Day of the Mushroom 2023: Date, History, Facts, Events

The Day of the Mushroom holiday is observed on April 16 and celebrates all fungi. A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus that can develop anywhere above ground, on soil, or on its food source. The cultivated white button mushroom is the standard fungus to be termed a mushroom. Consequently, the term “mushroom” is most commonly attributed to fungi with a stem, cap, and gills on the underside of their cap. The term “mushroom” is also applicable to the succulent fruiting bodies of other Ascomycota because it is used to refer to a variety of gilled fungi with or without a stem.

The background of Day of the Mushroom

Since they first appeared in early European communities, it is generally assumed that humans have been harvesting mushrooms since the beginning of time, possibly even during the prehistoric period. In ancient Greece and Rome, truffles and other types of fungi were highly valued. In her book “Mushroom: A Global History,” the American author Cynthia Bertelsen asserts that both Pliny the Elder and Aristotle wrote about fungi. She also asserts that the ancient Greek philosopher Galen penned a number of passages on the collection of untamed mushrooms. It is likely that China and Japan were the first places to cultivate mushrooms in 600 A.D., according to Cynthia Bertelsen.

However, it took time for Americans to embrace and adapt to mushrooms. In the first American cookery, “The Virginia Housewife,” mushrooms are mentioned for the first time. (1824). In the 1930s, Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, a classic American ingredient for casseroles, was created. There may be archaeological evidence of the spiritual use of fungi as early as 10,000 B.C., according to Bertelsen. There is evidence that numerous cultures, including the Ancient Greeks, Mayans, Chinese, and Vikings, utilised hallucinogenic fungi.

Humans now routinely consume edible mushrooms, which has had a significant impact on the agricultural and agro-economic development of regions where they are grown. China produces roughly half of the world’s farmed edible mushrooms and accounts for six pounds of annual mushroom consumption per individual among the world’s 1.4 billion inhabitants. With an estimated 194,000 tonnes of edible mushroom exports annually in 2014, Poland was the world’s foremost exporter of mushrooms.

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DAY OF THE MUSHROOM EVENTS

Go on a mushroom search

On Day of the Mushroom, it would be prudent to go mushroom foraging. Depending on a variety of factors, it is sometimes possible to locate mushrooms in your backyard or nearby woods.

Consume some mushrooms

Take in some fungi! Several edible fungi used as culinary garnishes are quite delectable and nutritional.

Share the enjoyment online.

Include the hashtag #DayOfTheMushroom when sharing mushroom-related content. Participate in the discussion online.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MUSHROOMS

Like humans, mushrooms draw in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

Not the mushroom, but the fruiting body of the mycelium is the primary plant.

Some fungi are edible and have a pleasant flavour.

China is the world leader in edible mushroom production, followed by Japan and the United States.

Spores of mushrooms can survive space’s radiation and vacuum.

DAY OF THE MUSHROOM DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	April 16	Sunday
2024	April 16	Tuesday
2025	April 16	Wednesday
2026	April 16	Thursday
2027	April 16	Friday