Results: National Survey of Mushroom Club Members
Fall 2008
Prepared by
Robert D. Bixler Associate Professor Clemson University Clemson, SC 29634‐0735 Rbixler @clemson.edu 1
Acknowledgments This project was made possible and greatly improved by the careful critique of Allein Stanley, Leon Shernoff and Tim Geho, not to mention numerous comments from executives of mushroom clubs when they first reviewed the document. I would also like to thank Evan Jordan, Stephanie Joseph, Carin Vadala and Stacey Marcus for their assistance in preparing mailings and data entry. I would especially like to thank all the executives of mushroom clubs around the United States for recognizing that this survey could be an enjoyable activity for their members during the winter months, and allowing Clemson University to contact their members, either directly or through the club, with an invitation to participate. Finally, I would like to thank all the members of mushroom clubs who sat down and completed the questionnaire. Your answers documented the amazing diversity of mushroom related activities participated in and the sheer joy of being an amateur mycologist. For those who completed the questionnaire, I hope you enjoying perusing the results. All shortcomings, and there are some in this project, are my doing! ‐‐Rob Bixler, Winter08‐09. Permission is given to mushroom organizations who participated in this study, to quote from it. Otherwise, please ask permission.
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Introduction This study was conducted out of sheer curiosity. The principal investigator (PI) had been involved in natural history hobbies since childhood, and was introduced to mycology in 1981 by the staff at Brooks Nature Center in Wheeling WV, while interning as an interpretive naturalist. Later as a professor teaching courses in management of natural resource dependent recreation, the PI became painfully aware that little research attention was being paid to the more intellectual outdoor recreation pursuits, activities that actually required the hobbyist to know something about nature to participate. After accumulating monies leftover from other grant projects, the PI decided to use these funds to do a basic descriptive study of amateur mycologists. Method All mushroom clubs in the United States that could be identified through web sites or listed in the North American Mycological Association list of affiliated clubs were contacted and invited to participate during the Fall of 2007. At least six attempts were made to reach each club through some combination of postal mailings, phone calls and emails. Each club was mailed a copy of the survey, an overview of the project, a short form to complete asking about their willingness to participate, and a business reply envelope. Clubs were given the option of contacting their members through emails or mailings, or have Clemson University manage the mailings. In situations where clubs indicated they were too busy, the PI offered to pay a “responsible teenager” in one of the club executive’s household to manage the mailings. These offers were all declined. Clubs either responded in the affirmative, refused to participate and refused to state a reason for not participating, or ignored all correspondence from Clemson University. It is possible that all the contact information that was publically available for clubs that never responded was incorrect or these clubs were no longer active. Three clubs were known to have disbanded. Between November 2007 and April of 2008 34 clubs eventually agreed to participate. Club members, either from an officer of their club or from Clemson University, received either an email invitation to go to a web page and complete the survey or were mailed a paper copy of the survey with a postage‐paid business‐reply envelope enclosed. With some clubs, some members were contacted by email while others received a mailed survey depending on whether the club had an email address. By club, response rates ranged from 15 to 87 percent. Response rates were notably lower for the email/web based version of the survey as emails inviting participation in surveys are routinely targeted by SPAM filters. Eventually 1,141 completed questionnaires were received that were usable, of which 310 were paper surveys. Forty‐seven surveys were discarded due to being grossly incomplete, or that contained patterns of answers that indicated random responses, or because a single person completed multiple surveys to manipulate the question about what mushroom field guides would come out ranked as favorites. 3
Results Answers to the questionnaire are reported as means (averages) and frequencies as appropriate. In some cases, questions are ranked by means or percentages instead of the order the questions were listed in the survey. This allows the reader to quickly grasp which questions referred to something that was more or less popular/meaningful/frustrating, etc. One section of the questionnaire was discarded due to the inability of the principal investigator to make sense of answers. This was the section on most popular field guides. Far too many respondents listed just an author, often for authors who had written several books. Consequently, the most popular field guide data are not reported. Satisfaction with hobby: Using a standard scale of one to ten satisfaction scale, 78.8 percent of respondents selected a number between seven and ten. The mean or average score for overall satisfaction was 7.8. Table 1. Level of overall satisfaction with mushroom hobby. Satisfaction level Percent 1=very dissatisfied 2.0 2 1.0 3 3.0 4 2.8 5 6.5 6 5.9 7 13.4 8 22.2 9 14.7 10=extremely satisfied 28.5 Mean=7.8 Did not collect mushrooms in the last 12 months: Of the sample, 8.4 percent reported not collecting mushrooms in the last 12 months. Number of mushroom forays attended: Club members were asked how many forays (defined as at least overnight) they had attended in the last 12 months. Forty‐two percent reported going to no forays. A single foray was attended by 17.7 percent and 13.3 percent attended two forays. Answers ranged from 0 to 60 forays. Those reporting large numbers probably misunderstood that a foray was restricted to overnight trips. Number of organized mushroom walks: Club members were asked how many organized mushroom walks they had attended in the last 12 months. Respondents were left on their own to define what “organized” meant. Forty percent reported no participation. 17.1 percent reported going on one walk and 11.1 percent reported going on two walks. Answers ranged from 0 to 200. Percentage collecting mushrooms in each month of the year: Respondents were asked to report which months of the year they collected mushrooms. While most regions of the country have a spring morel season and a summer/fall season, a few parts of the country may have few or no morels, or typically have dry summers and mushroom activity occurs in the winter and spring. 4
Table 2. Months during the last 12months when mushroom collecting occurred. Month Percent January 22.0 February 19.4 March 22.0 April 39.3 May 52.0 June 42.9 July 42.5 August 51.5 September 62.5 October 55.9 November 39.2 December 25.1 How many people in your household collect mushrooms: Club members were asked how many people in their households collected mushrooms including themselves. Answers ranged from 0 to 6. The mean or average number was 1.7. About half of participants in the study were the only person in the household that collected mushrooms. Forty percent were in households with two persons who were interested in mushrooms Table 3. Number of person in the household involved with mushrooms Number of people in each household Percentage 0 2.2 1 49.6 2 40.8 3 4.7 4 1.9 5 .7 6 .2 Mean=1.7 persons Number of years of involvement in mushroom collecting: Club members were asked how many years they had been involved in the hobby. Answers ranged from 0 to 85 years with a mean of 18 years. Twenty‐five percent of the sample had been involved for four years or less. With the upper quartile (25 percent of participants with the greatest number of years of experience) being active from 30 to 85 years. The average number of years was 19.7 Age at which participants started mushroom collecting: Club members were asked how old they were when they started collecting? Answers ranged from two to 75 with a mean age of 35. Ownership of a microscope for identification: 19.6 percent of club members reported owning a microscope. Number of mushroom club memberships held by club members: Respondents to the survey reported an average of 1.7 memberships with mushrooms clubs. Answers ranged from zero to 14 clubs. 5
Number of years of membership in mushroom clubs: Answers ranged from 0 to 55 years. The mean number of years was 8.7.
Friendships that developed through an interest in mushrooms: Answers about the number of friendships ranged from none to 300 with a mean number of 6.9 persons.
Traveled more than 50 miles in the last 2 years to collect mushrooms: 71 percent reported traveling over 50 miles to collect mushrooms.
Traveled out‐of‐state to collect mushrooms: 44.3 reported traveling out of state.
Collected mushrooms on public lands: 90.9 percent of respondents had collected mushrooms on public lands within the last two years.
Travelled internationally to collect mushrooms: 13.7 percent of respondents reported travelling overseas to collect mushrooms.
Planned a vacation around mushroom collecting. Thirty percent of respondents reported planning a vacation around mushroom collecting.
Participated in a commercial tour marketed as a mushroom collecting trip: 3.5 percent of club members reported going on a commercial tour.
Percentage of collecting occurring on different land management types: Club members were asked to allocate percentage, to total 100 percent, to each of three types of areas, where collecting could take place. Specifically, privately owned personal property, another person’s personal property, or public lands. Results are presented in the chart below:
Figure One: Overall percentage of collecting occurring on land types. 6
Stayed overnight on a mushroom collecting trip: Of the respondents, 52.2 stayed overnight on a mushroom collecting trip. Of this group, 30 percent stayed in a campground, 23.8 percent stayed in a hotel, and 15.2 percent stayed in a relative’s or friend’s home. The rest stayed overnight in some other setting that was not listed. Changes that occurred after becoming involved in mushroom collecting: Seven behaviors sometimes associated with amateur mycology that logically could be started, decreased or increased were listed as response categories in the survey. Club members were asked to report any changes in the frequency of these behaviors. Six of the seven activities were educational or recreational, while one referred to pesticide use. The latter was included because the ability of mushrooms to take up heavy metals and pesticides. This phenomenon has been reported in the news, and is sometimes warned about in field guides. Two additional categories “Never participated” and “No change” were also included as response categories. Data are presented below in graphs: Figure 2. Change, if any, in behaviors as a result of involvement with mushroom collecting
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Mushroom Related Activities Participated In: Club members were presented with a list of activities associated with an interest in wild mushrooms. The instructions asked participants to check any activity they had participated in during the last 12 months. Table 4. Percentage of club members participating in mushroom related activities Mushroom Activity Percentage Cooking with mushrooms 90.0 Taught others about mushrooms 63.1 Drying, pickling, or preserving mushrooms 61.1 Mushroom photography 58.6 Experimenting with your own recipes 57.5 Cultivating mushrooms 32.9 Collecting older mushroom books 29.9 Purchased clothing with a mushroom theme 24.9 Member of the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) 22.2 Identification with a microscope 21.8 Used mushrooms for their medicinal value 20.5 Ran or helped run a mushroom foray 20.3 Leader of an organized hike 20.1 Purchased houseware or linens with a mushroom theme 19.3 Prepared teas, tinctures/cordials, or other extract of wild mushrooms 16.5 Painting or drawing mushrooms 15.3 Subscribe to Mushroom: The Journal of Wild Mushrooming 13.8 Sent specimens to professionals or museum 13.5 Maintained or contributed to internet web page about mushrooms 13.2 Subscribed to a mushroom or mycology magazine or journal 13 Acted as an officer or president of a mushroom club 12.7 Wrote an article on mushrooms for a club newsletter or magazine 11.8 Purchased contemporary mushroom art 11.7 Identification using chemical tests 11.3 Purchased a mushroom item of any kind through an internet auction 8 Collecting stamps with mushrooms on them 7 Created art work on an artist's conk 6.9 Purchased vintage or antique mushroom art 6.7 Published mushroom art or photo in a magazine or book 4.8 Identified mushroom in poisoning case for a hospital 4.6 Dyeing cloth with mushrooms 3.7 Worked mushroom crossword puzzles or similar activities 3.4 Entered a mushroom photography contest 3.1 Paper making with mushrooms 2.4 Published an article for a research journal 1.9 Additional activities written in by participants are presented in the Appendix. 10
Constraints to participation in mushroom activities: A series of questions taken from generic constraints to leisure research and issues specific to mushroom activities were presented in the questionnaire. Club members then indicated to what degree each constraint limited their participation in mushroom related activities. On average, few constraints were observed.
Table 5. Constraints to participation in mushroom activities: Ranked high to low. Constraint Mean1 0 1 % % Many mushrooms do not have common names 1.68 32.5 Concern about lawn chemicals being taken up by mushrooms 1.30 41.7 Many mushrooms are not listed in field guides 1.28 34.1 Do not have a microscope 1.06 47.8 Soils or sand around where I live make mushrooms hard to clean 1.02 54.6 No access to Melzer’s reagent 0.96 53.0 Scientific names of mushrooms keep changing 0.93 51.6 Competition from other (non‐commercial) mushroom collectors 0.86 51.0 Not being able to identify most mushrooms I find 0.82 54.8 Too many technical terms that are hard to understand 0.80 53.4 The PROCESS of identification used in books 0.80 53.8 Time required/difficulty of getting a permit to collect 0.76 63.3 mushrooms on public lands Don’t know how to get other chemicals needed for identification 0.71 59.5 besides Melzer’s reagent Lack of an expert mycologist in my area to aid in identification 0.64 67.8 Don’t know how to use a microscope 0.64 69.1 Limited free time during at least one of the mushroom seasons 0.63 65.5 Family and friends discourage me from eating mushrooms 0.63 64.2 Stopped too many times by police or park rangers for collecting 0.53 67.9 on public parklands Lack of a mushroom field guide specific to my area 0.51 72.1 Regulations on public lands and parks near me prohibit 0.47 73.9 collection Competition from commercial mushroom collectors 0.43 74.5 Collecting areas near me are being developed 0.37 79.7 Not around anyone (friend or expert) with an interest in 0.35 81.1 mushrooms The expense of specialized identification books/monographs 0.30 77.7 Cost of traveling (gas/lodging) 0.26 83.9 Possibility of poisoning myself or others with misidentified 0.25 85.6 mushrooms Have to travel to far to collect mushrooms 0.23 86.6 Lack of a mushroom cookbook with healthy ingredients 0.21 86.9 Lack of a mushroom cookbook with simple recipes 0.16 89.2 1 Based on a scale from 0 to 4 where 0=not a frustration and 4=extreme frustration.
2 %
3 %
4 %
16.2 19.5 27.5 19.6 15.5 17.0 19.2 23.5 21.1 23.4 23.8 14.1
17.7 16.8 21.1 17.6 12.7 16.3 16.5 16.1 14.2 14.3 14.2 10.7
17.9 10.7 11.1 9.0 7.9 8.1 9.8 7.5 7.4 7.1 5.1 6.6
15.7 11.3 6.1 6.0 9.3 5.7 2.9 2.0 2.5 1.7 3.2 5.3
19.6
13.1
5.8
2.0
13.3 11.0 16.6 19.1 17.5
10.2 10.9 9.8 9.0 9.5
5.0 4.9 5.7 5.2 4.1
3.8 4.0 2.4 2.5 1.0
13.9 12.3
7.0 8.8
5.0 3.0
2.0 2.1
13.6 9.1 8.7
7.7 7.7 6.0
3.1 2.3 2.3
1.2 1.3 1.9
16.1 10.7 7.5
5.1 2.5 4.0
.8 1.5 1.8
.3 1.5 1.1
7.0 7.5 7.0
3.9 4.0 2.8
1.9 .9 .7
.7 .8 .3
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Number of species members are able to identify without a field guide: Club members were given ranges of numbers and ask to select the category that represents the numbers of species of mushrooms they believe they can identify on sight without a field guide. The data are presented in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Percent of club members able to identify a range of species without a field guide.
Favorite Mushrooms: Club members were asked to list their three favorite edible mushrooms. Answers came in many forms, from a variety of common names to scientific names. Some respondents listed species while others listed a genus, and many supplied common names. There are a number of ways to sort this data. Below are the rankings based on exactly what respondents wrote. Note that the fifth, sixth and seventh ranked species could be included in the three top rank mushrooms which were listed by respondents at the genus level. Common names and scientific names are purposefully mixed on the chart to indicate the differences in how respondents answered the questions.
Figure 4. Favorite edible mushrooms
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Number of species of mushrooms eaten over a 12 month period: Club members were asked to write in a number indicating how many different species of mushrooms they ate. Answers ranged from 0 to 200 with a mean of 8.2 species.
Preference for method of identification of mushrooms: Field guides either use photographs or illustrations and/or provide dichotomous keys. Club members were asked to indicate which method they preferred. It is likely that those who use dichotomous keys also use illustrations, but respondents were asked to choose one or the other. Data are presented below in Figure 5. Figure 5. Percent preferring illustrations/photographs or dichotomous keys for identification.
