Finding Chaga Tinder Fungus in the Wild

[@andyca15]

Your introduction explaining the why you won't present ideas that have not gone through the scientific method as fact was brilliant. The content on this channel is always brimming with integrity. Now I'm going to be checking our European Silver Birch for fungus and to see if the bark lights just as well.

[@outdoorsforachange]

He was being careful not to get censored.

[@mikehound8315]

“Facts have to be derived from the scientific method “ this kind of statement is why I love your channel! Thank you!

[@jonahsalyers5979]

“Facts have to be derived from the scientific method.” Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Having just seen a thread in a FB group (to which you also belong) in which most of the comments were just wild suggestions with no merit or literature to support them, my faith is restored. Your videos are quickly becoming some of my favorite.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I think o know that group, really big one that I don’t do or say much in because the nonsense runs rampant?

[@jonahsalyers5979]

The Gray Bearded Green Beret I think you got it. Hahah.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Jonah Salyers yep! I used to be an admin there but removed myself from that role, too much nonsense to clean up all the time. It was like another job.

[@LarsDahlin]

We do have birch in abundance here in Sweden. Have to find me a chaga this summer. Have a great day!

[@pamelamartin6986]

Thnx Joshua Watched this video awhile ago & have been lookin for chaga on a hop hornbeam ever since. Found some a few days ago here in eastern Ontario.

[@tomp9036]

I've found chaga on a hop hornbeam in western Vermont. It's in the same family as birch, betulaceae.

[@MrGlobalTransport]

Came here for chaga tinder, left with a biology lesson, I’d have to say it’s a good day!

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

I have never seen chaga on any other species here in Alaska but birch. That was interesting to see it on a different tree species. I have heard that it grows on other species but have personally never seen it. Thanks for sharing.

[@dlucasgalt]

Lonnie, your video was my first chaga video. You, Josh and Dave, and I'm all set. You guy's are the best at this stuff. I think it's amazing to have access to all of you. My dad was always my goto outdoor guy, since he's been gone awhile, it's been awesome to have such a great bunch of guy's to continue to learn from. He would've loved this stuff. Thanks gentlemen for all that you're doing in carrying on and sharing such important knowledge so that it can be enjoyed by future generations.

[@timothylongmore7325]

Lonnie , do you guys have beech and hornbeam up there?

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

@Timothy longmore No we do not have either of those trees here

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

@Ducky I'm glad the videos are useful for you.

[@micheloff-grid4248]

@@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival same here at 55 latitude and -127 longitude lots of birch and chaga

[@tylerhebert8237]

I enjoy the expressions of your philosophy as much as your skills instruction. Thank you

[@Br1cht]

Good to see that not everybody are slavishly following the hype without evidence!

[@epiphonesj15]

The first minute of this video is exactly why I love getting information from you. What you share with us is proven and valuable and you have a genuine interest in making sure something is proven to you through the scientific method before putting information out into a public format. Thank you for that kind of integrity. Keep up the great work!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Makes it hard to do medicinal plants and fungi videos, for sure! It is extremely important to me to put out information that is verifiable and duplicatable. I’d just rather be right about something before disseminating it.

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

We also have a cool fungi( white punk/laetiporus portentosus) its very similar to chaga, just dry it out. But once fully dried out you can flint and steel it.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Very cool.

[@eschneider8799]

Found a cunck of chaga on a hop hornbeam here in eastern Ontario. 👍 thnx GBGB

[@journeyman7189]

Thanks for the primer on chaga Josh. I enjoy the tea and only take a bit at a time. Nate

[@truckerenoch8824]

I found several chunks of chaga in my cousins yard. Unfortunately, the trees had been down 2 years so it's horse hoof, but I still grabbed 2 of them anyway. Also a bunch of fatwood shavings and put them in a ziploc for my bug out bag.

[@rojostardarkstone3128]

I dub thee The Professor; Now get us off this island!

[@billygarfield5207]

Interesting! Thanks!!! 👍👍

[@pjf883]

I have been drinking chaga tea also.I started drinking it cause of anti inflammatory benifits. Which I have seen evidence of (for me). You inlighten me on the harvest and where I got mind which was purchased .I Thank you for that. Thank you for all your fantastic info. Pam >

[@markreed1258]

Outstanding video sir 🙏

[@OscarLimaMike]

Thank you for your professional approach to the medicinal benefits of Chaga.

