Mushroom patrol in the Södel Forest: Tips from the Krugs for a safe harvest!

Mushroom patrol in the Södel Forest: Tips from the Krugs for a safe harvest!

In the picturesque Södel Forest, the mushroom picking season is in full swing and attracts numerous nature lovers. Karina and Simon Krug from Heuchelheim, passionate mushroom collectors and active as mushroom coaches since 2024, show beginners the fascinating and often risky sides of mushroom collecting. FNP reports that The two take great care in the nature reserve and point out in their lessons that mushrooms should be treated like meat: cool, cooked through and never eaten raw.

With the AUTUMN season, the anticipation of mushroom picking is particularly great, which is ideally supported by the humid weather. But the Krugs warn of the dangers associated with mushroom harvesting. Many poisonings result from eating spoiled or difficult-to-identify mushrooms, as Simon Krug explains. ZDF highlights that around 150 species of mushrooms in Germany are poisonous, including dangerous representatives such as the green death cap, which causes 90% of poisonings.

Important tips for mushroom pickers

What are the best strategies for successful and safe mushroom hunting? Karina and Simon advise always checking the mushroom tubers, transporting the harvest in air-permeable containers and never collecting more than is actually needed. In addition, you should only let reliably recognizable mushrooms end up in the basket, and tips from experts like Tristan Jurisch should not be missing. Health.gv emphasizes that smell and taste are not reliable indicators of edibility - even poisonous mushrooms can smell irresistible.

Autumn offers a variety of tasty wild mushrooms, but not all of them are safe to eat. Another important point is the storage and preparation of the collected mushrooms. Simon Krug and other experts advise cleaning mushrooms thoroughly before cooking and making sure that they are not eaten raw, as some varieties, such as honey mash, can be poisonous even when prepared.

• Unverwechselbare Pilze erkennen
• Auf mangelhafte Exemplare verzichten
• Transport in einem Korb und Verzehr zeitnah planen

The “Stadt Land Pilz” mushroom school, which the Krugs founded, helps beginners to find their way better in the dense forest of mushroom species. The important rule: Do not eat anything that cannot be determined at all. “We always have a good knack for it,” says Karina, when it comes to choosing her favorite mushrooms, such as autumn trumpets and crested squid.

A careful and informative approach to mushroom collecting not only ensures delicious meals, but also a safe experience in nature. Mushroom experts and coaches are the best advisors for enjoying the autumn collecting season without any worries.