2025 Speaker Schedule : Room 1 Friday 2:30 PM Tips and Techniques for Cooking with Mushrooms Chef Bob Wynn Friday 4:00 PM An Introduction to Mushroom Identification Phil Carpenter Saturday 10:00 AM An Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation Vellany Pierce Saturday 11:30 AM A Discussion of Poisonous Mushrooms Henry Young Saturday 1:00 PM Top Ten Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms Douglas Smith Saturday 2:30 PM From Saucepan to Science Foraging Feasting and Phylogeny Shannon Adams Saturday 4:00 PM An Introduction to Mushroom Identification Phil Carpenter Sunday 10:00 AM Decoding the Forest Floor The Art of Mushroom Recognition Alan Rockefeller Sunday 11:30 AM Medicinal Mushrooms Traditional Usage and Modern Science Dr. Bill Schoenbart Sunday 1:00 PM Common Mushrooms of the San Francisco Bay Area Douglas Smith Sunday 2:30 PM An Introduction to Mushroom Identification Phil Carpenter Sunday 4:00 PM Mushroom Cultivation Kyle Garrone 2025 Speaker Schedule : Room 3 Friday 2:30 PM Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Fungi Alan Rockefeller Saturday 9:30 AM The Magic Mushroom Talk Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D., L.Ac Saturday 11:15 AM Fungi of New Zealand The Ecology of a Young Land Christian Schwarz Saturday 1:00 PM Medicinal Mushrooms Science and Traditional Usage Dr. Bill Schoenbart Saturday 2:45 PM Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast Noah Siegel Saturday 4:30 PM What You Need to Know About Poisonous Mushrooms Henry Young Sunday 9:30 AM Adventures of a Mycohobo Noah Siegel Sunday 11:15 AM Magic Mushroom Microdosing Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D., L.Ac Sunday 1:00 PM Fungal Range Maps How We Build Them and Why They Matter Thea Chesney Sunday 2:45 PM A Mushroom Tasting with Wine Pairing Chad Hyatt Sunday 4:30 PM Two Years of the California Fungal Diversity Study What Have We Learned Christian Schwarz

Porphyrellus (Tylopilus) formosus. © Taylor Lockwood Porphyrellus (Tylopilus) formosus Taylor Lockwood Info about the dark velvet bolete: Dark Velvet Bolete , iNaturalist Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on October 18, 2015 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Chad Hyatt Chef and Author Chef Chad Hyatt, the author of " The Mushroom Hunter's Kitchen ", is an expert forager and classically trained chef who has made a name for himself in northern California and beyond, sharing his delicious spin on wild mushroom cookery. He has cooked in a variety of restaurants and private clubs around the San Francisco Bay area, and these days, freelances. Chad can often be found foraging for mushrooms, putting on wild mushroom-themed dinners, and teaching mushroom-related classes around the United States. He is passionate about cooking approachable comfort food based on local, seasonal ingredients, and, of course, wild mushrooms. www.themushroomhunterskitchen.com The Mushroom Hunter's Kitchen A wild mushroom cookbook that reinvents what you thought possible with mushrooms, and that brings new life to classic comfort foods. 2026 Chef Chad Hyatt 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Question And Answer Session about Identifying and Cooking Wild Mushrooms Sunday, January 11, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Room 1 Mushroom Cooking Demo with Tasting and optional Wine Pairing Chef Chad Hyatt will demonstrate his cooking techniques and his creations will be paired with exquisite wines provided by vintner Jeff Emery of Santa… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 10:15 PM - 11:25 PM Room 3 A Mushroom Tasting with Wine Pairing Chef Chad Hyatt will demonstrate his cooking techniques and his creations will be paired with exquisite wines provided by vintner Jeff Emery of Santa… Show More Sunday, January 12, 2025 10:45 PM - 12:00 AM Room 3

Coprinus comatus -- What Is Going On With That Inky Cap? Learn about the fascinating and at times powerful liquification scenario known in biological terms as deliquescence or auto-deliquescence , one of the key morphological characteristics associated with this long-appreciated edible mushroom. ... Coprinus comatus (from Google search) "Their moss rotted off them flake by flake Til the thick stalk stuck like a murderer’s stake, Where rags of loose flesh yet tremble on high Infecting the winds that wander by." --from The Sensitive Plant , Percy Bysshe Shelley - circa 1820 Imagine this – you’re a young and growing mushroom fruit-body. In a short amount of time, you’ve been triggered to grow and burst forth from the ground with enough force to break through solid concrete. Once in the atmosphere you’ve been designed to seek, additional triggers create a wave of spores to be released from the bottom of your column-shaped cap. Now, in a seemingly bizarre move, you begin to breakdown the very fibers of your being, turning your once firm cap into a melting mass of black goo. Eventually, nothing is left of your white and scaly brown button but ghostly tatters of dripping, oozing black that flail from a