News & Stories / Mycology & Art News Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada, 2014 (Cancelled) Once again, Dennis Desjardin and San Francisco State University will be offering their week-long class at the SFSU Sierra Field Station. Students will be introduced to the different kinds of mushrooms and other large fungi that occur in the spring in the Sierra Nevada. Cortinarius • March 30, 2014 Photo by Brian Perry, hosted on the sierra.sfsu.edu website Updated March 9, 2014: Sorry, this class is cancelled due to dry conditions. Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of macro- and micromorphological features, as well as ecological roles, to aid in the identification of taxa. The daily class routine consists of an 8:00-10:00 am lecture followed by a field trip until approx. 3:00 pm. Transportation on the field trips will be by car pooling. Upon return to the camp, collections will be examined and identified in the laboratory (3:30-6:00 pm) in collaboration with the instructor and a knowledgeable graduate student assistant. All equipment, microscope slides, cover slips and reagents required for accurate determination of specimens will be provided. In the evenings, several lectures and slide shows will be presented, and the laboratory will be open for additional work on collections. If sufficient quantities of edible fungi are collected, they will be prepared for consumption and served to the class by the camp's chef. Class runs June 1-6, 2014. Tuition is $348 with additional costs for room and board. For further information on the class, visit the San Francisco State University website. Spaces are available as of April 12, but don't delay too long. This class always fills up! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Microscopy of Gilled Mushrooms Mycology & Art News Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Support FFSC Website Accessibility Efforts An accessible website allows visitors with disabilities to browse the site with the same or a similar level of ease and enjoyment as other visitors. To make this website accessible, we rely on the capabilities of the system on which the site is operating, tools which help us determine where the site might not be compliant, and our evolving understanding of WCAG guidelines. Accessibility Adjustments on this Website When building this website, we have: Used various tools to determine font size and color contrast ratios for text and neighboring elements. Used our web platform's Accessibility Wizard to find and fix potential accessibility issues Set the language of the site to US Attempted to maintain consistent heading structures on all of the site’s pages Implemented text and background color combinations that meet the required color contrast in WCAG 2.1 guidelines, to at least a level of AA. In 2025 we will also be working to: Set the content order of the site’s pages Add alternative text to images Make videos and audio files on the site accessible (e.g., with audio transcripts available) Avoid looping motion effects Prevent videos from playing automatically when our system permits it, and/or allow users to stop video effects Test the website with assistive technologies such as screen readers and keyboards Areas of Partial Compliance with the Standard The accessibility of certain pages on the site may vary, depending on two main factors: We sometimes use applications that belong to external platforms (ticketing, shopping, video, etc.) which own and manage their own user interfaces, and we have no direct control over certain features. We are a volunteer-run organization. Over time, some volunteers who contribute content to this website might not consistently follow the standards. We don't always have volunteers available to fix such content in a timely manner. (If you're an FFSC member with expertise in website accessibility, and you're interested in volunteering to assist with such maintenance, please let us know!) Requests, Issues and Suggestions If you are personally affected by an accessibility issue on this website, or if you need further assistance, you are welcome to contact our website volunteers via any of the methods on our Contact FFSC page, or come to one of our Minister Meetings to chat in person. We'll do our best to address or mitigate such issues. FFSC Accessibility Statement This statement was last updated on August 12, 2025. We at the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz are working to making the ffsc.us website accessible to people with disabilities.

