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David Paton knows all about mushrooms, even “the mushroom of immortality.”
Patrick L. Sullivan
SALISBURY — David Paton of Lakeville gave a presentation on wild mushrooms at the Scoville Memorial Library Saturday, June 14. The presentation was sponsored by the library and the Salisbury Association Land Trust.
In an interview earlier in the week, Paton, who grew up in Sharon and graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 1976, said he first became interested in wild mushrooms as a youngster attending camp at Sharon Audubon.
He recalled an adult pointing to an Amanita mushroom and saying, “This can kill you.”
“I thought, ‘oh, cool.’”
As an adult Paton worked for Sharon Audubon as a caretaker. An Audubon intern who was knowledgeable about wild mushrooms harvested one and made “puffball parmigiana,” which Paton told the library audience was incredibly delicious.
At the library, Paton brought a few mushroom samples and was answering questions as people filtered in.
He described one sample as “not a beginner mushroom,” a theme he returned to during the talk.
“I just found this out in the yard,” he said at the start of the talk.
Identifying a wild mushroom to determine if it is edible is not a simple process, although it is easier than it was when Paton first got started.
“In the olden days it was books,” he said.
Now he uses apps.
“The app says it’s edible,” he continued. “Should I eat it? No.”
“Apps give you a head start,” but they are not foolproof.
He noted it is difficult to be definitive, when there are at least 10,000 known mushroom species in North America.
With that in mind, he rejects the term “foolproof” in favor of “fool-resistant.”
The popular morel mushroom, prized by foragers and chefs, “are toxic if eaten raw.”
Of the many species of Amanita mushrooms, many are toxic.
“But some Amanita are delicious. But it’s not a beginner mushroom.”
Paton took the audience on a tour of the fungi world, with copious photographs.
The common Chicken of the Woods is a well-known edible mushroom, but beware. If it is growing on a hemlock tree, assume it’s poisonous.
“So, get it off a hardwood.”
Along the way Paton provided some excellent gossip from the natural world, including the carnivorous nature of morels.
These versatile mushrooms enjoy a symbiotic relationship with their host trees, which they provide with sugar in return for minerals.
But to supplement their diet, morels “lure in nematodes [tiny worms] and dissolve them. So, they’re carnivores.”
Paton was enthusiastic about Reishi mushrooms, which grow on hardwoods and hemlock.
He said Reishi is also known as “the mushroom of immortality.”
“I’ve been using a tincture I made — and I’m still alive.”
The tincture recipe: Chop up the Reishi mushrooms, stick them in a mason jar, and fill it with cheap vodka.
Paton stressed this last point. “You don’t want to spend a lot of money on this.”
Let the mixture soak for a month, then drain off the vodka and save it.
Boil the mushroom chunks and make a tea.
The tincture mix is two-thirds Reishi-infused vodka and one-third tea.
When he’s not rambling about in the woods looking for mushrooms, Paton is a musician with two groups, the Bog Hollow (American folk music) and Contrabhana (Irish music.) Both groups will perform at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Goshen July 25 to 27.
Paton also has a YouTube channel, “Whitewater and Wild Mushrooms,” which combines mushrooms, music and a third interest, kayaking.
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Confetti flies as the Class of 2025 says goodbye to North Canaan Elementary School at the commencement ceremony Wednesday, June 11.
Riley Klein
NORTH CANAAN — Wednesday, June 11, marked a milestone for 33 high school-bound students who received diplomas in front of North Canaan Elementary School.
First-year Principal Beth Johnson spoke of the impact the Class of 2025 had on her personally.
“What you did was leave a mark on my heart. One that no class will ever touch. You are unforgettable. Not just for your size or your sass but for your spirit. I love you all and I truly cannot wait to see where you land.”
Teachers presented academic awards by subject. The Leila Woods Scholarship was awarded to Abigail Rose Veilleux and Destini E. Hiller.
The group joined together in song, performing “Vienna” by Billy Joel.
While each student walked across the stage, Johnson shared memories and words of support.
“Connor Thomas Crane. You brought joy, laughter and determination to everyone around you. Whether it be in Spanish class, kickball games or backstage with the drama club, your kind heart, strong spirit and sense of humor have made a lasting impression on your teachers, friends and me.”
Confetti flew as family and friends in attendance applauded the accomplished students.
Sophia Rose Funk, Lainey Anne Diorio and Lyla Violet Diorio recited a poem titled “Always Be a Student,” by Joanna Fuchs: “Keep on learning NCES 8th graders. Though your graduation’s done, your whole life’s an education that has only just begun.”
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Lee H. Kellogg class advances
Jun 18, 2025
Gavin Mechare receives Peter G. Lawson Citizenship award from the Board of Selectmen, from left, Chris Kinsella, Dave Barger and Judy Jacobs.
Patrick L. Sullivan
FALLS VILLAGE — Nine students celebrated the completion of middle school at the Lee H. Kellogg School (LHK) Wednesday, June 11.
LHK Principal Stacey Calo praised the Class of 2025 for their “laughter, curiosity and heart.”
“They left their mark in the classroom, the hallways and the playground.”
Gavin Mechare won the Peter G. Lawson Citizenship Award. First Selectman David Barger, flanked by Selectmen Judy Jacobs and Chris Kinsella, took the stage to present the plaque.
Barger recalled a piece of advice he received long ago from Lawson, who served as First Selectman (among many other offices and roles).
“Don’t be a resident — be a citizen.”
Of Gavin Mechare, Barger said “He is respectful, dependable, and always willing to lend a hand — not because he has to, but because it’s simply who he is.”
Calo announced the other award winners:
Presidential Award of Educational Excellence — Jenaveeve Wagner
Presidential Award of Educational Achievement — Audrey Dorizzi and Lola Miller
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Award — Audrey Dorizzi and Lola Miller
Litchfield County Superintendents Award — Jerron Nirschel
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Cornwall students conclude CCS era
Jun 18, 2025
The CCS Class of 2025 was, from left, Mya Jaylinn Weed, Austin Allen Ward, Donald B. Polk III, Mason Bryant and Jonathan D. Bindley.
Riley Klein
CORNWALL — “You are a small class but you have left a mighty mark,” said Cornwall Consolidated School Principal Leanne Maguire to the five 8th-graders in the Class of 2025.
A commencement ceremony to bid farewell to the students was held in the school gymnasium Tuesday, June 10.
Maguire recalled the accomplishments of this class, including earning the “Red, White and Blue School” distinction for their group project on the Americans with Disabilities Act last year.
Students spoke of memories made with their classmates throughout their time at CCS.
Mason Bryant, who joined the school in 5th grade, compared his experience to “a jump in motocross.” In 6th grade, the base of the jump, he made friends. In 7th grade, the top of the jump, he gained confidence. And in 8th grade, “getting off the end of that jump and flying to the finish,” he soared to new heights.
Bryant repaired an all-terrain vehicle for his 8th-grade exploration project. He shared an Evel Knievel quote with the audience about overcoming failure: “There isn’t success without mistakes.”
Bryant and his classmates, Donald B. Polk III, Jonathan D. Bindley, Mya Jaylinn Weed and Austin Allen Ward, were applauded for their accomplishments as they received their diplomas.
The ceremony culminated with a cap toss and guests migrated outside for pizza by Marzano’s food truck.
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