[@joni1]

Good info. We have lots of birch in our woods, with chaga. I enjoy your videos.

[@timwaldroup9654]

Loads of great information

[@toddgibson9861]

Awe....are we stepping on toes today....???? Great video...!!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I’m sure everything I do steps on someone’s toes, this one probably more so than others, yes.

[@toddbrogowski9060]

Per your email newsletter, commenting on your request for an AAR on content. Congrats on your channel’s one year anniversary! I love the content. Seeing the old school bushcraft skills used has been awesome. While I haven’t had the chance to see all your videos, some more stuff on hunting/tracking/trapping would be interesting. And thanks for doing your time in green.

[@jeffscott4757]

Excellent. Have seen these in the woods all over where I live, in the NC mountains and didn’t know these facts. Thanks for the info. And also the plug to “not take all of it from the tree”. Need more teaching Ike that out there. Good stuff. 👍Thanks. Keep up the good works. Also like the military style presentation in teaching. Been there done that, and it works well. Again, Thanks 🙂

[@mathewhenderson5757]

Solid video. Great content for the community. Valuable period of instruction and topic of discussion

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

Very descriptive and educational sir. From a distance it looks just like the tree. Like a good deer hunter.

[@arthurpohlman2782]

Hi Josh, I live in Australia and am a fairly new subscriber to your channel. Absolutely like and appreciate the knowledge that you impart. Very informative and easy to apply in this country as well. I'd like to add, as a fairly new person to outdoor/ survival skilling, your videos have been a pleasure to watch and learn from. Cheers mate, keep up the fantastic channel. Arthur.

[@Flashahol]

Ah! Finally someone with actual knowledge, thank you!

[@bushcraft_in_the_north]

Horn Beam is related too the whiteBirch tree. And the Chaga fungi grows on other spicies too,but the most potent Chaga growes on white Birch. Thanks for the video,thumbs upp.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

This is what I was talking about in the video, what evidence do we have to support the claim that Chaga is most potent off birch compared to the other species? Where is that research paper so that we can all read it and see how the information was gleaned?

[@kaylammiller1]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret He even has Troll in his name... Don't feed him..

[@yooperwsdm]

Wow that is so cool I've never seen it grow on anything other than Paper Birch( yellow or white). Thank you another tree to keep an eye out for Chaga!

[@jeffnotti9932]

It is great to see Chaga growing. your perspective is excellent. Never be afraid to state your opinion conservation and good stewardship of resources shows appreciation. Chaga has been elusive to me here near the Esopus/Ashokan basin (my favorite fishing hole) . I keep looking for it and have not found it yet.. but the Horse shoe fungus is almost easier to find. I have a couple of them.. i slice them and light it with a magnifying glass and it smolders for a long time.. Flint and steel are a little harder to use to light the slices with so i stick to more deliberate igniters. Eventually i will stumble on the Chaga.. I collect birch bark on every hike. Your demonstration of the Adirondack fire bundle or nest (i forgot what you called it) was outstanding. That demonstration reinforced the use and best practices of birch bark. If there is a birch tree around i will have fire. I just love the stuff. I gather all the pine resin i can too.. i like to mix the pine resin with the birch bark, melt it all together into a gooey solid mass in a altoids tin. scoop out a wad of that and hit it with a ferro rod. and oh man... Resin and birch bark are just great.. the Fat wood from the white pine in my area is weak but works.. Just love the video man... really makes me think about what is available. makes me work on my eye to look out for resources.. thanks again J

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I’d be willing to bet it’s there if your finding birch and HHF. Just remember the chaga will be on live trees and the HHF will be on dead ones. A lot of times I will just bounce from live birch to live birch looking for it in an area

[@jeffnotti9932]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Right on.. i will amend my searching method. Sharpen my eye, i am bound to stumble upon it ..

[@timroseberry9079]

Loved the Troll stopper intro! Another great video, thanks Josh

[@ryandevlin4572]

Have found the horse hoof all over up here in North Idaho, still looking for the Chaga. Got a brother in the Seattle area who has found it, so I know it's around

[@denniscrowley8517]

Good find.

