Faces of FFSC – Phil Carpenter

Phil Carpenter is a long-standing member of FFSC. He says, with a smile, that he only missed the first three meetings of the Federation when it began twenty-five years ago. He has served as a minister in most capacities and used to organize the Echo Summit foray.

What event started your interest in mushrooms?

Mushroom hunting and identification began during Phil’s Illinois childhood when the entire family would foray for morels each Spring. During this time he also developed a lifelong joy of being in the woods. After relocating to California he took a mushroom ID class from David Arora in 1978 (5 years before FFSC began). He has also attended Dennis Desjardin’s summer class that emphasizes microscopy (Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada). His lifelong commitment to learning includes making sure he learns new mushrooms each year.

What prompted you to offer a mushroom ID class?

Phil discussed his eagerness to share his myco-knowledge and visions for the class. He plans to provide an approachable learning environment that will build on the cumulative knowledge learned from the prior class. He wants to introduce terminology and help students develop a systematic approach using solid identification skills. Phil emphasized the importance of time commitment and self-study to benefit most from the classes.

During our conversation, I mentioned my difficulties in keying out a mushroom by spore color, especially when the color choices are similar, like peach, salmon or apricot. I was surprised to discover Phil is color-blind. He reinforced that color is only one of many defining characteristics. Learning all the characteristics is equally important. He can always consult with foraging friends regarding color definitions.

Do you have a favorite mushroom?

Hmmm. The list was long and includes morels, boletes, shaggy parasols and black trumpets. He expressed a fondness for shaggy parasols. Aside from being very flavorful, they were the first mushroom he ate when he arrived in California.

Why do people attend events, forays and meetings?

We discussed the value of attending events, forays and meetings, not only for information, but for the camaraderie of enjoying people with similar interests. Group participation and sharing of knowledge are high on Phil’s list of priorities. He values the long-term friendships he has developed with other FFSC members.

He enjoys all the forays but has a fondness for camping events, like the spring foray to Pipi Valley. The camping forays tend to eliminate the ‘intimidation factor’ that many newer members sometimes have about their limited expertise. He shared that interactions, foray jaunts, cooking and give-and-take around a camping environment bring fond memories and develop friendships.

Who is your favorite foray partner?

Why, that would be Henry Young, of course. Phil mentioned that Henry shares his joy of foraging and has a similar outlook on enjoying the fun of the hunt.