Ownership of books: Club members were asked to report how many books they owned in five different categories. Average numbers are reported in Figure 6. For mushroom identification books, the range was 0 to 800. For cookbooks the range was 0 to 300. Ownership of mushroom cultivation cookbooks ranged from 0 to 40. Medicinal mushroom books ownership had a range of 0 to 150, and arts and crafts books ranged from 0 to 20. Figure 6. Average number of mushroom books owned in each of five categories
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Becoming interested in wild mushrooms: Club members were presented with a list of types of people or situations that could have helped them develop an interest in mushrooms during their beginning years. The instructions asked respondents to choose any of the answers that applied to them. The influence of informal experiences and the role of mushroom clubs are evident in the data. Results are presented in Table 6 below: Table 6. Early influences in the emerging interest in mushrooms: Ranked by percent Influence Percent Self taught 26.9 Adult friend 26.6 Club mycologist 25.9 Parent 17.9 Program at nature center/botanical gardens 9.1 Aunt/uncle/grandparent 8.9 College professor (regardless of subject) 7.7 University class on mycology 6.7 Neighbor 4.5 Park naturalist or park ranger 3.2 Brother/sister 2.5 None of the above 2.2 Field biology station class 1.8 High school/ or secondary school teacher 1.3 Summer camp counselor 0.7 Due to multiple responses, the total of all percentages will exceed 100 percent
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Motivations for continuing to participate in mushroom related activities: Club members were presented with a list of reasons for continuing to participate in wild mushroom activities. The response scale presented possible responses from 0 to 4 where 0=not important and 4=extremely important. A sizeable number of responses yielded ratings between two and three indicating that there are multiple rewards to club members for participating in their hobby. Items and results, ranked by means, are presented in Table 7. Table 7. Motivations for continuing in mushroom activities: Ranked high to low. Motivations for continuing with Mean1 0 1 % % Enjoy being in woods and other natural areas 3.55 Enjoy getting off the trail to explore for mushrooms 3.02 Enjoy seeing all the different forms mushrooms take 2.89 The thrill of the hunt 2.85 Getting out of the house 2.80 Enjoy eating a wide variety of types of mushrooms 2.70 Enjoy cooking mushroom cuisine 2.65 Enjoy the process of identification 2.53 Enjoy learning about the science and ecology of fungi 2.50 Mushrooms are something I can enjoy by myself 2.49 Enjoy being around friends interested in mushrooms 2.42 To get physical exercise 2.40 Enjoy meeting new people interested in mushrooms 2.33 Enjoy sharing and discussing mushroom identification tips 2.23 To be around people with environmental values similar to mine 2.22 Enjoy sharing my knowledge of mushrooms to my hobby 2.10 Enjoy interacting with professional mycologists 2.09 Enjoy learning about the folklore of fungi 2.08 Enjoy learning about the natural history of mushrooms 2.05 Enjoy the health benefits of wild mushrooms 1.65 Enjoy non‐mushroom people’s reactions to my hobby 1.17 Enjoy growing edible mushrooms 1.09 Enjoy being artistic with mushrooms 0.88 Enjoy using microscopes/chemicals for advanced ID 0.80 Enjoy growing medicinal mushrooms 0.62 Enjoy the risk of eating wild mushrooms 0.57 1 Based on a scale from 0 to 4 where 0=not important and 4=very important.
0.1 2.1 3.0 4.2 6.3 6.2 7.7 3.9 6.4 9.8 8.4 9.2 7.2 9.6 13.7 11.0 14.5 14.5 14.0 28.4 42.3 50.6 52.9 58.4 70.2 68.8
1.7 5.7 7.0 8.8 7.9 9.6 9.6 13.6 12.7 11.6 14.6 14.0 16.8 16.4 16.1 21.2 18.2 19.2 20.3 20.0 23.3 16.3 23.9 18.4 12.6 15.6
2 %
3 %
4 %
7.1 19.1 21.9 20.6 21.6 21.4 22.7 28.6 26.9 24.9 26.5 25.4 28.9 30.1 25.2 29.1 27.6 26.8 28.0 22.2 16.1 14.5 11.8 12.4 6.9 8.7
25.0 34.7 34.1 31.2 28.4 33.4 30.2 33.2 32.2 27.2 27.2 29.9 30.0 29.0 25.0 24.4 23.1 22.8 21.7 17.3 11.9 11.0 5.4 6.8 5.2 3.6
66.1 38.4 33.9 35.3 35.8 29.4 29.8 20.7 21.9 26.4 23.2 21.5 17.1 14.9 20.0 14.3 16.7 16.7 16.0 12.1 6.4 7.6 6.1 4.1 5.1 3.3
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Spending on mushroom related activities: Club members were asked to report how much they had spent on mushroom related activities in the last 12 months. Ten categories were provided with an option to write in other expenses in an eleventh category. Results are reported as mean spending per category. Average expenditure over the period of a 12 month period was $750 . See Table 8. Table 8. Mean expenditures by category on mushroom related activities Spending category Mean Spending in US dollars (2007)1 Books 71.42 Baskets, knifes, eye loupe, wax paper, other collecting equipment 29.32 Microscope 7.88 Chemicals for testing 1.93 Foray registration 62.06 Travel directly related to mushroom collecting (gas, food, lodging) 266.58 Club memberships 30.69 Subscriptions to magazines or web pages 41.51 Medical costs due to mushroom poisoning 5.45 Purchases of clothing, art, house ware with mushroom theme 39.22 Other 193.50 1
Data were inspected for outliers greater than 4 standard deviations. These values were removed before calculations were made.
Income from mushroom related activities. Club members were asked if they received any income in the last 12 months from mushroom activities. Of all respondents, 10.9 percent reported having received at least a small amount of income from wild mushroom activities. Interest in other recreation activities: Club members were presented with a list of activities and asked to check all those activities that they had participated in during the last 12 months (and enjoyed). Results are ranked and presented in Table 9. In general, participation in the country club activities (golf, tennis, racquetball) were at or slightly below national averages. Involvement with natural resource dependent activities was much higher than national averages. Involvement with motor sports was below national averages. Involvement in cultural activities (museums, classical music) was above average. Movement from beginner to next level of knowledge: Participants were asked to describe what experiences helped them grow beyond the beginner level. Transcribed responses are presented in the Appendix. These responses read like a giant thank you note to clubs, internet sites, amateur and professional mycologists, professors, teachers, botanic gardens, nature centers, biological field stations, and many friends. Results strongly document the impact of skilled individuals taking even small amounts of time to help beginners increase their skill level.
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Table 9. Participation in recreation activities other than mushrooms Recreation Activity Nature walks Museum visit (any type) Trip to an ocean beach Vegetable gardening Watching sports on television Wildflower walks Tent camping in parks and forests Classical music concert Birding with binoculars and ID guide Fishing Popular music concert Backpacking Visiting a zoo Playing a musical instrument Rock/gem/fossil collecting Attending sports events (college, pro, high school) Canoeing Kayaking Astronomy with a telescope Hunting wild game Golf Chess Tennis Visit a major amusement park (Disney, SeaWorld, etc) Jet skiing/personal watercraft Basketry Stock car racing (spectator) Racquet ball None of the above
Percent participating 59.6 51.4 48.8 46.8 36.6 34.3 29.4 29.3 28.9 27.9 25.3 21.9 20.9 19.3 17.6 16.2 12.9 11.9 10.3 8.9 6.9 5.8 4.5 4.1 2.0 1.7 1.5 1.0 0.0
Demographics: A few demographics questions were asked at the end of the survey. The sample was 57 percent female, 13.6 percent of the sample had a household income under $30,000. For setting of residence, 31 percent lived in rural or country areas, 37.9 percent reported living in a suburban area, and 31.1 percent lived in a city area. About 15 percent of the sample had children under the age of 13 living at home. Seventy‐five percent of the sample had two or fewer people living in their household.
Interest level in the survey: The last question on the survey asked club members to rate their interest in completing the survey. On a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is extremely boring and 10=extremely interesting, the mean was 5.91, making it the lowest interest level of nine studies of recreationists conducted to date that included this question. Correlations were calculated between the level of interest question and all other questions. Significant correlations were very few and no discernable pattern was detected. 17
Appendix Additional Data and Comments
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Additional activities related to mushrooms: Written in comments • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• •
Made mushroom stick with a carved morel on top I cook a lot for mushroom functions (like forays, fairs, etc.) Bought a mushroom identifying book Took mushroom identification classes Edited mushroom club newsletter Learned to identify some common species growing in the region. Encourage others to learn about mushrooms Attended the International Medicinal Mushroom Conference in Slovenia Past NAMA member, budget and time constraints prevent or inhibit more activity, especially day hunts. Used mushrooms for spiritual value Got friends to join mushroom groups Gifted dry Porcini to chef friends and two actors. Compost with mushrooms, inoculate trees with mushrooms Own a mushroom boutique Acted as a field researcher collecting mushrooms for a survey of a nature sanctuary I have taught a beginning mycology program each fall for the past 12 years. I do this for the (NAME) and (NAME) Talk on truffles at (NAME) extension tree school, also part of cultivation group Bought mushroom‐themed postcards Received NSF funding to study mushroom diversity and evolution Posted on a Mushroom online bulletin board. I am currently having an metal work artist make a bed frame for me with a mushroom theme! Created posters and calendars using mushroom sketches and watercolors (1)Gave a workshop presentation on Mushroom identification to a non‐mushrooming organization. (2)Provided information about mushrooms to a local newspaper. increased the interest of my public school students by sending them to a fungus fair Had a western Gymnopilus species tested for (CHEMICAL) content by a commercial lab Helped at mushroom fair Ordered wild dried mushrooms through internet. Joined mushroom organizations; gone to a mushroom fair Identified wild mushrooms. Create wild mushroom displays for art gallery using florist blocks as a base Helped identify mushrooms for others, compared mushroom interests, practices with collectors in foreign lands via the internet (e‐mail, instant messaging, etc.) Created and submitted recipe for mushroom dish to be published in local mycology newsletter Used the internet to research mushrooms Sometimes mushrooms are scarce and when I lead a walk I show many delicious edible plants to participants and also bring with me some choice edible plants and nuts (such as butternuts)which are not too common)and generally people are fascinated by them as much as the mushrooms because they are extremely nutritious and lots of mushroomers feel as I do that health is wealth. Conduct research on mycoremediation Read more about mushrooms
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Involved in coordinating & working at a mushroom fair, lectured on mushrooms for a class and a gardening group, participated in two different county bio‐blitzes this spring in the lichen/fungi area. Bought spawn and tools to cultivate mushrooms from the internet. Joined by local Mycological Club Join a mushroom club Purchased 2 Taylor Lockwood books Wrote chapter about mushrooms for book Sang about mushrooms Created a mushroom screensaver. Taught mushroom classes gave mushroom lectures Member MSA Reading books about mushrooms visiting mushroom sites on internet making spore prints Sold wild mushrooms to restaurants. Learned about other edibles besides morels to extend my hunting season. I am the bookseller for our State mushroom society Gave mushroom power point presentation to master naturalist group Purchased mushroom items online but not at auction. Brought mushroom information into a college class of contemporary poetry Talk with Europeans I meet about mushrooms. Purchased a mushroom cookbook and one on medicinal mushrooms Reviews & Internet news for chapter newsletter Spore prints just for the beauty of it. Still life photography of mushrooms Had interviews or participated in media coverage of fungi (TV news, newspaper article). Purchased jewelry with mushroom pendant. Editor of mushroom club newsletter Purchased guide books on NW mushrooms, Mexico mushrooms Explored an ethnic supermarket to gather food grade mushrooms Created mushroom salt and pepper shakers out of clay. Created knitted mushroom pincushions and knitted‐felted jewelry boxes Donated mushroom photos Received mushroom‐related gifts from friends Did a mushroom cookery demonstration at The Really Wild Food Festival in Wales, UK Did a newspaper interview about mushrooms. ATE them and served others! Just beginning, expect to do a lot more this year Just getting started on the wild mushroom thing to add another activity while camping Spore printing Belonged to NAMA at one time Bought a mushroom gift for a friend. Wrote to other mycologists Volunteered in a mycological herbarium Collected mushroom‐related decorative home accents. Purchased and read mushroom‐related field guides and books. Worked club booth at a plant fair. 20
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Keeping a scrapbook on articles re: mushrooming for reference. Want to find out way more re: mushrooming, but have a full‐time job. Bought mushrooming bags on internet Purchased 2nd hand mushroom magazines Helped the Club with Fungus Fair. Attended talks lectures and identification classes. Attended cooking demonstrations. Attended socials. Provided mushroom displays in display cases at public library Demonstrate using mushrooms to dye silk scarves. Planning mushroom banquet for club Incorporated mushrooms into my herbal medicine classes Took cultivation course from Paul Stamets and attended his lectures Attended a mushroom fair Purchased an appropriate field guide before visiting a foreign country (visit is for other reasons) Where do I start? :‐) Co‐chaired the mushroom cookbook for our club, 307 recipes Wrote articles about mushrooms but did not have them published. Correspond with mycologists in other countries Radio program on mushrooms Wherever I travel, I collect mushrooms (this year, Sweden, British Columbia, New England) Traveled to collect and learn more about mushrooms in Mexico Wrote a mushroom cookbook for my club Purchased mushroom jewelry, helped publicize fungus fair Began creating forest gardens with mushrooms Taught class for school district. Read additional mushroom books Made mushroom related crafts. Ordered dry and fresh mushroom from internet Purchased mushroom field guides Carved mushroom sculptures with a chain saw Gave educational programs and slide shows by the scores Made an instructional Power Point program about mushrooms; bought instructional DVD Purchased mushroom field guides I am not a collector. I am an enthusiast, and a photographer. Read about mushrooms on the internet. I cook mushrooms for fun and meals
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Comprehensive list of all mushroom species listed in the “three favorite edibles” question. Genus and/or species and/or common names of mushrooms listed for the question about members’ three favorite edible mushrooms. No attempt was made to combine older and new scientific names, so the same species are listed twice in several cases with different names. Likewise, common names were not converted to scientific names. Misspellings are probably numerous, although many hours were spent checking spellings. A (?) means we are uncertain about the intentions of the provided answer.