defiantly upright and bony looking stipe… Such is the scenario for the Coprinus comatus mushroom. It is a fascinating and at times powerful scenario known in biological terms as deliquescence or auto-deliquescence, and is one of the key morphological characteristics associated with this long-appreciated edible mushroom. Auto-digestion has also been used as a defining feature within mycological taxonomy and in part made this fungus the center of recent debate and shifts in categorization. Deliquescence So what’s happening when Coprinus comatus turns itself into a puddle on a stick? Deliquescence happens when animal or vegetable tissue liquefies itself through the release of various enzymes that interact with moisture, and is observed as a function of necrosis. These enzymes are known as hydrolytic enzymes. In the case of Coprinus comatus , it is a group of enzymes known as chitinase that break down the complex sugar chitin; Chitin is found in both mushrooms and shellfish and gives them their structure and sturdiness. When the deliquescing process is done, all that is left of the cap is an oozing black liquid dripping from the stipe (or stem) which remains in-tact; Chitinase is produced in the gills and cap only and not within the stipe. [i] C. comatus busts through asphalt. Photographer unknown Moisture in the atmosphere not only plays an important role in the process of deliquescing. It seems to be a driving factor in another one of the C. comatus mushroom’s dramatic feats; Growing with such force that it will burst through solid concrete (see picture). As the Coprinus comatus mushroom is being triggered to grow, it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and gradually expands, in part creating great force. [ii] On the flip side, if there is not enough moisture in the air, deliquescence will not occur and a C. comatus will simply shrivel or show only slight signs of inkiness once fruited. Morphology C. comatus gill shot (2011). Photo by Malcolm Storey The process of auto-deliquescing can be a key morphological feature when identifying mushrooms, and is exhibited in several mushroom genera. These genera now include Coprinopsis , Coprinellus and Parasola . Mushrooms with this characteristic have been dubbed “inky caps” due to their melting properties, and the shaggy brown scales found on C. comatus gave rise to its nickname “shaggy mane” and “shaggy ink cap”. The presence of a melting, inky black cap is arguably one of the characteristics that landed this mushroom in Clyde Christensen’ “Foolproof Four” in 1943. It is also reported that liquefied Coprinus comatus was used as writing ink in George Washington’s day. [iii] The morphological feature of auto-digestion clashed with DNA analysis not long ago, creating somewhat of a stir in the world of mycological taxonomy. As a result, a genus was redefined while creating new ones. The name Coprinus comatus first appeared in 1797, and it was long held that the Coprinus genus, which stemmed from the Coprinaceae family, contained well over 100 species. [iv] However, DNA testing in the 1990s showed that most species in the Coprinus genus were in fact not related to Coprinus . Eventually, the Psathyrellaceae family was created to contain three newly erected genera: Coprinopsis , Coprinellus , and Parasola . Coprinus comatus became the type species for the genus Coprinus . DNA analysis found it to be related to the Agaricaceae family, and so the Coprinus genus was moved here. Coprinaceae lost status as a family of its own, becoming a synonym for Agaricaceae , and Coprinus was whittled down to three members: C. comatus , C. sterquilinus , and C. spadiceosporus . [v] Collection & Preservation C. comatus when edible (2011). Photo by Cass Fuentes As mentioned previously, Coprinus comatus is considered a very good edible, and is worth preserving or consuming shortly after picking as the auto-digesting process will continue once plucked. It has been widely observed that when in season, the fruit bodies appear rather quickly after a rainfall and will have liquefied its cap within 24 hours (given enough moisture in the atmosphere). It is considered edible and choice when the mushroom is still firm and not yet black. David Arora suggests dipping young caps in egg wash then breadcrumbs and frying for a tasty treat. [vi] It is reported that Larry Stickney, another renowned California mycologist, enjoyed stuffing them with a mixture of white cheeses topped with green onions, then broiling them until browned and crisp. Having absorbed so much moisture through the atmosphere, the mushroom will exude a large amount of water while cooked and is a popular component in soups. One method of preservation is to cook the mushrooms, either by microwaving large quantities or by sautéing them with butter, then freezing them in the accompanying liquid for later use. Another interesting method was mentioned in Fungi Magazine : Store the mushrooms in jars filled with CO2. The deliquescing process cannot occur without oxygen. Preserving them in such fashion has been shown to