NSF

It is hard to tell from a beaten specimen like that, take a spore print first and foremost. I see there were a couple more on this log, how many more? How were they growing? As individuals or in groups?

Apparently now is peak time in Vic and several hundred kilos have been found. You need to look for somewhere damp but not wet, if there are tree ferns, probably move on, look more where the bracken is. At this time of year you are most likely to find fire morels, so go where there was a fire this summer (not the one before). For vic high country it's probably still a little too cold for them. Grampians have turned it on though. Look for areas of TALL trees on slopes (not STEEP) where a fire has raced through with some intensity and taken out the canopy. If the fire didn't reach the canopy or didn't take it out, keep driving.

Ahh ok cool. I know they definitely experimented with import bags from China. The labour is SO cheap that it makes it possible. It's something like $1 a bag including delivery if you buy a container worth.

I can hook you up with a FungiPerfecti cold weather strain I have Zen.

Are you sure about this statement? I'm pretty certain they import a lot of their grow bags from China. That doesn't mean it's not still eucalyptus, just that it's a bit less likely.

So no blown reflux stills in QLD then? I presume the laws are to catch drug cookers rather than home distillers though? Hmmm...not many home distillers are going to pony up the dough for a glass reflux still are they, they are more likely to have a stainless still, which presumably isn't on the anul list?

Here's a couple of links to the ebay vendor I bought my tweezer kit off. It has some scissors in it too. http://www.ebay.com/itm/MICRO-TWEEZERS-AND-SCISSORS-SET-OF-9-LAB-APPLICATIONS-/321203347665?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac93620d1 But now I see they have a best of both world's option, with tweezers and scalpels...pretty damn cheap too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pc-Minor-Student-Surgery-Surgical-Instruments-kit-/321203347670?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac93620d6 Actually, this one is probably a better buy, double the amount but a heap more blades: http://www.ebay.com/itm/49-PC-MICRO-MINOR-SURGERY-SUTURE-LACERATION-SURGICAL-VETERINARY-STUDENT-KIT-SET-/321203347671?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac93620d7

I've got a sleeve or two of plates somewhere if you haven't found them elsewhere. They're gamma radiated and sealed in bags of I dunno, 8 or 10. Using tape with latex gloves is a complete PITA! That's really what motivated me to use sauce containers. Just as easy to use and I prefer to cook my agar IN the container, generally in a stack of 6, each wrapped in a plastic PP bag. As they cool they vacuum seal a bit, so that's just an extra layer of protection for storage. That way I can pour the plate, let it cool completely, put the lid on (no condensation) and then cook it. Much easier than pouring hot sterile agar in a hood, much more likely to be clean too.

Is there a reason why you want to use a scalpel and petris? I find needle nose tweezers to be better, they heat up and sterilise much more quickly and give much greater control. As for petris, I make my own agar and pour that into tiny little take away sauce containers you get from asian take-aways (or buy in bulk from asian grocers). They're re-usable and you don't have to tape them, works better for me.

From whom can you buy said oaks Zen? Yep, I'd like to have a bash at them! (a bash at growing the trees that is, maybe I should have just said try)

Amanita muscaria isn't toxic, but cooking it kills the hallucinogenic compound in them. Some red boletes you can cook for 20 minutes and then eat them, they were european origin though.

These are not good example pictures, but how generally do you tell the difference between a Laccaria and Marasmius? http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/NotSoFro/media/Fungi%20to%20share%2002/null_zpsbed013ad.jpg.html'> http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/NotSoFro/media/Fungi%20to%20share%2002/null_zpsc8b2f5fd.jpg.html'> Actually, I can't confirm that these little fellas are even Laccaria, they could possibly be a Mycena, the striations are messing with me.

M. oreades grow in Australia???

Any more luck mate?

Are these Mt Dandy hills or further out? And yep, they look like Trametes versicolor to me. If anyone finds them and wants to harvest and post them to me I'm sure we could come to some kind of arrangement/trade.

I'd love to give these a good cook and eat. All I hear are good things. Unfortunately, one of Melbourne's hunters who supplies restaurants knows about this spot. So he raids it. Even though I don't know exactly where it is I know he knows. Killing me.

Where was the hunting invite you SOB! lol That looks freaking fantastic. Well done pal! Did you happen to print him?

Andy - I think we feel exactly the same way, you said it succinctly. Marcel - I had the good fortune of going to some isolated NSW pine forests last year. I couldn't believe that NO ONE had been there. There were more saffies than I'd ever seen before. In fact, in every bunch of 8-10 saffies we'd take maybe 2 prime ones and leave the rest, simply because we couldn't carry them. Some were also the largest I'd ever seen. It was quite insane. Someone could have filled a wheel barrow 4 times over and there still been more. That was a rare patch of forest though, in Victoria I've never seen anything like it.

$16 a kilo is a pittance. They must only be selling to markets to then double the price and distribute. They could be selling for $40, then again, that will make hunting more desirable for joe blow cash grabbers. I understand the frustration of people over picking. I went out hunting on the weekend and I came back with just under 2kg. I saw that someone else had recently been there and cleared it out. I think maybe some dear had been in there too. I guess it was a matter of luck of timing that they got in there and had a huge haul. I didn't need any more than I harvested though and it was kind of fun having to look a little harder than the people who'd been in previously. What happens though if these people who are taking masses of shrooms intend to preserve them? Does that then make it ok?

I don't 'know' what goes into all agaricus spawn but I do know wheat straw is a huge component. This is generally broken down with Urea from horses. Actually, this will probably help more than I can: www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/download/58009/46374

In my experience it's a really tough substrate to work with. Contams love it, mycelium grows on it slowly (perhaps due to it's tiny particle size or lack of oxygen within the block) and it's hard to sterilise, due to the fact it packs down so tight, you have to cook it much longer to get the core up to temp. I agree with waterboy when he says to use it in a mix with other things (straw or sawdust or both). Treat it more like a supplement than a pure substrate and you ought to be fine.

That lead might be a dead end at the minute. Hopefully after easter I will get some grain spawn happening.

Doesn't look like A. phalloides to me. Spore print would be great. Many other white spore print Amanita are incredibly lethal, this just isn't A. phalloides. Melbourne is expecting another 7+ days of dry 30+ degree days but the northerners are rolling in fungi! No fair!

Fields? And deathcaps? Treed fields possibly? Death caps are mycorrhizal.Maybe you have some Volvariella sp.?

Fan-fucking-tastic find! Nice write up too! How did they taste? Did you happen to take some prints? Can I pretty please have one?