Agaricus amicosus Agaricus arvensis Agaricus augustus Agaricus bernardii Agaricus bisporus Agaricus biturquis Agaricus campestris Agaricus crocodilinus Agaricus (Agrocybe?) cylindracea Agaricus fuscofibrillosus Agaricus general Agaricus lilaceps Agaricus oscecanus Agaricus pattersonae Agaricus rodmanii Agaricus subrufescens Agaricus, salt loving Agaricus, wine colored Albatrellus confluens Albertsonii Amanita calyptoderma Amanita calyptrate Amanita coloderma Amanita lanei Amanita velosa Angel wings Armillaria mellea complex Armillaria ponderosa Armillaria tabescens Auricularia auricularia Bad handwriting Bears head Beefstake polypore Black morel Black trumpet Bleeding heart Blewit Bolete aspen
Bolete, birch Bolete, shaggy stalked Bolete, white king Boletus lexinum Boletus (Gyrodon?) merulioides Boletus nobilis Boletus regius Boletus separans Boletus, general Boletus appendiculatus Boletus barrowsii Boletus bicolor Boletus chrysenteron Boletus edulis Boletus mirabilis Boletus pinophilus Boletus projectellus Bovista plumbea Brain Brick cap Button Calvatia booniana Calvatia cyathiformis Calvatia gigantea Calvatia Canterellus aurelius Cantharellus cibarius Cantharellus cinnabarinus Cantharellus formosa Cantharellus lateritius Cantharellus minor Cantharellus subalbidus Cantharellus tubaeformis Cauliflower mushroom Cepes Champignons Chanterells white Chantrelle, golden 22
Chantrelle general Chestnut bolete Chicken of the woods Chitacaks (?) Clavicorona pyxidata Clitocybe nuda Coprinus comatus Coprinus micaceus Coprinus, general Coral tooth fungus Cordyceps Cortinarius armillatus Craterellus cinereus Craterellus cornucopioides Craterellus fallax Craterellus odoratus Crimini Crispas (sparassis?) Crown tipped coral Dentinum repandum Druid’s saddle (Dryad’s saddle?) Dryad’s saddle Elm Pleurotus Enoki Entoloma abortivum Exobasidium vaccinii Fairy Ring mushroom Fistulina hepatica Flammulina velutipes Full proof four in Com. Ed. Mush. By Christensen, p18, Fuscoboletinus ochraceoroseus Ganoderma tsugae, edge Giant puffball Gomphus cibarius (?) Gomphus clavatus Grifola frondosa Grocery store mushroom Gypsy Gyromitra esculenta Gyromitra gigas Gyroporus castanea Hawk’s wing Hedge hog mushroom Helvella sp. Hen and chicks Hen of the woods Hericium ramosom
Hericium abietis Hericium americanum Hericium coralloides Hericium erinaceus Hericium sp Hollow foot Hydnum imbricatum Hydnum repandum Hydnum umbilicatum Hygrophorus russula Hygrophorus subalpinus Hypholoma sublatetaritium Hypomyces lactifluorum Hypsizygus ulmarius Japones King bolete Lactarius corrugis Lactarius deliciosus Lactarius fragilis Lactarius hygrophoroides Lactarius indigo Lactarius rubidus Lactarius volemus Lactarius Laetiporus cincinnatus Laetiporus conifericola Langermannia gigantie Leccinum aurantiacum Leccinum insigne Leccinum scabrum Leccinum sp. Redcapped scaber stalk Leccinum Lentinus edulus (?) Lentinus, (not specified) Lepiota americana Lepiota clypeolaria Lepiota mastoidea Lepiota procera Lepiota rachodes Lepiota, general Lepiota, reddening Letinus or Lentinula edodes Lion’s Mane Lobster mushroom Lycoperdon perlatum Lyophyllum decastes Lyophylum multiceps Maitaki 23
Man on horseback Marasmius oreades Matsutake Moon Morchella angustipes Morchella atramentosa Morchella conica Morchella crassipes Morchella deliciosa Morchella edulis Morchella elata Morchella esculenta Morel (not specified) Neolentinus ponderous Old man of the woods Old man’s beard, (H. erinaceus) Orange delicious Oregon white truffle Ostrya virginiana (tree species?) Oyster, blue Oyster, pink Oyster (not specified) Parasol mushroom Penicillium roquefortii Phylloporus rhodozxanthus Pig’s ear Pine spike Pink gills Pipe stem Pleurocybella porrigens Pleurotus pulmonarius Pleurotus ulmarius Pleurotus populinus Pleurotus eringii Polypores (not specified) Polyporus squamosus Polyporus sulphureus Polyporus umbellatus Porcini Portabello Prince Puffballs Puffballs Red and yellow bolete Reishi Rosy larch boletus Rozites caperata Russula decolorans
Russula olivacea Russula xerampelina Russulas Sarcodon imbricatus Sculptured puffball Shaggy mane Shaggy Parasol Sheep’s head Shiitake Smooth Chanterelle Snow Mushroom Sparassis crispa Sparassis herbstii Straw mushroom Strobilomyces floccopus Stropharia rugoso annulata Suillus americana Suillus general Suillus granulatus Suillus lactiflues Suillus luteus Suillus pictus Suillus, general Sulfur shelf Sweet tooth Tricholoma magnivelare Tricholoma ponderosa Tricholoma populinum Tricoloma flavovirens Truffles Trumpet black chantrelle any species Tuber gibbosum (or local variant) Tuber magnatum Tuber melanospornum Tylopilus alboater Umbrella polypore Ustilago maydis Velvet foot Verpa bohemica Verpa sp. Volvariella volvacea White cap elm mushroom Woods ears Xanthoconium separans Yellow morel
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Responses to open‐ended question about who or what assisted club members in moving beyond being a beginner in their wild mushroom hobby. We were not able to verify spellings of the names of people honored in these comments. Influences that helped club members move from beginner to the next level: PAPER SURVEY RESPONSES: • As noted in previous question: mushroom/fungi oriented travels & friendships there from; forays, readings, increased guidebook collections, access to research articles/publications and related subjects; general curiosity; tie‐in to professional field (forestry); meetings • Never wanted to be an “expert” or professional • Forays led by others in mushroom society or elsewhere • Mushroom fairs, going on hunts with much more knowledgeable people in MSSF • I became interested in mushrooms as food at age 15 while living in Austria at end of World War II (especially boletes). In the 1960’s (after coming to the USA in 1950) the late Dr. Rolf Singer became my mentor. With his guidance (and course) I developed the skills to identifying microscopic structures. • Went to a mushroom slide show presentation at a local park given by a mushroom society • Summer mycology course at U. of Michigan Biological Station, Participation in forays of Ohio Mushroom Society and NAMA • Attended seminars. Daily internet research and collaboration with experts, daily exploration and hunting when walking my dogs, study in my field guides – weekly. • joining Ohio Mushroom Society • Mushroom forays with Ohio Mushroom Society • My interest in the larger fungal world would was prompted by books by Brice Kendrick and Ohio mycologist Nick Money • Over the years I rubbed shoulders with several experts – Sam Mazzer, Orson Miller, I was Walter Sturgeon’s original mentor and now he in truth keeps the old man updated. Also, early on, associated with Bill Roody, was in the field with several different Professionals many times – learned from everyone. But mostly, just worked at it and marched to my own drum. • A couple of forays I was on, meeting new & more experienced people. I spend a lot of time in the woods & learning about the different fungi I encounter is most helpful to me • Joining the Ohio Mushroom Society and having the expertise & help of experienced members • Annual mushroom show (SF Myco. Association); taking to others with similar interests; involved with informal forays • Membership in Ohio & PA mushroom clubs • Going to club sponsored events • Belonging to the Ohio Mushroom Society has provided opportunities for education, encouragement and just plain fun in all aspects of mycology (as a hobby) • The Colorado Mycological Society‐ and their forays/programs at meetings & mushroom dinner • I am very much a beginner but would be discouraged if I didn’t have access to knowledgeable & kind enthusiasts in Ohio Mushroom Society • WPA Mushroom Club, Ohio Mushroom Society • Time constraints have limited my involvement in mushroom study. I hope to increase my time in this area as I near retirement and in retirement • Beginner • A friend who was also interested in mycology and attending state and national meeting and associating with other amateur and professional mycologists. Also I have read considerable 25
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mycological literature. Graduate school course in mycology at SUNY – ESF 1. Regular attendance at organized forays allowed 1st hand opportunity to learn, ask questions, test knowledge 2. Availability of experienced, knowledgeable mycologists 3. Digital photography/internet allows 24/7 access to experts. Self taught only gets you so far. Ohio Mushroom Society, Western PA Mushroom Club the availability as well as the lack of other knowledgeable participants have driven me. More recently the respect this knowledge commands has become a factor. Active participation in local mushroom club (OMS). Also, my work as a naturalist provides me with many free resources (field guides, microscopes) and opportunities to appreciate, identify and teach about fungi. Mother taught me about meadow mushrooms – puffballs; a good friend taught me about morels – after finding some on my own, I became a mushroom “nut”. Learned all I could about morels. Good books weren’t available 45 years ago Walt Sturgeon, naturalist with Ohio Mushroom Society; Jerry Pepera, naturalist with OMS, a very dedicated person; Dick Grimm, one of the original organizers of the club; Dave Miller, Prof. at Oberlin, teaches and records findings Mushrooms lessons from Dick Grimm via mail and email. Dick started the OMS and loves to teach others about mushrooms 1. Mushroom foray with OMS, July ’07 2. Identification lessons provided by Dick Grimm attending Illinois Mycological Society talks and forays, attended a several day foray/course that 5 mushroom clubs did in south central PA in summer of 2005 or 2006, met a local expert in IN Field trips with knowledgeable group leaders, travel to sites not normally visited by public (remote/private) I have surrounded myself with books on mushrooms and people who are very knowledgeable, but mostly self taught. Other enthusiasm has kept my own interest strong, kind of “fueling the fire” My grandparents had a dairy farm on which was a woodland of about 5‐10 acres. My grandmother identified the mushrooms that grew on stumps and among the fallen decaying branches and roots. The mushrooms were identified in her Czech names; scientific names were not important The resource people – mycologists – we bring to the Crested Butte Wild Mushroom Festival have broadened the number of edibles I can identify, cook, and consume. Yummy! Class at Denver Botanical Gardens Other members of the Mycological Society Joining a mycology club and participating in organized forays. Study different guides and ask questions of those who know Picking and identifying with a friend, going to mushroom exhibits and classes, going on forays with experts Grandparent taught me I’m a member of a mycological society, exposed myself to educational and field activities. I’m also involved in a free community mushroom show annually. I’m also an officer of the society and the book seller. Mushrooming is my favorite activity. Bronx Botanical Garden Edu, Northeast Foray, Maine Mycological Ass’n forays Going on mushroom forays with more experienced people Maine mycological society forays and newsletter Thomas E. Clause – husband Basic knowledge of botany, keen observation skills, an interest in epyemerols; independent 26
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investigation and study; discussion with other interested keen observers; willingness to accept uncertainty; vacation Still a beginner – enjoy being in woods, collecting; other weekend hobbies interfere I met Sam Ristich at a mushroom talk at the Audubon Society. He took us under his wing beyond that and eventually we formed a mushroom club (MMA) Sam died recently at the age of 92. I learned a lot though him and the club and NEMF forays Continuous attendance at workshops, field trips, lectures Sam Ristich, mushroom guru and other members of mycological association; also previous botanical training, B.A. Professional mycologist; foray discussions I’ve picked up information at forays and walks, but I prefer being an amateur; also learned from books Joined a mushroom club Classes at Eagle Hill, Maine (Humboldt Field Research Station) in using a microscope Becoming a member of Maine Mycological Assoc. and being instructed by the late Samuel Ristich Participating in forays conducted by members of the Maine Mycological Association has been “extremely” helpful. All of their readers are wonderful instructors. I would highly recommend beginners to join a group such as this. My interest was increased by academic botanical studies at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, an area fertile with mushrooms. Further increased by frequenting Maine’s western mountains, a region rich in mushrooms, as well as adjacent White Mountain National Forest. Not beyond beginning yet, but very interested by several people at “mushroom clubs” stupendous teachers The forays I have gone to and readings/newsletters put out by the Maine Mycological Society Adult Education Director asked me to teach a course in 1999 I started by trying to grow mushrooms in high school then joined the CO Myc. Society. Now I just read as may books on mycology as possible. I wish I could afford schooling for myc. Many club meetings, many forays, many canoeing trips, many conferences Mostly the mushrooms themselves, along with their ecology; from the start, I have been obsessive and passionate and fungi have permeated nearly all aspects of my life. It’s mostly just a personal and feverish thirst for knowledge; most of what I’ve learned has been from books and from field experience A national foray held at the Montreat Conference Center in Asheville, NC (Gary Lincoff was at a local foray around the same time and was a wonderful instructor) I still feel like a beginning mushroom enthusiast who loves to be outdoors I will never grow beyond being a beginning mushroom enthusiast, I am too scared to make my own identification. I know for sure just a few mushrooms I was interested, did a little collecting, and spore prints and then took lessons from Gary Lincoff at the Botanical Gardens in NY. My interest deepened NY 132 – I am really obsessed. I can lecture for ½ hour. I love teaching. I t gets me out on my land more. I love complex subjects and the homework of studying the books. I love to eat them. Taught by father, mushroom books are interesting, but I don’t rely on them Joining MSSF and going to fairs and forays Books, forays, and fungus fairs (no details) 1st level beyond: IGT Scates “Easy Key to Common Grilled Mushrooms” 2nd level: Bio 800 – grad course in Basidiomycetes Taxonomy – Dr Desjardin, mentor 27
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Restaurant owner, long time hunter ‐ Took me out and introduced me to mushrooms. Today we are still a twosome at mushroom hunting. I am a 12‐13 year hunter and enjoy every moment. Especially when we find a large growth Series of organized events attended with Wild About Mushrooms Co. ‘WAMCO’ Also a volunteer naturalist in my local park Larry Stickney – he’s our main man Knowledgeable friends with 30+ years of experience A friend David Arora‐ forays with him; the San Francisco Myc. Society‐their weekend forays and beginners walks; When David Arora told me that I knew a lot about mushrooms, it made my day; I’ve spent about 10 years attending forays with experienced people I’m a beginning mushroom enthusiast; I do like the fungus faire at the Oakland Museum; 2 of my uncles taught me when I was a kid Just hunting the mushrooms drives me Joining the Mushroom Society (MSSF) and taking a cultivation class In the late 80’s I was introduced to shiitake cultivation. I began to cultivate shiitakes myself about 7 years ago. Frustrated by lack of success identifying wild species, I joined the local myc. Society Attending forays with the Arkansas Myc. Society. President Jay Justice is extremely knowledgeable and conveys information very well. Having a local club! Having lived in Iowa most of my life where the morel season is almost a ritual, I moved to Arkansas where mushroom hunting was greeted by a vacant stare or “are you nuts” comment. I had almost given up when I noticed an article in the paper about Jay Justice and the Arkansas Myc. Society. I I am still a beginner Jay Justice, Paul Stamets Attending forays in other areas allowed me to collect new mushrooms and work with others – this allowed me to learn new mushrooms and make valuable myco‐friends that share information with me Belonging to clubs and having lectures; collecting with knowledgeable guides Having a number of knowledgeable people from the Ohio Mushroom Society ready and able to point things out eased my mind about identifying mushrooms Idaho NIMA? When I was out of college, I went with a mushroom club that handed out small, powerful magnifying glasses to everyone, told us how to use them and showed various mushrooms and how to tell what they were I am still a beginner Mushroom identification classes at Denver Botanic Gardens taught by CMS I am still a beginning enthusiast. I have hunted edibles for 40 years and have only expanded my interest to others since a local foray was hosted on our property. The fungi identification is daunting! Club Mycology department in Denver Botanical Gardens Had history with my grandparents who were Hungarian. Also got to know Sam Ristich, the famed Maine mushroom man and his wife No person in particular. I pretty much study on my own as that suits me the best at this time of my life. Books, “shroom” guides and being out in the woods have served me well. When I find 28
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the time, I’ll write you a brief paragraph about how I went about collecting mushrooms in California. Some of it is very funny. Spending time with amateur (as in non‐academic) experts, most of which were affiliated with some regional club or another. Organized forays have helped quite a bit. See section V. MAW (Mycological Ass’n. of Washington DC) A very well run club with excellent monthly meetings and outings in season. And friendly and knowledgeable members. Group outings or forays with a resident mycologist leading the post foray walk‐thru; on any foray I try to add 1 or 2 to my “possession” list; you possess a shroom when you know Latin name, common name, edibility, and danger of look a likes. Becoming a member of MAW (Myc. Ass’n. of Washington) Leaders in WMS Foraying with the local mushroom group – Myc. Ass’n of Washington Joining Myc. Ass’n of Washington Good partner to go mushrooming with; some specialized events such as mushroom dinners and discussions with other enthusiasts about habitat Forays with experts who can point out identification features and explain the details of habitat; also point out if there are poisonous look a likes I was interested in nature, woods, mushrooms, plants and flowers at a very young age. I used to follow mushroom pickers (Polish) in the woods to see what they would pick The founder of our club is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about mycology. Her encouragement and field trips helped me a great deal I am a beginner – Colorado Myc. Society has been a crucial accelerator Having a good knowledgeable (friends) who is fun to be with and knows what to take and what to leave. The great awakening is when (and I really am looking) I pass by a find and he says, “Hey! How could you pass these by?!” I took an identification class taught by Vera Evenson a few years ago, and have also participated in mushroom fairs. There are many very knowledgeable people in our club, and I read the books a lot. Not yet but inspired by officers, members and speakers at my local club in Denver, CO I consider myself an advanced beginner; the excellent teacher and foray leader in the Mile‐High (CO Myc Soc.) group peaked my interest and got me on my way; I am mostly a pot hunter My friend helped with an easy explanation of what to look for. My club leaders took us to forays and explained it all in plain English we could all understand. Expert mushroom club members and mushroom club meetings I have collected and consumed more than 30 species here in the CO Rocky Mtns. I am an avid backpacker, and have developed an interest in mushrooms as part of those activities. My skills and experience are learned exclusively through field guides and careful experiment. Proud to say I have never sickened myself or others CMS mushroom fair. I have been the recorder for many years; meeting and working with the chief identifier has been a wonderful opportunity; Curator of the Denver Botanic Gardens Mushroom Collection. I am a volunteer there and this is the best opportunity to learn CO Myc. Soc – the staff and members along with meetings, forays and yearly mushroom festival David Arora’s book, Mushrooms Demystified made me an avid learner. The CO Myc. Soc showed me that I could learn as much as I wanted with their help CO Myc. Soc – interaction at club events, forays, and mushroom fairs Myc society and members. The members were those who were approximately my age and some similar interests 29
