Massive morels + psilocybin "fear extinction"

Hey there, shroomers 🍄

Happy Friday! Here’s what we found while foraging ‘round the mushroom world this week…

Eye candy 🍭

We’re knee-deep in morel-picking season … and the picking is good!

Lately, I’ve been loving @mushroom.marauder’s stunning morel-hunting pics. (Seriously: Take a peek at the sheer handfuls of tasty morel finds on his profile!)

Have you come across any wild morels in your recent adventures? Reply to this email and let me know!

Psychedelic news 😵

Research red tape 👨‍🔬 California legislators could soon clear a bureaucratic roadblock that’s held up dozens of studies for psychedelics research and addiction treatment.

Boston opposition ☕ A Massachusetts committee opposes a potential ballot measure for psychedelic decriminalization, arguing that the home grow provision goes “way too far way too quickly” without a therapeutic focus.

“Fear extinction” 😨 Psilocybin can improve the efficacy of prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD by enhancing the mind’s ability to recondition fear responses.

Growing gourmet 😋

Laugh it up, puffball 🍄 If you love to get creative in the kitchen, puffball mushrooms (Calvatia gigantea) are a mild, blank canvas to play with. We have the perfect puffball recipes for you to try right here.

Do try this at home 🍳 Canadian shroomers will soon be able to buy Shiitake, Lion's Mane, and Oyster mushroom grow kits in Costco stores. 

Identify toxic shrooms ⚠ Whether it’s your first time foraging or your 50th, it’s always worth it to brush up on your toxic mushroom identification skills! Check out our guide here for some of the most common toxic mushrooms. Safe foraging!

Cook mushrooms like a pro 👩‍🍳 If you find restaurant mushroom dishes taste better than your homemade gourmet, don’t fret … it’s all in the prep!

Research roundup 🧪

Chaga for oral cancers 🔬 Chaga mushroom extract can suppress oral cancer growth by inhibiting energy metabolism.

Mushroom pre-workout 💪 A recent study found that cordyceps mushrooms promote stem cell activity to speed up muscle recovery after workouts.

Fungi computing materials 💻 Researchers are exploring the potential for mycelium-woven wearable tech that senses your stress levels — and a thick layer of pure mycelium as “fungal skin” to help robots “feel” touch.

What causes a fairy ring? 🧚‍♀️ “They melt their nuclei, and then live the rest of their life with a divided nucleus.” (I swear, mushrooms are metal.) Check out the rest of the story behind those distinctive circular mushroom patterns.

shroomer’s local focus 🗺

2nd Annual Texas Mushroom Conference 🤠 You’re invited! The 2nd Annual Texas Mushroom Conference will be on May 26 at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center, University of Texas, Austin. Look forward to expert talks about foraging, psilocybin’s impact on the brain, and mycelium-based materials; plus workshops on mushroom cultivation, mycoremediation, and the use of fungi in sustainable living practices. For tickets and more info, click here!

From home grower to Aldi supplier 💸 Gareth Griffith-Swain from North Wales started cultivating gourmet mushrooms at home during the pandemic — and just nabbed a deal to supply Aldi UK with dried Lion’s mane.

Another month, another FunGuyz bust 🚨 It’s been almost a month since we last mentioned psychedelic retail chain FunGuyz getting busted for repeatedly operating without business licenses … on top of the whole openly “selling psychedelics” thing. Setting up another location didn’t stop the raid this time.

Free virtual foraging class 👀 The Missouri Department of Conservation is hosting a free virtual program about summertime mushroom foraging on May 23 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Register for free right here!

Thank you for reading!

shroom on,

Shannon Ratliff & Patrick Calderale