[@sonsofliberty1062]

Josh as always 👍 👍, on the video. I've seen and used the horse hoof in the woods of East Tennessee, but if the Chaga is East Tenn., I'm probably have over looked it for years. I'll give a closer look, on my next walk ah bout, probably in the mornin'. Thanks for the fungi walk threw, your knowledge shares are always appreciated. Safe journeys my brother,,,,, God Speed, and God Bless,,, Semper Fi,,,

[@adamblackman6660]

Chaga likes it real cold... You may have to go more north to find it.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

It’s rumored to be in the high Smokies but I can’t personally confirm that. I’ve not found it (also not been all over the Smokies so I can only confirm where I’ve been to look)

[@axerxes3981]

Thanks for your forthrightness and ongoing integrity in distinguishing truth from myth and/or wives tales! Best wishes..... Ax

[@Billywhitebread4]

I have a ton of this around my area

[@jeffbarnes509]

Have to agree. Chaga grows on anything it can. Live in Alaska, and have found it growing on cottonwood trees, or at least the young ones. Great videos. Keep up the good work

[@MIgunnut]

I think it has to do with. Access if it is. Up hi or if the tree is coming down take it all but if I'm out on state land. I take what I need and leave the rest doing tree work I have the opportunity to get a lot of it

[@thomasnugent7602]

Very good, Thank you very much

[@jimmiecrowe520]

Josh I was driving down a street in Indiana and noticed what looked like horse hoof fungus growing on a live maple tree. I parked the truck and sure enough it was, so I harvested a small piece and use it in my fire kit. Great video as usual!!

[@patrickmacisaac4991]

Love birch, 1st discovered it for myself, when I was 13 hiking on the Appalachian trail through the Maryland run during a week long rain event, really saved my butt

[@YaYaLee]

Thanks for sharing

[@steveklick]

What did the mushroom say to the flower on their first date? I'm a real fun guy (fungi).

[@keithlewis8238]

Hey I entered this pun joke along with nine others in a pun competition in hopes one would win. But no pun in ten did.

[@chrisdane.7170]

Go to bed, dad. You're drunk.

[@opalprestonshirley1700]

Enjoyed the presentation. I did not know that Chaga grew on another tree some good info. Thanks safe journeys.

[@spiceweasel945]

Good information, thanks. I’d really like to see you do a video about techniques for starting fires in wet and windy conditions - for those times when it really counts. Keep up the good work!

[@larryharlson8490]

Thank you for the information.

[@macsbrotherhood9179]

I received some chaga in a subscription box some time ago. It was said to be a good fire starter. I appreciate the information because I am pretty ignorant to it’s uses.

[@423jud]

Josh, I've really enjoyed the knowledge you're sharing! Thanks for helping me learn these skills so that I can share them with my family and be better prepared.

[@jamessix60]

Very entertaining lol. Good tips, wish we had chaga and birch in the buckeye. Northerners have is so easy:). Thanks again.

[@bohdaj]

some say that chaga is not so a typical parasitic mushroom, but rather saprophytic, as it gives the tree back also the medicinal or healing substances, while also taking some as a parasite

[@JEFLeb35712]

Seen a lot of video use of Chaga (not sure spelling) but didn’t know where and how to harvest it. Thanks.

[@seanbrondstetter2987]

I love your videos I always learn so much

[@kurohikes5857]

I could be mistaken but I believe I have seen this fungus growing on bay trees out here in Northern California. I live in the Bay Area. It could be a look alike but the next time I see it I will investigate further. Thank you for dropping all this knowledge.

[@jryan0891]

Looking forward to a video on making the tea. I’ve had it at the gathering, but always hesitate to make it for myself. Want to make sure I harvest the correct fungus (this video helps) and going through the prep of the tea correctly as well.

[@timothylongmore7325]

Chaga is easy. I started with chaga and reishi. Absolutely no mistaking them. Pick only off birch and you won't go wrong. I steep in amason jar . Double boiler kind of deal. Not to long first batch. Use chunks four or five times. Steep a little longer each time. I drink it cold mixed with cranberry juice usually.

[@scottmalcolmson4584]

Always leave some of the mushroom you harvest, just means more chaga for everyone next year! The forest is a wonderful bounty if your not greedy!

[@tacticaltonto3777]

Great info...!!!

[@kubakubak1693]

On which side of the birch tree does chaga grow in line with the cardinal directions? Does it matter?

[@hellsbellspreparedness2722]

Great video GBGB! Very interesting and informative. To all the no sayers. 👍🍻

[@dougpickerel267]

didn't now anything about chaga, thanks man

[@1.forestrunner]

Great info looking forward to the different preparations for the fungi.

