Hed Thob: From Asian Burning Season Disaster to Clean Eco-Business

in #environment3 years ago (edited)

It's hard to describe the intensity of feeling these earthy, bulbous, exotic little Thai mushrooms unleash. Angry calls for boycotts and lengthy online chat threads filled with frustration, insults and finger pointing. Community meetings & press statements while Thai people close their ears and queue for a chance to buy these expensive gourmet treats.

Hed thob (เห็ดถอบ) or Thai truffles as they are called. Botanically known as Astraeus hygrometricus

HedThob10.pngImage Credit: Old Chiang Mai Culture Center

Why the debates, insults and annual upset, particularly on the part of the large global expat community which chooses to call the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, The Rose of the North, home?

This.

HedThob1.jpgImage Credit: Chiang Mai Citylife

HedThob2.jpgImage Credit: http://motogirlthailand.com - @galenkp she's well worth your follow!

How much does a community have to suffer for the culinary privilege of the few? Months and months of filthy, choking air with dreadful AQI - not exclusively caused by forest floor burning to increase the yields of the humble Hed Thob, but definitely it's a substantial contributor. It's even more complicated by the fact that the indigenous mountain people have few income choices and these wild mushrooms command high prices.

Finally, a circuit breaker.

Ethical forest grown, no-burn, sustainable, Hed thob.

Hed Thob cannot be farmed commercially: it grows symbiotically with the underground root systems of the diverse Northern Thai forest. It is an annual mushroom which emerges from the forest floor when the first Mango Rains begin. Traditionally the Thai mountain wisdom has always been that one gathers more and better mushrooms (and consequently more and bigger income) after the forest undergrowth is burned away. And consequently, the northern mountains are deliberately set ablaze for much of March & April, filling the valley with acrid smoke, destroying sensitive wildlife habitat and contributing to biodiversity loss, destroying tourist industry livelihoods, causing respiratory distress and disease and damaging the heath of literally millions of people.

Extensive research by the Maejo Wild Mushroom Research and Innovative Development Center (MWRIDC) at Maejo University has conclusively shown that Hed Thob CAN be cultivated within its natural environment without the need to burn.

Research from the university has also shown that burning does NOT improve the quality and taste of the mushroom, but actually decreases the naturally occurring nutrients in the soil over time, causing more harm than good. Hed Thob grows symbiotically with the root systems of a broad range of tree species. Burning forest reduces biodiversity, resulting in reduced yields over time.

Euang Kam Sai Restaurant and Old Chiangmai Cultural Center, in collaboration with Maejo Wild Mushroom Research and Innovative Development Center (MWRIDC) supports this Northern Thai delicacy - Hed Thob - when it is sourced from certified, no-burn forest grounds from local communities from 6 Northern-Thai provinces - including Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Lamphun, and Lampang. Educating villagers about alternative cultivation methods to burning methods, Maejo University also supports sustainability by providing income to local communities.

Supporting sustainable cultivation of a traditional Northern Thai delicacy whilst conserving the forest is a serious win-win.

HedThob5.jpg

HedThob4.jpg

How to help ensure the forest burning for Hed Thob stops altogether?

We need and want the message to be spread like wildfire (pardon the pun) that villages can help everyone (and most of all themselves) by stopping the burning and joining the sustainable forest Hed Thob project.

And that starts with US - buying sustainable Hed Thob ONLY, telling our friends and families, sharing this blog and being sure to tell Thai friends in the northern mountains that this is what we will pay for.

If you're in Chiang Mai, please ORDER from Euang Kam Sai Restaurant and be amazed at what they do with these delicacies in traditional Northern Thai Cuisine. Yes, they ARE on Grab Food and, Covid restrictions willing, you can also dine in at their lovely restaurant at the Old Chiangmai Culture Center on Wualai Road.

HedThob9.jpg

Not in Chiang Mai and bummed by Covid restrictions in Bangkok and elsewhere? They've got your back! You CAN ORDER cleaned, fresh Hed Thob or brined Hed Thob - it arrives next day.

