Donations Passed On To Me, Online and In Stores Bargains
Becoming a frugal fashionista has increased my passion for shopping. In other words, my extremely tight clothes and accessories budget has not diminished my joy and ability to acquire new attire. In fact, the degree of savings is directly proportional to the fun and bountifulness I experience. It may surprise readers to learn that the least expensive and most fun ‘free’ (clothes) donations to me are from a local church food pantry.
A selection of clothes including three Old Navy dresses I got from the church pantry at my favorite price, a ‘free’ donation to me. Thanks to St. Agnes in RVC, NY.
Then increasing in price from least to most, I frequent thrift shops, online bargains websites like Poshmark, and rarely something new at a discount chain like HomeGoods or Savers. In addition, I will buy a quality name brand when it is on sale. But the rule is, it must be at least 50-70% off.
Two Diophy brand purses from Poshmark. One I bought ‘new’ and the other one I got for $11.97 slightly ‘reused’.
ALMOST PROFESSIONAL SHOPPER
Hobby to Pro
In fact, I am becoming so adept at this pastime that I feel like a pro. What amazes me the most is that I like the clothes and accessories I am acquiring as a frugal fashionista is better than regular retail shopping.
Believe it or not, my wardrobe is nicer and would be more expensive new than I could ever afford. For example, my accessories include numerous Coach Leather, Kate Spade, and Dooney & Bourke handbags.
Over the years, I have collected vintage Coach, Dooney & Bourke, and Kate Spade bags, very affordable new bags and bags that would be a steal.
A collection of ‘free’ cardigan sweaters to match any purchase. Included are (from top left to bottom right) Charter Club, Lands’ End, Croft & Barrow, L.L.Bean, Merona, Izod. All from the church pantry at no cost to me as a low-income senior.
CONCLUSION
Becoming Even More Frugal
Within a fairly short period of time, I have gone from a middle class, middle aged shopper to a fixed income savvy senior shopper. When the concept was first presented to me, it took some time for me to adjust. But now, I love being a frugal fashionista and I plan to get better and better at this great way to go shopping.
P.S. To comment, please scroll all the way down to the comment box and make you entry with DISQUS.
‘Stop and Proceed Slowly’ Sign by ComplianceSigns.com
INTRODUCTION
My Financial Profile
A recent promotional bonus credit card program has allowed me to be very resourceful with credit cards. Even though I live on a fixed monthly stipend that is typical of a retired low income senior, credit card programs have been a benefit for me. This is because of the tools I have learned and benefited from.
I have written at length about the potential benefits from the responsible use of credit cards. Below are the four Ebook I have written about various credit card benefit offers. These minimally priced Ebooks are available on Amazon.
Financial Ebooks I have written that are available on Amazon
A New Credit Card Promotional Bonus Program to Explore
Several months ago, I was able to apply for a new Promotional Bonus Program Credit Card. I applied and was immediately accepted. Much to my surprise, I had the opportunity to apply for several more of them. I was accepted by those as well.
Without blinking, I went from qualifying for one, then four, and even as many as six of these credit cards. Even then, I kept finding more of these offers. Since I did not want to miss out on a single one of them, I kept applying and being accepted.
Capital One Promotional Bonus Credit Card Offer
RULES OF THE PROGRAM
How To Play
At first, I thought the rules were simple. The Promotional Bonus Credit Card program required only that I charge a given amount of purchases ($500 to $1,000) within a three month period of time. As the bonus, I could receive the equivalent of two hundred dollars per card. Since I always charged many of my purchases, I assumed this was going to be an easy win.
Wells Fargo Promotional Bonus Credit Card Offer
VISITING LAS VEGAS
A Grand Total of Ten Cards
By the time I finally got a denial, I was the recipient of ten promotional bonus credit cards. Wow, I was really feeling exuberant. What I didn’t realize was, like a gambler, feeling exuberant would not last. In other words, I was becoming addicted to applying for and acquiring more of these promotional bonus credit cards.
