There’s something magical about autumn in northeastern Wisconsin. The air turns crisp, the maples and aspens put on their annual show, and the forest floor becomes a patchwork of fallen leaves, moss, and mushrooms.
And this year, the mushrooms seem to be everywhere! From tiny, delicate fungi tucked into mossy logs to enormous clusters pushing through the leaf litter, the woods have been putting on quite a show. A walk through the forest can feel like a treasure hunt, with something new to discover around every bend. Some mushrooms appear almost overnight, while others grow in elaborate shelves on fallen trees or emerge in colorful little colonies. It smells like mushrooms outside right now.
We have logged over two dozen different mushrooms and fungi on the property (do NOT ask me what they are, I have looked most of them up and I am still confused on most of them.) There is also slime mold, lichens and other weird things growing.
It’s a reminder that some of the best fall adventures don’t require traveling very far. My advice is to get outside while the colors last. Look up at the changing canopy, but don’t forget to look down. There’s a whole other autumn spectacle happening on the forest floor.
