A common coastal fungi with immune modulating powers! This is actually one of the worlds most researched mushrooms for its immune supporting and anti-cancerous polysaccharides. It also contains prebiotics which help promote healthy gut flora and contribute to an optimal microbiome.
These fungi are decomposers, often found on dead fall or soon-to-be dead fall trees. They grow in flat shelf like clusters with beautiful bands of coloured concentric rings ranging from browns to reds to greens and blues. For more on IDing turkey tail mushrooms watch this video.
I like to use them in go-for-a-walk broth, or make a dual extract tincture for a full spectrum medicinal boost. Some of the benefits are water soluble and some need alcohol to extract so dual extract means just that - we extract the mushrooms two ways.
Turkey Tail tincture
Fill a 500ml mason jar 3/4 full with your mushrooms, rinsed and chopped.
Cover completely with 150 proof clear grain alcohol and seal tightly.
Let tincture sit in a dark space for 3-4 weeks, shaking daily.
Strain off mushrooms and bottle your tincture in a dropper bottle.
Dual Extract
Using the strained mushrooms from the alcohol tincture process, add them to a pot and cover with 1 liter of water.
Simmer on stove with lid on for 1 hour or longer until the liquid has reduced by half.
Strain off mushrooms again and combine water extract with alcohol extract in equal parts.
Store your dual extract in a dropper bottle.
Take tincture or dual extract - one dropper full 2x a day. Or as desired.