Because I couldn’t stop, things really got out of hand. With each new card, the game I was playing became increasingly complicated as well as much less manageable. It became harder to keep track of all the rules. I kept making charts of when and how charged were due. Even with this extra effort, I still went from feeling high to feeling totally overwhelmed.
Roulette Table of a Casino Stock photo courtesy of istockphoto.com
PROS AND CONS OF THE PROMOTIONAL BONUS PROGRAM
Not As Easy As It Appeared to Be
Given my history of a perfect payment record, I thought this program would work like a charm for me. I was confident that it would be an easy win. But so many complications plagued me along the way. At times, I have questioned my investment savvy even my sanity. I’ve sworn I would never get in over my head like this again.
CREDIT CARD REWARDS, STATEMENT CREDITS, OR GAMBLING
A Bit of Each
Depending on how intensely one dives into this game determines which level of risk one plays this promotional bonus credit card offer. The more one is tempted to use this program as a gambling gambit, the more one is likely to risk.
CONFUSION AND CHAOS SET IN
I Had Definitely Overdosed on This Program
At times I felt very confused, even sleep deprived by the amount of time some of the transactions required. Numerous ‘unk unks’ (unknown unknowns) have taken place. In other words, I had nothing to do with certain things that happened to complicate the process.
Beware the dangers of this credit card program. Like the saying goes, ‘if it seems too good to be true, it probably is’. Sign from CreativeMarket.comBank of America Promotional Bonus Credit Card Offer
A PROMOTIONAL BONUS IS NOT NECESSARILY A CASH REWARD
How Do You Know Which Is which?
In total, I theoretically could net many cash rewards or statement credits. Forms of redemption were unclear. For example, the funds may be held over towards the payment of the next month’s bill. Another scenario was ‘the check is in the mail.’ We all know ‘the check is in the mail’ scenario. In that case, it can take up to several monthly cycles.
Gift Cards
Let’s not forget the gift card option. But is that a gift to me? I didn’t know who it would go to. In conclusion, none of these alternate options was optimal. Given my preference, I like my promotional bonus to be deposited right into my checking account as a cash reward. But that is not always possible. In fact, if the only option is a statement credit, the promotional bonus tool is a guarantee to the credit card company that I will continue to charge in the future to make use of their bonus.
‘Danger Go Slow’ sign from SafetySupplyWarehouse.com
POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
A Credit Card Gets Hacked
For example, while I was accumulating bonuses, one of these new cards got hacked. I had to replace it in the middle of my promotional bonus project. In addition, I tried to cancel items that were not refunded but turned into ‘honey points’. Other charges were also counted twice. Even though I did not cause these issues, their occuring caused me to have a severe lack of focus. It became very difficult for me to concentrate on the credit card bonus offers.
The Citi Custom Cash Promotional Bonus Card Offer
MAKE ONE CHANGE AT A TIME
New Tools Can Be Very Tempting To Use Simultaneously
In addition to signing up for these credit card bonus offers, I signed up for autopay. Making two major program changes at one time was a mistake. As a result, some bills got paid twice. It was becoming impossible to keep track of what I was doing.
BEWARE OF TRAVELING IN UNEXPLORED TERRITORY
Use a Reliable Map
Ultimately I realized what was wrong. It was that I had embarked on a new system that was going outside the box of familiar navigation. This new program was twice as hard to maneuver since I was exploring the unknown. Therefore I strongly advise readers to make one change at a time when adding a new element to an existing template.
Bank of America Promotional Bonus Card
NOT QUITE THE CONCLUSION
Is This Calculus or Physics? It Can’t Just Be Bookkeeping
Using credit cards responsibly and profitably is not a strictly arithmetic endeavor. As I discovered with each new profit making tool, their value is equaled by their complexity. Although the original templates are the foundation of this program, with each new component the program goes further outside the original box.
