Ethics

Take a third, leave the rest

The old rule is simple and still right: leave at least a third of every flush. The mycelium — the living network under the soil — needs the fruit to keep fruiting.

The code

cut, don't pull   use a knife, spare the mycelium
leave the young   let the little ones finish
carry a basket    mesh lets spores fall as you walk
no plastic bags    they rot the haul and the woods

Why it matters

A good patch is an inheritance, not a find. Treat it right and it'll feed you for thirty years, the way it fed the forager before you.