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Club meetings with slide show; mushroom classes in identification; forays and after foray discussion on identification with foray leaders; book use for identification Attending forays lead by experienced guides within the mushroom club Still a beginning mushroom enthusiast Belonging to a mushroom club CMS – Denver – meetings and formal ID’s brought in by members; friend, very knowledgeable, in mountains of Colorado, taking us on forays at 12,000 feet – New Mexico mushroom collector leading us on private forays in Carson National Forest CO Myc Society Aspen Mushroom Conferences 1975‐1978. These were organized by Dr. Barry Rumack and Dr. Manny Salzman and were aimed at medical personnel; especially ER MDs and toxicologists (PCs). Although my degree is in fine art, I have always been interested in the sciences The Denver Mushroom Club helps as we all bring in specimens to be identified (to the meetings) I started training as a mycologist in 1973. I received an undergraduate degree in botany, studying with Dave Largent. I have studied with O.K. Miller, Daniel Stuntz, H.D. Thiers, and others. I went on to get 2 master’s degrees, one in botany, one in plant pathology. I no longer work in mycology but I have continued to attend mycological meetings, collect fungi, and lead trips and forays. Foray leaders Club semi‐pro mushroom hunter/cook; club friend biology degree in edible plants/mushrooms; I was foray chair 7‐8 years; I was mushroom club librarian 7‐8 years (100‐150 books) Still an amateur Mushroom shows and field trips with experienced club members Formal field work and lectures by mycologists Participation in Snohomish County Mycological Society – went on field trips with members who identified mushrooms; participated in collecting and identifying mushrooms for annual public show; attended classes conducted by members I consider myself to still be a beginner; I have not put the time required into studying the books or time in the field Joined Snohomish County Mushroom Club after their fall mushroom show and foray identification club classes by club ID experts and lectures by national experts Still a beginner Forays organized by club Guest speakers and presentations; mushroom shows, friends involved with the myc clubs, to hikes and forays with the club; then, just spending a lot of time in the woods Guest speakers and presentations hosted by the mushroom club; mushroom hikes and forays with the club and mycologists; lots of reading and time spent walking thru the woods; fall mushroom shows hosted by club; cultivation with friends Went on a foray with our club; saw new species of mushrooms that I had overlooked before Mushroom identification classes offered though mushroom club helped me learn how to use dichotomous keys and to correctly identify various features on specimens By joining the Snohomish Mycological Society Joining SCMS Persons: peers who showed me fresh specimens I did not know and they couldn’t identify; events: annual mushroom club shows Attending identification classes and forays with knowledgeable mycologists I am 91 years old and still fairly active, but do not go mushrooming anymore. I do go to some 30
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meetings of the Snohomish Co Mushroom Society, a club and an activity that I have enjoyed very much most of the time since I and my husband joined As one who helped Greta Wolfe organize the Snohomish Co. Mush. Society, I found no one had expertise. I studied all I could lay my hands on and wrote a key to Geneva for the benefit of club members. As part of that effort, I joined the Pacific Northwest Key Council when sign up was available at a foray helping to start up a wild mushroom club; I learned from the old timers in the club who have been hunting mushrooms all of their lives; listening to lectures and reading articles taught me a lot too As much as I have progressed, it has come from going mushrooming with more experienced people, and primarily from just sitting down for ages with field guides going over the photos and keys again and again Technical / scientific seminars; demonstrations of wild types found Professional mycologists and college professor who were actively teaching and participating in club events Oregon Mycological Society forays and overnights with lectures Studying with Dr. Samuel Ristich and Sylvia Stein; working as a volunteer at the New York Botanical Garden with Dr. Clark Rogerson and Dr. Gary Samuels RESPONSES FROM INTERNET SURVEY Taught myself Joining the North Idaho Mycological Association The love of the hunt and quest for survival to be able to harvest what nature has given. The chance to read and compare my findings against the book and be right again. Identification sessions with members of the Mycological Society of San Francisco. My interest has been fueled by hunger and by my loner nature. All of my knowledge has come from what books are available and my own observations. Amateur mycologist in local club and another at multiple day foray ('technical' class) I am able to foray with other club members that have more than 15 years experience. Field trips with mycological association members. I have taken 9 college and graduate level mycology classes at Minnesota, NC State, Chapel Hill and Duke and taught mycology for 33 years at the University of California Riverside. I'm still very new to this, but I have made special trips to the woods seeking mushrooms. My wife and I went searching for Morels last spring on a foray out northwest but it was a dry spring and the hunt was not good. The class we took at Lebanon Park was the real eye opener and the beginning of the interest in mushroom hunting. FISHING is missing below activities!! I'm half way beyond beginning. The excellent expert led field trips and the classes offered by Mycology Society of San Francisco. Local experts making themselves readily available. And a friend who is equally interested. First interest came from a publicly announced field day complete with soup and bread in warming hut on a cold rainy winter day along with a rewarding walk and drawing for a guide (I won). Mycological club outings with more experienced people. Doing volunteer work with a college mycology professor. Joining a mushroom club & attending walks regularly with people of all levels of knowledge and interests. I took a week long seminar in the Sierra Nevada field station. There, I learned in depth how to key out the mushrooms I found I'd collected (many Galerina) and how to get down to species level. I had experts who could help me choose where in the key I needed to go when I got stuck and I did identify quite a number down to the species level. I also learned an enormous 31
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amount from Larry Stickney when he used to lead a beginners walk along the cliffs behind the Palace Legion of Honor museum. It was held almost every Sunday and it was close‐by and free. I went on those walks when I had no money for any kind of trip and I learned what Amanita muscaria looked like in all its color forms. I never could figure out the difference between Amanita pantherina and Amanita caesarina and Amanita phalloides so I just refrained from sampling the delicious A. caesaria. I'd love to get a microscope and learn to key out mushrooms, make chemical tests, and pass on the unidentified (and possibly undescribed) to SF State U. which is close by. I learn by seeing so I need a picture next to identification. I took pictures at the last mushroom show so that I could remember what the common species fruiting in January in the Pt. Reyes area were. I managed to learn great scientific names for plants and fish and some of the Latin roots are quite similar to the mushroom scientific names. (A class in Latin meanings like alba = white, might be useful for other intermediate learners.) I need more field trips with small groups and an expert leader. When I get more knowledgeable, I wouldn't mind passing on my learning but I just am not able to remember the common mushrooms and to quickly flip to the right genus when confronted with an unfamiliar mushroom. Joining the Maine Mycological Society where I met so many friendly and knowledgeable people. I now work in the Plant Diagnosis Lab and identify fungus growing on the trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Organized MSSF and other forays in the field with knowledgeable persons. Adult Education Mycology classes through Community College. an active club with good friends that knew more than I did people that were willing to go out even if it was pouring cats and dogs and not afraid to go five miles Forays!! What I would like to do is participate in more club activities where we are lucky to have some knowledgeable people, and obviously the great Gary Lincoff is a great resource. Walks with expert leaders, ID sessions with microscope, and eventually collecting on my own for ID sessions would be the pathway, I think. In reality, besides my books in hand, a number of interesting websites out there and the occasional club event have been my principal activities in recent years. My other fantasy involves cultivating edibles. Mycology Society of San Francisco‐‐meeting experts and going to mushroom ID meetings, forays, listening to them talk for hours, etc. lectures, other events 1‐Professional mycologists through their knowledge sharing. 2‐Medicinal mushroom conferences for new ideas and methods 3‐Purchasing a boiler and an autoclave Enthusiastic friend who can identify mushrooms and help locate them Actual and past leaders of the clubs I belong to, the mycologists at the NEMF and NAMA forays, new friends from others clubs, the skills come from that great group. New books are a boost. Search on the internet can add each time. In the wild, collecting! Meeting Miriam C. Rice, and being asked to illustrate her first book in the world on Mushroom Dyes ‐ "Let's Try Mushrooms for Color" ‐ 1974, and all of her books since then. Mushroomobserver.org, Mykoweb.com, mushroomhobby.com, SOMA mushroom camp. Outings with NYMC. We call it the Winter Luncheon. Everyone contributes to this food and mushroom lecture get together. Also our Incredible Epicureans events with mushroom club members. Meetings, field trips, and conference/gathering weekends sponsored by the San Francisco Mycological Society. A few identification sessions with club members after a foray. Being originally from southern Indiana, I only knew about, collected, and ate two types of wild 32
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mushrooms. Over the ten years I have spent in a mushroom club in the mountain west, it seems fairly difficult for me to quickly and confidently grasp new types and species, and different habitats for known mushrooms from Indiana. Also, cleaning/preparing and cooking new types seems to be a singular "on‐your‐own, at‐your‐own‐risk" process, which is discouraging. Even so, I have progressed beyond the absolute beginner to an enthusiast with a mild ability to use a guide and dichotomy decision questions due to the help and enthusiasm of several in my club, though I am meek about asking for more assistance as it sometimes seems I impose by their reactions. Forays with experienced hunters. As Michael Pollan recognized in "The Omnivore's Dilemma," the trust of a live teacher (who has lived through his past culinary identifications and proves his ability to smell out good spots) is still a strong instinct, far overshadowing "book knowledge" for even the most geeky among us. That primal knowledge, handed down from elders, is, as he points out, almost a unique vestige of survival skills in an otherwise highly constructed world of "food products." My step‐father was the president of the Santa Cruz Fungus Federation for a little while. Since he was so involved, the whole family ended up learning a lot about mushrooms by going to a many forays and mushroom related events. Very much a beginner. SIMA Forays ‐ Microscopy short overview with Orson Miller. Attending Forays and practicing identifying mushrooms collected. Reading, reading, and reading. I look for the mushrooms I am certain are edible and easy to identify. I also have learned to identify the problem look alikes. The Mycological Club of Colorado, always something new to learn. I attended major conferences and met significant mycologists, joined and became active in Myco Society of SF, worked many years as foray guide for David Arora, taught hunting and identification skills in a variety of formats in the presence of fellow avid enthusiasts of various skill levels and interests... joined with a private company as a mushroom adventure guide. I have a lot of books, but there is nothing better or more fun than going out on a field trip and seeing, finding, smelling, and touching mushrooms, fungi. Observing the habitat that they grown in is especially important and information not really found in books. I always feel that I'm a beginning mushroomer...my growth in skills has been gained through my foray buddies who are almost exclusively interested in culinary fungi. Friends have helped a lot. A friend with more experience who let me join him on forays to his spots. Classes and lectures offered by the S.F. Mycological Society I do not believe I am at this so called new level. My interest in collecting mushrooms is somewhat limited due to my current busy schedule and subsequent lack of free time. Contact with the more scientifically oriented members of the mushroom world. Also mushroomers interested in quality photography I enjoy the hunt, I guess it is in our genes, and when you can no longer hunt YOU GATHER WHAT YOU CAN FIND? Biology / Mycology studies Forays Field trips college professors membership of MSSF Friend, botanist, ecologist etc. I work for an outdoor ecological education non‐profit and one of our study modules is fungi. The long‐time members at Oregon Mycological Society The people that have helped develop me the most are the foray leaders in the mycology club that I belong to on Long Island. They have always stressed the golden rule: if you are not 100% certain, leave it alone. They also happen to be the oldest and the wisest. I can now safely forage on my own collecting and eating the mushrooms that I can identify by their macroscopic 33
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features. I want to take it to the next level using a microscope. Before joining the mycology club I was a chef for many years, so I knew the difference between a fresh and a old mushroom. Kind mycologist Joining mycological societies/clubs with knowledgeable and helpful people along with attending the forays and fairs. MOMS Many friends and I have grown and worked together to increase our mutual interest in wild mushrooms. Years ago an older gentleman told to search for morels in the areas where they log or near the fire ring. 1 year old areas are the best. Local club mycologist and neighbor Jake Hurlbert. I have a degree in Zoology, and joined the MSSF to learn about the fungi. MSSF programs and field trips and NAMA trips, years ago. I transported Larry about for quite a while, and had a ball, but never agreed with him much on "edibility" and confidence of eye ball ID. I attended workshops and was later asked to help with them, especially microscopy. Work in the culinary field got me started initially. Taking classes and workshops increased my interest. Montréal Mycological Society passionates. Sonoma County Mycological Association Martin Luther King weekend camp. Classes on specific mushroom species; mushroom forays, identification encouragement, discussions. It is important to have interactions with the members who are experienced in identification, and in watching them as they identify mushrooms. More chances to hear experts discuss their activities both in finding and working with mushrooms might help to encourage younger people to join into activities. Club activities including classes and speakers are important. Rick Van de Poll, PhD, professor, New Hampshire. Forays led by him have been most important. Other forays led by knowledgeable persons, not necessarily PhD level, also important Jack Czarnecki of the Joel Palmer House Restaurant Author, chef, restaurant owner Other mushroom club members of the Oregon Mycological Society, Judy Rogers, Maggie Rogers, Coni Thorne, Jan Lindgren, Don and Crystal Getz, Tom and Kay Priest, all lead field trips and gave presentations or taught classes that helped me further my knowledge base. Visiting mycologists to forays I attended also inspired me, Michael Beug, Daniel Stuntz, Orson Miller, David Arora, Gary Lincoff, Joe Trappe, Roger Phillips, etc. Moving to Central Oregon from Portland in 1987 where I knew no one who understood mycology, forced me to study and learn enough to start a class myself. OMS members encouraged me to find a group of interested students to keep my skills sharp. I have taught a class each fall through the community college for the last 16 years. I continue to attend OMS forays when possible and now belong to the Cascade Mycological Society and help with their annual mushroom show, too. Now that I have students from many years back, We are starting our own Central Oregon club in a few weeks (first meeting on April 27!) Hope someone shows up. I was given the opportunity to create and teach a beginning mycology program for Metro Parks & Greenspaces after completing their volunteer naturalist training program in 1995. My train did not include mycology. I'm entirely self‐taught, but this single opportunity lead to 11 years of full time employment with the Audubon Society of Portland. It also paved the way for other teaching and guiding opportunities with various environmental organizations and individuals. Collected fungi under guidance of mycological societies in Washington and Oregon, learned cultivation under Bill Chalmers, Western Biologicals Ltd, B.C.,Canada, influenced by Paul Stamets, Fungi Perfecti, Olympia, WA. Now serving as cultivation chairman of Oregon 34