PROMOTIONAL BONUS BAIT
Something Smells Fishy
Along these lines, credit card companies continue to make themselves increasingly tempting to individuals who think they can stay on top of the latest innovations. This requires that individuals stay more than sharp and continue to search for new and existing credit cards. These can improve as investment tools, not just a means of delaying payments on purchases. But they become very challenging to use.
ANOTHER WARNING
This Is Not Bookkeeping 101
As time has gone by, this project has become painfully complicated. What initially seemed like a straightforward giveaway has become a torturous maze of numbers and dates. I participated to see how far I could go outside the box. In other words, I wanted to see how much I could challenge myself. It has been several months with a total of ten new cards. But I am not yet finished with this program. I can hardly wait to be done with it.
This chart illustrates how my credit score was affected by the promotional bonus program. It was 820 before I started and went down to 800 at its lowest. It is rising again since I have almost completed the program.
MY FINANCIAL PROFILE GETS HIT
Effect on My Credit Score
My credit score dropped during this project. The reason is that each credit card application was a ‘hard’ check to my score. But since I have met each charge challenge in a timely manner, my score is rising again and is recovering it’s 800+ scores. Credit score chart courtesy of American Express.
But there is one catch to building an emergency fund with this program. Money has to go out before it can come in. For a while it has seemed that I have lost rather than gained financially.
Warning sign from readers-digest-ca
CASH REWARDS OR CREDIT STATEMENTS
Read the Fine Print to Find Out
Besides the delay, the rewards are often available as statement credits rather than cash rewards. Since my tendency and necessity has been to buy more things, this project has not been a great source of emergency savings. Saving up for them was why I participated originally. Instead, it has also required constant vigilance with each card. Besides that, the amount that I have had to charge is requiring the use of partial payments to stay flush each month. Now I also have to keep track of the deadline on partial payments.
This is a very tricky game requiring numerous greater than rudimentary skills. It feels like the Olympic decathlon competition. In fact, I am now having to use the partial-pay 0% APR feature that comes with these cards. Therefore I am learning something else that is new. But I have been pulled deeper into this maze. I never paid attention to APR percentages in the past, nor did I need to. But now, how many months will I need to use this new tool keeping to the 0%APR?
A FINAL WARNING
Do What I Say, Not What I Did
I do not recommend going to the extremes I have. It has nearly driven me crazy. I may have even permanently burnt out some numerical brain cells besides spending a huge amount of time on this experiment. Has it been worth it?
Sometimes, the way I learn things is by going to extremes. It involves extending the limits of my existing skills to see what new ones I want to gain. Taking little steps would be more prudent. In fact, I suggest taking small, prudent steps for anyone who wants to sign on to this or any cash bonus program.
A set of directional signs from Monexsafetyservices.com
A FINAL WORD ABOUT THIS CREDIT CARD BENEFIT OFFERS PROGRAM
On the Plus Side
One: Paying car insurance in four instead of six payments saving money on installments. Two: Paying home contents insurance in full annually saving about $50 dollars. Three: Paying car registration for the next two years, early, without a pinch, and in full. Four: Being able to afford a healthy diet and avoid illness. Five: Purchasing pleasant necessities rather than feeling very deprived. Six: Occasionally buying something new, even secondhand, but not completely pantry hand-me-downs.
CONCLUSION
The Tip of the Iceberg
As you can see from this blog post, there are many credit card benefit offers. But they have complications that may outweigh their worth. These benefits are like an iceberg. What they appear to offer is actually only the tip of the iceberg of what they can cost.
Were you able to navigate this obstacle course? I’d love to hear your experience. Please share with the rest of us in the comments area. I will report in with my final results as soon as I am done. Right now, I’ve got two cards to go. One is to make a claim. The other is to charge $500 and then make my claim.
Bondi Beach Australia, Bondi Icebergs, Courtesy of Marley Clovelly
Faux patent leather handbags are currently at the top of my favorites list of accessories. There is, in particular, a new brand handbag that is affordable, comes in brilliant colors, is shiny, roomy and their clever name Dasein, translated from German, means ‘Being there’. The hang tag image below explains the significance of their name with ‘About Us’.
