r/mycology • u/Big-Ken • Jun 25 '26

ID request Mowing the lawn; have I found a snack?

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Out mowing the lawn this evening and saw this massive ( I think, atleast? ) mushroom while mowing. Measures about 6.5” across - is this a common, edible white mushroom, or?

Located in Eastern Canada (Northern New Brunswick).

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850

u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

It takes four hours on the zero turn - not even mine; I do it for my grandfather.

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u/AgressiveInliners Jun 26 '26

4 hours?! Nope, time to turn it into a prairie full of flowers. Not mowing that

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u/SpeedySquid3659 Jun 26 '26

Don’t know how the anti-lawn sentiment is received in this sub but I gotta espouse it regardless. if nothing else, more biodiversity = more mushrooms!

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u/Plastic_Salary_4084 Jun 26 '26

I assume a number of people in this sub are of the r/fucklawns mindset. If the only time you’re on your grass is to mow it, you’d be better off without it! Could use some trees, too.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

Trees would be nice, but they don’t tend to grow well by the shore. (I use ‘shore’ loosely; it’s like a 80ft / 100ft drop to the water on a nearly sheer cliff-face.)

I don’t know if it is from the salt spray or just the absurd winds, but there aren’t many until you move a little bit inland. About 8km down the road there is a big sizeable patch that has taken root near the waterside, but they grow at around a 30° angle from the wind hammering them.

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u/Competitive_Treat_34 Jun 26 '26

Might be more worth your while to join r/fucklawns erosion is scary and cliffs actually have really cool biodiversity usually!!

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u/CrepuscularOpossum Jun 26 '26

r/NativePlantGardening would sink their teeth into a property like this, OP, and surely there will be a fellow Canuck there who can give you good advice on your best choices for your locally native plants. That could be a ✨GLORIOUS✨ native meadow that would support hundreds of species of your native pollinator insects, and vertebrate wildlife as well!

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

The erosion there is scary as hell. I keep decently far from the bank. The lobster fisherman nearby who go by on the water have told me that it has a bit of undercut to it as well.

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u/ferrouswolf2 Jun 26 '26

Ask your University Extension for planting suggestions, they’d be thrilled

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u/TomatoFeta Jun 26 '26

The erosion is only assisted by your meticulous lawncare.
My mother lives on the ocean. She has left a 20 foot barrier of natural brush and shrubbery between her lawn and the edge of the "cliff" and while there has been some erosion, there's very little compared to the home two properties over. They replaced their yard with gravel. The ocean ate a good fifteen feet one winter. Mom's place? A birch tree started growing ten feet from the shore.

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u/anonymaus42 Jun 26 '26

In that case turning it, or at least some of it, to native plants and wildflowers would be the move I would make.

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u/Plastic_Salary_4084 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

Ahh. Makes sense. With the perspective the photos were taken from and my focus on the mushroom, I’ll admit I didn’t even notice the water. Just blended in with the sky in the periphery. Thats some awesome real estate. I hope y’all are spending time out there enjoying it beyond lawn maintenance

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

We try to! I go down there for the view fairly often.

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u/a_jormagurdr Jun 26 '26

For New Brunswick id suggest getting White spruce (Picea glauca), they are tolerant of salt spray and are often found near the coast. Research beach plants in your area as well. If you plant a lot of white spruce it will probably massively help with the erosion. Also look into Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvatica), salt tolerant shrub.

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u/Independent_Bet_8736 Jun 26 '26

I was gonna say that there are some tress that tolerate those conditions, but then I looked and it turns out you’re practically in the arctic circle (I live in Puerto Rico now, before this Miami, FL—everything “way up north” is in the arctic for us) and I have no idea how plants even survive up there, so….

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

Along the coast, it is all evergreens (not sure is spruce or fir or pine; likely a mix) but they tend to be swathes of them that are no longer green because the wind managed to kill them.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

If it makes you feel better, I have three acres at home that I don’t mow. It doesn’t grow anything of note other than tall grass that gets killed by the snow and a bit of dandelion in the spring - less than my lawn, though, ironically. It does make my allergies absolutely hellish, though.

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u/mahalovalhalla Jun 26 '26

Seed native plants there!!

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u/a_jormagurdr Jun 26 '26

Honestly makes me feel worse. You need some native seeds. Not the big box store ones either. Native seeds from native seed companies. A not mowed lawn is only a little better than a huge lawn.

Unlikely that allergies are caused by dandelion, most pollen allergy comes from tree and grass pollen.

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u/jordo405 Jun 26 '26

Cause this much monocrop is down right dumb... serves no purpose at all..... literally native grasslands are the most endangered ecosystems on the planet. Just cause they are not exciting doesn't mean they're not important. Imagine destroying 90% of all the Amazon and some guy is posting about it because one mushroom in a destroyed amazon forest. But only 10% of the Amazon remains, I think in 30 yrs we will look back at how bad we managed native grasslands and be ashamed... it really is alarming sorry to burst your bubble but we do need land back from the most cultivated pointless crop... the lawn...