[@bigdavesoutdoors9761]

Watching video's from when i wasn't subscribed. You metion being in upstate Ny. I'm looking to buy property around Alexandria Bay, Ft Drum to Lake Placid. Camped throughout that area as a child. I'm retired now getting back into camping kinda primitive but mostly Overlanding with my Suburban. I like you videos. 🍺

[@Eric-ew8jt]

Liked commented and Here for the Mr. Green Beret! Now to watch

[@atsection]

Ok...we’ll figure something out...I’ll figure out how to get a hold of you too.

[@fltrfrsh7]

We drink chaga every day! Glad to see you like it too, maybe it will help you with that survival medicine video

[@William7-y7v]

Great video! Stay safe

[@marjiecleveland]

I'll have to look for it when I'm back home in New England. Never had chaga tea.

[@timbaka1480]

You can buy it on Amazon. Comes in chunks, put a thimble sized chunk in the blender and dump the powder into a tea-ball and brew it, just like any other tea. I tend to let it brew for a while, then take the ball out, dip in a spoonful of honey and sip it.

[@farastray1]

Interesting. My grandfather showed me this one, but we call it Sprängticka in Sweden. Ive seen this on oak a bunch but harder to spot. Did not know people used it as a medicinal.

[@allanlarmour7460]

I harvested some horse hoof fungi last year. I just used my knife and took the whole fungi. This year I noticed the fungi has grown back, I was very surprised to see it as I thought it would take longer than 12 months to grow back again.

[@alexanderhult484]

just one question. I googled ostyra virginiana (hop-hornbeam) and it says it is a genus of about seven species of deciduous ornamental trees of the birch family (Betulaceae). Which should mean that the other tree you showed also is a birch tree?

[@micheloff-grid4248]

That was very good Far I know for medicinal value it have to be harvested February and early mars on a live tree maximum medicinal value …here on the 55 latitude and -127 longitude I never see it growing on any other tree then birch and I am in the paradise of it Try to harvest it in February for medicinal and it is more dried…I got some tee for about 4 years freeze get warm on the sun never spoil and still smell good Thank you for your nice work

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

Hoorse hoof josh can be found on live new zealand beech trees.

[@GrumpyGrunt]

Birch are few and far between around my parts. Hop Hornbeam even more so. I keep looking, though. We need to get you a gimble, brother.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Haha yeah man I was in a time crunch and have been off grid for over a week, gamble batteries were dead so that’s the best I could do

[@Ramonsanchez1015]

Great informational video! Thank you. Love your work!

[@crowman8914]

I also like drinking pinole as well. I have family that live in the copper canyons of Mexico who are raramuri who normally drink it often and make stuff with chia seeds that does alot of cool stuff

[@josephb7460]

That was a great tutorial and walk through. I haven't found any yet but i'm working on it.......................

[@johneckert1690]

Joshua, Now I'm wondering what types of True Tinder Fungus and False Tinder Fungus are on the trees out here in the Pacific Northwest. I remember watching a video describing how mountain men in the early 1800's would find moss in tide pools of streams and rivers, collect and dry it in the sun to have tender for their Flint & Steel. DO YOU KNOW OF THIS PRITICE AND IF YOU DO PLEASE SHOOT A VIDEO OF IT. Also, thank you for the information on the Boker Plus Kwaiken 3.5" Liner Lock Knife. My wife said I can order one when I get my next overtime paycheck. THANKS AGAIN.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I would like to know what moss they used, Ive not found a moss that would take a spark from flint and steel yet. Hope you enjoy that Boker as much as I do.

[@lw341by]

TY Sir

[@richardbryant5773]

Gray beard I saw a Russian use horse hoof but he soaked it in wood ash then dried it beat it with a rock to break up the fibers worked very well what the wood ash does I do not know

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I’ve done it both ways and never noticed a difference between the two so I don’t bother with the whole prep thing any more

[@andrewscott153]

Josh, you Sir are a wealth of diverse knowledge. Thanks for sharing it! Now I've got an itch to research the more intricate details of Chaga and horse hoof (tea etc.) Fascinating stuff Brother. Are you familiar off hand with how Chaga grows in NW Idaho Panhandle? Going to visit there. I gotta look that up too.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I am not sure about Idaho. That is one state I have not been to

[@DouglasTuret]

Another great video, GB2! And FWIW, while you may be “a fun guy”, Chaga is a fungi (pronounced like “fun Jie”)... but either way, there’s a fungus amungus!