This is the front with logo (left) and back with About Us (right) of the Dasein faux patent leather handbag hang tag.
THE HANDBAG STORY
As discussed in previous blog posts, Designer Purse Gems , I love handbags. In fact, I have a collection approaching 80 bags. It started out with ones I purchased decades ago. Then moved on to thrift store vintage bags. After that I started researching valuable vintage bags. But they started to get pricey. Suddenly and mysteriously, I discovered a company that I had never heard of before, Dasein. The name stands for ‘being there’.
Shiny Patent Faux Leather Handbags Barrel Top Handle Purse Satchel Bag Shoulder Bag for Women
I was amazed at their appearance, practicality, affordability, attention to detail, storage bag accessory, and brilliant colors. Most of all, I loved the name, ‘Faux Patent Handbags’.
DASEIN JOINS MY HANDBAG FAMILY
Because it was autumn and Halloween was approaching, it was easy to choose the color for my first Vegan Leather Dasein Handbag, autumn leaves or pumpkin orange.
A photo of the Orange Vegan Patent Handbag. This is from Amazon.com. Bags are available directly from Daseinbags.com
MORE
Clearly, I had to adopt more Dasein bags. The many qualities I described above made having more irresistible. The choice was not difficult. Although the color was not as much in season as autumn orange, turquoise went well with my fall into winter wardrobe. So there I was ordering one more.
Above is the Turquoise Vegan Handbag available from Amazon.com and Daseinbags.com
THEN A MISTAKE
What would I do next? Would I quit with two? Try for a third? Go for another style or another brand? How about PINK?!
Although on the pale side, I hoped the pink displayed by both retailers would still be pretty.
CORRECTION AND CONCLUSION
All was not lost. There was one more option, a leopard pattern vegan patent handbag. Actually, it appears very chix on the internet. So I ordered it. Hopefully, it will be as cool as my first two and not another pale pink disappointment.
This is the only Dasein handbag in this style that has a pattern. I hope it is a winner.
I am hoping that the wonderful color fashionistas will follow suit with more brilliant colors for the Spring pr Summer of 2022. These include other brilliant hues such as yellow, hot pink or magenta and the 2022 Pantone Color of the Year, Very Peri.
This is the new mushroom fruiting chamber machine made by Mella. It is coming to the market soon. The Mella machine is designed to offer a superior mushroom growing environment. I, for one am very curious about this new technology.This is because my beginner no-tech attempt at fruiting left much to be desired.
My first no-tech attempt at growing Lions Mane mushroom. Only ADG photo.
THE STORY FROM NORTH SPORE
Here is what NorthSpore has to say about the Mella mushroom fruiting chamber.
“Awhile back, the team at FirstBuild reached out to us about the Mella Smart Mushroom Fruiting Chamber they were creating and asked if we would like to help advise the development team. And, of course, we jumped at the opportunity. This automated mushroom growing appliance has been designed to fit into small spaces (e.g. kitchen countertops) and to make the process of mushroom growing easier, cleaner, more practical for smaller-scale growers and hobbyists. (Think high-tech tiny version of a Martha tent.)
THE LOVE LIST
“We recently received two of their latest prototypes to test, and we just finished our first round of growing. Suffice it to say, we were delighted with Mella’s ease and simplicity, and after much debate, the following six features made it on to our collective “love” list.
Set It and Forget It Feature
1. Mella is fully automated
“There is definitely something nice about the “set it and forget it” simplicity of Mella. Once you’ve assembled the unit and selected the humidity and fan speeds, you can pretty much leave it to do its thing for several days. The water tank (which sits on the outside) lasts for 5-7 days, and the filter and unit only need to be cleaned between mushroom harvests. There are even built-in LED lamps that create the optimal lighting environment for your fungi (which can be turned on and off, if nighttime light isn’t your thing).
