News & Stories / New Illustrator in the FFSC Fold – Angela Mele You’ll find a number of beautifully rendered illustrations in the Duff. They’re the work of Angela Mele, evidence of her love for all things fungal. Get acquainted with her below. Melanie Leuca • May 1, 2010 Identifying Agrocybe praecox. Illustration by Angela Mele After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Florida State University, I wasn’t sure what to do next. That’s when I found mushrooms — chanterelles, to be exact! In the summer they covered the hills in the woods near my house. As I flipped through pages of beautiful illustrations in my mom’s 1987 Peterson Field Guide to Mushrooms, I not only determined that I was sitting on a pile of gold, I also fell in love with fungi and realized I wanted to paint them for a living. Lichens of the Florida Panhandle. Illustration by Angela Mele With no fungus club in Tallahassee I had only banana spiders to contend with as I filled basket upon basket with beautiful orange mushrooms. Two years later, I’m finishing up a degree in Science Illustration at CSU Monterey Bay. In the program we learn how to create informative, accurate, and beautiful illustrations. My dream is to work with mycologists to create a field guide to mushrooms. Illustrations by me and my classmates can be seen in the exhibit Illustrating Nature at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History until June 5, 2010. Coccora : Three Stages of Growth. Illustration by Angela Mele Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Cam Cam by Taylor Lockwood Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

FFSC News & Stories Field reports, member stories, and mushroom-related news, from newest to oldest. (Visit FFSC Events for upcoming club activities.) Cookeina tricholoma (Mont.) Kuntze (2014, Yukatan). Photo by Yev Nyden More Finds Featured Fungi Mushroom Photos Recipes Events of 22 pages Go Go Go Go Go More Finds Featured Fungi Mushroom Photos Events Recipes Fair News FFSC News July 7, 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Logo Design Contest 2027 It's that time again! Submit your entries for the 2027 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair logo design contest by 10pm on August 31, 2026. The Grand Prize is $500 plus other perks! Category Writings FFSC News July 3, 2026 Earth Stars — Astreas Hygrometricus I went to Yuba County to hunt for Earth Stars. Although they are curled up and dry during the summer months, they aren’t too hard to find once you find a few older stray ones. The grass isn’t tall and it’s dry as well. Category Mycology & Art News FFSC News June 18, 2026 Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada - 2026 Recap Each spring, the retreat of the snowpack provides a unique ecological window of opportunity for “snowbank fungi”, a group of mushrooms that (as the name suggests) grow in and around snowbanks. As spring gives way to summer, curious mycophiles from around the world gather at a rustic campus in Tahoe National Forest to study these fascinating fungi. Category Writings FFSC News May 20, 2026 FFSC 2026 Ministers Elections-Results Welcome our new slate of FFSC ministers elected at May 19, 2026 general meeting. Category Stewardship FFSC News March 10, 2026 FFSC Bylaws 2026 Revision We are revising our club bylaws. FFSC members are encouraged to review the changes before the April 2026 members meeting. Category Fair News FFSC News January 20, 2026 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair: Our Mission in Action The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz exists to expand the understanding and appreciation of mycology through education; and to assist the public, institutions, and partner organizations in advancing that goal--and keeping the FUN in fungi. The 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair brought all of these groups together to make high-quality mycological education accessible to thousands of people, while producing real scientific output and supporting local arts, culture and economic development. Category of 22 pages Go Go Go Go Go Filter by Category Fair News Field Reports Mycology & Art News Stewardship Writings Reset

Learn about mushrooms, both deadly and delicious, at the 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair, brought to you by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. View hundreds of regional species, have your mushroom finds identified, and explore the secrets of the fungal kingdom. Mushrooms fascinate us! They're ubiquitous and mysterious, delicious and sometimes deadly. They're among the oldest living things on earth. Excited to learn more? You might be a fungiphile! Learn About Fungi Explore the World of Fungi Join us as we hunt mushrooms for scientific interest and for the table. Learn to create art with fungi. Spend time outdoors and share your fungi finds with friends! Explore All Events We Keep the "fun" in fungus! Our mission is to foster and expand the understanding and appreciation of mycology among our members and the general public. And to always keep the “fun” in fungus! Why Join FFSC? Previous Next Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz "An eating and drinking club with a mushroom problem" -- Henry Young January 9-11, 2026 Santa Cruz, CA Thanks for visiting! Fungus Fair Fungus Fair Fungus Fair Fungus Fair The 2026 Santa Cruz Upcoming FFSC Events August 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM – September 6, 2026 at 11:00 AM Alaska Long-Distance Foray, September 2026 