# The Edible Garden RR



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Running a train this evening and suddenly spotted something along the track










Could it be? Sent the loco to investigate










Yes a crop of morel mushrooms has appeared growing mostly in the ballast of the SC&M GRR, along the old main ROW. 

They have occasionally sprouted around our little suburban plot here and there, in a pile of bricks, under a tree, just one or two. Suddenly, 9 of them in the ballast of all places.

The chief cook says they will be harvested very soon, so the gondola is getting ready for some work this weekend










Jerry


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry,

I know nothing about mushrooms, other than enjoying them, but are you thinking about leaving one in each location for the future?

Enjoy!!!

Chuck


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Chuck
I have done that for the past 3 or 4 years at the other locations, and would you know, they never appear at the same place! This was at least 30 ft and around a corner from where they were last year, so the theory of leaving some for the spores for next year does not seem to hold. They are getting eaten this time! I will have to research how they propagate, or just trust to nature to provide


Jerry


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Just a thought.

Chuck


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

The root system that they grow up from is in the ground, the mushrooms are just the "flower" of the root system. They spread underground as much as they do by spore propagation.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

One day we went mushroom hunting and drove the truck around to the back side of the 80 acres. Susan, Caleb, Ethan and I wandered the creek and woods all afternoon and didn't find any. When we got back to the truck, we found it parked in the middle of a sea or morels! All I can guess is we hadn't started looking yet when we got out.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Wild blackberries!

The railway may need to construct a branch line to service this field.

Wild Blackberries-1 by BigRedOne45mm, on Flickr


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## catherine yronwode (Oct 9, 2013)

Wow, those morels look grand. You need some gnomes out there to pose with them!


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

So THAT's what this guy's up to; Mushroom hunting!


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

The "giant" fruits, vegetables, and fungi found on garden railroads were a by-product first developed by Fred McMurry in the "Son of Flubber" laboratories (Flubber gas production facility) in 1963. Some of them got out at that time and began to self-propagate.

If I ever put in 1:1 fruits/vegetables/etc., I would also put in the "Son of Flubber" laboratory facility. Of course most people would have no idea.


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