"Are you interested in exploring nature, learning about local wildlife, or simply enjoying a day in the great outdoors? If so, then I would love your support in continuing my freelance work as a naturalist and speaker. With over thirty updated lectures and more than 100 guided tours under my belt, I've gained a wealth of knowledge about the natural world and how we can all benefit from spending time in nature. And with your help, I can continue to share this knowledge and passion with even more people. By supporting my work, you'll not only help me expand my activities and collect more material, but you'll also be investing in your own enjoyment and well-being. Whether you're looking to learn something new, de-stress, or simply have a fun day out, my lectures and tours offer something for everyone. So why not join me on a journey of discovery and exploration? By supporting my work, you'll be investing in both yourself and the natural world we all share. Thank you for considering my request, and I look forward to connecting with you soon."
"In today's fast-paced world, many of us are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature, leading sedentary lifestyles, and experiencing the decline of our communities. Unfortunately, these lifestyle choices have significant negative effects on our physical and mental health. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can lower stress levels, boost cognitive function, and improve overall well-being. Conversely, a lack of exposure to nature can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Additionally, many people are not getting enough exercise, which can lead to a host of health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining good health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Finally, the deterioration of our communities can also have a negative impact on our health. Social isolation and lack of social support can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Communities with high crime rates or poorly maintained infrastructure can also negatively impact the well-being of their residents. It's important for us to recognize the importance of nature, exercise, and community in our lives and take steps to prioritize these areas. This could include spending more time outdoors, finding ways to incorporate exercise into our daily routines, and actively participating in community activities and events. In summary, we need to take care of ourselves by prioritizing our connection to nature, exercising regularly, and strengthening our communities. By doing so, we can improve our physical and mental health, and lead happier, more fulfilling lives."
When I saw the unpretentious canopy walkway in the freshly cut forest, I just looked at it, and then burst out laughing in pain. This EU project in Nyírmártonfalva gives a complete view of the country. The curse of feudalism is that the "lords" know better and therefore control others, in return for wanting everything for themselves and dividing the wealth of the state among themselves, a system that has been in place for centuries. This piece is part of what I call the curse of Árpád, the mentality of the small conquering tribes of the East, the violent life strategy, the duality of oppression and robbery that the "lords" so fondly refer to as the glorious past. I'm not going to fret about how this little cesspit on the edge of Europe is rotting. Fortunately, you can leave.
There are all sorts of world days this week, but I don't feel like writing about them now, because, for example, there is no forest or water in Békés County and I have enough articles about our disappearing values in my blog. I'm tired of repeating important facts. I've been working in the garden and around the house this week, because spring is here and life really picks up. I love the season of renewal, because it's when even tired and disillusioned souls like me believe a little that maybe there is hope. (There isn't.) I interrupted the work with some photography. Capturing beauty is relaxing, relaxing and looking back at good quality photos is invigorating. If you can, spend as much time as possible outdoors and get some exercise, and try to talk to each other and be a bit nicer. I'm sick to death of people being grumpy bag ladies. Where is the joy of life, the play, the dancing?! I am saddened that even spring cannot bring to life the digitally obsessed people stuck in the city. My photos are also ineffective. People don't even know what life is worth anymore. Well, ecological collapse will bring them back to life.
Today I gave a very good presentation to my listeners. It was such a good topic that I ran out of time, I added half an hour to the hour. I apologised to my listeners who said they didn't mind because they were happy to listen. Edible mushrooms enrich our diets, and some mushrooms are a great treat on their own. If you click on the image, it will pop up slightly larger and you can read the scientific names. The Agaricus bisporus is included as an extra mushroom because it is the number one cultivated species worldwide. The Agaricus litoralis basket represents the ideal May experience. Before 2000, the "white" mushroom season started in the fifth month. Agaricus species are very popular in Békés County and since we have saline wastelands, one of our special mushrooms is Agaricus bernardii. Agaricus is a tricky genus because some species are poisonous due to their phenol content. These should be avoided. But some of them are so distinctive, like A. bernardii, because of their habitat alone, that they are easily recognisable. My last lecture was about them, I presented 20 species.