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. September 15, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM September Speaker | Liv Fragiacomo : Organic Strawberries - Bio Alternatives to Plastic Join us for our first monthly speaker of the 2026-2027 season! October 20, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM October Speaker | Save the Date : Details TBD Check back at the beginning of the season to learn about our October monthly speaker. Explore All Events Recent News & Stories More Articles Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Committee July 7, 2026 at 7:46:30 PM Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Logo Design Contest 2027 It's that time again! Submit your entries for the 2027 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair logo design contest by 10pm on August 31, 2026. The Grand Prize is $500 plus other perks! Pinned to top Hugh Smith July 3, 2026 at 4:45:00 PM Earth Stars — Astreas Hygrometricus I went to Yuba County to hunt for Earth Stars. Although they are curled up and dry during the summer months, they aren’t too hard to find once you find a few older stray ones. The grass isn’t tall and it’s dry as well. Pinned to top Lisa Tesler June 18, 2026 at 9:13:00 PM Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada - 2026 Recap Each spring, the retreat of the snowpack provides a unique ecological window of opportunity for “snowbank fungi”, a group of mushrooms that (as the name suggests) grow in and around snowbanks. As spring gives way to summer, curious mycophiles from around the world gather at a rustic campus in Tahoe National Forest to study these fascinating fungi. Pinned to top Follow @scfungusfed on Instagram

News & Stories / King Stropharia Cultivation Success How Sweet it is…. The King Stropharia grown in our San Jose research garden, that is. We finally achieved success with the Garden Giant, Stropharia rugosoannulata after attending several lectures by Ken Litchfield of the MSSF. Jim Maley • September 2, 2010 Jim Maley with a cultivated Stropharia Now, Ken cultivates mushrooms in the damp weather of SF and the East Bay, but our San Jose summers are warmer and drier. After some meager attempts to cultivate various mushroom types in the summer garden, we asked “Why not grow mushrooms in a Winter Garden?”, and that we did. Stropharia bed. Photo by Jim Maley In November of 2009, we started a winter garden using a raised bed in one of our Master Gardener research facilities, which included cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce. In December, we acquired a 6 lb. bag of King Stropharia grain spawn from Mushroom Harvest of Athens, Ohio and were off with reckless abandon using memory notes from Ken and some phone consultation with the supplier. The first thing we did was to dig a trench in the center of the bed about two feet deep and about five feet long. In the bottom of the trench we added a layer of pasteurized alder wood chips and straw. Stropharia cultivation process. Photo by Jim Maley This pasteurization approach (90 minute water bath at 160°F) was indicated to be not absolutely necessary by our supplier, but was thought to give us an initial “leg up” on mold competition. We then added a layer of about 1.5 lbs. of spawn and covered it with more warm straw and chips. Two weeks later, we added another substrate layer of chips, straw and some leaf compost (unpasteurized), and another 1.5 lb. layer of spawn. Two weeks later still another layer of substrate was added, this time with no spawn. At this point we could see expansion of white mycelia. An estimated total of three pounds of spawn was in our trench. From then on we just waited, letting the ample rains of Santa Clara County keep the mushroom winter garden hydrated. With eager eyes, in March we looked for fruiting bodies to no avail. It was beginning to look like we would have a fine garden of winter vegetables, but no mushrooms. On April 10th it happened! Some small wine colored caps were appearing and it was an exhilarating feeling after previous fail-ures. They soon started getting bigger and coming up over the entire trench. I had heard of these getting up to three pounds or so. Maybe in moist climates, but we have harvested most of our mushrooms at between a half and three quarter pounds. They proved quite popular and delicious with a mild, sweet taste. At this point, we continue to feed “the giant”, this time with oak shavings and hydrating with drip irrigation. These mushrooms are very meaty and clean and well worth the effort. The King Stropharia is one of the most beautiful mushrooms I have seen. These mushrooms certainly live up to the name Wine Cap Stropharia, as they sometimes call it in the Midwest. King Stropharia (wine cap stropharia). Photo by Jim Maley Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts A Tale of Ozark Shiitake Growing Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Stewardship In Memoriam 2010 We are sad to report that over the summer, two FFSC members, Larry Stickney and Horst Kuhlmann, passed on to the great mushroom forest in the sky. They will be dearly missed. Deb • September 2, 2010 In memoriam. Photo by Hugh Smith Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Spring Musings with Bill McGuire On a brief foray today, I may have heard this silent exchange. The sun was hot, the walk was long, and I felt oddly strange. But then, on second thought, I might not have. Bill McGuire • May 2, 2010 Two princes. (Photographer unknown) Said the Prince to the Princess Appendiculatus, you’re quite a mess Those silly pores and fat reticulated stipe Quite obvious my dear, you’re just not my type! Replied the Princess to the Prince These words, lets us not mince That awful almond smell – as well As your yellow stained skinny stipe Augustus, I find you quite disgustus And definitely, you’re not my type! Hastily returning to my car, I found I had already gone, the tiny little bits of greenish stained stems on the ground gave me a clue. I may impart the lesson to you, on second thought, I may not! