Today we returned from Chiang Mai to Phayao. The wife wanted to buy mushrooms from the hill people who had set up stalls along the road on 118. These are the expensive ones.They are now in season. They showed the wife the new mushrooms and she was happy. They are packaged in teak leaf and the new mushrooms are on the top and old ones from last year are on the bottom. Buyer beware.

What ? Hill Tribe People exploiting tourists ? Now that is a switch for a change !

Are those mushrooms the reason we enjoy all the smoke coming from the mountains? Blood diamonds anyone?

11 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

Are those mushrooms the reason we enjoy all the smoke coming from the mountains? Blood diamonds anyone?

No, I think 99%  of the burning in the mountains are from the corn plantations. 

The best come from China- we have to pre- order them from the local market

LOL - that is a normal trick - except that's not new mushrooms - it's frozen and reconstituted mushrooms.  I have been advised by the Boss that there are VERY few new black mushrooms yet.  The season will really start in about 2 weeks.  In the meantime, stock is padded with frozen product.

That is a common trick.  I check every package now from peanuts to tomatoes if I cannot see the entire contents.  If they don't let me, I don't buy.

 

The burning and smoke I saw all over CR last weekend had nothing to do with corn, unless they are growing it in the forested valleys around Ban Du .  With that said, the land cleared of trees along 118 more than halfway between CM and CR probably has a lot to do with corn.  Each year, more and more forest disappears.