Today is the spring equinox, the end of winter and the beginning of the time of spring. At dawn, before the Sun rose, I went out into the yard and smelled the scent of vegetation in the air. Yes, the soil is alive and the plants are sprouting, the flowers are blooming. In sunny weather, the scent of violets wafts through my town and my mushrooming spots alike. The sweet violet Viola odorata is a medicinal plant. My other favourite wildflower is the equally undemanding and common red deadnettle Lamium purpureum. It's a modest looking plant, but it makes for beautiful photographs. I used to enjoy eating its flowers as a child. I love odor of common hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis. I collect the varieties, I already have seven in my garden: white, pale yellow, light pink and dark pink, purple, light blue and dark blue, but I like them mainly for their fragrance. I'm glad it's spring because there are finally scents in the air. You can go outside and garden. I will go hiking soon, but first the garden, because I want to sow some of my favourite vegetables.
Four images from 2017 answer the question succinctly. The summer bolete Boletus reticulatus is a well-known delicacy mushroom. As a wild food, edible mushrooms are catching the attention of many. I was a little kid when I discovered that shaggy inkcap Coprinus comatus mushrooms growing in the town were edible. People living in cities get their food from shops. The first time we are confronted with a mushroom growing edible fruiting bodies in the street, we are shocked. This is a positive shock. I was totally blown away by the fact that shaggy inkcap is edible and even medicinal. As a child I knew I wanted to know more about mushrooms. Over the decades I have tasted at least thirty edible mushrooms. Some people do double that and I know some people who also try the less tasty edible mushrooms.
A memory from August 2017 that brings back the joy of mushroom hunting. In one hand I had my very simple first compact, in the other I had the fruiting body of one of the important character species of the oak plantations of Békés county. (See my previous post. It is indeed my favourite.) Chalciporus rubinus is edible but I only pick up one fruiting body, that I show my students. Fortunately, it thrives in the dwindling oak plantations of Békés County and is surprisingly common. Otherwise, Leccinum duriusculum is our best edible bolete in the Békés county. I encountered about twenty species of the order Boletales in Békés county. None of these are seriously poisonous, the inedible ones are stomach upsetting and some can be made edible by careful cooking. The cap skins of Suillus species should be peeled off, "Xerocomus" species should not be picked when mouldy and I could go on with the little warnings, but the point is that most species of the order Boletales are good, edible mushrooms.
In this picture my sweetheart is holding Macrolepiota caps. This is a very nice moment from an autumn hike in 2020. The parasol mushroom is very popular, because it is common and easy to recognise. Although the meat of the cap is very thin, it is popular stuffed or fried. Despite the extreme extent of agricultural land in Békés County, there are many good edible mushrooms growing. Unfortunately, arable farming has led to excessive drainage of water in the county and drought has been a growing problem for decades. Prolonged droughts and hot spells have a severe impact on the remaining natural values, and oaks are dying of thirst, even though oak is an important wood partner for mycorhizza fungi as Chalciporus rubinus. The destruction of trees will cause a significant loss of species in Békés County, as they are not only important for fungi.
Last year, in early October, I had the opportunity to go on a very good mushroom tour, when I was able to show the fruiting bodies of more than thirty species. These included poisonous, inedible and edible. It felt good to talk about them. The richness of shape of the fruiting bodies and the different textures, tastes and smells of the edible ones are incredible. Yes, mushrooms are a popular food because they add variety to our diet. The seasoning value of mushrooms is particularly high. Last year, in four articles, I presented twenty edible mushrooms that live in Békés County. I put the links to the four articles in one place where you can open and read them. Now the spring season for mushrooms has begun. The popular species of this period are the morels. (The linked article is from 2020, so it is in Hungarian.) I ate a lot of mushrooms as a beginner mushroom picker and to this day I still enjoy them, but only as a gourmet. My source of pleasure now is mostly documenting them and introducing the species to novice shroomers. Finding and eating delicious mushrooms with friends is good for the body and soul.
I first found Chalciporus rubinus in 2014 at my number one place. I took this photo of one of its fruiting bodies with my old compact, which was a simple camera. This very distinctive mushroom is on the list of globally assessed fungi of conservation concern, which has been extended to 280 species in 2019. It is gratifying that this little colourful beauty is surprisingly common in the oak plantations of Békés county. Over the years I have found it in several places. It is always a pleasure to see when it can grow a lot of fruiting bodies. Although it resembles a small Xerocomus in size, its pink-reddish tubes and pink stipe distinguish it from all other species. I hope June will be rainy because then it will grow and I can finally take new photos of it this year.