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Mycological Society, teach workshops, sell shiitake logs and oyster straw bags to members and the general public, lecture to local garden clubs, colleges and business groups. I learned mushroom hunting from an engineering professor who had escaped from Stalinist Russia in 1933. His knowledge of Siberian mushroom cooking and preservation was extensive and infectious. Oregon Mycological Society classes, field trips and forays, good books, speakers at OMS meetings Books, Mykoweb site, NAMA forays. Any mushroom collecting trip with an expert ("show and tell") Helpful and knowledgeable mycologists who during walks enjoyed giving me basic information. Good teachers make the difference. Also devoted mushroomers who organize mushroom identification sessions. Enthusiasts who take it to the level of organizing events, make it easier for others to gather with like‐minded people and learn in the process. The friends I made at the mycology club I joined were very encouraging. Going out on forays cemented that friendship and my ability to identify. Field trips were very helpful. I am a beginner. My mother is a mycologist, father was a forester, and we grew up on a Forest Experiment Station with forests as our backyard. Thus, mushroom forays with my mother were just something I grew up doing, and continued on my own. Collecting with experts/cultivation classes. Club forays Mushroom fairs Club meetings. Membership in FFSC (Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz). Nobody, Self taught... read books! Trial and error. Volunteering to collect specimens for a survey at a preserve has re‐ignited and intensified my interest in ecology & conservation. In addition, although primarily deriving joy from the "hunting" aspect of collecting, hiking and being in nature, and limiting my consumption to a few very familiar mushrooms ‐ I have come to appreciate the variety of mushrooms and while I do not want to become a "nerd" about it, I have to say that the different ways to ID mushrooms, e.g., spore prints, microscopic, have peaked my interest and broadened my horizons regarding mycology beyond the table. The New York Mycological Society has taught me almost everything I know about mushrooms. San Francisco Myco society. Took mushroom identification classes at UC Santa Cruz in the early 80's from David Aurora. A scientist named Darvin DeShazer and becoming friends with David Arora. Still a beginning mushroom enthusiast!! Club forays and field trips Club members Annual mushroom show Editing club newsletter Belonging to local mycology group in Santa Cruz ‐ The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz, monthly meetings, hikes, weekend trips. Still quite limited in the number of mushrooms I can identify, but by going on the foray with the club, I have learned to positively identify the mushrooms that I eat. This is the main reason I enjoy going to find mushrooms although it is pretty cool to find mushrooms that I can recognize even though I may not ever eat them. I will try to identify them, if they are big enough. I always double check with someone that is an expert, before I eat them. Mushroom, club monthly lectures, organized forays, club friends, formal mycology classes. Weekend long mushroom forays with classes. Open U then a referral to Minnesota Mycological Society. Trips with my older brother and his wife (who wrote a wild mushroom cookbook) and trips with my son who is 24 and has a better knowledge of mushrooms than I do have influenced me the 35
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most. Joining a local club and attending NAMA Forays. Mushroom Club at Denver Botanical Gardens. Joining a Mycological Society greatly accelerated my learning curve. While basic identification skills and learning habitat was self‐taught, being able to confirm identification from experienced mycologists and increasing exposure to those interested in mushrooms was a great help and joy. By my professional Biology training. I have been interest via personal use and reading much research on all kinds of mushrooms over the years/spiritual pursuit. Club forays, club fairs and lecture series, individuals with knowledge and time to hike. Forays with the Colorado Mycological Society. NAMA Forays & the many amateurs & professionals I met on these trips; Mycological Assoc. of Washington D.C. & its advisor at the time I joined Dr. Kent H. McKnight; One trip to The Amazon in Peru with NAMA members; Two trips to Northern Italy with NAMA members. MSSF classes. Walks with Bill Freedman Fungus Fairs (in San Francisco/Oakland and in Santa Cruz) Morel foray with MSSF (Mycological Society of San Francisco). Before I moved to California and became a beginner again, I collected in the NY/N. England area for 30 years. I studied with keys, sorted, identified, made spore prints for two years before eating anything. Going on regular forays with the Mycological Association of Washington, DC. I lived on a piece of property in Sonoma County in California. My landlords offered to share their garden with me in lieu of working in the gardens. This led to showing me some of the Mushroom that grew on their property. One of the landlords was a retired school teacher who told me frankly she would not show her own grandchildren where she foraged for her mushrooms on her own property. That was just the challenge I needed to start really looking for the mushrooms she was speaking about. We had collected morels and other mushrooms and walked frequently in parks. In the mid 1990s, we ran into a mushroom fair in Santa Cruz and stopped, enjoyed it a lot, and spent more time paying attention to mushrooms, bought identification books, etc. We made it part of our walks to try to identify and look for new mushrooms. We started participating in the MSSF fairs and attending weekend forays. Eventually we started helping out at the mushroom fairs and have been doing that ever since. Field Biology Classes, Mycologists that I met through these classes, Participation in field research with Mycologists. Membership in the SF Mycological Society, including annual Fungus Fairs. That plus years of foraging and reading in various reference books. The mycological Society of San Francisco was a great help. In the mid 60,s I was even the editor of the Mycena news for one year for the club. Lots of help from old family friends (Art Brito) also a club member. science in school The INTERNET. Unlike field guides, that are constantly out‐dated by new research, the internet can be updated to reflect the most recent mycology research. Mushroom websites: www.shroomery.org/forums/postlist.php/Cat/0/Board/3 www.mushroomobserver.com www.mykoweb.com/CAF www.MushroomObserver.org www.rogersmushrooms.com www.indexfungorum.org/Names/Names.asp www.tomvolkfungi.net Mushroom Clubs: San Diego Mycological Society Mycological Society of San Francisco Bay Area Mycological Society Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz Sonoma County Mycological Association Took a college level class about local mushrooms. Mentored in cooking by food editor of San 36
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Francisco Chronicle, who encouraged me to become professionally involved in culinary arts. week end forays The forays conducted by the Mycological Society of San Francisco are wonderful learning experiences, as are the monthly meetings that are preceded by a mushroom identification and observation session in which people bring in recently picked specimens. mushroom forays and identification by experts, mushroom "fairs" MSSF forays and fungus fairs. Also, private mushroom tours. Books by Arora and Lincoff. The best were forays with the Mycological Society of San Francisco. There were (and are) enthusiastic leaders and teachers both on the hunts and at the collection tables afterwards. I also learn a lot at MSSF meetings from the speakers and from the ID tables. MSSF Fungus Fairs have also been very instructive. I volunteer to help and get involved in the setup and man a table as well as do tasks involved with culinary aspects. I belonged to a mycological society when I lived in Italy also, and I went out looking for mushrooms with an Italian university professor I had befriended. I also forayed there with friends and enjoyed accessing cultural as well as scientific information. I have also managed to learn a bit from the internet postings from clubs. There are annoyingly egotistical people who post a lot but every now and then I read something worthwhile. University classes‐‐Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada at San Francisco State University and "California Mushroom ID" and "Biology of Fungi" at U.C. Berkeley. Also being shown particular mushrooms at Mycological Society events like fungus fairs, and on society forays. And being shown particular mushrooms by people not associated with mycological societies. Go out in the field with expert Mycologist and identify all mushroom found that day. Volunteering work for Mushroom Society, extensive hiking skills developed: plant biology, photography, maintaining a mushroom find database, writing articles for Mushroom Society Newsletter, expanding ecology studies in all directions, passion for collecting edibles (expanding repertoire), etc. What made me go to the next level is that I live in an area with very short and precise seasons (lots of snow). I learned to cultivate mushrooms indoors, and began to travel other places out of season so I could enjoy mushroom activities year‐round. Painting water colors of mushrooms helped me learn distinguishing features. Writing a column for Mushroom the Journal and articles on mushrooms for other periodicals. Extension agent Very fortunate in having access to an active local mushroom club with helpful friendly members. One of the big problems is that it is becoming addictive. Warning labels should be applied to club memberships. After joining the Missouri and Cascade Mycological Societies and foraging in Oregon and Colorado, I became a mushroom broker. President of Mushroom Soc of Utah Simply stick‐to‐it‐ness, collecting/photographing successes, and finding rare species. I grew up in rural Wisconsin and have always spent my free time in the woods and streams. Being a member of Mushroom Society of Utah and attending as many forays as possible. Assisting in running clubs annual fall foray. no Going with the club to hunt mushrooms. Friend ship with members. Persons in our Mushroom Club ‐ Missouri Mycological Professor, avid collectors, Mushroom Society, field collecting, Orson Miller, Dan Mahoney, Greg Wright, Steve Pencall. Classes to learn specific genera 37
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Mycological meetings , various expert presenters, leaders of field trips Long solo practice took me beyond beginner, then ‐ at a mushroom foray ‐ I met and made friends with mushroom experts Roger Phillips and Bill Bakaitis. Been mushrooming with Bill for 17 years. Stamets courses 2 The many friends of the mushroom club. Forays were helpful in identifying mushrooms in differing terrain, elevation, weather conditions. Working side by side with local mycologists in identifying mushrooms for the annual display. Society classes and lectures and newsletters. I always loved nature and sharing. When I first was exposed to mushroom hunting I realized that this was a very fascinating aspect of nature that I wanted to learn much more about as they were so mysterious and fascinating. Since I also love sharing (I have my own black walnut and butternut trees and hickory trees and have ordered a couple of pawpaw trees) I now have another medium to share with good friends and I even have sent some of the best to prospective renters of my Caribbean rental house. The mushroom walks have inspired us to always be looking for new and edible mushrooms no matter where we go. Having members from the group who know what they are doing, has been very helpful. Sabbatical leave to establish a local Mycological Association, 10 years as main officer in that organization, opportunity to give talks, and work with mycologists, esp. Dick Homola, Alan Bessette, Currie Marr, Rod Tulloss Peck Foray; 2nd sabbatical to work with John Haines NY State Mycologist, NY State Poison Control consultant, Maggie Rogers asked me to write for MTJ, a close relationship with Peter Katsaros. University Professsors and adult‐life professional friends (Harry D. Thiers, Daniel Stuntz, Kenneth Wells, Alexander H. Smith, Orson Miller, Andrew Methven, etc. (etc. =Professional colleagues) Also (later) regional and national Mushroom Club members (Like NAMA). I am a professional mycologist, now retired and mushroom hunting even MORE! Participation in the New York Mycological Society and the identification sessions run by Paul Sadowski. regional forays; international forays, professional mushroom conferences; conferences surrounding one topic ‐ as in medicinal mushrooms conferences; trips to various locations accompanied by local mushroom experts ‐ both professional and amateur mycologists Guided field trips with David Arora. Reading Stamets, Running Mycellium Foray leaders with Missouri Mycological Society. Mom and Grandma most, then an increased interest in the outdoors, plants and nature. I'm still a beginner. I don't have the time as a geology professor to devote more time to mushrooms. I also don't have time because I am a gardener. I wish I did. Maybe when I retire. Missouri Mycology annual foray at Mingo Swamp has been extremely informative. Four to six professional Mycologist and good programs have been invaluable. The teachers I had at NY Botanical Garden. The club foray leader ‐ LAMS Continuous hunting with boyfriend and club. Forays with knowledgeable experts. The club we belong to and books. Gary Lincoff's class that I took 10 years ago, and mushroom walks. People with expertise in mushroom identification that belong to my club and neighboring clubs. National and regional foray seminar leaders. My undergraduate advisor was a mushroom enthusiast and taught leisure educational classes on mushroom identification. His introduction to the variety and esculent opportunities got me 38
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hooked. Later I learned about mycorrhizial symbiosis and became interested enough to pursue graduate education in mycology. Forays and lots of great, patient people in the mushroom club. the excellent knowledge of Mr Roody and his work at forays and the ability to meet people like Gary Lincoff at forays Forays with expert mycologists such as Bill Roody. Still a beginner. Mushroom clubs, professional mycologists for identifications and encouragement, friends that share interest. Joining the NYMS really helped expand my knowledge and interest in mushrooming to the point where it's become an obsession. All the group forays were really fun and helped me learn alot. Mushroom Club. Attending festivals, forays, and joining NY Mycological Society. North East Forays; Amateur mycologists like Sam Ristich, Gary Lincoff, Walt Sturgeon, plus professionals like Orson Miller, Dick Homola, Roy Watling who took the time to really help and teach those of us who were interested. Mushroom club membership. Attendance at forays, contact w/ vary generous experts. Reading I had considerable self training before gaining any outside help. Eventually I got involved with a botany group in Maryland and later joined some mycological groups including NJMA, MAW, Ohio, Michigan, NAMA, LAMS, MSA and BMS. I attended a number of mycological courses including some at the graduate level at Highlands Biological Station and also attended quite a few national and regional forays Taking a class at a local university which taught me how to key fungi. Mushroom Cultivation Seminar by a professional grower Teaching Food and Culture in Graduate College and interacting with mushroom experts at the University. A dear friend who is a member of the Los Angeles Mycological Society (LAMS) gave me a gift membership many years ago. I think he wanted company on the long drive to meetings. After dozing through many initial meetings something clicked. I became interested to the point where I collected as often as possible ‐‐ finally culminating in becoming President of LAMS for a period. Really changed my life regarding the outdoors, observation, detailed descriptive writing, and learning new topics. Life member of LAMS. collecting and learning to identify, taking photographs, teaching classes on mushroom identification, leading hikes/forays on mushrooms, and conducting lectures have helped to give me a better understanding and appreciation of mycology and nature. NAMA foray, other mushroom forays. I attended a lot of Forays & lectures MAW Club Oregon& Washington Mushroom Club Teach Mushroom classes Just enjoy on my own or w/someone else gathering & identifying mushrooms. Studied mycology during my Masters. The mushroom club I belong to is of the utmost importance to my present knowledge level and my future growth on the subject. club events. Still a beginner. Attending forays as it is the best way to pick someone’s brain. Joined a mushroom group with knowledgeable instructors with many field trips. Winter classes concentrated on local mushrooms. 39
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I saw the advertisement and remember how I liked going out to find them with my mom. I'm still a beginner. I'm not interested in becoming advanced. Friends from Scandinavia‐‐primarily Sweden and Finland, living in Russia, Neighbors/friends from Germany, Montshire Mushroom Club, Monadnock Mushroom Club, Boston Mycological Club, NEMF forays, :(especially Lincoff, Volk, Lowen,Bosman), Rick VandePol Graduate course at Plymouth State Univ. Judy Roger taught a class on Mushroom identification at Ocean Shores, WA. When she left, we taught the class. Personal mentor‐David j bill mushroom clubs x 4 personal perseverance...reading‐reading‐ reading asking questions‐all the time‐at every opportunity getting out every other day and or 4 day weekends=Friday‐Mon sometimes a week or 2 at a time‐camping teaching and assisting at mushroom events and or public and private hunts mushroom festivals/fairs. The availability of formal courses in introductory and advanced mycology at universities permitted me to attain pertinent higher degrees and obtain employment in fields with a strong relevance to mycology. I am still a beginner, but I have a BS in biology, with a lifelong interest in botany. My wife has long held a culinary interest, though both of us did not know how to get started until we found our club. Neophyte or beginner. Casual evening class at local university field trips, guide books , friends. My parents took me mushrooming throughout Oregon. We would collect all varieties we found, identified them, and ate all that were known to be edible. Contact with author David Arora. Help from local mushroom club. Peers with similar interests. But really, mostly help from Arora. Foray's with mentors to help recognize habitat and informative club programs with educated speakers like the one we had from Oregon who is an expert on Truffles. I still consider myself a amateur mycologist, I get my greatest pleasure from helping novices learn to identify mushrooms. Association with a club and forays. FIELD TRIPS Attended every local mushroom club event for two years Continued studies with local club members who have many years of experience in mushroom identification. I have in turn done presentations for our local club and I teach a 3 day course (Identification of Northwest Mushrooms)at our local Junior College. Still in the "beginning phase". Dr. Lori Carris' Pacific Northwest mushroom forays helped introduce mushroom ecosystems, ecology and ways to identify mushrooms. Minnesota Mushroom Society its meeting, dinners, and events. Joining a local mycological society and befriending my local expert mycologists, then collecting, illustrating, reading about, writing about and otherwise obsessively studying my finds. Club emails and postings of photographs ‐ I belong to a couple of clubs, and the most informative element is reviewing emails that go back and forth between members, especially when accompanies by pictures that are labeled. I have learned a great deal about identification and also about likely hunting spots. Also linked up with folks I would not otherwise have met. Love the forays with real mycologists. For the last 15 years or so my principle interest has been in myxomycetes. Because myxomycetologists are scarce in this part of the US, Southwest, any help has come primarily from mentors via the internet and attendance at the triennial Intl. Conference on the Systematics 40