delay the liquefying process for up to 7 days longer than those left in regular storage. The same article suggests storing the mushrooms submerged in water, preferably in the refrigerator, to keep them from oxygen. [vii] Luckily for the Shaggy Ink Mane enthusiast, C. comatus is a widely distributed mushroom and fairly common when the season is right. This is usually in the fall or winter in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is saprophytic, and can often be spotted lining roadways and paths. They can be found seemingly by the hundreds (ask the author about the Carson-Iceburg Wilderness in October of 2011), in both forested areas and not, growing out of grass beds or soil or through the occasional asphalt. Observations of the fungus on iNaturalist.com and mushroomobserver.org are widely distributed and show sightings all over the world, including in Africa, Australia, Europe and North America. C. comatus . Photo by Fred Stevens (from mykoweb.com ) Though common, the Shaggy Ink Cap exhibits both uncommon and fascinating attributes that truly make it a mushroom worth admiring, black goo and all. The next time you spot a Coprinus comatus that is nothing more than black, dripping tatters from a pale white stipe, please do not be horrified as Percy Shelley may have been. Consider appreciating the fascinating and innovative process that this mushroom shares with other inky cap members within the fungal kingdom. References [i] Hideyo Miyake, Tsuneo Takemaru and Tatsuo Ishikawa (1980). Sequential production of enzymes and basidiospore formation in fruiting bodies of Coprinus macorhizus. Archives of Microbiology , 126 (3), 201-205. [ii] Cornish, Jim. Coprinus Comatus: the Shaggy Mane. Fungi Magazine , Volume 5 – No. 4, Fall 2012 ISSN 1941-4943 [iii] Freedman, Louise. The Mycological Society of San Francisco Cookbook, (1987) Louise Freedman & MSSF http://www.mssf.org/cookbook/shaggymane.html [iv] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprinus_comatus [v] Volk, Tom. Fungus of the Month for May 2004 : Coprinus comatus, The Shaggy Mane, http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/ [vi] Arora, David. Mushrooms Demystified , (1986) 10 Speed Press [vii] Bunyard, Britt. Preserving Shaggy Manes. Fungi Magazine , Volume 5 – No. 4, Fall 2012 ISSN 1941-4943 Mushrooms covered: See code Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

Golden Pholiota (Lassen 2014). Photo by Steve Olson Golden Pholiota Steve Olson Steve Olson, the photographer says: "I found 2 separate fruitings of this "unknown to me" variety. I feel like I should know what this is but can't come up with it. I'll be bummed if it happens to be a tasty edible!" Phil says, "It's a Pholiota , in the aurivella group." Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora says that as far as eating goes, it is to be avoided. Camera Olympus C-4000Z Focal L. 7mm Aperture f/2.8 Shutter Sp. 1/100s ISO 100 Flash Off Photo taken on September 19, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder--Plato. Photo by Mike Slavers Beauty Lies in the Eyes of the Beholder - Plato Mike Slavers "Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind , he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may." - Plato I have been photographing mushrooms in the Corte Madera Park hiking area for two years. This is photo is the first I saw and started my fascination with the life form. The park is on Skyline Drive about half way between Hwy 92 and Woodside Road. All of the mushrooms I have photographed, I have left them as they were when I found them. Camera Canon EOS Digital Rebel Focal L. 73mm Aperture f/5.6 Shutter Sp. 1/200s ISO 100 Flash Fired Photo taken on January 1, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Jeff Emery Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Jeff Emery is the proprietor, winemaker, truck driver, barrel washer, paper pusher and just about everything else for Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard. He stumbled into this occupation as a teenager in 1979 when he came to Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard one day to help bottle through a friend of a friend, and then failed to ever look for a “real job”. Jeff has never written a resumé, never filled out a job application, and never worn a tie. He became the owner of the business when his mentor and winery founder, Ken Burnap, retired in 2004, after a 25 year apprenticeship/collaboration together. Jeff has now seen 46 harvests in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Visit the Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard/Quinta Cruz website at http://www.santacruzmountainvineyard.com 2026 Jeff Emery 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Mushroom Cooking Demo with Tasting and optional Wine Pairing Chef Chad Hyatt will demonstrate his cooking techniques and his creations will be paired with exquisite wines provided by vintner Jeff Emery of Santa… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 10:15 PM - 11:25 PM Room 3

