Intro to Foraging Wild Mushrooms

Mushroom foraging is a becoming a popular pursuit in Michigan. Come learn about the biology and key features of mushrooms and what to look for when identifying these friendly fungi. Avid mushroom enthusiast Bonni Thoresen will cover the many edible mushrooms commonly found in Michigan so you can feel more confident in identifying wild mushrooms you might come across on a hike, in your own backyard, or at your favorite farmers market. Participants are encouraged to bring fungi specimens. Please harvest the entire mushroom, dug out of soil, duff or wood. Transport them in paper bags or loosely wrapped in waxed paper—do not use plastic bags that promote rotting.

Bonni will present a colorful PowerPoint on mushrooms of Northern Michigan including many edible species. However, she advises no one should eat any fungus that does not have solid identification verified by an expert. This program is a starting point and serious foragers would have to put in a lot time and study to really know the kingdom of fungi!

Class size is limited. To register, call 906-484-1333 or register online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/675964426797

About the Presenter

Bonni Thoresen joined San Diego Mycological Society 25 years ago after becoming fascinated by fungi in the mountains of northern Baja California, Mexico. SDMS offered a lot of educational opportunities but the region is very arid and mushrooming can be limited. The greatest factor in furthering interest in mycology was inheriting her mother’s cottage near DeTour. She spent 5 months there studying EUP fungi in 2003 followed by annual visits since then. Bonni retired from 40 years of nursing in 2018.