2. The unit is compact, yet roomy
“The Mella unit makes excellent use of vertical and horizontal space. We were able to comfortably fit 3 of our Grow Your Own Mushroom bag kits into the unit, leaving enough room for the filter and fan to do their magic. (We also tried 3 of our Spray & Grow Mushroom Kits, which also left ample room for air and circulation.) Of course, we would be lying if we said the unit is small—it isn’t. It’s definitely larger than a standard counter-top toaster oven. That said, it isn’t huge either and took up a lot less room on our kitchen counter than expected. Added bonus—it actually looked good! The Mella design is sleek and minimalist, so it didn’t overpower the space and fit nicely on the counter-top.
The Me;;a Mushroom Fruiting Chamber fits easily on a Kitchen Counter Top
3. The unit is whisper quiet
“Mella’s dual fan has two jobs – air and humidity circulation. And in all honesty, we were a little worried that the fan would create an obnoxious wind-tunnel sound in the background. But it was surprisingly quiet, even at full speed. You can definitely hear it, but it’s more of a soft ambient background noise. Think calming white noise machine, not screeching industrial fan. Two thumbs up!
The mechanism is whisper quiet.
4. Mella controlled smell and spores
“If you live with somebody that is sensitive to mushroom spores or doesn’t like the smell of mushrooms, the Mella is definitely for you. The unit is fully enclosed, and nothing gets in or out (except for highly-filtered air) thanks to the dual fan system. Added bonus – if you live in an area prone to fruit flies and gnats, this keeps them out!
This is how the Mella machine looks from the side.
5. The unit was easy to clean
“Mella has two clear acrylic side walls and a clear acrylic glass door. It also has a stainless-steel floor, roof, and back panel. And, while you do need to clean the unit between mushroom harvests, all inner and outer surfaces are easily wiped off with a damp cloth and soapy water or a water/alcohol mixture. The reusable humidity filter is also easy to clean. Simply run it through lukewarm water between harvests to remove any spore buildup.
6. Mella was easy to set up
“The Mella was packed with care using laser cut spongy foam pieces and only took about 5 minutes to unbox all of the components. After reading the instruction manual, it only took another 15 minutes to fully assemble, including filling the water tank. And, while we wouldn’t say it’s so easy a child could do it, it definitely wasn’t difficult. A quick read of the set-up instructions is all you need. (FirstBuild is also looking to add even easier controls in the next version of Mella.)
The machine with its easy to follow instructions.
CONCLUSION
“Want to get on Mella’s waitlist?
You can be one of the first in line for the upcoming Mella launch (the official date has yet to be announced.) Click here to sign up for their launch announcement and find links to their entertaining demo videos.
Mushroom Growing Kits are the safest and simplest way to begin your mushroom journey. For these reasons, it is essential to start with profession proven expertise. For example, I suggest the ease and expertise of a mushroom growing kit company like North Spore.
Northspore Mushroom Growing Kits.
More About North Spore
In addition, I find it helpful to view the following videos. Along with a superior product, one wants both verbal and visual instructions for the best use. Because the following videos give detailed information about using their products, I recommend viewing them in addition to reading the written instructions.
To sum things up, I suggest that beginners start right here. Specifically, with a North Spore mushroom growing kit. Then carefully follow the directions provided in the box. Equally as important is to view the videos below.
Growing Kits | Part One
North Spore Spray & Grow Mushroom Kits | Setting-up and Maintaining Your Kit | FAQ Part 1
North Spore’s Spray & Grow mushroom kits are a great introduction to the wonders of edible mushroom cultivation. This video is Part 1 of a two video frequently asked questions series going through the process of starting your kit, harvesting your mushrooms, and tips and techniques for cooking them.
In this video, Mary, from North Spore will start each of the North Spore kits and talk about how to keep them healthy!
Video Sections
00:00:07 Introduction
00:01:02 What’s Inside
00:01:44 Starting your Kit
00:03:33 Kit Upkeep and Care
Growing Kits | Part Two
North Spore Spray & Grow Mushroom Kits | Harvesting and Cooking Your Mushrooms | FAQ Part 2
This is the second part of a two part FAQ series on North Spore’s Spray & Grow edible mushroom kits for growing mushrooms on your kitchen counter.