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts The Season Begins Haikus Celebrating the Secret Life of Fungi Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Boletes are Up! Here is a photo of the boletes I found today (November 22) in my local patch. Phil Carpenter • December 2, 2008 Local Boletes. Photo by Phil Carpenter Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Fair News Fungus Fair 2009 — Better Than Ever! This year’s Fungus Fair was bittersweet. The sweet part was tasty indeed: record attendance, great speakers and exhibits, outstanding volunteers, much-needed funds raised for the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and the Fungus Federation, and, not least of all, well-timed rains producing plenty of mushrooms in an increasingly dry year! Deb • February 2, 2009 Exhibit at the 2009 Fungus Fair. Photo by Hugh Smith Congratulations and thanks to Fair Chair Marje Young and the team for a job well done! Less sweet are the recent fiscal doldrums leading to cutbacks at the museum. It has been our distinct pleasure to work with Jenifer Lienau Thompson and Tremain Jones. They have brought both professionalism and personality to the Fungus Fair, a winning combination. We will miss them and hope we don’t lose touch. We look forward to continued cooperation with the Santa Cruz Museum Association and encourage all of you to help in their efforts to keep the museum open. You can learn more at the museum website. January 13, 2009 Dear Fungus Federation Members, Fungus Fair Great Hall. Photo by Hugh Smith The 35th Annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair was a phenomenal success! 3,452 people attended over two days – a stand-out record! On behalf of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, the City of Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Museum Association, I want to express my sincere thanks for all of the time and effort your group has shared with us this year, and in all the years since the Fair began 35 years ago. Together, our organizations have built a unique Santa Cruz tradition that continues to bring a delightfully fun educational experience to our community, and brings curious visitors into our City. We can all be very proud of this shared accomplishment. Over the 10 years that I have worked for the Museum, it has been my honor and privilege to work with many of you. I want to personally thank the members of the Fair Planning Committee with whom I’ve worked closely over the years: Marje Young, Debbie Johnson, Bill White, Phil Carpenter, Marilyn Fenn, Rene Seltzer, Jim Maley, Mark Gillespie, Lee Yamada and Phyllis Cole. You welcomed me graciously into your fold 10 years ago, and I am grateful for the support you have continually shown me, other staff members, and the Museum of Natural History. That current economic events have brought my formal relationship with the Fungus Federation to an end saddens me greatly. However, given the energy, dedication, and enthusiasm that your members have shown, I have every confidence that the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair will continue to flourish for years to come. Sincerely, Jenifer Lienau Thompson Director, Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Next, our Fair Chair, Marje, has a special message to all of our fantastic volunteers below! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts FFSC 37th Annual Fungus Fair Rocked Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Writings Stories from the April 1, 2009 Issue of Duff FFSC members foraged far to fetch mycological miscellanea for this month's issue of Duff ... Sue Willis • April 2, 2009 Amanitas. Photo by Bob Sellers New Supplement Makes Virtually Every Foray Fruitful! One of the first questions I encounter when identifying a mushroom for beginners is, "Is it edible?" Well, edible or the Latin word edulis means fit to be eaten, and is often used to contrast with unpalatable or poisonous examples. However, edibility is in the mouth of the beholder, because a lot of fungi are edible but not "tasty" (my narrow experiential definition of edible). So herein is the dichotomy, "Yes, the mushrooms are edible, but so is cardboard with leftover pizza sauce" (often more tasty than the fungus my novices are inquiring about). Is it edible? Photo by Bob Sellers This dichotomy is about to change. Handheld Enterprises , a large vitamin and food supplements pro-ducer in Scotts Valley, CA will soon be marketing a capsule that makes nearly every mushroom edible! Called Fungedible ™, this herbal supplement containing the compound sillymarin, derived from silk thistle, will when ingested, make Russulas refreshing, Sarcodons scrumptuous, those jumbo Gymnopilus gustatory (it's about time!), Paxillus prominently palatable, Leucopaxillus lip smackin' good, and Cortinarii comestible. Have you got a favorite patch of Entolomas?Never mind, a couple capsules taken before cooking will render those fruiting bodies extremely enticing to eat. The package insert says to ingest several capsules at least an hour before eating