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and Ecology of Myxomycetes. The professionals in this field are very understanding. I have also worked with professional and had some visit. Mostly our New Mexico Mycological Society members (several of whom are very knowledgeable and generous with sharing their knowledge) and forays, as well as foray mycologists such as Steve Trudell, Vera Evenson, Michael Beug, Jack States, and Clark Ovrebo. 1) Interacting with and being taught by mycologists or expert amateur collectors ‐ at my mushroom club, on forays, or through workshops, including those offered through NAMA. 2) Volunteering to assist with field research by helping collect, identify, record, and preserve specimens. 3) Attending the annual NAMA foray. Belonging to the club has been terrific. A friend who has 20 yrs. more experience than I and our club "guru" who has a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for teaching and awe of all things natural each have helped elevate my knowledge given me lots of tips on how to ID mushrooms and encouragement. My father was Boy Scout leader when I was in scouts, quite enthusiastic about being outdoors. He also liked to eat would sometimes find morels in our back yard. I recall also visiting a friend of his who took us a children hunting for puffballs on his farm and cooked them. For many years, I only had a passing familiarity with mushrooms, identifying only a few unmistakable species, but finding mushrooms esthetically interesting, but frustratingly difficult to identify. About 15 years ago I bought woodland in West Virginia and became more interested in learning about the mushrooms I found on my land, and also began photographing mushrooms. Digital cameras have made this extremely easy, compared to the difficulty of working with a film camera with macro lenses. I started identifying mushrooms with the Audubon field guide and began to recognize many of the common mushrooms (but had not much use for the Latin names). About 3 years ago I joined the Mycological Association of Washington. The group came to my attention as a result of an advertised annual mushroom tasting hosted by the club. I joined, and have attended a few meetings, and purchased through the group additional books, and read their newsletters. Last fall I went on my first foray (2 days) sponsored by MAW. I think my knowledge has been and would continue to be greatly increased by exposure to and discussion with the leaders and members who attend forays and meetings. Though people outside this group often express some curiosity about mushrooms, even my quite rudimentary knowledge far exceeds just about anyone I know who is not in a club. I also think that accessibility to more detailed information and photographs via the internet and numerous mycological websites is making it much easier to obtain information relevant to mushroom collecting, so that I am using books in the field, supplemented by internet resources at home. The ability to access multiple resources to get a consensus view makes it easier to learn on my own as well. A local university mycologist's willingness to discuss fungi with the general public was critical. In the years before Internet access, the interaction between a professional mycologist and anyone with a mild curiosity about fungi depended upon exactly such a willingness. Mushroom books can be an intimidating step forward for someone without much money (a student, for example), and the free availability of a fungi authority in the form of a local mycologist proved to be the essential link I depended upon for many years before I was finally able to afford my own books and club memberships. I moved to St. Louis, where we have an active club with members who are very knowledgeable and/or degreed. It is very helpful to have people who are well versed in identification, especially for a group like ours (M.O.M.S.), which is very much epicurean oriented. Our yearly Mingo foray is very large, there is a formal identification area (with reagents and microscopes) and many experts participate. My association with professional mycologists through our State mycological society. I have 41
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learned a lot by asking questions and watching and by taking the time to work through the identification process. We identify and list all our foray findings which is then entered in a data base through our State Department of Natural Resources. We also prepare voucher specimens which we keep in a mycolarium and document with digital photography. The more I learn, the more I want to know and realize that I know very little. Missouri Mycological Society have classes concerning mushroom identification several times a year. Lectures by recognized speakers on mycology, such as Tom Volk spoke at our winter luncheon this year. Club Working with professional and amateur mycologist, such as Walter Sundberg, Harold Keller, Jay Justice, and others. Even after years of experience there are many fungi that are difficult to key out or are not in most field guides. It takes somebody with years of experience and access to most of the literature to help with the identification of some species. Attending forays and conferences allows us all to exchange information and better understand some fungal taxa through conversations with professionals and extremely knowledgeable enthusiasts. Working with such professionals gives insight into fungal diversity, habitats and microhabitats of fungi, macroscopic and microscopic details, and so much more. Thank the spirits for mushrooms and for the people who work with them. I stuck with it. Never a great identifier, I always loved (and still do) hunting and foraging. I always try to identify after the hunts and I just stick with it..... Attending NAMA in Colorado gave me a whole new list of mushrooms as well as a new appreciation, interest, and understanding of ecology of fungi, thanks to Steve Trudell's excellent lecture. Jay Justice has been a very influential and excellent teacher re mushroom id and taxonomy. Attendance at MOMS annual foray at Mingo has greatly increased overall knowledge and understanding of mushroom. Activity related to vouchering has greatly enhanced my research and education skills. Mushroom forays and research on mushrooms. Weekend forays with great speakers, field experts, and mycologists. Hunting with others who really know and love mushrooms and have a great sense of curiosity. Obtaining books. Joining a club. My membership in the Western PA Mushroom Club. I actually do not use either of the two ID techniques listed in the survey when it comes to identifying edible mushrooms. I leave that to one of the club mycologists to confirm. The Plischke families and several other experienced 'shroomers have given wonderful, detailed presentations at club meetings and at the forays and walks I have attended and led. Also my attendance for 3 years and last year my participation (as a cook for the mycophagy)in the Gary Lincoff Mid‐Atlantic Mushroom Foray held in the Pittsburgh area annually has definitely added greatly to my skill level (still comparatively very low and cautious!)‐‐and most of all opened my eyes to how much there is to know! I also led a graduate student from Duke U on a walk as she was collecting specimens of Armillaria and Entoloma for her thesis. Just the short hours I spent with her taught me much. Internet mushroom groups. Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club Gardening sort of led to Mushroom Cultivation Maine Mycological Association The Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club is my primary resource, largely for its forays and the contact with experts but also for the friends met there. Forays Attending the yearly foray by the Western Pa. Mushroom group My interest deepened when I attended Fungus Fest at the NJMA in the early 90s. The level of 42
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scholarship of its members, the warm welcome I received, the quality of their educational programs, the sheer fun of going on many forays helped me to increase my knowledge. Going to NAMA NEMF getting good books having help from other knowledgeable mushroom people I found the Maine Mycological Association after 3 years, and they were a great bunch of people. They were impressed and encouraging of my self‐taught knowledge, and certain members have kept that up. *** Sam Ristich was a huge influence; his enthusiasm and zeal were infectious, inspiring me "to be like that" when I reach that age. He always took time to show me or help identify. Otherwise, it just naturally grew from an interest to an obsession. Joined MN Mycology Society. Involvement in the Colorado Mycological Society has been by far the greatest influence. The club's programs ‐‐ forays and meetings, plus the Mushroom Fair ‐‐ provide continuing education. I started by going out for boletes with a long‐time friend; that spurred enough interest that I went on a field excursion with Vera Evenson, sponsored by the Denver Botanic Garden. At the end of it, I asked Vera how I could learn more, and she suggested CMS. Soon, they sought a database manager and I volunteered. I've been a member (and volunteer) most of the years since then. Still a beginner. But the MAW DC's mushroom fair about 4 years ago peaked my curiosity about wild edible plants. I perceive this as an extension of my interest in having an edible landscape in my yard as much as possible (even if I do not choose to eat all the edibles.) Close observation of, & camaraderie extended by, those already knowledgeable about mushrooms. Also, other enthusiasts who were as obsessive as I (or nearly) about learning EVERYTHING, and who would come out to the woods on a whim and a moment's notice. Authors of books, people who let me forage on their land, people who organized forays, people who DROVE (which I don't so without their company I would have been limited to what I could find in NYC. which is a LOT, by the way, but still....) More mature mushroomers who put up with my greenhorn stage. What a fantastic, wonderful, enlarging world I fell into! Minnesota Mycological Society. Getting involved with the local mushroom club, first taking classes, then being on the board and helping run the club and meeting other mushroomers who became friends. Miss Esther Dick asked me to report rain for her research trips from Rhode Island to Maine. I collected for Dr. Snell & her book on Boletes She suggested NAMA. Went on 9 North East Forays 1979‐1987 Went on NAMA 1975 Foray, active in Photo Contest. I think the one factor that has helped my progression is the club walks. Where Im able to learn with some important people in the field. For instance Ive spent the last several years attending many of the club walks and shadowing the late and great Sam Ristich. Its amazing what I come away with at the end of the day, and it wasn’t because he showed or told me something. It was the way he allowed me to find the answer for myself, he might give me the page number or the proper spelling to help the cause. It really is about having others that are that much better than you and can guide you. It has been the willingness of these club members to teach and pass along their knowledge to the next generation. Membership in The Minnesota Mycological Society and reading ALOT. I took a class at the North House Folk School and learned the sound of some of the words. Mushroom foray with mushroom club After developing an interest in mushrooms by active participation in the mushroom club, I did a small research project on fungi with a university professor (who happened to be my undergrad advisor). I then went back to graduate school and obtained a M.S. and Ph.D. in plant biology with that same advisor, with research focused on fungal diversity and taxonomy. Upon finishing the 43
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Ph.D. I was hired by a natural history museum and have been doing mushroom research for 10 years. [For the next question my previous passion starting at age 14 was bird‐watching.] Olympic Peninsula Mycological Society Self‐taught Mycology Forays Other Mycological friends Attended nature walks held in my area by Dr. Sam Ristich. My joining the Maine Mycological Association and the help of the more knowledgeable members. Meeting and working with Alexander Smith at various Mushroom identification seminars and events. Sam Ristich from the Maine Mycological Society. Reading the books available documenting dates and environments time in the environment getting to know experienced mycologists participating in the annual mycology fair The North Idaho club has been very educational. Rick Giles, our president, will always take time to help members identify a species. Also gives interesting talks. Identification sessions at club events Helpful authorities in the club at meetings and forays Regular contact with knowledgeable people at club sponsored mushroom forays. The opportunity to compare notes and validate ID skills is critical. Am perennial novice and pot‐hunter. Mushroom foray's or walks with experienced enthusiasts and experts. Having access to experienced collectors and experts to confirm or critique your own identification efforts. Mushroom Fair I attended beginning and advanced mushroom growing seminars, and became a mushroom grower myself. I attended the annual mushroom show put on by our local mycological society, and became a member. Becoming a member of the MN Mycological Society and attending the meetings and forays. Camaraderie enjoyed in searching for mushrooms, processing them, eating them, learning about them ...with others. Bing in the forest with other fungophiles when key mushrooms were fruiting, sharing food with them, and comparing harvests was very heartwarming. Many of the people I met came from other lands, and collected mushrooms as an extension of their family's evolution. Other club members. The club is very important/invaluable in making it fun and interesting. being a member of a mushroom club and writing articles for the club's newsletter For me it was getting a microscope with enough power to view and measure spores. I could now identify with the descriptions of spores and be sure of my identifications. I am just a beginner... Foray's without doubt helped cement my certainty of identification when mentored by a knowledgeable field leader. Even the very best photos cannot substitute for in‐situ ID and confirmation Los Angeles Mycological Society membership, after retirement, I could get some professional help and go on forays. both grandmothers when I was very small, and when they were no longer with us, my mother and her fruebds. My mother made several trips locally and abroad with mycologists...I learned as much as I could from her. Technical studies. Personal field research. A college class from NIC in CDA. I took for 3 years, and since I joined the NIMA . Starting with the help of mycologists in Canada in the 70's acquired field and lab proficiency, moving to new orleans started the New Orleans Mycological Society(now Gulf Coast Mycological 44
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Society)with the endless support of Bill Cibula; Dave Lewis; Greg Wright; Arthur Welden and many others. In Canada assistance and help from Roy Cain; John Krug and many others. I am getting too old to remember all who were so helpfull Event: Accepted a job as a Park Technician, spend a lot more time outdoors paying attention to the variety and abundance of all flora and fauna. Naturally curious, always up to the challenge to learn something new and useful. Old members of the Boston Mushroom Club who had grown up learning from each other. I took a mycology class in 1964, but it didn't deal with mushroom identification. I was always a field biologist, and so I became interested in mushrooms, especially because of the edible species, and also the toxic ones as an academic interest. I teach botany at a community college, and have gained a reputation as a 'mushroom expert', so I am often called upon to lecture on fungi and mushrooms to botanical clubs and organizations. i am a mushroom photographer as well, so i give original and high quality PowerPoint presentations on mushrooms. I have been identifying mushrooms at our local hospitals for 25+ years. Took beginner classes from Vera Evenson at Denver Botanical Gardens and joined Colorado Mycology Society. Went on CMS forays; collected for the herbarium and helped with the mushroom fair each August in Denver. Vera was the best teacher ever; she never talked over my head and I continue to learn every time I collect with her after 20 years. I now act as a leader, instructor for forays and festivals around Colorado. Forays with our local mushroom club Seminars, books, other clubs like raw foods or herbalists' group I consider myself to be primarily a mycophagist. When I started collecting I had very few books, no mentors and was living in an area without a club. I didn't know anyone with the slightest interest in mushrooms. Despite the lack of support my interest grew. I moved to a larger metropolitan area with a university and eventually found the Minnesota Mycological Society. MMS members suggested books, held monthly ID Meets, frequent Seasonal Forays and Winter Lectures. I am greatly indebted to the wonderful people of this organization for their generous and enthusiastic sharing. Hands on learning, in the field or on the table, has proven to be the best way for me to learn. I use books for verification before eating a new species, or when I want to learn about an interesting unknown mushroom I have found. My parents and their mycologist friends helped me move beyond basic mushroom identification. 1. NAMA forays 2. Courses outside forays, e.g Ron Petersen at Highlands, N.C. and Orson K Miller. 3. Former spouse, now deceased. 4. Friends & correspondents met through NAMA. Joining a mushroom club and going on organized forays with experts. Personal interest in outdoors Joined the Minnesota Mycological Society this fall. Due to a family illness we were only able to attend a few meetings but a really looking forward to getting back to them this spring. The ability to take a sample to them and to see what others have brought in will make it possible for us to start enjoying mushrooms other than morels. Learned morels from my grandparents but also have a brother in law who lost 12 family members to a stew. Therefore have been hesitant to eat any others even when we are sure they are ok from books. Having an expert to look will give us the security we need. We do have to drive about 70 miles to attend the meetings and have some conflict with other things. Would be nice if there were ways to get confirmation closer to home and on a more relaxed schedule but will take what we can get. I am just joining my counties Master Gardeners, would like to see this be a specialty area for the Master Gardner program. Minnesota Mycological Society (club membership) An adult education class offered by the US Department of Agriculture Graduate School got me 45
