WPMC is pleased to announce this year’s mushroom classes on April 14 at the Cooper-Siegel Library in Fox Chapel.
The morning classes, suitable for beginners, will provide an introduction to mushrooms, as well as a focus on Morels. The afternoon will include an introduction to mushroom cultivation and a workshop on how to use iNaturalist.
Each session is $10; the full day is $20. A free mushroom walk at nearby Salamander Park will follow.
Or make checks payable to WPMC and send to:
WPMC, c/o Barbara DeRiso,
204 Woodcock Drive, Pittsburgh PA 15215.
Here are the detailed descriptions of each talk:
10:00 a.m. – Registration & Sales Tables Open
10:30-11:30 a.m. – Mushroom Refresher Course (Fluff Berger)
Whether you’re a beginner to mushrooms or you’ve become a bit “rusty” over the winter, WPMC Identifier Fluff Berger will bring you up to date on everything you need to know to get (re)started. She’ll cover basic terminology, various mushroom groups and when to find them, edibility, spore prints, and much more.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – The Elusive Morel Mushroom (Bob Sleigh)
WPMC’s own legendary morel hunter and Identifier Bob Sleigh will cover morel basics and share some of his secrets from decades of finding this elusive mushroom.
LUNCH (On Your Own)
Sales Table Open
1:30-2:30 p.m. – Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation (Mark Spear)
Mark Spear will use slides to present the basic principles involved in growing mushrooms on a small scale. Topics will focus on recognizing and supplying the mushroom’s biological and ecological requirements. Examples will be drawn from commercial mushroom cultivation around the world. Participants will be better prepared for WPMC’s practical cultivation meeting in May or to try this exciting hobby on their own.
2:30-3:30 p.m. – How to Use iNaturalist (Garrett Taylor & Fluff Berger)
WPMC Mycologist Garrett Taylor and Identifier Fluff Berger will teach us how to use the iNaturalist website and free app. They’ll show us how to post our observations to the WPMC Project for identification. Bring your Smartphone and iNaturalist password, if you already have one. We’ll immediately apply our new knowledge on a walk at nearby Salamander Park.
3:30 p.m. – MUSHROOM WALK, Salamander Park (free)
Is there registration for this? I am interested Patty houck
Registration isn’t open yet, because the details are still sketchy. However, we have decided to turn this date and location into our Mushroom Education Day, with four speakers followed by a walk in the afternoon,
Probably but I don’t know the details as yet. We will update it as soon as we know.
Can I pay for the classes on the day of the event?
Absolutely.