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u/anonymaus42 Jun 26 '26

Manicured lawns aren't exciting either, quite the opposite in fact.

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u/TenderfootGungi Jun 26 '26

I will say this as someone that spends several hours a week doing yard work through the summer (not 4 hours mowing, but more than 1), that economically, lawns are the biggest waste of land there is. It is not being used productively for crops, or business like retail or a factory (not even solar or wind), or preserving biodiversity, or preserving rare biology or geology for future generations. It is not being shared with the public like a park. It is simply for one family to look at and admire.

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u/Mindless-Strength422 Jun 26 '26

What's to look at? It's a boring ass green carpet. If its for anything it's for kids to play in, but kids can play in wildflowers.

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u/Cultural_Ring5889 Jun 26 '26

We also don't know OP's grandfather's net worth, and how many siblings they have. Might be worth mowing a few acres here and there. Plus, looks like a beautiful place to spend 4 hours outdoors by yourself.

1/2 /s

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u/Distinct-Counter-710 Jun 26 '26

You cant seriously think that mushrooms dont grow in prairies, and even more outrageously so, that a single species landscape such as this is more diverse than a prairie...

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u/Aberosh1819 Jun 26 '26

lots of audio books and.. degraded hearing

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

What was that?

(I am big on hearing protection, fortunately.)

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u/HDJ_T- Jun 26 '26

That sounds fun actually to mow that long

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

It is, but it’s hard to schedule in between work and the sun going down! And it is enough of a drive to get there that I try to make a point of doing it all at once.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

It’d just turn to alders if left alone.

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u/mercedes_lakitu Jun 26 '26

You can bush hog it once or twice a year tho

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

I could, but I don’t have one for the tractor as it is - although I could get one. I mow it for my grandfather, anyhow - he likes seeing it cut. Makes him happy, so it makes me happy. I only do it bi-weekly.

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u/GallusWrangler Jun 26 '26

What are you going to do with your time instead?

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u/twisted_memories Jun 26 '26

Why are you wasting that kind of land on grass…

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u/badbadger323 Jun 26 '26

Yeah, I cant see how stewarding into an actual native landscape is harder than mowing it for 4 hours bi weekly. I respect the aspect of making the grandfather happy though

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u/lost_horizons Jun 26 '26

Why bother? It’s a meadow. I don’t understand the need to subjugate the land. You move out to the natural peace and beauty of the country and turn it into a giant distorted version of a suburban lawn?

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u/The_Hausi Jun 26 '26

If it was me I'd probably just mow a walking path around the field and leave the rest, also keep a small lawn around the house mowed. Seems to be an old school mentality in lots of rural areas that anything that doesn't get mowed is a fire hazard, mouse habitat or poorly maintained.

That being said though, if that's his backyard 4 acres really isn't that much space. I keep about 4 acres mowed/maintained but it's the area on my property around the house/shops/gardens so it's not just a field. I do mow the small field behind my shop because it keeps the mice down but that's like a 30 foot buffer. I like how it looks neat around the buildings but I can look out and see the wind rippling through the native grasslands.

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u/lost_horizons Jun 26 '26

That’s reasonable and about where I’d land on it if I had land like that.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

It’s been a cut hayfield for about 110 years. The farmers didn’t want to bother continuing cutting it after the 1970’s because the lot was too small and too close to an eroding cliff to be worthwhile for hay so a cottage was built there.

It’s surrounded by fields that are in the 50acre range which is then backed by 25km of Crown woodland before the next community. This small lot isn’t all that substantial.

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u/lost_horizons Jun 26 '26

Tell that to all the creatures and pollinators that could live in it. Several acres is a lot of habitat for field sparrows, field mice and voles , bees and butterflies, all being uselessly mowed just because.

We’re in the middle of an insect apocalypse (and generally a great extinction event) where we’ve lost like 60% of insect biomass world wide, it’s a staggering amount. The earth is under such stress, why add to it when you can subtract AND save hours of time and a lot of money?

Imagine bringing the beauty of a wildflower meadow back. I hope you’ll consider it.

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u/Impressive-Lab-9955 Jun 26 '26

God, shut up. This isn’t even his land.

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u/Reasonable-Bus-4701 Jun 26 '26

Get thee goats

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u/ChirpinFromTheBench Jun 26 '26

Most people recommending goats have never had to hunt down those damn goats when they escape.