Other Mycological Clubs Looking for a club closer to you? Here's some intel about a few of the clubs in the greater Bay Area, and the North American Mycological Association, our national organization. Or just visit them all to see what they have to offer! Spore print on aluminum foil NAMA Wants You! And when you learn a bit about the North American Mycological Association (NAMA), the feeling will be mutual. NAMA is a non-profit organization of professional and amateur mycologists with affiliated mycological societies in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Why join NAMA? Expand your mushrooming purview beyond the Central Coast Increase your knowledge through NAMA's newsletter, The Mycophile , and peer-reviewed journal, McIlvainea Attend annual conferences with forays and lectures by professional mycologists Are you a teacher? Gain access to well-planned teaching kits and educational content for K-12 grade levels The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz is an affiliated club, which allows our members to join NAMA at a reduced rate. Further information about joining can be found at namyco.org/join . If you have questions about NAMA, you can chat with Phil Carpenter at any of our events. Phil is a science advisors on our FFSC Ministers board, and our club's current NAMA representative. California Mycological Organizations Bay Area Mycological Society The Art and Science of Mushrooms Humboldt Bay Mycological Society Since 1978, HBMS has welcomed thousands of members. Los Angeles Mycological Society LAMS is a non-profit group whose purpose is to foster and expand the understanding and appreciation of mycology. Mycological Society of San Francisco The Mycological Society of San Francisco was founded in 1950 to promote the understanding and enjoyment of mushrooms and other fungi. Peninsula Mycological Circle Mycological Facebook Group dedicated to individuals and families on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay, who are interested in mushrooms. Mycological Society of Marin County A community organization for all things fungal. The pursuit of culinary mushrooms. Identification, education and foraging fun with lectures and forays. Sacramento Area Mushroomers Welcome all who are interested in things fungal -- beginners, amateurs, professionals, artists. San Diego Mycological Society Educate and disseminate scientific information about mycology, the study of fungi. Sonoma County Mycological Association The Sonoma County Mycological Association (SOMA) is dedicated to learning about local mushrooms and fungi, supporting mycological research through scholarships and educating the public about the vast and diverse world of fungi. Looking for more? Check out NAMA's fill list of affiliated clubs . Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Intro to Dyeing with Mushroom Pigments Go out and find some fungi! Many mushrooms don’t give much color, and those that do aren’t necessarily the color of the fungus itself, but quite a few are very obliging. Pigment dye patterns at the 51st Santa Cruz Fungus Fair (cropped). Photo by Hugh Smith At the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair , we often use Dyer’s Polypore ( Phaeolus schweinitzii ) and Dead Man’s Foot ( Pisolithus arhizus ). Equipment Small garage sale saucepan and stirrer not to be used for food in the future. Mark with tape! Some mushrooms used for dye are harmful to eat, so you don’t want to contaminate your cookware. Dried fungi Whatever you’d like to dye. Best results are obtained with protein fibers such as wool and silk, prewashed. Linen and cotton will also dye, but colors are far paler and many more mushrooms are needed. Use equal weight of dried mushrooms to wool or silk fiber. Method Simmer dried mushroom weight equal to your goods in a pint or so of water for ½ - 1 hour. (Fresh fungi are a guess, so try a mound equal to or greater than your pile of fiber.) Meanwhile, soak your fibers in warm water. Add to them to the dye bath and gently simmer for an additional ½ - 1 hour, adding water as needed. No need to strain out the mushrooms for a simple test batch. Rinse thoroughly in warm water and hang to dry. You can leave it in the dye bath overnight for deeper color. Have fun and be ready for surprises! Find more resources and tips on our Mushroom Dye Resources page. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Field Reports Field Report - 2021 NAMA Foray Grandby CO I was fortunate to be able to attend the annual North American Mycological Association (NAMA) foray that was held at a beautiful YMCA camp just outside of Granby, Colorado from August 12th through the 15th. This camp is located in the traditional summer residential valley of several native American tribes, the Utes, Arapahoe, and Cheyenne among others. Phil Carpenter • October 28, 2021 NAMA Logo For those unfamiliar with this NAMA event, it is held at a different location every year, always selected for a time and place where mushrooms are, or at least should be, coming up. This year, contrary to several past years, the selected location had extensive mushrooms, that is if you were over 10,000’ in elevation. The seasonal monsoon conditions favored several southwestern states this year, including Colorado, at least over 10,000’. Every afternoon we were treated to those showy cumulonimbus clouds rolling in accompanied by thunder and lightning. Our last night there we even had a prolonged shower at the camp. It was good to see rain again! This annual foray is a great experience to visit other parts of North America to meet like-minded people and see the mushrooms of that area. Many forays are always held, a full team of sorters and identification experts is on-hand to put names on things and each year, examples of all the mushrooms found are described and vouchered. This year the foray was attended by over 250 people, many that were friends that I’ve made over several past forays. It was great to reacquaint with old friends and make some new ones. Just like our local forays, attendees to the NAMA forays are friendly, easy to talk to and pleasant to be around. For me, the draw for these forays is always the mushrooms. