Chicken of the woods, Laetiporus sulphuric, found on the way to the farm. We took this older specimen over and left it to spore on some of our dead and dying hardwoods: Mostly black cherry trees and tulip poplar.
Today was a mushroom hunter’s dream. It’s an understatement to say they were everywhere. We’ve had an enormous amount of rain in Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. We’ve had flooding at the house but finally, after all of this rain, the water table is restored at SAFF from our prolonged summer drought. All of the springs are flowing and the waterways are moving. We saw water flowing in the wet weather gullies in the north and south. It’s a beautiful sight.
Amanita persicina, Peach colored fly agaric, were found all around the farm where pines are growing. These were large and brilliantly decorated with vibrant orange. The larger of the specimen were 8 inches in height and 4 inches across. They are showstoppers. More A. persicina along south trail. We found them mostly in big groupings up top and along the trails. These are my new favorites. Leccinum longicurvipes found on the north side in the pine forest. The scabers (rigid projections) along the stalk identify them as Leccinum within the genus Boletus. Genus suillus, slippery jacks or sticky bun, found anywhere we saw pines. They were all over the farm today. We hadn’t seen them before so it’s a wonderful surprise. It forms symbiotic ectomycorrhizal associations with pine trees by enveloping the underground roots of the tree with sheaths of fungal tissue. Rather than gills, it has tubes extending downward from the underside of the cap. Ramaria stricta, Upright Coral fungus, found near southern waterway along Ridge Trail.
Thank you. Yes, we are grateful for the water for our trees and wild animals! What’s going on in North Carolina is heartbreaking. It has rained every day for 3 weeks. It is supposed to rain more today. We all are ready for a bit of sun now. 😊
St Andrews Forest Farm 
I’m glad the flooding where you are finally subsided. It’s so nice to see the restorative action of the water in your videos.
Thank you. Yes, we are grateful for the water for our trees and wild animals! What’s going on in North Carolina is heartbreaking. It has rained every day for 3 weeks. It is supposed to rain more today. We all are ready for a bit of sun now. 😊