any mushrooms to give the silly-marin time to deaden the user's nervous system and taste buds. However, the supplement is not to be used with hepatotoxic Amanitas and others because it doesn't neutralize mushroom toxins in these species. The FFSC expects to have this supplement in its stores in time for next year's mushroom season. Happy April Fool’s Day! Bob Sellers Minister of Local Forays and longtime toadstool tester Wandering in the Wilderness With(out) Bob! Foray to Snipehunt State Park. Bring a compass and water. Foray leader Bob Sellers will lead a group into, but not out of, this uncharted territory, leaving only a trail of morels as your guide back to the parking lot. Participants on the foray will do their best to ditch you — yes, you! — and pretend they forgot you stepped off the trail for a moment to ... you know. Guaranteed to be fun for those in the know! Meet at the Snipehunt State Park, Futility Trailhead at 10 AM, Wednesday, April 1st. Confirm details before you depart. New Rules for State Parks Starting September 2009, it will be a misdemeanor to leave established trails in state parks, according to new rules established by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Parks Director Ron Sterns says, “when people get off trail, it’s usually an excuse to do bad things, like pick mushrooms and wild berries. This has to stop!” Marks added that, “taking mushrooms and berries from our parks is a bad, bad thing. It’s just plain theft of state park resources.” Every time a mushroom is taken from the park, an animal goes hungry, he claims. Sterns says he is aware of mushroom collecting tricksters who wear binoculars and carry copies of Sierra maga-zine to throw off rangers. “Seen every trick in the book,” says Sterns, “and my binoculars are bigger.” Mushroom Named for New President A mushroom new to science was recently found on the outskirts of Washington DC recently. To honor President Barack Obama, the mushroom will be named Barack obamaensis . The fruiting body has a large cap with evenly spaced gills and sits on a firm stalk. This mushroom which is believed to be mycorrhizal with the common Aprilus foolus tree. Well Known Author to Host Dinner and Mushroom Event David Arora was truly inspired by this year’s remarkable FFSC Fungus Fair. During the two days he spent at the fair, he chatted with old friends, cer-tified the ID of several fungi in the displays, and offered advice to newcomers. In fact, he was so moved that he has invited the entire membership of the FFSC to his home near Gualala this summer. In a letter to CEO Bill White, he expressed his gratitude for the fine accom-plishments of the club. He noted the obvious focus on mushrooms at the fair, and he praised the members of the FFSC for their hospitality. In return, said Arora, “I want to give back to the club that has done so much to engender mushroom education in the Bay Area.” Arora promises a full day of activities, including a tour of his African collections, the famed koi pond, and a personal tour of his 100 acre property. Breaking News During the height of last year’s bolete season, mycologists from UC Berkeley swarmed over David Arora’s property, noting the GPS location of each porcini in its natural habitat. As part of a long term study, every specimen will become part of a scientific study into the growth patterns and locations as the host trees age. We have just learned that a laptop containing this valuable data has been stolen from the Department of Mycological Studies. The alleged thief may not know that the porcini study is on the computer’s hard drive, but we’ve heard on the street that the value of the GPS data is higher than the value of the laptop. Happy April Fools Day, David Rust East Bay Duff Correspondent Book Review: Churning Up the Duff Churning Up the Duff by Debbie Viess, paperback, Nine Speed Press, 2009 Churning up the Duff is a must-read for any mushroom club member in California and beyond. This startling expose, an insiders’ look into the social anthropology of local mushroom clubs, chronicles the voyages of 'Amanitarita' through interviews and stories gathered for nearly a decade. Her analysis of the social mores and culture of key players rivals Gary Alan Fine’s Morel Tales . Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Stories from the April 1, 2010 Issue of Duff Stories from the April 1, 2011 Issue of Duff Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Diesel Fuel From a Fungus? On November 2008, while the media were immersed in the news of a national election, a little-known story was released to the press in Bozeman, Montana. John Muñoz • December 1, 2008 Fungus Fueled FUV. llustration by John Munoz Dr. Gary Strobel from Montana State University released news of a novel fungus that makes diesel compounds directly from cellulose. The fungus has been discovered in the Patagonian rainforest of Southern Chile. Professor Strobel’s paper, published in the November issue of Microbiology , is based on his discovery of the unique properties of the Patagonian fungus Gliocladeum roseum , living in the tissue of the Ulmo tree. G. roseum is an endophyte (a plant that lives between the cells of another plant) that produces a number of different complex molecules made of hydrogen and carbon found in diesel. Strobel calls the fuel produced by the fungus "mycodiesel" and he acknowledges that although G. roseum produces only diesel fumes he and his team will try to identify exactly what is responsible for the production of the hydrocarbon vapors. Scott Strobel, a member of