Greg Marley will lead an outdoor presentation on Foraging Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms at Merryspring Nature Center on Saturday, July 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Everyone is fascinated by wild mushrooms. From foraging and eating, to medicinal use and the use of psychedelics to improve creativity and address depression. The only thing standing in the way is acquiring the knowledge and confidence to tell the good mushrooms from those that can sicken you. The good news is that there are a handful of common, easily identified, great edibles or medicinals that can satisfy most peoples hunger for mushrooms. Maine is home to a number of world-class edible mushrooms easily found as you enjoy a walk through the woods and fields.

This day-long class helps to build the basic knowledge needed to identify common mushrooms and to begin a lifetime of wild mushrooming. The class will combine indoor lecture and outdoor experience in the forest to explore identification features, ecology and the seasonal occurrence of mushrooms. We will look at edible as well as common poisonous mushrooms and may end the day by cooking some of the mushrooms we find. Learn a few common edible and medicinal mushrooms and build skills to identify more.

Class Agenda:

1. Introduction: Mushroom Basics

a. Life Cycle of a mushroom-producing fungi

b. Ecological Roles of Mushrooms

c. The major groups of Mushrooms

2. Mushroom Identification features

3. Guidelines for safe and responsible mushrooming

4. Use of Mushrooms:

a. Mushrooms as Food

b. Mushrooms as Medicine

c. Risk of poisoning from mushrooms

 Lunch (not provided)

1. Afternoon field learning and collection

2. Concluding remarks and Wrap-up

a. Moving forward as a mushroomer

b. Cooking examples

c. Resources for further learning 

Greg Marley has been collecting, studying, eating, growing and teaching mushrooms for over 50 years. He shares his knowledge of mushrooms through walks, talks and classes held across the New England and beyond. Marley authored the award-winning book Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares; The Love Lore and Mystic of Mushrooms (Chelsea Green, 2010). As a volunteer mushroom identification consultant to Poison Centers across New England, he provides expertise in mushroom poisoning cases. He is a frequent lecturer to college groups and an occasional mushrooming foray faculty member. When not mushrooming, Marley works as a mental health clinician specializing in suicide prevention and response after a loss.

This Weekend Workshop is sponsored by Camden Riverhouse Hotel. Cost is $70 for members; $80 for non-members.To register call 207-236-2239 or email info@merryspring.org.

Merryspring is your community nature center offering walking trails, cultivated gardens, wildlife, and ecology and horticulture educational programs all year round. The park is located at the end of Conway Road, just off of Route 1 in Camden behind Hannaford Shopping Plaza. For more information on this program, please contact info@merryspring.org or call 207-236-2239.