We all pretend to be missing out on the global transformation that climate change is causing. It's irrational that the problem doesn't even reach their brains, because someone else will solve it. The way we live, the way we meet our needs, the way we use the land, the water, the energy all have an impact on the world and ultimately on us, and not just in a positive way. Unfortunately, the imposition of outdated methods are creating life-threatening situations. Today there was a serious traffic accident in the Zsámbéki basin on the M1 motorway. The day before, on Friday, heavy machinery was working on a nearby giga field owned by a Hungarian oligarch. It's important to know that despite the winter precipitation, soils are already drying rapidly and the top 20 centimetres have surprisingly little water, ranging from 30(!)-70%, with quite large variations. In the Zsámbéki basin, the water content of the upper 20 cm layer of the soil is around 50%, so it is quite dry. What should not happen, has happened. The dry earth dusted by the heavy machinery was picked up by the gale-force winds and carried across the highway. Someone slammed on the brakes when they hit the cloud of dust, causing many people to rush into it and a pile-up. Importantly, the dust is actually dead soil that has been destroyed by poor agricultural practices.
This picture is taken from the Google Maps street view. It shows the state of the Po river near Pieve del Cairo last August. In 2022, Europe was hit by drought, which did not end everywhere, including Italy. It is shocking to see that the mighty Po River, with a catchment area of 72,000 square kilometres, is half as wide as it should be. It is a vital river for agriculture and cities in northern Italy. Incredible as it may seem, our modern world is not safe from water scarcity and all its negative consequences! All the convenience, all the technology, all the money is worth nothing if you can't drink clean, sweet water and die in three days. I can't imagine what goes through people's minds that they don't think about the basics of our lives, about nature, its blessings and the key element of water. Europe could also face food shortages due to the impossibility of agricultural production! This is a looming problem. Where will water come from if it doesn't rain for months and we are wasteful with our existing supplies? And the main problem will not be that the "nice green lawn" will burn out.
Goals beyond ourselves give meaning to our lives and make us whole. Many of our failings are the result of our lonely, blocked solitude because we have believed there is no hope. Wrong. We are companionable beings and together we accomplish surprisingly great things! By the 21st century, loneliness, community breakdown and toxic mistrust have become the root of many problems. Loneliness and malaise shorten our lives! Stop turning to alcohol and drugs and reach out to people. All it takes is a little smile, a change of a few sentences. Then organize around indirect goals. For me, the big indirect goal is to use mushroom habitats sparingly and designate more and more protected forests. After all, I am a shroomer who wants future generations to enjoy mushrooms.
Thank you for visiting the blog and the presentations! Because there is something we all care about, mushrooms.
Monthly rainfall totals are very variable. Last September, 93 mm of rain fell, a positive variation. October was extremely dry, 7 mm! Before 2000, October was considered the peak of the mushroom season. This is over. The attached picture shows the top 0-20 water content of the soil. The data represent the situation on 6 March. The winter has brought sufficient rainfall, but the situation is still critical! Groundwater levels in the county have been falling for decades. A slightly more normal, wet season cannot help. Think about it! Don't paint yourself happy illusions based on current conditions. It seems to me that many people are afraid to face the reality that the era of artificially maintained abundance is over. That is why they are not willing to change. Yet water scarcity is one of the greatest risks of our time! Our civilisation is very fragile.
"Egy ország erejét az államhatalomtól független, cselekvőképes, gyakorlatban használható tudással rendelkező emberek adják. Támogatásuk legjobb módja, hogy hagyjuk élni és dolgozni őket. Ha így teszünk, az ország fejlődni fog. Ez a siker útja."
