Happy Friday, everyone. We hope you are staying safe and healthy during this dark January. If you want to brighten it up a little, head over to our shop for all the goodies.

Here’s your top 5 mushroom stories!

1) Lookin’ Good, Virginia!

What does Virgina EVER make the news for? I mean, D.C. isn’t even technically in the US so that doesn’t count. I guess Charlottesville a few years ago? If you are from Virginia, don’t worry – we aren’t picking on you, just recognizing one of our own (Illinois natives, here).

Anyhoo, this is some news on Virginia worth sharing: Virginia is the newest state to propose decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms. Check it out.

The Haunting of Hill House: one of many horror stories that use mushrooms as a symbol.

2) Oh the horror! Mushrooms in scary movies.

This article is fun because it explores why we often use mushrooms as a symbol in horror movies and stories. In talking about the Netflix show The Haunting of Hill House: “s in much of the gothic genre, the house itself is rotten. Something decomposes, deep at its core is darkness and damp. Only mushrooms can grow from that. Mushrooms are signifiers of the deep rot at the center of these places. And fungi can grow anywhere, can spread — can infect, like the darkness of Hill House can.”

For more examples and interesting insight, head over to book riot.

3) Mushrooms and Guns

It’s always weird to see mushrooms mixed up with guns and hardcore drug paraphernalia. Like, most mushroom folks just want to enjoy life a little, ya know?

But here we go again: if you wanna see some pictures of what NOT to do, it’s grow mushrooms in Palm Beach, Florida surrounded by guns and amphetamines. That’s a no-no .

Reminder: our spores are for research only!

Weed may help boost immunity against Covid

4) Vaccines? nah. Weed? yes, please!

A new study finds that cannabis has the potential to give higher immunity against Covid-19.

Wait, what? Was this research done by a bunch of dudes in the basement watching Futurama? Turns out, probably not that far from the truth. The study was conducted by researchers at Oregon State’s Global Hemp Innovation Center – and YOU KNOW the folks that work there: superheroes without capes.

It’s fascinating. The miracle that weed smokers have been “toking” about for decades has some fruition now that it’s legal.

It’s only a matter of time before Psilocybin is in the same boat. Mark our words!

5) Hey mushrooms! Big Business is gonna take care of ya!

To be honest, there’s a lot I don’t understand in this article. But for those of you that are concerned about how everything cool eventually turns really lame because the American machine just doesn’t f-ing stop ever, then this is the article for you. It’s about businesses trying to get rich on mushrooms. And make sure others don’t. Read it!

Seems like they might need to do a little more than micro-dosing to get their head out of their own asses.

See ya next week!