Don't mind me, I'm just over here chopping some reishi with an ulu...

A couple weeks ago I house sat in Weaverville on a Friday night. Since I was so close I decided to go down to the North Asheville farmers' market first thing Saturday to check the scene and score some fresh stuff. I got there and became completely overwhlemed by all the people and activity early in the morning. Luckily, I immediately found an old buddy, Galen from Green Toe Ground Farm, and he was kind enough to let me sit on his tailgate for a while to just acclimate. After a while of chit-chat with him (and Frank Teneralli of Let it Grow on the side), I was ready to join the crowd. Good move, Dana. I found Carol Dreiling, who showcased a collection of some absolutely GORGEOUS mushrooms that she grew at her place. She kindly assembled me a sampler bag of various colors of oyster mushrooms and also something called lion's mane. Then I went for the gold and bought a stunningly beautiful reishi (Ganoderma) from her. I am doing some reading and getting pretty jazzed about the reishi. (It turns out that The Girl in an Apron's husband, JB- great guy- is into the mushrooms and loaned me a couple books!) Not only is it one of the prettiest things my eyes have ever beheld, it sounds like a real winner of a tonic medicine. I got 2 more reishis the next Saturday and I am hopefully getting a couple more today for the Nagle sister trial tincture.
Donna Price (Head Hoe) gave me her ulu to use for my herbal chopping. It proved perfect for the job of chopping the reishi, which had started to turn a little tough after a couple days on the counter. By the way, I think the ulu is gorgeous too- the shape is bitchin' and it showed those reishi what time it was!