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Is this chaga still good?


wny_forager

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Found this growing out of a kinda young birch tree (I think yellow birch?) 

 

Broke off so easily it basically came off in my hand no effort. 

 

Regardless, any chaga info is welcome! 

 

West New York, mixed forest

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On 9/1/2021 at 3:10 PM, Dave W said:

Can't see any reason why this batch of Chaga would not be useful. From what I have heard/read it's the yellow/orange interior parts that contain the desired substance(s). 

ok right on — only reason I ask is because the research I did said to come prepared with an axe or saw when foraging for chaga. This fell off in my hand. I believe I also read to only take chaga from a living birch, versus a dead birch. This was a living tree, thank goodness! Maybe i’ll try a small tea. 

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A Chaga will eventually kill a birch. It might take 20-30 years but it will kill it.

However, the extruded Chaga mass has a life on its own. I suspect that close to tree death, they are easier to remove. Even if leaves are visible...maybe next year there will be no leaves. 

I would take a Chaga even from  a recently dead birch.

Our best areas for Chaga is a unique multi-mile wide expanse of nearly pure Paper Birch forest in North West Ontario. An area that we go though late October while hunting Ruffed Grouse. All the leaves have fallen. It takes significant judgement to know if a birch is dead or not at that time of year.

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On 9/3/2021 at 10:55 PM, JOHNY said:

A Chaga will eventually kill a birch. It might take 20-30 years but it will kill it.

However, the extruded Chaga mass has a life on its own. I suspect that close to tree death, they are easier to remove. Even if leaves are visible...maybe next year there will be no leaves. 

I would take a Chaga even from  a recently dead birch.

Our best areas for Chaga is a unique multi-mile wide expanse of nearly pure Paper Birch forest in North West Ontario. An area that we go though late October while hunting Ruffed Grouse. All the leaves have fallen. It takes significant judgement to know if a birch is dead or not at that time of year.

Thank you Johny, that’s all good info! The tree does still have plenty of nice leaves, it’s a young tree, only about 6inches diameter. I’m gonna make a little tea and see if I’m into it! 

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