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started. NAMA and NEMF forays introduced me to serious amateur mycology. Judy Rodger more than anyone else. She had a class on microscopy that hurtled me into the study of mushrooms. Oregon Mycological Society with all its members, enthusiasts and classes has been the major doorways for my explorations. My husband is equally enthused so this is an interest we share. I am a Landscape Architect, know plants, very interested in relationships between life forms in the natural environment..... The greatest help in learning about mushrooms has been attending forays, both local and others, and having the collections there in one place to talk, ask questions, and learn from others. I have had many great teachers; both professional and amateur, but sometimes just collecting with others and using the field guides and our collective knowledge can be a great opportunity for learning. 1. Calm friendly helpful foray leaders from our Washington DC area club, the Mycological Association of Washington (MAW). I stress the calm friendly helpful persons. 2. Club meetings (MAW) with identification sessions at each meeting 3. Club meetings (MAW) tailored to specific topics such as spring mushrooms, summer mushrooms. Expert club members held the sessions and there was much opportunity for questions and hands on. 4. Club meetings (MAW) given by guest lecturers. 5. Club (MAW) mushroom fair. An early October fair, about 5 hours 12‐5, given at a local garden park. Attracts 600 to 1000 people. Talking/explaining mushrooms to folks, especially the children, is very rewarding and always a learning experience. Going of forays with knowledgeable people increased my knowledge. Also listening to "experts" at our monthly meeting as well as attending meetings in other mushroom clubs. Mushrooms ID classes offered by the Colorado Mycological Society at the Denver Botanic Gardens Club mushroom forays and discussions with the Mycological Association of Washington, D.C., and my friendship with Jon Ellifritz. CMS mushroom forays Forays are by far the most helpful for me. Having someone else point out characteristics and differences is invaluable. Also, you get to make friends that you can call on for help in identification. European upbringing ‐with expert mushroomers Telluride Mushroom Festival Colorado Mycological Society meetings Stamets Seminars University of Utah professors and local (Utah) mushroom club. Club officer I fulfilled requirements for a minor in mycology for my Ph.D. Forays, especially the local club and NAMA forays were also very useful. A friend who is a PhD microbiologist and membership in the Olympic Peninsula Mycological Society. The Minnesota Mycological Society Friends who bought me cultivating kits, identification guides, and other mushroom‐related gifts that assisted me in my hobby. Mostly club members and the identification meetings we hold every spring and fall as our monthly meetings. Everyone brings in their latest finds and we walk through how to identify each one after some time spent identifying individually. When I began to take my daughter mushroom hunting my interest in advancing my knowledge was rekindled. I began to read my field guide more frequently and to visit mycophagy related internet sites to try to identify my finds, including Boletes, Oysters and Chanterelles. When I happened to clear some Oak trees in my yard, somehow I thought to buy Shiitake spawn to take advantage of the fact I had the logs available. After some success, I then expanded to grow 46
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Oysters on Tulip Poplar. I since found the root systems of the Oaks I'd cleared yielding a large quantity of Honey Mushrooms which I collected and dried. Most recently I have begun cultivation of Reishi, Maitake, Enoki, Lion's Mane, and Stropharia rugoso annulata. I plan to join a local club's organized Morel Foray in April. I also plan to take a Mycology Course at NC State with Marc Cubeta next Fall. Participation in both Blue Ridge Mushroom Club and NAMA forays where I was exposed to mycological "experts" who helped me learn identification techniques and fungal associations with plants. In other words ‐ where to look. I guess I am lucky in that I get to hunt mushrooms with some of the most respected mycologists in North America who have a lot to teach. My significant other, who I met at 42 and who has been a mushroomer for 20 some years. He is a forester, land manager, and wetland delineator and he knows his science. Up to the point that I met him, I was interested in mushrooms, and took many pictures of them, but he has been giving me the hands‐on education I needed to start eating them. Even now, I run pretty much everything by him before I eat anything. Joining the local mushroom club. Participating in forays. Identification training by club mycologists. Belonging to a Club where other people have this interest; learning from others' photographs, identification methods, etc. Attending workshops, forays, etc. sponsored by this Club. spend much time outdoors, encountering many mushroom species. Finally decided to identify edible species, which lead me to manuals. When unable to make positive identifications, turned to retired U of Idaho professor and local mushroom society club for assistance. University course work and professional activities. Accessibility to many different kinds of mushrooms as well as culinary and medicinal applications of mushroom usage, appreciation. The person that comes to mind is my brother‐in‐law, Brian Lane. As a young teen, through my initial influence on him, Brian took to exploration of mushrooms and practiced his appreciation of them far beyond any previous interest in mushroom I had expressed. Inspired by each other, we both excelled, but Brian especially. While I sometimes disagreed with some of his ids and thought he was to hasty in his misidentifications, he was the best field guy I have known. I would say he has the most extensive photo collection of mushrooms specific to this area, the Tennessee Valley. Several of which are still unidentified. Tragically, his life ended when he was 21, leaving much of his life's work undone and inexperienced. He was the greatest influence on my interest. Local mushroom society member. Foray Still a beginner. I ENJOY EATING MUSHROOMS. ITS JUST THAT SIMPLE. ALL OF MY LIFE I HAVE EATEN MEALS CONTAINING MUSHROOMS. I GUESS ITS PART OF MY EASTERN EUROPEAN HERITAGE. MY WIFE IS PROBABLY THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN MY LIFE AND SHE IS NOT ONLY A GREAT COOK, BUT SHE ENJOYS PREPARING MEALS WITH MUSHROOMS. SINCE EATING IS SO IMPORTANT WHY NOT HAVE THE BEST NATURE HAS TO OFFER? Classes, other beginning mushroomers, Book "All the Rain Promises". I'm a marine biologist by trade, so it was relatively easy for me to transfer the identification skills (I.E. dichotomous keys) to mushrooms. I had always wanted to learn mushrooms so when the great fungal awakening of 2004 happened I finally jumped in! outings with club mycologist club speakers with follow‐up contact field trips with assigned mycologists forays with mycologists Attendance in a Field Fungi Class for Master Credits with Dr. Lois Tiffany of the U. Of IA‐Ames, IA. I used it to develop a basic intro to fungi topic/objective in a Community College Environment Class I was teaching from 1997 to 2003 before retiring in June 2003. It was taken at the Lakeside 47
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Laboratory Center of Lake Okoboje out of Milford, IA. With the identifying practice using microscopes, making spore prints, and reagents like Metzler's, Iodine, Methylene blue‐etc, it was a learning appreciation after each foray. It would take hours of lab time to "truly" id a species and to confirm or disconfirm the accuracy by checking with Dr. Tiffany as to one's results. After learning much from a mushroom club, I began attending national and regional forays where I was exposed to many well known mycologists. I learned much from them, including how to us a microscope to aid in identification. I learned many species and information from self research. I began helping moderate an internet mushroom discussion board. To make sure my answers were accurate; I did much research, which really helped my knowledge. Fall and Spring weekend forays with Oregon Mycological Society. Monthly educational programs of the Society. Cultivation classes by Stamets. Helping identify mushrooms at club mushroom show and being taught by club members who were knowledgeable in identifying. Encouragement of my sister. The need for a book on local mushrooms in Utah has been a driving force for me. Many of my friends in our mushrooms society recognize a need for the book as I have. Progress on my own book "Mushrooms of Utah" currently illustrates and describes in layman’s terms, approximately 80 different species of local mushrooms. n/a just beginning Just beginning Mushroom shows put on by local society, with identifiers who were knowledgeable, approachable, interested and energetic. Telluride Mushroom Festival Crested Butte Mushroom Festival Colorado Mycological Society Meetings/fairs. This is an all around recreation that lets me unwind and get a lot of exercise for much of the year. When I moved to the west I determined to master the botany. Since I seldom found anyone with more than a rudimentary knowledge of fungi (or plants) I had to teach myself. It’s now gotten to the point where people come to me to talk mushrooms. Yes, university training, classes. our local mushroom club has several professional mycologists and several expert amateurs who are very generous with their knowledge and have been excellent teachers. There has not been a specific person or event, just a gradual increasing skill. As part of my job, I searched for mushrooms that were "rare and endangered". I co‐partnered with the local state university mycology department.......they did the identification. Other mushroom enthusiasts from our club with more knowledge helped me to learn more. The mushroom fair in the summer is also great learning experience, for all that participate. I am a Ph.D. mycologist and college professor. My specialty is pyrenomycetes. I collect mushrooms for education and fun. Mushroom forays, books, practice. Two groups of people: First, a few knowledgeable members of the Colorado Myco. Soc, then various professional mycologists who have come here to speak or identify for our Fair, with the people I learned the most from being Vera Evenson, Orson Miller, Jack States, Else Vellinga, Roy Halling, Tom Volk, Rick Kerrigan, Bryce Kendrick Attending mushroom camps and festivals such as SOMA Camp, LAMS mushroom fair, Crested Butte Wild Mushroom Festival and associating with mycologists at these events. Guided forays and lectures led by experts, e.g. Tom Volk. Nothing beats walking with an expert in the woods and having that person point out actual specimens giving scientific names and other details. Lectures by such experts are also very helpful. Otherwise, I am largely self‐taught with 48
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the use of many field guides. I never confirm the identification of a new species without consulting at least five field guides and finding no major inconsistencies. Attending weekend long mushroom festivals was most instructive. I was able to be exposed to a much broader range of species, and of course the experts to ID and teach me about them. membership in the OMS (Oregon Mycological Society) I teach graduate level mycology courses but my interest in mushrooming began by going out morel hunting with friends, then by participating in mushroom forays with local and regional mushroom clubs. I now teach classes on spring and fall mushrooms for the local parks & recreation, and am asked to give talks on mushrooms for various groups around the region. Joining clubs and going on field trips. Friendships I've made with knowledgeable people. Growing different shrooms from kits, cultures, and spores. Being involved in a great mushroom club with many experts. Meeting Dr. Tiffany. Morel hunting was the only thing I collected or could identify prior to my wife suggesting that since I spent so much time outside, I should enroll in a mushroom identification class. Ken Lafferty of the Linn County Master Gardeners gave a 2hr. lecture followed by a 1/2 day foray. I took this class 10 yrs. He was my mentor and great friend. The year prior to his death I taught 2 of his identification classes. Mushroom collecting with members of a club. I learn constantly from the fellow members of the COMA mushroom club. We all try to help and teach each other. Some members past and present had enormous expertise. Sylvia Stein, Sandy Sheine, Dr. Roz Lowen. At the COMA foray, we learned from Gary Lincoff, Dr. Sam Ristich, Rod Tulloss and many others. My Russians I was introduced to mushrooms by a German friend while visiting him in Germany. I came back to the US and worked with Field Guides, but only collected 1 species, because I was unsure of identification. Then I found the Minnesota Mycological Society and attended meetings. After many years I have extensive knowledge from first hand experiences. The club involvement has been the most important aspect of my Mushroom knowledge. I taught a course on Fungi and the necessity of keeping one step ahead of the students and finding good specimens for the lab part of the course "forced" me to collect in a variety of areas where I found many different species. People in OMS, esp. Walt Sturgeon and Dick Grimm were great helps for quick ID'ing an unknown, but where I was forced to persist in using manuals to ID something made me learn it in a more permanent way. 2‐3 day forays with many experts mushroom club, organized foray I still consider myself a beginner. For many year the only mushroom that I knew well enough to gather were the morel and the chicken (Sulphur shelf). My local mushroom club has helped coming to a new level with forays, identifications and lectures. Also new friendships in the club were helpful to broaden my interest in mushrooms. Oregon Mycological Society meetings and classes are great. Outside of there, I have a number of friends that let me know their deep interest only after they knew me. I am at the library and not home so can't answer a lot in detail about number of books and so forth. Going out with friends in an unorganized walk has been what I usually do. When at the coast or up in the woods for the hot springs I always keep an eye out and so do my companions. Near Bagby we walk among the old growth. Just observing and finding and eating fuels my interest. I did field work for my dissertation project on wild mushroom policy. As part of that, I worked as a participant observer buying wild mushrooms in Oregon for 2 years. I learned most of what I 49
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know about wild mushrooms from commercial pickers and buyers; the rest I learned from being a member of several mycological societies. I've found that both groups have their areas of expertise and it is beneficial to have learned about wild mushrooms from different angles. I learned a lot more about where and how edible species of wild mushrooms grow from the commercial folks, as well as a lot more about forest ecology in general. But I learned quite a bit about the science of wild mushrooms from the mycological folks, as well as more about the culinary and craft uses of wild mushrooms. Knowledgeable club members. Club walks, meetings and forays. Websites. Mushroom the Journal and Mycologia. Fellow photographers and videographers. Cooking/Gourmet ex‐chef now working as a food broker. Mushroom ID classes thru club and leaders at club forays. Classes from MSSF on mushroom cultivation in the garden by Ken Litchfield. Recently a talk from Tom Volk has peaked my interest in mushrooms that I have passed on before. In 1975 the UK experienced an extreme drought. When it broke, there were mushrooms everywhere! I just had to find out more about them and which were edible. I bought a couple of books, and very cautiously started to collect and identify species growing in S. England. I have a degree in chemistry, which helped me to be objective and systematic in my approach. Forays headed by experts such as Jeff Kibby and Prof. Harry Hudson helped my knowledge and confidence enormously. When I immigrated to the USA, I had to learn a lot of new species. Again, forays with experts in charge, such as Alan Bessette, were a big help. Walks with better mushroomers! Workshop by Tadd Cotter ‐ Mushroom Mountain Attendance of the Rogerson Foray for two years, and subsequent walks season with members of COMA. Mushroom club ‐ Fungus Fed. Santa Cruz, and mycology courses at SFSU, Mushrooms of the Spring Sierras, and Mushroom Taxonomy, both taught by Prof. Dennis Desjardin. 1) having a mushrooming buddy, to go out in the woods with on a regular basis. 2) joining the Oregon mycological society and going on field trips/forays Oregon Mycological Society; Dick Bishop's classes and the annual shows Joining the Club was the best thing I have done to advance my interest in mushrooms. I enjoy the fall festivals. Taking a mycology class in college with weekly forays, microscopic, and chemical identification techniques was invaluable. Mycological associations, forays, fairs, and my own hunting. common interest with my wife and joining a mushroom club I was asked to chair the education committee for our local mushroom society. Difficulty in getting members to teach the classes led me to attempt to teach them myself thereby forcing me to learn more. Small educational classes, forays, field trips. "bit more than beginner" When my teenage son and friends became interested in looking for hallucinogenic mushrooms with inclinations to eat almost any little brown mushrooms, I signed us up for a family membership Fungus Federation Santa Cruz and took them all out on forays with the club. I bought Mushrooms Demystified for the house and pocket guides for the young people. I took some of them to the clubs identification classes and we all learned to work through the keys. Figured it was cheaper than one poisoning. Ended up with a fan club of energetic young gatherers for the table. Continued participation in a mushroom club, and several excellent club members who take personal interest in teaching. Experts who are eager to share knowledge, Overnight forays, Truffle foray 50
