Autumn in the woods: How to go mushroom hunting with kids

As summer leans into Autumn, the forest is the first space to come completely alive with transformation. Stretches of moss, freshly moistened by September rain, cover the gravel and roots of trees. The green canopy above has just started to turn yellow and orange around the edges, but our eyes stay fixed on the ground. Because it is the soil that births the gold we are here to find – Mushrooms.

We drove 1 hour away from Zürich to the canton of St Gallen, mostly on gravel roads meant for foot traffic, hunters, and the occasional tractor. Experienced friends helped us find the way along a road that ends in a makeshift parking lot that by 10 am was nearly full. A large sign at the trailhead reads: PILZSCHUTZ – with a list of rules such as no picking between 8pm & 8am, and a bold reminder to the limit of 2 kilos of mushrooms allowed per person.

Hunting for mushrooms is a slow paced game of hide-and-seek. A forest treasure hunt is always exciting for a child! In many ways it is similar to bird watching - the focus is narrowed to study the surroundings for something small and mostly camouflaged. Instead of looking up (for birds) we look down at the forest floor, and pay close attention to colors and patterns fixed to the earth. Unlike birds, mushrooms don't move, but they are particularly good at hiding. We adjust our eyes as if adjusting the lens of a camera to seek out the sneaky mushrooms.

Despite the name, mushroom hunting in the forest is nothing like what a trained hunter must do. Obviously the gear needed is quite different (one does not need to dress like the forest to hide from a mushroom…). But the discerning eye is a shared trait. A hunter, of both mushroom and animal, must study the forest as they move through it, searching for subtle clues that point to the correct direction – that is common with all hunters.

What to bring on a mushroom hunt:

• Sackmesser - pocket knife
• Mushroom brush – soft bristles to clear off sand and dirt
• Book on local mushrooms – for referencing
• Basket to transport delicate treasures– a sturdy weave with lots of open space for the mushrooms to comfortably rest
• Hat or cap – not for typical sun protection but to help support the eyes from squinting from speckled sunlight in the forest – a must for all mushroom hunters!
• Neck scarf – for cold bursts of wind
• Comfortable pants – for kneeling and filling pockets with tools for the hunt
• Backpack – for books, water, and snacks (always snacks)

Important mushroom hunting protocol:

Don't pick a mushroom when:

• it is soft and water-logged to the touch – Think of the texture of an overly ripe peach.
• the cap of the mushrooms droops low
• it is damaged – a few nibbles from forest creatures is ok, but don’t collect mushrooms that have been stepped on or kicked
• it is smelly – use all of your senses to discern what is healthy enough to pick

Positive mushroom hunting practices:

• Only pick what you want to take, and never destroy mushrooms for fun, they are a necessary part of the forest ecosystem.
• When you pick a mushroom, grab it low at the stem and pull up, then cover the hole back up with soil to protect the spores left behind.
• Mushroom hunters are only allowed 2 kilos per person, so pick mindfully and leave some for others.
• Do not taste any before being checked by an experienced mushroom hunter or better yet at the official Mushroom Control (Pilzkontrolle).
• Check your mushrooms at a registered Swiss Pilzkontrolle in your area. Often open for an hour each evening in mushroom hunting season. After queuing up with locals holding various shaped baskets full of mushrooms, the certified control personnel will distinguish the type of mushroom and give tips on how long to cook them before eating, plus you’ll get a receipt with a list of your finds.

The kids run off ahead of us, combing the edges of the main trail, searching for small pops of color amidst the moss that may indicate a mushroom find. At one point the older two girls find a group of pure white mushrooms and they get out their books to search for a name – Mehlräsling – Mehl translates to flour in German, and they are indeed the color of fresh-milled white flour.

A bit further along and the younger two call out for us to join them up the hill. We gather together near a few found fly agarics (Fliegenpilz), with iconic red caps decorated with white dots. These you smell before you see as they emanate a grotesque waft, something akin to rotten eggs. But they also give clues to nearby varieties, and my youngest stands proudly with a broad smile as she points down at a perfect plump Porcini – Steinpilz. There it was, one of the most desired finds, growing up in the center of a circle of tree roots, like an Autumnal trophy. We all drop to our knees to get a closer look, as if admiring a tiny prince.

The finder gets the glory of picking the mushroom, so my daughter carefully clears away the layer of moss, drives her finger into the dirt to pull the soil away from the base of the stem, and then pulls the Porcini straight up from as low as she can hold it. Once out, she carefully folds the dirt and moss back over the hole, as if tucking in the spores for next year. It’s all very simple, quiet and tender, but somehow the excitement of this find feels almost cinematic.

The big question that remains on the mind of a parent mushroom hunting with their kids: Will they eat it? My advice with feeding mushrooms to kids is to remember that mushrooms + onions + butter + cream are a forever iconic combination that brings a naturally sweet, salty and umami allure to the plate. A winning combo for the mushroom-curious kids, and if they still don’t eat it, then at least they have the thrill of the hunt to motivate them back to the forest next autumn!