A big thanks to Toddy for sending me some Fomes fomentarius to play with. I'm looking forward to trying this as I'v never used Fomes before. Whats the best technique? cut a slice and tease out fibres?
Fomes fomentarius
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Try some of these
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/search.php?searchid=113021
I've always found it does fine just dried but there are all sorts of elaborate ways of preparing it suggested.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/search.php?searchid=113021
I've always found it does fine just dried but there are all sorts of elaborate ways of preparing it suggested.
Brixton said:
It's a bracket fungus that grows from (I'll probably be instructed otherwise
) on Birch trees, and it gets bigger year by year. The largest one I have is about 15" across. The little ones are really quite soft inside, but they all hold a glowing ember really well.I know it from the rhyme, "As cheugh (tough) as auld Nick, who burns forever, Roast it black and they'll burn thegither"
pm sent
Cheers,
Toddy
Toddy said:(I'll probably be instructed otherwise
Oh Yes!
It usually grows on birch trees, but it can also be found on beech trees
Brixton where do you live? Because it is mostly found in Scotland and N. England which may be why you're having trouble.
Down south I have a 'secret' Beech which has massive examples on it. It tends to be on Beech if at all down here.
Out of interest,
Does anybody know a latitude, north of which you are likely to find F.f. and south of which you are not? I've been scouring the wooded areas of the Cambrian mountains of Mid Wales and can't find a single example, yet posts here tell of isolated growths both north and south of me
.
I had thought that the cold and elevation would bring the local climate closer to that of more northern (ie. Scottish) areas!
Any ideas?
Ogri the trog
Does anybody know a latitude, north of which you are likely to find F.f. and south of which you are not? I've been scouring the wooded areas of the Cambrian mountains of Mid Wales and can't find a single example, yet posts here tell of isolated growths both north and south of me
. I had thought that the cold and elevation would bring the local climate closer to that of more northern (ie. Scottish) areas!
Any ideas?
Ogri the trog
As you find with many fungi - sources are often conflicting over the exact distribution of Fomes Fomentarius. It is definitely more common in Scotland and Northern England, but some sources say that only a handful of examples have been found in the south while others show it scattered all over Southern England and Wales. My personal feeling is that the latter is more correct - I have found it exclusively on Beech trees down south (busily killing its hosts) There is a beautiful example on a lone beech on Hampstead Heath and I have found one 'hidden' tree in A wood in Surrey that has five or six (It did have more but then I found it ) huge examples - one going on for 50 cms in diameter. I have heard of examples as far away as Russia and even New South Wales (Wrong Wales - sorry Ogri ) Anyway Certainly down South I would look out for it on lightning-struck beech, dead standing Beech and any large beech which look like they've been mauled a bit.
) huge examples - one going on for 50 cms in diameter. I have heard of examples as far away as Russia and even New South Wales (Wrong Wales - sorry Ogri ) Anyway Certainly down South I would look out for it on lightning-struck beech, dead standing Beech and any large beech which look like they've been mauled a bit.
It's legendary amongst Fly fishermen for drying flies - the synthetic stuff is nowhere near as good.
JM said:So, what do you do with it ? amadou ? :Idealy, you should parcel it all up and send it to me
Seeing as I can't find any in my locality!
ATB
Ogri the trog
