When John and Christina had their first child, they knew they wanted to raise him differently than most. Rather than a house in the city or suburbs, they chose to live in a place surrounded by forest. Now, they raise two children like this, ensuring they know how to forage. In fact, 6-year-old Arthur has gotten so good at identifying edible mushrooms, he can teach others… and he that’s exactly what he’s doing!
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In a video John shared online, Arthur takes us through the steps of figuring out if a mushroom is edible. More specifically, he inspects what is called a Russula. This particular method involves what is called a “nibble and spit test.” Watch the video below to check out this clever little boy’s process in action!
Little Boy Shares His Surprising Method of Identifying Edible Mushrooms
If you’re unfamiliar with identifying edible mushrooms, the nibble and spit test may seem dangerous. On the contrary, it can be both a safe and useful way to test mushrooms. That said, it is vital to understand how all of this works. You don’t want to try it with just any old mushroom.
“This test is a great way to test for Russula edibility,” John explains in the caption of his post, “but should only be used on 100% confirmed Russula species, not all wild mushrooms!”
Once you’re certain that a mushroom is of the Russula species, you’ll want to nibble on a piece for a few seconds only. Luckily, this is all you need to do in order to know whether it’s safe. When one is unsafe, John says it will have a “spicy burn” that is similar to chili.
It’s so cool that Arthur can identify mushrooms like this! That said, his parents emphasize the importance of having him do so only when he is supervised. Want to learn more? Check out the guide this clever family shared on their website!
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!
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