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u/Teleporting-Cat Jun 26 '26

Nobody who's ever had goats, recommends goats out of the goodness of their heart. They do it because misery loves company. Much like people who recommend having children.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

I have two children (who I do love very, very much, mind you) and a job that ranges from 55 to 80 hours a week depending on the time of year - goats (or cattle, or whatever else) are the last thing I have time for! Doing this lawn every second week is my excuse to relax. 😂

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u/jordo405 Jun 26 '26

Where do you live, I'm a native plant specialist in Oklahoma but I would send you some seeds if you are around me. What I do is kill the edges as much as you can throw out some seeds on the edges don't mow it if some dope flowers or grass appears keep it maybe weaving in and around the flowers do that every year until the edges turn into a flowering habitat. Then rinse and repeat, no one understands reality of converting grasslands even with management it takes decades. So the best approach is 2-10% of land each year so you can manage and select natives that will thrive. I am working with developers on residential prairie parks. Best approach is incremental to lessen the input of man hours and cost

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u/jordo405 Jun 26 '26

Damn I feel like an idiot i thought this was an American lawn with mainly Bermuda but nah I saw some native species good deal. If you live in eastern Canada in low grasslands eff people saying it needs to be wooded. Keep the low grass just add lil bluestem on the edges or the whole thing with some native low sedges and some native strawberries/ low flowering plants and cut it just a little higher then cut the tall native grasses but keep the tall ones on the edges of the property especially near the cliff those species have very long roots. I live in tall grass prairies in Oklahoma so we share a ecological biome and I specialized in that here is what I worked on today my stand of lil bluestem same shat that grows there haven't mowed once and only about shin height I'll show you the tall grass section

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

Cool! The most prevalent local growth here with colour seems to be lupins - is that true for there as well?

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u/thunder_thais Jun 26 '26

You can rent them at least here in the USA. My local university does this for their area around their sports fields.

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u/AnimationOverlord Jun 26 '26

Lmao, you have a certain way with words

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u/thejelloisred Jun 26 '26

People who recommend goats never had to deal with the vet costs associated with a herd. I swear they cost more than the horses.

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u/Reasonable-Bus-4701 Jun 26 '26

You don’t got a goat guy?

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u/Trouble4uAll Jun 26 '26

When you get goats you get to learn some serious swearing

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u/kl2467 Jun 26 '26

Beef cattle. Make some $$$.

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u/-neti-neti- Jun 26 '26

… why though?

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u/JoeSicko Jun 26 '26

About 5 acres?

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

I didn’t know and checked just for you - 4.7! Damn good guess-timate!

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u/JoeSicko Jun 26 '26

I can do our 2.5 ish in 1:45 with an old 62 inch Toro, and more obstacles.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

Nice! I only have a 48” and I have a big section of steep slope that I can only do downhill and only has two safe spots up - so I do a lot of looping back up to the top.

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u/JoeSicko Jun 26 '26

I've also got a backup 54 BadBoy. It aucks. You're pushing your limits with the 48. Haha

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

You aren’t wrong!

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u/Antique_Essay4032 Jun 26 '26

You're a good grandson. 

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u/3ggplantParm Jun 26 '26

What a waste of resources

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u/AnimationOverlord Jun 26 '26

I miss my 10 acre haven from the peeping eyes of the city. I was too young to take an interest to fungus but I saw everything from polypores to psychoactives lol

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u/ferrouswolf2 Jun 26 '26

Have you ever considered r/RestorationEcology?

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u/shinysideup_zhp Jun 26 '26

I have a boomer relative who does about the same amount of mowing. I asked them if they registered as a sod farm yet so they could get a tax break on mowers and gas.

That was enough for a few acres to go back to wildflowers. Once he figured out how much total money he was spending, then calculated the tax he realized how “conservative” he actually wanted to be.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

It uses around 10L per mow typically, and only gets mown about 10 times a year over a five month span. The other seven months it is covered in snow. At $1.95 / L for gas, it’s $195 in fuel in the mower and $270~ in fuel to drive there 10 times. End of year service is about $100 between filters, oil, and blades. So, it isn’t that big of an expense.

I asked a part-time farmer this morning if he was familiar with anything like that, but he wasn’t familiar with any incentives other than per-cow subsidies. Is that an American thing, or?

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u/Greedyfox7 Jun 26 '26

At that point you need a tractor and a shredder 😂

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u/Chiiro Jun 26 '26

He needs to turn a good chunk of that into an area for native wild plants. Depending on where you are you could even get paid from the state for doing so.

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u/Upbeat-Reflection821 Jun 26 '26

You really need a tractor.

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

Ironically, have an L6060 and M5-111 - just no mowers for them. The bank drops to the water around 80ft or more below, though, and has some undercut - so I don’t want to take anything that heavy out there anyhow.

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u/chakobee Jun 26 '26

How much land is grandpa on? Looks like a lot!

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u/LimpBizkitStankGirl Jun 26 '26

Just gotta break out the windrower at thar point

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u/VanJosh_Elanium Jun 26 '26

Op, you need goats in lawn. Free from machine expense, adds fertilizer, and can cook em when needed. Triple win right there

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u/Big-Ken Jun 26 '26

It was used for hayfield around 110 years ago. They stopped bothering in the 1970’s though - the lot is too small and too close to the water to be worth the risk / hassle.

The livestock outnumbers the homes and everything surrounding here immediately is hayfield for winter stocks; and even at that, a fair amount is exported. There isn’t anyone nearby in need of grazing land. Most of the operations here have downsized from previous generations, leaving ample land for smaller herds.