There is a growing understanding of the vital roles fungi play in healthy ecosystems, and yet within our society at large there remains more fear than knowledge about these amazing organisms. The goal of this workshop is to give wild mushroom novices a safe and immersive introduction to fungi that can serve as a solid base for future exploration, whether that be learning to forage or grow mushrooms, or incorporating fungal knowledge into other practices like gardening, herbalism, or art. The half-day class will be broken into three sections, with a brief lecture leading into a foray through the forest to find and collect mushrooms, followed by hands-on introduction to mushroom identification.
This class is aimed at adult-level learners but is open to older kids accompanied by an adult. There are no prerequisites for knowledge, but participants should come with sensible shoes for off-trail exploration, a water bottle, and a collection bag (a canvas tote or even paper grocery bag is fine), and a lunch to picnic with if desired. Please address specific questions about accessibility to Chris at chicorynaturalist@gmail.com.
October 8th | 10am-1pm
5 tickets are available at $30
10 tickets are available at $20
5 tickets are available at $10
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Chris Baker is an author, professional mushroom lover, and founder of Chicory Naturalist, a nature shop and community space rooted in Kingston, NY. Baker is also a certified forager and enthusiastic guide to the realm of fungi, leading forays in the Hudson Valley bioregion. Running through all of Baker's professional endeavors is a passion for reconnecting broken chains of generational knowledge about the natural world. She lives a few blocks from the Hudson River with her spouse, child and two calico cats.