the team, is already attempting to isolate the genes responsible for G. roseum ’s diesel making properties. “If you can identify that, you can hopefully scale it up so you end up with better efficiency of production” said Scott Strobel. Ultimately, scientists in a variety of disci-plines may be able to combine their talents to optimize production and find a way to turn what is essentially a vapor into liquid fuel. Dr. Gary Strobel’s statement about G. roseum pronouncing that “this is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel substances” should be taken with a grain of salt. Fuel termed biodiesel can be processed from algae and research in this process is currently underway. Algae has special appeal because the organism can reproductively double in 24 hours and readily converts sunlight and carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuel. Perhaps we should overlook Dr Srobels excitement and possible hyperbole as he expounds on the wonder and potential of Gliocladeum roseum . It’s quite a story. Equally or more interesting is the story of how Dr. Strobel initially discovered its special properties and the special and beneficial properties of many other endophytes that he and his colleagues have discovered over the years. To learn more: https://www.montana.edu/news/6417/msu-led-team-finds-new-type-of-fuel-in-patagonia-fungus https://www.montana.edu/news/7872/msu-receives-2-million-to-further-study-diesel-producing-south-american-fungus Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Will Mushrooms Make Styrofoam Obsolete? Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News New Mushroom Identification Class As announced this spring, Phil Carpenter has assumed the duties of the Science Advisor for FFSC. One of his duties is to teach identification classes for our newer mushroom hunters who are beginning to learn the fine art of safely identifying edible and toxic mushrooms. Wendy Wells • September 1, 2009 Phil Carpenter examining a specimen Phil has changed the traditional format of the identification classes from a monthly ID class to a series of classes. He is asking interested parties to sign up much the same way that you would sign up for a class in a junior college. That is, you would sign up with the idea that you would com-mit to attend all the classes to get the most out of the course. That will be important, as each class will build upon the knowledge gained in the previous classes. Because of this format, it is not be advisable to just “drop in” on single classes. Classes will still be once a month with two sets of three classes each. The first set will be offered October, November and December. The second set will be offered February, March and April. As in the past, these classes will be held from 7-9 PM on the first Wednesday of the month at the Museum of Natural History in Santa Cruz (the “whale museum”). Therefore, the first classes will be held on October 7, November 4 and December 2 of this year. The second set will be held on February 3, March 3 and April 7 of 2010. In addition, as a culmination of the classes, a field trip (foray) will be held to apply the knowledge gained in the classes. The first foray will be held as part of the collecting effort for the Fungus Fair and will take place on Sunday, January 3, 2010. The second foray will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2010. This is a call to sign up for the classes. The class size is limited to 20 to accommodate the room at the Museum. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Mushroom ID Classes: Fall 2013 Series Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Stewardship Sudden Oak Death — Sensible Measures in the Woods Fungi are finally fruiting, a compelling reason to get out into the woods. Do you think about Sudden Oak Death much, other than to look at the dead trees and think “How sad”? But it’s all around us, and we have responsibilities as users of the forests and as environmentalists. What can we do to prevent spread? Deb • January 1, 2009 Humboldt tanoak mortality (from suddenoakdeath.org) David Rust spoke about Phytopthora ramorum , the fungus causing SOD, at our September meeting. The dismaying news is that it’s virtually endemic in our woodlands, infecting seemingly healthy hosts such as Bay Laurel, a frequently encountered tree in our forests. So what can we do to prevent spread? Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of Sudden Oak Death on oaks and tanoaks and the leaf spot symptoms on California bay laurel, blackberry bushes, fir, chinquapin, fern, maple, manzanita, and other plants. You’ll then be able to avoid or be prepared to recover from heavily infested areas. https://www.suddenoakdeath.org/ If possible, remove all soil from shoes, boots, tires, or other conveyances prior to leaving an infested site. If this is not feasible, stop as soon as possible and wash soil from vehicles. Use Lysol® or a bleach solution to disinfect shoes and boots after cleaning. If you are frequently in and out of infested sites, consider committing footwear for use in that environment only. Remove and clean the footwear before leaving the area. Clean tools in a similar manner. It’s a good idea to change clothes, bagging your old clothes before leaving the site. Wash at home. In all cases make sure that you remove all plant material (needles and leaves) from your body,vehicles, animals, tools, or other containers before leaving the infested site. This is required under State regulations. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article