[@richd5476]

It certainly does grow on other species. I found a softball sized one on a white oak in Vermont. That was without a doubt the biggest hornbeam tree I've ever seen.I was also not aware you can saw pieces off.I will practice that in the future. I'm not into decimating the forest for resources. Even when I find ginseng I leave the plant and take the seeds to plant elsewhere.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Good practice, right there! I meant to talk about sustainable harvesting but the rain came in and I needed to get the video up

[@andreetsebeth2497]

GOOD DAY.DO THEY GROW IN SOUTH AFRICA AS WELL?NEVA FOUND ANY YET

[@atsection]

Hey brother, it’s Andy...great info. Where in eastern upstate are you (roundabout)? The wifey and I will be visiting my brothers in November, Thanksgiving timeframe ...let me know.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I teach over by Lake George but live closer to Ft Drum

[@laurentvilodeau5434]

wikipedia has a good article on it

[@timothylongmore7325]

I've picked a lot of chaga and I've only seen it grow on hornbeam and beech. Always tiny , usually dead. I pick up the dead ones now and then and dry them for tinder. I use them more as a bug repellant kind of incense. That was the biggest hornbeam I've ever seen. Everone seems to say the birchs betulinic acid is what give the chaga it's mojo. I'm no expert. I don't know if chaga off a horn beam would have medicinal properties.

[@MichaelR58]

Joshua, thanks for sharing, I've never seen any in Oklahoma, atb brother 👍

[@rueridge7597]

All the casinos have them. lol 😂

[@Danganbeg1]

Is the chaga that grows on the hornbeam as flammable as the one that grows on the birch? Do they have different flavours when making tea?

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I can’t make that distinction with the tea, I’ve not noticed a difference. As far as the flammability, I haven’t isolated and tested them against each other to be able to conclude one is more than the other

[@garynipp5415]

Josh I have found that after you make Chaga tea , you can dry out the chaga and use it for tender.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

This is absolutely the truth and will be a future video. I have to give the folks that want to beat me up about using it as a fire resource a chance to have a go at me before I let them in on that

[@dlucasgalt]

I think I saw a video Lonnie did on that. He's another brilliant man. His was my first chaga video. Thanks Josh, excellent video, will say though that your other camera crew does a much better job of filming. But I won't hold it against you!...lol

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Lonnie is great, he is around here somewhere in the comments section

[@DF4Trap]

Another great video, thank you.

[@BeachDix]

I clearly didn't pay enough attention in biology because I had no idea there were fungi that could be that hard. I thought they were all like pizza mushrooms :-D

[@stormysampson1257]

The Hophornbeam is in the Birch Family.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

It is, along with another 160+ species in that family.

[@stormysampson1257]

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret I KNOW, right? Do you know what to eat and what not to eat in the wilderness? I am sure that you do, but teaching that kind of stuff over the internet is scary.

[@ericcapell3455]

I had never heard of Chaga. Does it grow in the Southern states or just in the Northern states? When you were sawing that piece off it sounded like tough stuff. Thanks for the biology lesson! You are the MAN!

[@tattoosteveneo]

Eric. I live in NC. It does grow here but only in the high mountain range

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Definitely not exclusive to birch, just most common on white paper birch. It was on an American Hophornbeam in this video. I’ve never seen it south of PA personally but I also haven’t been all over the SE to say it can’t be found. I would tend to agree with it being possible in the highlands

[@craftservices7539]

Supermatch idea: I wonder if adding 2 more flipped around in reverse orientation so they light as the flame reaches the end and is dying out would add any benefit. Cooked my fingertips last night making my first one btw! I would not recommend holding a lit one! 😔

[@andycoppes]

Cliffhanger... Ready to see some Macgyver magic (or how to process, how are you lighting this)

[@tikkidaddy]

Dry it out...bone dry...powderize the funus really fine and hit it with a spark...Ferro, or flint and steel, or tranfer the ember from a fire piston. Peel off the really hard black outer stuff beforehand...especially with horsehoof. If you have a large enough chunk you can also carry fire with it by keeping it smouldering...good stuff.

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

I will definitely get into that in the future.

[@woodlandsnorth]

Great info! Great Channel! Subbed!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

Welcome to the channel!

[@robertmoore4637]

Thank you! Very informative

[@rld1278]

Interesting! The chaga looks like a malignant mole growth...thank you for the excellent tutorial on this fungus!

[@GrayBeardedGreenBeret]

You are very welcome

[@gringo3009]

Good stuff!