On Tuesday, September 8, at 6:30pm in the Belfast Free Library, Maine mycologist and author Greg Marley will present an introduction to the best edible and medicinal mushrooms in the fall woods of Maine.  Guidelines will be presented on ways to learn mushrooms and recommendations for finding and using edible and medicinal mushrooms will be reviewed.

According to Marley, "Wild mushrooms present us with beauty, mystery and a wonderful lens through which to view the natural world.  Mushrooms are plentiful and diverse across Maine and a variety of exceptional edibles are commonly found growing in our suburban and rural lawns, fields and forest. The growing interest in wild mushrooms parallels the movement to adopt more local food options and to live more sustainably.  Edible and medicinal mushrooms represent an opportunity for sustainably foraging and enjoying healthy locally sourced food and present a potential for health benefits beyond good nutrition.  It is vital that a mushroom forager develop the skills needed to identify the edible and medicinal mushrooms and to know those mushrooms that are poisonous."

Greg Marley has been pursuing his personal passion for mushrooms for over 40 years.  Through numerous walks and talks and classes on mushroom identification and the use of medicinal mushrooms, he shares that passion with others.  Over the years he has informed and mentored many hundred new mushroomers.  His interests and expertise include foraging, cultivation of mushrooms, collecting and cooking wild species, the ecology of mushrooms in our forests, and the use of medicinal mushrooms.  Marley is a volunteer mushroom identification consultant to the Poison Centers of New England and the founder of Mushrooms for Health, a company offering medicinal mushroom supplements and education.  The author of Mushrooms for Health; Medicinal Secrets of Northeast Fungi (2009) andChanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares; The Love Lore and Mystique of Mushrooms (2010), Marley lives and mushrooms along the coast of Maine.

Greg's books will be available for sale and signing, as well as a limited selection of his medicinal mushroom products.  This free event is sponsored by the Belfast Free Library and the Belfast Co-op.  The Belfast Free Library is located at 106 High Street in downtown Belfast.