Prices:
Hed Thob (Fresh)
280 THB / litre (350 grams)

Hed Thob (Brined)
330 THB / litre
*Brined mushrooms can be stored in your freezer for up to 1 year. It can also be shipped domestically within Thailand via temperature-controlled transportation (additional fees apply)

Contact:
Line: @oldchiangmai (with @ sign)
https://lin.ee/yNbqsdq
Phone: 095-145-0296
Operating Hours: 09.30 - 20.00 hrs.
Pick Up: Old Chiangmai Cultural Center (Wualai Rd.)

Apart from EATING sustainable Hed Thob, how else can YOU help encourage this important sustainability project?

  • please REVIEW your sustainable Hed Thob meal publicly on social media;
  • please ASK your local restaurants to buy and promote them;
  • please SPEAK to community leaders in villages which still burn and help connect them to the Mae Jo Mushroom Project;
  • Send your fav environment or foodie blogger over to Euang Kam Sai Restaurant.

Please be part of the change by TRYING this Northern Thai delicacy yourself and letting the world know that great environmental solutions can be created, together.

Pure Thai Natural Co Ltd is SO EXCITED about this initiative which supports organic and sustainable, that we've created a SPECIAL OFFER:

For EVERY order of 800 thb or more from Euang Kam Sai Restaurant which includes a sustainable Hed Thob menu item, Pure Thai Naturals will GIVE you a FREE 100ml Organic Insect Repellent made with mountain grown, organic neem. Simply show a screenshot of this blog when you make your sustainable Hed Thob order to receive your free bottle.

Special offer.png

Be The Change.


HedThob3.jpg


HiveOnBoard1.gif

Get Your FREE Hive Account



Fair Trade, Sustainable, Cruelty Free. Shipping Worldwide..png

Come check out my Pure Thai Naturals online store

TwitterTiny100x100.png
Find me on Twitter: Pure Thai Naturals @BreugelMarike & @HiveLift

i

Sort:  

That is so sad! Sorry that I'm so far as I would love to try them. Strange. They seem so insignificant and yet so much fuss. I'm curious @artemislives - what do these little delicacies taste like?

Thank you for your engagement on this post, you have recieved ENGAGE tokens.

The first time I had them they had been boiled beyond recognition and reminded me of rubber. LOL. They do have a very distinct earthy taste and sort-of explode in your mouth. The name "hed thob" means mushroom (hed) which pops in your mouth (thob). Definitely you need to know how to prepare them so the earthy delicate flavours aren't eclipsed by chili and over-cooking.

PROMISE that if you ever find your way here, and these little babies are in season, that I shall take you to Euang Kam Sai to try them.

Hope all is well in your world over there.

!ENGAGE 25

Hed thob is such a perfect name! Thank you for your explanation (and invitation) They sound really special. Although I'm sure your first nibble at the well boiled truffle made you question all the fuss

Burning season is the worst. It would be awesome if they can put an end to it.

Agreed 100000%! We start by offering better options, guess, and this is one of them. Thanks so much for swinging by.

!ENGAGE 25

I know a lot of people in Pai would leave for burning season and go to Bangkok or further south for a few months. Do you stay in CM for burning season, or do you try to travel during those months?

There has already been too much ENGAGE today.

Your content has been voted as a part of Encouragement program. Keep up the good work!

Use Ecency daily to boost your growth on platform!

Support Ecency
Vote for Proposal
Delegate HP and earn more

Congratulations, your post has been added to Pinmapple! 🎉🥳🍍

Did you know you have your own profile map?
And every post has their own map too!

Want to have your post on the map too?

  • Go to Pinmapple
  • Click the get code button
  • Click on the map where your post should be (zoom in if needed)
  • Copy and paste the generated code in your post (Hive only)
  • Congrats, your post is now on the map!

Congratulations @artemislives! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :

You published more than 500 posts.
Your next target is to reach 550 posts.

You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word STOP

Check out the last post from @hivebuzz:

Hive Tour Update - Account creation and Account Recovery steps
Support the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!

Mmm, looks like good mushrooms!