1978 óta élek Békés megyében, magyar állampolgár vagyok, az anyanyelvem magyar. Felmenőim közt van szlovák, szlovén és román nemzetiségű is, közép-európai genetikai mix vagyok, akárcsak még rajtam kívül sok millióan a Kárpát-medencében. Ezért sem hat rám a nacionalista mantra, a sugalmazással megteremtett "MI" érzés, ami tényleg csak érzés, mert valójában a magyar nemzet a mindenkori urai által menedzselt illúzió. Ezt tökélyre fejlesztette a NER, aminek egy célja van, teljesen kifosztani magáncélokra Magyarországot. Ez a valóság. Ma csak rövid ideig tartózkodtam kint a szülővárosomban, és a lakosságán látom a módszeres tőkeelszívás hatását. Szörnyen rotty állapotban van az emberek többsége. Nem az élet viháncol bennük, hanem a halál terjeszkedik.
Sajnos, alapvető összefüggések sem ismertek, például: hatalom=akarat. Abszolúte téves azt hinni, hogy a parlamentben ülő 133 bátor emberé a hatalom. Demokrácia=népfelség, vagyis a hatalom az embereknél van, de erről megfeledkeztek vagy lemondtak, végül is mindegy a szomorú folyamatot szemlélve, ami az én életemet is veszélyezteti. A NER gazdasági vállalkozásként nem önfenntartó, folyamatos külső tőkére szorul, amit eddig az EU biztosított, vagy igen kétséges hasznú kínai hitelek, és államkötvények kibocsátása. Annyira éhes a NER, hogy bármelyik forrás elapad, még szörnyűbb dolgokra ragadtatja magát. Ne hidd, hogy "odafent" bárkit is érdekel a balsorsod. Fontos, de ezt se köztudott, hogy a politikusnak három feladata van: lehetővé tenni a biztonságos jogi környezetet a polgárok számára, gondosan kezelni a közös vagyont (államkincstár, állami cégek stb), és üzemeltetni egy hatékony, kicsi államszervezetet, ami az emberekért dolgozik. Magyar civil/polgár vagyok, és érzem a pusztulás bűzét. Itt mindenki meg akar halni? Mi a fene ez a kollektív és érthetetlen halálvágy?! Amikor az életben tényleg vannak jó dolgok! És most visszatérek a fő feladatomhoz, az értékőrzéshez.
Ui.: Ami szintén fontos. Nem mindenféle kétes értékű támogatás kell az aktív korúaknak, hanem normális, európai bér!!! A NER mint valami kényúr tudatosan "hálás gyermek" kiszolgáltatott pozíciójába kényszeríti a felnőtteket a támogatásokkal. Ez nem méltó senkihez sem. De a NER direkt csinálja, neki függők kellenek, hogy kénye-kedve szerint dézsmálhassa mindannyiunk kincsét, az országot.
Házi feladat
Kérlek, nézz körül bent és kint és próbálj válaszolni öt kérdésre: Ki vagy te? Lelki, testi szociális tulajdonságaid és kapcsolataid vedd sorba. Mi a nemzet és miként tekintesz rá? Mi az ország, és mit adott neked és te az országnak? Mi az állam, és milyen feladatai vannak és neked milyen kötelességeid az állam működtetésében? Mi a haza, mit jelent számodra a szó?
Ne várj messiásra, mert nincsenek csodák! Ne feledd, a legközelebbi segítséged Te magad vagy.
Scilla vindobonensis is the first of the native spring flowers of Békés county to bloom. I first found it in March 2017 and have been visiting and photographing it every year since. A small plant, the leaf shows its modest stature, but its flowers are strikingly blue. The photo shows the colour well. Corydalis cava is our other native spring flower, which blooms before the trees bud. I was surprised to find specimens already in flower. Both plants are the memory of the real forest in Békés County. What you currently see as patches of woody habitat are all planted plantations.
"Francis Fukuyama was wrong, it is not the end of history, it is the end of the story of human in action." I wrote in my diary a few years earlier. And in the present I see that I was right. The human being, vulnerable to his needs and made dependent on systems and guided by algorithms, is trapped. There is no way you can take back control of your life, your environment, your destiny. Today I watched the small tide from the dam. The summers of 2022 and 2021 were a very vivid illustration of what summers will be like for generations to come. Water is vital. It always has been. And I've watched the life-giving water run away, unable to get out onto the land. There is nowhere open for it to go in Békés County. In the 19th century there was a positive demand for grain. Well, short-term interest led to river regulation, which benefited the big landowners. Everything we experience today points to the fact that this was a misguided plan that made human life in the lowlands impossible. Water is the basis of life. Lack of water makes it impossible to grow grain, which leads to shortages, which can lead to famine! Nature is the supreme master, its laws cannot be broken without consequences, and don't think we can defy the trouble brought upon our heads! Because as I wrote at the beginning of this post, we are trapped.
