What is Chaga:
Chaga, Inonotus obliquus, is a porous mushroom, normally found in the northern hemisphere, such as Russia, Northern Europe, Northern United States, and Canada.
There are a lot of things that make Chaga special, one being it grows on the living Birch tree, where as most mushrooms grow on dead trees. The Chaga mushroom collects its nutrients from the birch tree while it is still alive and stores the nutrients in the conk.
What Does Chaga Look Like:
Chaga doesn't look like a normal mushroom you see growing on dead trees or growing on the ground. Instead Chaga has a hard, black outer layer that looks like the tree has a burnt growth on it. Once the conk is opened the inside is completely different instead of the hard, black surface, a soft, porous, rusty colour.
Chaga Benefits:
Chaga is said to have a huge amount of benefits, being high in anti-oxidants, boosting the immune system, lowering cholesterol levels, it is also said to be full of minerals, nutrients, and enzymes.
Northern Ora does not recommend the use of Chaga before the consultation of a practitioner or instead of medication.
Only two thirds of the Chaga is harvested
Sustainable Harvest:
Northern Ora ensures sustainable harvest by harvesting Chaga only the size of grapefruits or bigger this allows the foragers to make sure that the Chaga is mature. Because it takes three to ten years for Chaga to grow it is very important for the foragers to harvest carefully and sustainably.
When in a Chaga abundant area, Northern Ora foragers only harvest every second piece of Chaga that is seen, to allow more Chaga to grow in the area, also they harvest only two thirds of the Chaga to avoid any damage to the birch tree. Allowing the Birch tree to live on for generations to come.