a hairless dog, but you can't breed a dog that will only breed with other hairless dogs. Darwinian evolution has its fair share of holes and light-hearted leaps, but one thing that central to his approach is that selection is dictated by the necessity of survival. I find it dubious that aesthetic tastes can be hardwired into a species. So I guess we're back to the starting point. Why the hell are we hairless, and more crucially, why was the father of modern evolution so damned hairy?

Some of you guys are confusing evolution with Lamarckism. Quote: "[Lamarckism is the belief that] individual efforts during the lifetime of the organisms were the main mechanism driving species to adaptation, as they supposedly would acquire adaptive changes and pass them on to offspring." One alpha male's (or a whole tribe's, for that matter) predilection for shaved babes does not lead to a process of natural selection whereby we shed our hair in an effort to appear more fuckable to the socio-cultural flavour of the month. There is no exo-human (pardon my neologism) benefit to the species as a whole. A commonly used example to illustrate this fallacy is that the Jews, who have been circumcising their males for thousands of years, are not born with penises any different to other Homo sapien males, and they never will. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for the quirky and unorthodox corners of science, way outside the mainstream, but Lamarckism is pretty silly and banal stuff. I like a little imagination behind my pseudo-science... Sheldrake's theory of Morphogenetic fields, anybody? Furthermore, I have a second-hand bookstore and I come across a lot of old erotica. And I mean a lot! Lots of books from the 19th century, but also contemporary collections exhibiting the history of erotica throughout the world (it's a gigantic area of art publishing). Outside of a few examples during the Renaissance, and in pre-Meiji restoration Japan, and in the work of some of the Dutch Masters, it really isn't until the mid 20th century, in the Anglophone world specifically, that hairless women are considered in any way attractive.

I'm not sure how these guys handle shade, but they're pretty nice looking, and East coast natives too. They're not active, but they are nitrogen fixing and they do vaguely look like some sort of Ephedra sp.

Nice improvised collection vessel!

Psylo, you've good taste. I especially like the kayak photo in which Tom's crotch appears positively drenched...

My wife refuses to let me shave my moustache. For much of the year I have a beard attachment too. She likes hairy. Additionally, my wife seldom shaves her legs, pits and other parts. I like hairy. You people and your hairlessness are a bunch of kiddy fiddlers in denial.

I was just thinking of posting this question myself. Very interested in the responses of you clever plant-heads out there...

Nice link. Thanks 'foo.

Well I'm Polish and have been picking with other Polaks since birth and the reason the mushrooms are traditionally cut rather than pulled is purely culinary. There's nothing more annoying to the appointed mushroom cook than a basket full of saffies covered in dirt and pine needles. What's more, I'd take any Eastern European myco-folklore with a grain of salt. For example, many Polaks are convinced that Amanita muscaria are deadly, and that includes simply touching them. I freak out my relatives every season by picking a nice big juicy one and giving it a big sloppy lick. Everyone starts recalling stories that begin "back in the village there was a boy who picked a fly agaric and died/turned into a puff of green smoke/never found a wife". Even the Polish news insists that dozens die every year from collecting A. muscaria. I agree with Distracted that one shouldn't simply yank away like crazy, but a careful pinch at the base of the stipe is no worse than cutting a centimetre from the ground. In fact, it might be a good thing.

Heya. Sounds like a good deal. When were these seeds harvested? What variety of Loph are they? -M

Stamets writes that mycelium that isn't disturbed dies much quicker than mycelium that gets a reasonable amount of tearing and movement. It motivates the myc to grow and expand with increased vigour. My (somewhat informal) observations seems to back this up. Where (other than the shroomery) does this idea of cutting rather than tearing get any credence?

Good stuff. Looking forward to the details. Set up a whole bunch in front of some super sensitive solar panels and power your whole house!

You're a heartbreaker, Tripsis. You too Incognito. That said, this weekend looks like it'll have miserable weather to be out in the bush. The rest of us, let's keep an eye on the wet and see how it all seems toward the end of the week.

Nice night photo! I picked one a while ago and brought it home to show the kids. It was still glowing that night when I was tucking them in. Needless to say, their little minds were blown!

Alright, let's have a show of hands: Sunday 29th of May, around the Berowra area, in the North West of Sydney. I'm in, as is my brother. (But if it's just 3 or 4 people, including us two, I'll think we'll wait until more of you freaks can show.)

2meke, that's great! Well done. Maybe you can stick a copper ribbon around the perimeter of the pot. Along the rim. That keeps the slugs and snails out, apparently.

I've been waiting for the Mayo photo spread, but I didn't expect it to come so soon. How wonderful! Great stuff! Are you using a dedicated macro lens or do you use macro extension tubes? Your photos have inspired me to invest in something that'll get my lens closer to the subject. Thanks for the effort!

Looks like there might be a little rain during the week. Woo hoo! Sunday should be okay with me, Tripsis. What about the others?

Have a good one. Thanks for this place you've made here. It's more than just a storehouse of info; it's a freakin' nice community.

I had a different name on the shroomery, an odd variation on my real name, and a friend of mine asked me one day, apropos of nothing: "Are you posting on the shroomery? I read a thread and the few details given seem to point to you!". Needless to say, I removed a lot of my posts and no longer go there so much...

Mine's a long dead French writer, who I adore. He's also my avatar.

Synchro, you just made my day. I grew up listening to Soft Machine and Robert Wyatt. In fact, my dad told me one drunken evening, that I was conceived to the sounds of Soft Machine 7.... My poor mother.

Eluvium are great. Just discovered them the other day. Thanks for the other recommendations too, Mr/Ms chnt.

More info here.