Why does a mushroom picker need a knife?

Mushroom knife

Why cut mushrooms?

If you remember the distant times and turn to the history of mushroom picking in Russia, then no knives were used. Most of the mushrooms were collected by small children and old people. Adults at this time were engaged in household chores and subsistence farming. Therefore, children were not given knives, and they were very expensive in those days, the peasants simply did not have such money. Therefore, children simply had to pick mushrooms with their hands.

What happens when a mushroom is plucked straight from the root? First of all, the connecting threads are damaged, which connect the fruiting body of the fungus with the main part of its body - mycorrhiza. And mushrooms will never grow in this place. However, if we take into account the fact that the population of Russia was not numerous and not so dense on a unit of territory, and there were much more forests, this practically did not affect the number of fungi and the general condition of mycorrhiza. In our time, when many swamps were drained, and the rivers became shallow, every little thing became important in the forest. Any intervention in a small piece of a natural ecosystem is perceived by nature as very painful. Therefore, in order to preserve as many myceliums as possible, it is necessary to carefully cut off the fruiting bodies of edible mushrooms with a knife and not touch those that you do not need. Remember,so that the mycelium is not a factory for the production of an unlimited number of mushrooms, but a living organism.

How to choose a knife?

Usually, among the majority of mushroom pickers, there are few of those who attach importance to the mushroom knife. They just take with them the first kitchen knife they come across, so as not to regret losing it in the forest. Well, that happens. However, any knife needs to be prepared in advance for picking mushrooms: you need to sharpen the knife blade sharply, the handle should not be small. The tool must be firmly and securely in the hand.

It is imperative to cut off densely and nearby growing mushrooms. These are such types of mushrooms as honey mushrooms and boletus. And their legs are not as tasty as their hats.

For picking mushrooms, high-quality and convenient cutting knives are on sale. A cutter knife in a light plastic sheath is hung around the neck (or attached to clothes with a clothespin) so that the cutter handle is turned into the ground. The knife is easily removed from the sheath with a simple push of a button. The cutter knife is inserted into the scabbard with a characteristic snap-fit. The handle of the knife should be a bright color - yellow, red, white, so that the fallen knife can be quickly found in the foliage. A folding knife should be of a similar design so that it easily and quickly emerges from its scabbard.

What else does a mushroom picker need a knife for?

The mushroom picker needs a knife not only to cut mushrooms from time to time. There are plenty of other useful things you can do with a small knife. For example, cut a special stick from a long branch to stir up foliage without bending over to the ground. A knife will help make a fire for cooking or heating. With the help of a knife, bread and other products are easily cut and cans are opened. This tool is indispensable if you decide on a long stay in the forest.

Safety engineering

Like any other sparsely inhabited area, the forest is fraught with a lot of the unknown, and sometimes dangerous. You can stumble upon a random person or a wild animal. It should also be remembered that all knives are cold weapons. And very often, instead of cutting mushrooms, people accidentally inflict wounds and injuries on themselves. It is worth remembering that the knife is not a toy and requires careful handling.

A knife at home

Knives are also useful at home for processing freshly picked mushrooms. Knives for meat in this case will no longer work. You will need good, sharpened kitchen knives for cutting vegetables. The thickness of the blade should not be very large - no more than one millimeter. Previously, for mushrooms, you must cut off the leg from the cap. Mushrooms do not tolerate processing with a blunt instrument, because they lose some of the aroma and structure, sharpening is necessary at an angle of no more than 16 degrees. For drying and frying, the mushroom cap is cut into wide thin slices.