Coprinopsis lagopus gr. © Terry Way Coprinopsis Lagopus Group Terry Way This beautiful mushroom was found in Terry's backyard. Phil Carpenter pegs it as being in the Coprinopsis lagopus group. One of the Inky Caps, this exquisite and evanescent member of the Psathyrellaceae family is a feast for the eyes. Not for the table, though: this tiny mushroom is considered inedible. Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III Focal L. 100mm Aperture f/22.0 Shutter Sp. ISO 10000 Flash Off Photo taken on September 29, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Fall Mushroom Dinner Join us in celebrating each new season! As Autumn beckons and we await or enjoy the first fungal fruitings, Chef Bob Wynn and the FFSC Culinary Committee welcome FFSC members and their guests to celebrate the season with our much-loved Fall Mushroom Dinner. The 2025 Fall Mushroom Dinner is scheduled on November 8, 2025. See the Members Only section below for time and location details. Fall Flavors The committee typically prepares the main elements of the meal (main dish, salad, and dessert). In some years we prepare a full dinner; and in other years members are invited to bring appetizers and sides to share, plus your own place setting and beverage of choice. The committee chooses a different theme each year, and it's sure to be a scrumptious menu! Price The price changes each year, depending on the cost of the venue rental and other factors. For 2025, we will not charge admission for this event. A donation bucket will be ready to accept contributions to offset rental fees and expenses. $10 per person is suggested. Thanks! Location The Fall Mushroom Dinner is open to FFSC members and their guests. The location varies each year. We usually post the location in the Members' section below by early October. Let’s come together to share food, celebrate community, and welcome the mushroom season with good cheer. We look forward to seeing you at the table! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Adam Ryszka You can't find them all, but I am sure going to try! FFSC Title: Minister Emeritus Joined FFSC: Late 2006 Adam has been very active with the FFSC from the day he joined and within a year was nominated and elected Minister of Local Forays. He brings to the club a first-hand knowledge of the north-western woods of Santa Cruz county, having wandered through them for many years. Ever present at local events, especially the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair, he has become a familiar face to many. Active in outreach for the FFSC, he has volunteered his time for mushroom related events with UCSC, the YMCA, local Scout troops and the Monterey Natural History Museum. Currently he is working with local researchers and citizen scientists on field studies and transforming that data into modern media (web, video, digital publication). And of course he is also engaged on that never-ending search for deeper woods and greener meadows... 2026 Adam Ryszka 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets

Santa Cruz is blessed with some of the finest foray habitat on the West Coast. Fungal enthusiasts, whether taxonomist, dye artisan or edible collector, can choose from hundreds of species available in the area. With this bounty so close at hand and popular, many intrepid FFSC members heed the call of far-away places as they venture away from the Central Coast. FFSC members adventure up and down the West Coast and to points farther afield as they participate in FFSC’s long-distance forays, private ad-hoc forays, and organized events with other mycological groups. FFSC's long-distance forays are usually 2- to 4-day group trips, and we stay at campgrounds or rustic cabins. We allocate at least one day for organized activities, such as a group meeting before we all go out to hunt, a delightful potluck dinner and mushroom ID assistance. Other activities vary per location and season. Before joining any foray, we ask that you review the Collection Ethics and Etiquette page and familiarize yourself with our Must-Know to Participate in Long-Distance Forays guidelines. Costs For most long-distance forays, the fee (if any) covers your accommodations. We may add a small surcharge to help the club defray our annual operational costs (insurance, etc.). Meals are bring-your-own and potluck, unless otherwise specified. These forays are organized and led by our club ministers, who are volunteers. You must be an FFSC member to sign up for and participate in our long-distance forays. (We also offer one-day local forays in the Santa Cruz area, for both members and non-members.) Popular Long Distance Forays Our long-distance foray calendar is subject to change each year depending on environmental factors (weather, fires, and what’s coming up) and the availability of group accommodations. Here are some of the forays we arrange most years. Subscribe to the FFSC Calendar or join our Contact FFSC to find out when registration opens for each trip. Albion Long Distance Forays Our Albion forays are weekend-long trips to the Mendocino area, where