In this video, Lou goes over how to harvest your mushrooms and some tips and techniques for cooking them.
Video Sections
00:02:00 Harvesting your Mushrooms
00:02:50 Tips for Cooking your Harvest
00:03:30 Fat is your Friend
00:03:42 Don’t Crowd the Pan
00:04:01 Cook Your Mushrooms Longer
00:05:45 Tip for Cooking Lion’s Mane
Mushroom Growing Kits from Northspore
CONCLUSION
Even though other brands may have wider selections, I still recommend this brand of kit to start with. That is because this kit has the simplest approach for beginners. In other words, there is no mess, no extra products are needed, the cost is fair.
So far, North Spore is the best mushroom growing kit I have discovered to date. That is because it requires no extra equipment and is reasonably priced at $28/kit. For an extra bonus, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you may be able to get them at an even better price.
Mushroom cultivation on logs is an option for growing mushrooms. As mentioned in an earlier blog post, it is not suggested for beginners. But it is the topic of this blog post. Here is a quote from the Fungi Ally Newsletter about it.
“Mushroom cultivation on logs has a long history. It’s also a great way to grow mushrooms over periods of time because the logs can produce for years. Sawdust spawn and plug spawn are great for inoculating logs, and there are a variety of mushroom species that you can grow on logs and stumps. What mushrooms are you most interested in currently? We have lots of audience members who love growing lion’s mane.
“Popular species to grow on logs include shiitake and oysters. Regardless of your preference, we hope to help you get growing this late summer into fall! It’s also a good time to start growing mushrooms indoors as well. The easiest way of doing this is by using our mushrooms kits that come ready-to-fruit. Until next time, get down with some mycelium and stay tuned for the next newsletter.”
Mushroom cultivation on logs. Image from the Fungi Ally Newsletter.
Mushroom cultivation on logs is just one option for growing mushrooms at home. It is an outdoor technique and not one for the beginner.
As mentioned earlier, growing mushrooms indoors from a kit is ideal since it is simple and safe. Many companies, including Fungi Ally, carry excellent kits for beginners.
CONCLUSION
There are various ways to obtain mushrooms:
•purchase them retail in stores or online
•grown them from a kit
•cultivate them (more to come about cultivation techniques)
Cultivating mushrooms on logs is on one of these options. Others will be presented in this series of blog posts about cultivating mushrooms.
MUSHROOM GROWING KITS To start, mushroom growing kits are the safest and simplest way for a beginner enthusiast to grow their own mushrooms. To make things the safest and easier, there are many beginner kits available. Therefore this post will be a synopsis some of them.
Although this method can be expensive, I believe it is the best way to begin. Most likely, an ardent beginner will probably want to move on to more advanced ways of participating in this activity. That’s not a problem as long as a beginner has moved on in training and experience. Just For now, I suggest to start with a choice from one of the many mushroom growing kits.
GROW, GROW, GROW
As mentioned above, purchasing a kit can be an expense. But is the best way to begin growing mushrooms. You can grow them right in your own kitchen. Here are several kits to choose from. Just follow the directions to begin your journey to growing mushrooms at home.
It is amazing how mushrooms mirror past professions. In other words, my past professions, my current passionate pursuits, my hobbies and possible future explorations, all mirror the world of mushrooms. This is illustrated by the diagram below.
My past professions mirror the qualities of mushrooms and their most important conclusion, consciousness.
FIRST PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY: DECORATIVE ART & DESIGN
Their design is the first category where mushrooms mirror past professions. The intricacies of the designs of these fungi are unique while displaying a myriad of potential conversions into human structures. Enjoy this YouTube video showing the splendid morphology of mushroom. One wonders how much indigenous architecture is instinctively based on structure in the world of mushrooms.
This is a video clip from Fantastic Fungi directed by Louie Schwartzberg.