This photo was taken in summer 2017 at my indicator place in Postelek. Chalciporus rubinus is one of the lesser known natural treasures of the county, and for me one of the most treasured mushroom. It is its small fruiting body dried out in the drought, unable to fully develop and sporulate. Drought has been a recurrent problem in Békés County, because for climatic reasons we are a moderately arid area and unfortunately we do not have large lakes and forests as natural water sources. The flooding of the rivers has provided a surplus of water that has allowed a rich biodiversity. The flooding caused many problems, but it was basically a necessity! Unfortunately the large river regulation works started in the 19th century had a shockingly negative impact on the landscape. I'm a shroomer and I know very well that my pets need rain to grown their fruiting bodies. But it's not just the fungi that suffer, the trees are also damaged! The pedunculate oak Quercus robur, our most noble indigenous tree species, is dying. Fraxino pannonicae - Ulmetum is our first plant community, the most valuable next to our remaining patches of stepp in its natural state. It is quite difficult to translate the Hungarian terms into English, but one important thing is that our natural vegetation, the groves, have been severely damaged and the process of drying is destroying them further. In addition to forests, swamps, marshes and riverbeds are disappearing. Why had to condemn nature to death in Békés County, and at the same time condemn the people living here to death?
The reason was the land hunger of the grain conjuncture in the 19th. Grains are a blessing and a curse, because their accumulation has made it possible to feed ourselves safely, which has led to a surge in births and an increase in our population. However, we were not aware of how fragile a system nature is and we were effectively draining its resources. River regulation seems to have increased the amount of land that can be sown to crops, but these areas have always been natural places for water and kept the county wet. Their draining and ploughing has led to the general drying out of the county! Human life becomes impossible. The picture shows the last generation, still born here, but certain to emigrate. Maize, which has only been known in Europe for a few centuries, was not grown in the county in the summer of 2022 because it dried out in the drought. Last year, two effects were amplified, one by a lack of water in the landscape and the other by a continental-scale drought. One of the causes of the Europe-wide drought is the cutting of the Amazonas rainforest. Vast forests play a major role in the global water cycle. This is not common knowledge, nor is a lot of what is essential knowledge for life and for the responsible management of nature's goods.
I had a dark view of our situation in the tree plantation, looking at the oaks in decline. Last August I wrote that there was no community, no nature, no money. Although the latter is not a real value, but only a means. It is the lack of nature and community that is the real tragedy. In November I wrote about what is wrong with the Hungarian nation. I have been thinking about a solution ever since, but finding any effective remedy for three centuries of decay is an impossible task. Even those who are much smarter and more powerful than I am have failed to set the Hungarian nation on a real course of development. I am aware that climate change is changing everything and is already affecting us. And you see that you are trapped. Community cooperation has made our species great, and the atomized, consumer-conditioned mass is eating itself. Is there any hope? Is there any point in hoping that my knowledge can be of use to the community, if not to the Hungarian nation, then to another? I also translated my portfolio into English in September. I know that time is running out, but I am also convinced that action is the only cure for our ills. So I do my job.
The third month of the year can be exciting if the weather is good. This year, there seems to be no problem with precipitation, rain is expected and the winter was rainy, which means that the ground is almost saturated with water. I am pleasantly excited. I give a presentation in the late afternoon on the first day of the month. There will be ten lectures in March. I'll keep you informed about these in good time. You can ask about them on the blog page. I have included some of my photos from three years ago. These show how much the month gives us after a grey winter. In addition to the online lectures, I take my students out into the field, because Verpa bohemica interests many people. I think about how I can best serve my students. I would like you to have a really good experience with mushrooms.
The most important conservation day of the month is World Water Day on the 22nd.
P.S.: International Women's Day makes me feel good that I owe my privileged position to the struggles of my ancestors. But it also reminds me that the fight is not over.
