What I Truly Miss Here When I Think of Latvia (Ingrīda Eglīte)

I am not a child of exile, but it so happened that I have been living in Canada for seven years now. Latvia has always been and remains dear and close to my heart. I am proud to have been born in Latvia. This square was created with the idea of showing what I truly miss here when thinking about Latvia. It’s the fragrant forests and fields, the meadows. Mushroom picking, berry picking. Remembering my childhood through Margarita Stāraste’s illustrations and fairy-tale books, this porcini mushroom square was made.

Description submitted by Ingrīda Eglīte for the Museum “Latvians Abroad” project “Story Quilt” (2018)

Little Māra Went Into the Forest… (Māra Zeps)

“Little Māra went into the forest, the green forest was her home.” I heard this from my grandmothers while going mushroom picking together in the beautiful forests of Latvia. Unforgettable memories. I lived in Garciems for the first six years of my life. During the Second World War, my family began the life of refugees. On October 4, 1944, we left Riga. Upon arriving in Germany, we lived in the barracks of the Fischbach camp. That’s where I started elementary school. The lessons were conducted in Latvian. In December 1949, my family had the opportunity to go to America, to earn a living as lumber workers. Later, we moved to Milwaukee.

Ēriks and Aina on Mushroom Picking

They wanted to arrest me and Aina. We went to the forest to pick mushrooms, and they wanted to arrest us. Apparently, we were trying to poison someone!
The police arrived. The English people who walk there saw us picking mushrooms and had reported us to the police.

When we bought that other house — the bungalow — it was near the forest. During the day, my friend’s dog and I would go for walks after work and pick mushrooms. Sometimes Erik and the children came along too. And then — ‘What are you doing? Picking mushrooms? They’re poisonous!’
I said, ‘If they were poisoned, I’d have been dead long ago

Madara Riley – Mushroom Maddie

On Facebook, you can find Madara Riley, a Latvian living in the United Kingdom, who is very passionate about mushroom picking. She shares her stories, experiences, knowledge, and inspires others.

Certified Mushroomer from Michigan (Larisa Mednis)

Larisa Mednis thinks that her interest in mushrooming comes from her Latvian roots. A number of years ago Larisa joined a mushrooming club in Michigan, USA, where she learned to forage and identify mushrooms from specialists in the field. Today Larisa holds a certificate in wild mushrooming from the State of Michigan, which allows her to legally sell mushrooms. As a vegetarian, Larisa uses mushrooms as a meat substitute in various favourite recipes.

Baskets Full of Saffron Milk Caps! (Iveta Leitase)

Iveta Leitase in Canberra, Australia, tells how she discovered her perfect “mushroom spot” — a pine forest near Canberra where many saffron milk caps grow. It turns out that in Australia, the worms don’t eat these mushrooms!