DESIGN
Their structural wonder is also clearly shown by the anatomy of a mushroom illustration below from the group, NY Mushroom Hunters.
An illustration of the anatomy of a mushroom
SECOND PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY: FOOD | BEVERAGES | INDOOR FARMING
FOOD
The category that practically screams how mushrooms mirror past professions is next. This is because of my involvement with these qualities. We love to eat them. An art of cooking and eating them abounds in all its culinary splendor.
A Virtual Cookbook as part of Fantastic Fungi
INDOOR FARMING aka GROW AT HOME
There are numerous companies and a myriad of mushrooms to choose from to grow your own mushrooms at home. In fact, this is the safest and simplest way for beginners to grow their own mushrooms.
These mushrooms were grown with a kit from AwakenMyco.com. It includes spore impregnated growing medium tightly packed in plastic. Cut holes in it, water and watch them grow.
THIRD PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY: FINANCE & SURVIVAL
In the movie, Fantastic Fungi, it is made clear that we could not exist, even that the earth could not exist without fungi. In fact, the processes of destruction and creation are intrinsic to the world of mushrooms and to our existence.
FOURTH PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY: HEALTH & HEALING
Mushrooms that are safe to eat are filled with vitamin D3. It has been said that they are essential for vegetarians and vegans. Two mushrooms a day are said to be healthful. In addition, there is research documenting how certain mushroom can be healing physically and mentally. The above video goes into some detail about these qualities of mushrooms.
FIFTH PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY: FUN & EDUCATION
As long as we stay open to the flow of intelligence available in the universe, we will learn, grow and enjoy the fruits of this labor.
SIXTH PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY: DIGITAL WORLD
The digital world is a reflection of the network of mycelia that connect under the earth. Mycelia are like the roots that bear fruit. Mushrooms are that fruit that appear above ground. As nature, the universes brain creates connection, man’s brain has created the internet.
SEVENTH EXPLORATORY CATEGORY: CONSCIOUSNESS
One can not help wondering about the intelligence that flowed through my past professions as they mirrored the qualities of mushrooms. Was it a coincidence or the level of consciousness that flows through us as we connect with nature’s nature. Continued study and exploration will reveal more about how mushrooms mirror past professions as well as future explorations.
Therefore, it is geared more for the beginner rather than the experienced mushroom enthusiast. Because there is so much to learn, patience is vital. There is an especially crucial reason for proceeding with caution.
Why to Proceed with Caution
The reason for this expanded introduction with non-experiential facts is due to the fact that there are poisonous mushrooms. Therefore, spontaneous activity as an uneducated forager must be avoided. In other words, sufficient guidance, training, and information must be obtained first to proceed safely before experiencing the ‘fruit of the mycelium’.
Non-Experiential Facts
For this reason, this post and others provide non-experiential aspects of fantastic fungi facts. As a result, they will be filled with source material for safe passage. To begin, it helps to read Starting A New Project first.
But reading Starting A New Project is not necessary to benefit from the data in this post, Continuing My New Project. This is part of a safe passage on my journey into the world of fantastic fungi.
Fantastic Fungi: The Mushroom Movie Trailer
FANTASTIC FUNG RESOURCES: FACEBOOK GROUPS
Information and experiences that other mushroom lovers have are recorded on numerous mushroom facebook groups. Although many of them must not be taken as gospel, they are a good peer review place to explore. Six facebook groups follow.
NY Mushroom Hunters “Hello my fellow mushroom foragers! I created this group in order to keep each other posted on the status of the NY mushroom hunt. I’d love to see this group grow as new members join and contribute with updates on their own hunts. I hope to use this as a tool for us NY’ers to keep each other informed as to whether the mushrooms are up or not.
“We can lean on each other for support on those dry years and post pictures of our hauls on good days. Feel free to post ID requests on this page for any species but please DO NOT purposefully give someone a false ID as this can put someones life at risk. Doing so will result in a permanent ban. I ask everyone to be respectful. Other than that, have fun and welcome to the NY Mushroom Hunters Group!”