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Group foray with experts Master's degree focused on ectomycorrhizal fungi I hunted mushrooms as a child with my mother, then 15 years ago took it up again with friends, teaching ourselves. It was slow going‐‐we were cautious and it's hard to positively i.d. a mushroom from a guide when you aren't experienced. I joined the NYMS about 7 years ago and began learning much more quickly from walk leaders and other knowledgeable members who attended. I would characterize my current skill level as intermediate. kjlkjkl The Kenai Peninsula Mycological Society and the members of the society have been the greatest for learning more about mushrooms here on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Hunting for and eating Boletus mushrooms as part of an Italian family tradition. Knowledgeable mentors who are dedicated to educating novices through a local mushroom club. Regional and national forays. Knowledgeable local mushroom club members. Regional and national forays. Beginning to study the characteristics of genus and groupings rather than just the individual species gave me a much broader knowledge of what I was looking at. Also, joining the New York Mycological Society. Oregon Mycology Society guided forays outside my area OMS members Still a beginner belonging to a mycological society and participating in forays, field trips and mushroom shows with like‐minded people Mushroom club officers and experienced folks (ie Old Guard) Joining a mushroom club. Mostly just hiking w/ my partner, and self‐study (together with her) using our id books and a few inexpensive classes taught by friends or the Audubon society. I have a friend who is native American and has helped me to identify mushrooms and edible plants Judy Rogers taught a Community College course in Mushroom Identification. She was an excellent, encouraging instructor and many students in her classes continued collecting and identifying mushrooms. She encouraged us to join the Oregon Mycological Society and to subscribe to magazines and journals related to mushroom study gourmet chef Mycologists that have a well rounded resume concerning not only mushrooms, but the environment as a whole and how everything is interrelated. field walks with an expert ‐ university class and a diverse habitat for collecting a wide variety of mushrooms, and then having the time to ID them and the authority present to verify the ID's I work in horticulture, so I have needed to learn fungus/mushrooms from a different perspective. (Many of the worst pathogens are great eating) Our local Fungus Fair in Santa Cruz was/is very helpful in helping me understand more about ID of fungi. The forays that Bob Sellars has lead were really interesting and instructional. Mushroom Cultivation Course by Paul Stamets, Fungi Perfecti Forays with mycologists and well informed amateurs. Club forays in which I share what I have learned with others. Identifying fungi found on forays for species lists. NAMA regional and national forays have stoked my interest in mycology. Without the patient dedication of professional and fellow amateur mycologists, I couldn't have sustained an interest 51
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for nearly as long. Using a microscope to assist with identifying. I'm still a beginner Joining a mushroom club and attending forays with more experienced mushroomers. Taking classes at college level with a Phd. in mycology. Mushroom walks, medicinal mushroom books Joining a mycological society, gaining access to a microscope, cultivating my own mushrooms, going to college and beginning a study of the spatial distribution of mycorrhizal fungi. My mother's knowledge of mushrooms as well as Mycological Society of San Francisco was a critical to my getting started with my interest in mushrooms. As a child I spend days poring over David Arora's first edition of Mushrooms Demystified (although of course I would recommend the second edition now). However, I feel that the experience that crystallized all that knowledge were the forays I took with Greg Ferguson of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz. Beyond that mushroom fairs, forays and college level classes (like those taught by Dennis Desjardin) as well as participation in online communities like http://mushroomobserver.org has continued to develop that knowledge. Mushroom forays where mushrooms are displayed and experienced collectors are there to reference. Also having a mycologist to consult with species descriptions and/or photos to confirm or make identifications. Other enthusiasts Classes at the club NAMA foray & classes I worked with two mycologists while as a post‐doc. Orson Miller and John Walker. Dean Abel and Damian Pieper, two very knowledgeable members of the Prairie State Mushroom Club (Iowa) have been my main mentors. Mushroom Club Members Hardscrabble Enterprises guy got us started on growing shiitake. We have also attended quite a few forays that have encouraged us. I studied under Paul Stamets. Dr.Walker Miller from Clemson was a considerable influence. Being part of a mushroom club provided me with a base of fellow mushroom hunters, that provided a source of knowledge both in where to find and how to ID he fungi. I joined Mushroom Club, Participated in forays, attended lectures and presentations, Membership in the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz (mycology club in Santa Cruz, CA) Becoming a Georgia Master Gardener allowed me to become knowledgeable of fungal plant pathology and the study of mycorrhizal symbiosis. When I joined COMA, the Connecticut‐Westchester Mycological association, I started to learn much more about mushroom identification, cooking, and taxonomy than I thought I ever would. I felt a change, and started to cook with mushrooms more, buy more mushroom, identification books and cookbooks, and started to do spore prints of mushrooms and look at them under a magnifying glass or microscope. Grete Turchik of the New Jersey Club helped me a lot. Also the club and NAMA forays and lectures helped greatly Mushroom walks with the Mushroom Club Classroom sessions with mycologist, Gary Lincoff I am not sure if I am beyond a "beginning" mushroom enthusiast. I spend about 10 days a year looking for mushrooms. However in the past I managed to collect enough morels to keep my small restaurant in dried morels for most of a year, if that puts me beyond beginner then I will credit the people at the Puget Sound Mycological Society who taught me beginning mushroom identification and what few of their members who actually show new members how to hunt mushrooms during their forays. besides this i have one mushroom hunting friend who is willing to go out hunting in all weather etc and helps keep up my interest 52
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Mycologist, Roz Lowen, and author Gary Lincoff have both encouraged my interest in mycology. Others include Sandy Sheine, former COMA president and current Education coordinator for NAMA. Joined Snohomish County Mycological Society. Followed the more knowledgeable people on forays and attended all classes offered. Now I teach the classes for this club! I have also gone to talks at PSMS in Seattle on occasion. Puget Sound Mycological Society Snohomish County Mycological Society UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA CLASSES The Snohomish County Mycological Society's Fall show drew my attention to mushrooms in our area 2 years ago. I joined the group and attended all the forays and meetings thereafter. The people in the group were very knowledgeable, identified mushrooms that we brought in; on forays, we had the opportunities to see the same mushrooms and hear the same information which helped me retain the information. At all the forays, there were new mushrooms that were identified, thus adding new knowledge of more mushrooms. Reading mushroom identification books, joining local mushroom clubs and attending local and national educational events and forays. Members of coma thirty years ago. Syliva Stein, Marge Morris Sandy Sheine Gary Lincoff With his Clever, Woody Allen‐style humor We have been cultivating shiitakes for 10 years, ordering spawn on internet. Not sure how we initially learned about it. Joining a Mushroom Group with like‐minded people. Having access to knowledgeable person willing to answer questions. Having a club offering advance study sessions. Degrees in Biology and Geology Initially, a very knowledgeable friend/forager. Living in academic community and having ready access to a faculty mycologist where I could take my finds and questions. Belonging to mushroom clubs in various parts of the country where I've lived. Club‐connected mycologists' lectures. Forays with more knowledgeable club members. NAMA events. And for the next question: I loved hiking, staying in youth hostels, bike trips in Germany, foraging for berries, hazelnuts, etc. A highly knowledgeable friend kept after me to learn about different mushrooms other than Matsutake, and to join the Snohomish County Mycological Society. Going on forays with him and the club, I gradually learned the names of many species after I learned how to identify them by sight and characteristics (color, smell, staining, taste and spit, gills etc.) from my friend and other club members, but mostly from my friend. Mushroom club My wife and I started a mushroom club in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I am a past president and fair organizer for the MSSF. Leading forays for our club requires that I learn more. Giving talks about the role of mushrooms in forest ecology also entices me to go deeper. Building a website challenges me to think out of the box. Overnight or weekend forays where the experts had the patience to answer, time and again, simple questions. And to repeat the process the following year. Cultivation interest has taught me so much and given me a desire to try to identify wild mushrooms and cultivate them. It is interesting to me to figure out what habitat makes them do best. Long‐distance forays, which provided an immersion atmosphere, and mentoring from other club members gave me confidence in my identification abilities. A week‐long extension class with Dr. Dennis Desjardins from San Francisco State University gave me a good basis with terminology and microscopic features. Classes with other enthusiasts, forays with knowledgeable experts, keying out mushrooms using 53
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Arora's book Mushrooms Demystified. I have always been interested in wild mushrooms so when I joined a club I tried to learn as much as possible from the most knowledgeable members. On forays I would walk with them to learn about a new mushroom as I found it. I preferred learning mushrooms by their Latin names because by looking up their meanings I had a better understanding of their names. I became one of the identifiers for naming the mushrooms in our annual wild mushroom show. Local clubs and the people who frequent and organize them, as well as the forays offered. I really consider myself a beginner, but week‐long Mushroom Trips my husband and I have taken with friends to different areas in Mexico with accompanying mycologists from universities have helped me learn more. Shroomery Being active in a mushroom club for many years and participating in all of the club events: forays (both as a participant and leader), eating events, camping trips, fungus fairs, long distance forays. My skills have come from self study with lots of opportunity to see and learn new things. Interaction with other skilled taxonomists has contributed to my learning experiences. NAMA Forays, Orson Miller, Harry Thiers, Alex Smith, Myco.Soc.of SF, foreign mushroom tours, MUSHROOM THE JOURNAL, Just living in No. California Forays with clubs and private outings with club member. Mycology classes given by local club. Fungus fairs. Field trips Club forays with their speakers and ID tables are invaluable. Local forays and ID sessions with expert members of mushroom club. Volunteering at our annual Fungus Fair. Club‐sponsored classes on a particular genus. I made an Internet query to see if there was any Mushroom Clubs in my area. I found out that Mary Woehrel had just formed a club in Georgia. Joining the Mushroom Club of Georgia got me more involved with this hobby. My father taught himself and me about mushrooms through field guides and club forays. He insisted that I learn to find and identify various deadly amanitas and other toxic mushrooms as well as the edibles. He also happened to be a superb cook. I attended numerous organized overnight forays with the Mycological Society of San Francisco and with David Arora. These almost always featured identification tables with scores of varieties sorted by genus and species. I have several close friends who are either professional mycologists or semi‐professional mushroom foragers. Ranger at Point Lobos State Park and chef friend in Oregon shared my passion and love of the hunt and cooking The meetings and the annual Fungus Fair of the Santa Cruz, CA Fungus Federation (the first mushroom club I belonged to) encouraged in me a broader appreciation of mushrooms. My German family tradition was solely concerned with edibility of mushrooms. We pretty much ignored ones that weren't edible. The Fungus Federation encouraged me to look at non‐edible mushrooms for their aesthetics, and taught me a bit about the medicinal uses of mushrooms. Access to professionals has helped to learn about mycology. In order to be well received though, one needs to do their homework well before reaching out to the pros. I'm still a beginner Santa Cruz Fungus Federation forays clubs CVMS in Connecticut. Since I've lived here in SC I have been unable to find a group that meets on a regular schedule. The foray's here are very few and last minute. Club activities: classes, forays, shows, and newsletters about mushrooms. 54
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I have learned most from people who love mushrooms and love to share their knowledge with others. Some of them Mycologists and others more self taught. A good club brings these people together and in contact with others who want to learn. Membership in the Asheville Mushroom Club. Hearing monthly lectures about mushroom ID and attending forays helped me gain skills in mushroom ID. only a rank beginner My primary goal is to know as many species in the field that are eatable and the close "look a likes" so I have spent as many hours as I can with people who have much more experience and ask questions and try to learn from repetition. 11 years of participating in club walks, listening to Al David and other members. I wrote a field guide titled, "To Pick or Kick", created a slide show with that same name and used it to conduct a class for our society. I also conducted the class for the local school district. Meeting Allein Stanley when I worked at a park, then taking Ron Peterson's course at Highlands Biological Station I volunteered at a nature center to find others who could teach me about mushrooms. I discovered that I knew more than the naturalists did when they asked me to lead a mushroom walk! They then told me that if I wanted to start a mushroom club, the club could meet at the nature center. My father picked one type of mushroom ‐ he called them "pinkies," they were meadow mushrooms. When he died, I thought, well, I never learned how to identify those mushrooms, I'll never have wild mushrooms again. Then, we met naturalist Steve Brill and he taught us some basics. That was about a quarter of century ago. Since then, we've developed a nice library and taught ourselves a good deal. Now, we've joined some clubs and we are learning much more. One of our club members has had wide experience in identification ‐ taken classes, been on very large hunts, and she and I are free to meet at places we find mushrooms while out walking and we even ride around looking for them ‐ sometimes together, sometimes separately. She is adamant that I try to learn the Latin name for the ones we find. And, she won't rest until I have read all the description in our books. We will sit in people's yards and she reads while I take photographs, then she makes me read and we take spoor prints, talk about spore prints, etc. The Mushroom club has helped me grow far beyond beginning mushroom enthusiast. I have always loved mushrooms, but now I am becoming a "mushroom snob". The Mushroom club has taught me that just knowing mushrooms is fine, but knowledge needs to be grown like a garden. It needs to be tended, nurtured, and actively cultivated to be appreciated and enjoyed. Because of the Mushroom club, I have encouraged my gardening club to install a mushroom garden plot which is just this year beginning to take shape. I am attending a mushroom cultivation workshop at a local plant nursery and will be the primary care taker of this new endeavor! Joining mushroom clubs and NAMA. Going to forays given by mushroom clubs. I learned how to use a microscope and learned about chemicals and identification of specific mushroom groups. Attending club mushroom meetings and listening. Also cooking with wild mushrooms for the club's potlucks. Forays with experienced mycologists Took classes at Bronx Botanical Gardens I learned the skills needed to identify mushrooms by learning to identify birds. Once I understood how to use a field guide to identify birds it wasn't much of a jump learning to identify mushrooms from a field guide. It was all self learning from field guides that took me to the next level as I never went to any mushroom events or interacted with people interested in mushrooms when I got beyond being a beginning mushroom enthusiast. I was influenced most by the particular friendship and enthusiasm of Bill Roody and Donna 55
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Mitchell, well‐known amateur mycologists in West Virginia asked to teach university class in mushroom biology Learning myself and going to forays Mycological Club membership N/A classes with the club, club mycologists and self training at mushroom shows Professional mycological meetings Going on forays with knowledgeable people and taking a mycology class. Contact with other mushroomers more skilled than myself, books, magazines, club newsletters, forays and many hours of self study. 1. Mutual interest, my wife and myself 2. Long‐term relationship with original mentor 3. Association with organized mushroom clubs 4. Seasonal availability of mushrooms in my area 5. Subscribing to Mushroom The Journal 6. Attending regional forays Personal research. Mycological society ID classes. I do not feel that you need to be a 'collector' to be considered a mushroom enthusiast. And, I feel that your survey is too directed toward 'collectors'. I would rather go on or lead a 'foray' that was educational and interesting, rather than just to deplete the forests of these beautiful treasures. And I do NOT support those who collect illegally from public lands. Members and leaders of various local mushroom clubs, especially the "pro" mycologists, have always been very generous with their knowledge, allowing me to unofficially audit classes, letting me dog them on forays, and being available even in their off hours to answer questions. Hunting, and learning to identify. I am part of an online mushroom community as there are a lack of interested people in my area. The enthusiasm of Sam Ristich. I took his class in the early 70's and that class never ended. To this day I consult with Sam. Going on walks with experienced amateur mycologists and going to the COMA forays . A 4 day foray helped me go from beginner to advanced beginner. I was born and raised in Riga ‐ Latvia. Collecting mushrooms was a national hobby and part of the food ration. Collecting mushroom was almost national past time. Here in USA I found that collectable mushrooms group in people's ‐ my neighbors yards, and most of them are absolutely ignorant or afraid of them. Professor at college when I worked as a lab technician for him. Marine Mycologist who also did terrestrial fungi as hobby. Local leader of mycological society in Charleston, SC
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