Every once in a while I pull up Nextdoor just to see what may be on the mind of my neighbors. It certainly came as no surprise to see that someone was looking for a mushroom hunting buddy, after all aren't we all dreaming of morels? The writer stated she was a novice but had been studying all winter! “If anyone wants to go together or lend a hand to this newb I’d love it!” There are certainly a lot of ways to begin your mushroom hunting journey and using Nextdoor was indeed an interesting path for me to encounter.
Introduction to Mushroom Identification on April 12th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm is the first presentation. The course description promises “the basics of mushroom identification for beginners, including physical features, ecology and anecdotes about mushroom oddities and beauty.” $25 via Zoom.
Common Spring Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest on April 19th from 6:30-7:30 is the second presentation. The course description promises that the student will “Learn some of the most common and memorable mushrooms found in spring in the Pacific Northwest. We will focus on common edibles like oysters and morels, as well as on less commonly noticed but interesting and beautiful species. Learn how to tell edibles apart from poisonous or just otherwise tricky potential lookalikes, noting particular physical features and habitats that will help you to identify them on your own.” $20 via Zoom.
Before registering you may wish to listen to Leah’s free presentation on The Mushroom Hour Podcast, Ep. 30: Leah Mycelia - Making Friends with Mushrooms, Mycoheterotrophs & Slime Molds (feat. Leah Bendlin).
Whatever path you take to become more knowledgeable about mushrooms, enjoy the adventure!