chanterelles, black trumpets, and more can be found. Event Overview Spring Long Distance Foray Join our Spring Foray when the snow melts in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and enjoy the vernal appearance of morels, coccoras, woodland agaricus and early boletes. Event Overview Alaska Long Distance Foray Our Alaska Long Distance Foray is a joint event between the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and Bill White's Alaska Sports Lodge on the banks of the Kenai River in Sterling Alaska. Event Overview 47 days to the event Alaska Long-Distance Foray, September 2026 Aug 29, 2026, 3:00 PM – Sep 06, 2026, 11:00 AM Bill White's Alaska Sports Lodge, 38110 Greatland St, Sterling, AK 99672, USA Save the date for our fantastic journey in Alaska! Explore the Alaskan Kenai peninsula and be amazed by the wildlife, fjords, glaciers and of course mushrooms. Buy Tickets Scheduled Long-Distance Forays Past Long-Distance Forays Sold Out Fri, Jan 23 Albion II Long-Distance Foray, January 2026 / Details Save the date for our January foray in Mendocino! Enjoy fruiting fungi, pleasant people, feast on fabulous foods, and refreshing rains. RSVP Closed Fri, Dec 12 Albion I Long-Distance Foray, December 2025 / Details Save the date for our December foray in Mendocino! Enjoy fruiting fungi, pleasant people, feast on fabulous foods, and refreshing rains. Alaska Foray participants Long-Distance Forays Long-distance forays are overnight (or longer) trips farther afield. They carry the allure of new fungal finds, amazing culinary pleasures, and collaborative education adventure.

Mushroom Poisoning If you suspect you have consumed a poisonous mushroom, call 911. Then go to the Emergency Department, and call Poison Control: 1-800.222.1222 Galerina marginata group. Photo by Christian Schwarz Emergency Procedures If you suspect you have consumed a poisonous mushroom: Call 911 Go to the Emergency Department Call Poison Control @ 1-800.222.1222 Call toll-free 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, with poison-related questions or help in California. Santa Cruz Area Hospitals Watsonville Community Hospital : (831) 724-4741 Dominican Hospital, Santa Cruz : (831) 462-7700 Dominican Hospital and Watsonville Hospital keep a list of contacts to help with identification of suspect fungi. Some hospitals have engaged in clinical trials for the immediate treatment of amatoxin mushroom poisonings. Call 911 and talk to a doctor to determine the best course of action if you suspect you or someone you know may have been poisoned. Bring the Mushroom With You If you believe a mushroom poisoning has occurred, the doctors will need to identify the mushroom so they can determine the most appropriate treatment. For an accurate identification, your best chance is to bring a sample of the mushroom with you. The more complete your specimen is, the better chance to ID it correctly. A complete specimen consists of the cap, stem, bottom of the mushroom and any roots or fluff that may have been part of the mushroom at one time. Store the specimen in a paper or waxed paper bag (not plastic) in the refrigerator until needed. Note where the mushrooms were collected in case of potential contamination by pesticides or heavy metals from lawns, roadsides or industrial areas. Non-Emergency Recommendations There is an old saying that “There are old mushroom hunters, and bold mushroom hunters. But there are no old, bold mushroom hunters.” Bit of exaggeration? Sure. But it’s critically important to know what you’re eating! Mushroom Identification The term "poisonous" refers to a wide range of toxicity, covering the range from mild nausea to allergic reactions to life-threatening illness. For general identification of mushrooms you’ve found (not a poisoning case) we encourage you to bring them to our Monthly Meeting or the annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair . You can also send a Mushroom ID request to our FFSC community mailing list (our Google Group), or via the Contact FFSC page on this website. Pet Poisonings Pets, particularly dogs, eat wild mushrooms on occasion. While the majority of these mushrooms are not toxic, a highly toxic small percentage can cause illness and death in pets. Contact your veterinarian if you see your pet consume a wild mushroom and bring a sample of the mushrooms in the area. For more information see Mushroom Poisonings in Dogs and Cats on the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) website. Report All Poisonings NAMA (North American Mycological Association) tracks all mushroom poisoning incidents. It is important to file a report, even for a minor gastrointestinal upset. After the incident, help document mushroom poisonings by submitting an online report or mail-in report to the NAMA Poison Case Registry. Learn More about Mushroom Safety The California Poison Control System (CPCS) Bay Area Mycological Society: Mushroom Poisonings North American Mycology Association: Mushroom Poisonings Wikipedia: Mushroom Poisoning Members Only Content Login Join FFSC