At last, a grand year for Hypomyces lactifluorum! We’re finding them in all the old locations (some of which had been bereft of lobsters since 2009) and in some new spots as well. And members of the Sunshine Coast SHROOM have been more than generous in sharing some of their finds, so we’re assured of having some brilliant dyepots at our forthcoming Mushroom Festival and show on October 19
It’s taken me several evenings to pare off the orange “skins” from several bags’ worth of these wonderful fungi, and here they are, spread out to dry in my studio, youngest to oldest, left to right. As they dry, the ones that were wet and soggy at picking have developed an even richer colour, promising some exciting results. I do notice a peculiar aroma on entering the space, but I consider that just one of the hazards of the job.
And the season has only just begun!
SHROOMWORKS 
A mushroom festival with dye pots…Oct.19th…where? Please advise, I’m down in Santa Cruz. We just got dumped on yesterday so our good times are about to begin!
We’re on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, just north of and a 40-minute ride from Vancouver. Our speaker this year is Robert Rogers (medicinal mushrom expert and author of The Fungal Pharmacy). You can find more details at scshroom.org. Happy mushrooming!
Same here, year of the lobster and have some great saffron locks and roving, very exciting…
Oooh, those locks look yummy! It’s almost an embarrassment of riches, the amount of lobster parings piling up to dry. But I think we deserve it after the last few dry years. Mushroom on!
Have you ever tried regrowing the skins on the leftover cores? I once left a paper bag of the lobster interiors on the porch and several days later, when I went to toss them in the compost, they had turned orange again in some areas. I have wanted to experiment more with this but have not had the opportunity. Hoping for a bountiful harvest myself as supplies are dwindling 🙂
I’ve tried adding bits of regrowth to to existing collections of parings, but I have enough in my ever-growing lobster midden that there should be enough for a second-time lobster dyepot in its own right. I especially like the colour that develops when the tossed-out scraps turn stinky and mushy: the deep, rosy red that promises some brilliant hues. Looks like you’re hitting the jackpot in your own travels – what a year!