I am in Orvieto and I have a question...

I have a client who is going from Malpensa to Merano on June 1 and wants to stop somewhere en route to pick mushrooms. Does anyone know if if that will be possible and, if so, where would be a good place to look.

Thanks.

By the way, it was raining this morning in Rome, got sunny in the afternoon in Orvieto and is now raining again. Sigh.....

...but Jim, it's Italian rain!
Doesn't that make it not only bearable, but somehow even a little magical?

"The drops of rain make a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling." ~ Lucretius, c.95-55 BC, Roman poet and philosopher
Brenda

>>but Jim, it's Italian rain!<<

As much as I love being in Italy, I am a real fair weather traveler. Rain holds no charms for me.....

Jim, if these are the same clients who want to visit the silver mine near Merano, I'm feeling guilty for referring them to you!
- Marie

Ok, I have found something. No idea of where to direct them or wether there will be any mushrooms left in June (that's usually late, but that's also high country), but I have found a page that lists the rules involved in mushroom hunting in the Südtirol. I know you speak some Itlaian, but this "Beauractese" may just be too much, so I will try to translate. These norms are from the Regional Law n. 18 voted on June 19 1991, as later modified, so they are pretty official.

1. For collecting mushrooms your client will have to ask permission (it's not state who to!), show a document and pay 5 euro (per person!). Thus he will be allowed to hunt an collect mushrooms in the comune he has asked permission to, not anywhere else.

2. In case he does not, the fine is 51 euro + 30 euro for each kilo (approx 2 pounds) of mushrooms plus the mushrooms will be confiscated. Also, the same fine is due in case the mushrooms are collected in areas marked with signs that say that it's no allowed to collect them, so make sure he pays attention to these signs.

3. Mushrooms collecting is allowed only on even days (2, 4, etc.) from 7 am until 7 pm. (Fine as above.)

4. The maximum collectible for non residents is 1 kg per person (aged over 14). 30 euro fine for each Kg above the limit, plus mushrooms wil be confiscated.

5. The mushrooms must be roughly cleanded on the spot and kept in stiff plastic containers, uncovered and the containers must be of some kind of mesh in order to let the spores fall to the ground. (Fine 30 to 87 euro.)

6. It is obviously forbidden to create any damage anywhere or leave trash in the area (fines in this case range from 41 to about 850 euro).

quote:

wether there will be any mushrooms left in June (that's usually late, but that's also high country),

OK this has peaked my interest but I must exhibit my extreme ignorance. I thought mushroom season was the autumn (e.g. Sept/Oct/Nov). If that's right, would there really be any to be found in June, even in the mountains?

Also, what are the rules about whose land you can go on? Can one go anywhere, or are there designated "common lands" where anyone can go?

Mushrooms grow in both Spring and Fall. It's a matter of rain and temperature: mushrooms live on rotting material (well, more or less), in winter it's too cold for anything to rot, in ssummer it's too dry. In spring and fall the conitions are perfect.

Alice
Do they do mushroom hunting in the Vento region? I will be in area next week.

More or less everywhere in Italy has some mushroom areas, including Sicily. The point is where in Veneto you will be based. If you are based in Venice or in any other "flat land" city or town, getting to a mushroom area may be quite of a trek.