Naturalist Lecture Series - Online Classroom

The Zoom Lecture "Foraging for Mushrooms" will begin at 7PM on February 9th and will last about 1-1/2 hours.

This is the second of five lectures we hope to offer this winter/spring. The third will be March 9th.

About the lecture

Mushrooms grow in abundance in the Pacific Northwest nearly year around. Some are poisonous, many of no culinary value and a select group are some of the best food to enjoy. Daniel Winkler will present in detail our choice edible mushrooms such as chanterelles, hedgehogs, king boletes, morels, bear’s head and cauliflower mushroom which are easy to identify, helping one to overcome fungophobia and truly appreciate wild mushrooms. However, there are many more very enjoyable mushrooms like culinary truffles that fruit underground or other mushrooms that need much more experience for safe identification. In this richly illustrated presentation Daniel will help you get to know, identify and find many great edible mushrooms while steering you clear of dangerous look-a-likes. You will be advised how to properly collect, carefully transport, safely prepare and reliably store your mushrooms. Key in finding prime mushrooms is getting to know their preferred habitat and their seasonality. Daniel will share lots of new insights from his new book Fruits of the Forest: A Field Guide to Pacific Northwest Edible Mushrooms. In addition, Daniel will mix in some fungal fun & facts from his ethno-mycological research and Mushroaming adventure travels.

About the speaker 

A mushroom educator, trained ecologist, and award-winning photographer, DANIEL WINKLER grew up collecting mushrooms in the Alps. Winkler has been foraging for more than 25 years in the Pacific Northwest, in addition to South America and High Asia, where he is involved in ethno-mycological fieldwork. He served as vice president of the Puget Sound Mycological Society, who recognized his lifetime of service with their Golden Mushroom Award. Through his travel agency, Mushroaming, Winkler runs mushroom-focused eco-tours to Tibet, Bhutan, the Amazon, Colombia, and the Austrian Alps as well as in the Northwest. He lives in Kirkland, Washington. Order a signed copy of his new book Fruits of the Forest: A Field Guide to Pacific Northwest Edible Mushrooms online here.