NY Mushroom Hunters Facebook Group
The Shroomery “We are here to help with any information regarding mycology, cultivation and identification. . . . This is an unofficial group run by fans and members of the Shroomery, for people interested in the cultivation or identification of mushrooms. Please visit www.shroomery.org to get the authentic experience.”
Mushroom Growing for Beginners and Experts “This group is for people who want to learn to grow mushrooms. From the hobbyist, to small scale and large scale cultivation and production. Feel free to also post anything else mushroom related such as: Cooking Recipes, Pictures of wild mushrooms and pretty much anything.
“It is ok to post for mushroom identification but please make sure to take many pictures top bottom , underneath and so on … also give as much info as possible such as your location where and what its growing on and anything else possible … Also keep in mind there are other groups specifically made for mushroom identification which will have more experts with a better chance of finding the correct identification .. Do not rely on this group (or any) for a 100% positive identification.”
Mushroom Growing For Beginners & Experts Facebook Group
Fantastic Fungi is an amazing Netflix documentary featuring Paul Stamets. In fact, it is the best documentary I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched it many times, already. As a result, it has become the start of my new project, mushrooms.
A picture of Paul Stamets holding an example of a fantastic fungus.
Paul Stamets is a former logger turned mycologist. He is perhaps one of the most knowledgeable people there is when it comes to fantastic fungi.
As much as I wanted to create a single facebook page about mushrooms, my new project, I decided to add this topic to several of my existing facebook pages, instead. That is because fantastic fungi do not fit into just one category. They fit into several. In fact, they dovetail with every single one of my past professional categories, continued passions and hobbies.
For example, there are many kinds of fantastic fungi that are used in cooking. Actually, their use here can have delicious consequences. Therefore fascinating fungi will be included in ‘Alison’s Exotic Healthy Food Kitchen‘.
Without fantastic fungi, the planet could not survive and neither could we. Of course, fantastic fungi will be included in ‘Survival Comes First‘.
Much to my delight, I realized I had an Indoor Gardening Facebook page that I could convert from Microgreens to Mushrooms, Mushroom Mama formerly Seed Mama. It will feature a variety of mushroom data.
The banner from the Facebook Mushroom Growers Group.
Even though I do not have a specific Facebook page where a crucial component of mushrooms fit, the worlds of science and consciousness, information will be included in some of the above mentioned Facebook pages.
WHERE TO BEGIN: RESEARCH
READ
In the past when I have begun a new project, much of my material has been inspired. From that initial spark, I will then research and study it in depth. But this project is unique. Because fantastic fungi can be poisonous, I have to start with research and guidance rather than experimentation at home.
Although I am not much of a reader, the purchase of a book or two might be a good idea. I have found two on Amazon that interest me.
Two books available on Amazon about mushrooms.
WATCH
VIDEO AND STREAMING TV
The introduction to Fascinating Fungi, the video.
This is the video that lured me into the world of fantastic fungi. I don’t know where my journey will lead me or how long this project will last. But in this case, it requires a specific path due the the potential danger of engagement and consumption.
A picture of a turkey tail mushroom from the Facebook group, Medicinal Mushrooms.
NETWORK IN PERSON
This step involves contacting people I know and talking about mushrooms with everyone I meet.
The header from the Facebook group, ‘Grow Mushrooms at Home’.
BUY A MUSHROOM GROWING KIT
Purchasing a kit is the safest And simplest way to begin growing mushrooms at home. Here are several to choose from. Just follow the directions to be on your way to growing mushrooms at home. Fungi Ally Northspore Midwest Grow Kits
A video from Fungi Ally about growing mushrooms at home from a mushroom growing kit.
THE END OF THE BEGINNING
Here are a few things you will need to start you on your way to growing mushrooms at home:
1. a growing kit with the growing medium with the spores injected into it for the mushroom you desire
2. a large plastic tote to house the kit in
3. a mister/water sprayer
4. videos to follow along
5. reading material to learn more
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