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the wide variety of different mushrooms in different parts of the world. As such, I went out on every opportunity there was to sign up. There were daily all day and four to six half day trips each day so there was ample opportunity to visit different habitats. It is always pleasing and somewhat surprising how many things I recognize. I typically recognize most things I see at least to genus. Even things that appear to be a species I recognize, I am unwilling to try to put a species name on them. I’ve been wrong too many times. Many familiar genera were found: Amanita, Russula, Lactarius, Hebaloma, Suillus, Hygrophorus, Albatrellus, Leccinum, many Cortinarius, etc. A total of just over 150 species were identified and vouchered. While the tables holding the finds from each foray were sagging under the numbers found, many were repeats. The most collected species for the trip was the familiar Amanita muscaria (variety flavivolvata). I had heard reports that a species I was looking forward to finding was abundant this year: the famed red-capped porcini of the Rockies, Boletus rubriceps . And yes it was. They were big, beautiful, bountiful and bug-free (for the most part). I estimate that I picked over 20 pounds. After the foray, I met my cousin who lives fairly close so I was able to donate them to his dwindling stash of dried boletes. I've been told that that species is the best tasting of all the different porcini species. After having them several different ways, I can report that I found them no better or no worse than our local king boletes. In other words, delicious! As the NAMA Trustee for the Central Pacific Region, liaison to NAMA for 12 local clubs, I attended the board meeting where the business of running a national organization was conducted. In many ways it is quite the same as what I've been part of for the FFSC for the past 35+ years. One decision made at that meeting is that the location for next year's foray will be in the Missouri hills. In addition to the numerous collecting trips at the foray, there is always a variety of excellent presentations available to attend every day. Every evening there are several talks given to the entire assembly of attendees. One of the more interesting ones I heard was a talk on burn morels. As someone who makes several trips every year to our burn sites in CA, I was curious to see what he had to say. Instead of just driving up to a burn area to scope it out, he presented ways of using current technology to do scouting from a distance. He used burn maps, topo maps to judge steepness and orientation (north-facing slopes versus south, etc.), aerial photography to judge canopy cover, rainfall maps to judge moisture content and timing, and other maps to judge access roads. This guy had it down to a science! He showed the anticipated pictures of mountains of morels and even one that he took of someone's haul that had been confiscated by the authorities for some reason. He ended the talk with the statement that he can't eat morels. That brought down the house. As I have had in the past, I had a great time, learned a few new species and renewed some friendships. I'm looking forward to Missouri. You should consider joining me!! If you're an FFSC member, you can get a club discount on your NAMA membership. Visit Other Mycological Clubs for details. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts My Adventures in Telluride Colorado Field Reports Phil Carpenter receives Knighton Award at Appalachia NAMA 2023 Stewardship Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Stewardship Salt Point State Park Closed to Mushroom Gathering Mushroom collecting has been suspended until the rains come. Katherine (Kitty) Elvin • September 27, 2015 Slime mold (Salt Point). Photo by Katherine Elvin Due to the ongoing drought, the lead biologist at https://www.saltpoint.org/ has determined that tromping through the woods could be permanently destructive. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Jackson Demonstration State Forest Permit Changes Stewardship Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports November 2014 Habitat Walk A great group of people attended the Habitat Walk this last Saturday. These hearty mushroom enthusiasts were greeted with early rain, muddy conditions… Cass Fuentes • December 1, 2014 Soggy participants of the Habitat Walk Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Habitat Walk Summary - 2013 Field Reports Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News Could a Stropharia Filter E. Coli Bacteria From Drinking Water? Paul Stamets has had his ear to the ground when it comes to the role of fungi in bioremediation. Cortinarius • June 3, 2014 Stropharia. Photo by Katherine Elvin Stamets' book, Mycelium Running , published in 2005, made a case for the use of fungi to reduce both bacterial and chemical contamination of runoff water. Now it looks like folks are taking note. After a 2012 research grant from the EPA to study mycofiltration, Stamets has been conducting more testing. Several fungi were studied for their ability to filter out E. coli , a bacteria found in human and animal feces. The results imply a delicious mushroom might consume something…well… not so pleasant, reducing it in runoff water by 20%. To read more, visit: https://truthout.org/articles/portlands-e-coli-scare-how-mushrooms-could-have-helped-prevent-it/ Editor's Note: The photograph of a Stropharia on this page is not the specific mushroom Stamets has studied for mycofiltration. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Algae and Fungi Team Up--and They're Lichen It... Mycology & Art News Will Mushrooms Make Styrofoam Obsolete? Mycology & Art News Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Boletus edulis (Jan 2016). Photo by Jonathan O'Bergin New Years Boletus Edulis Jonathan O'Bergin First light is the time to get lucky. B. edulis in January? Camera Nikon COOLPIX S4000 Focal L. 5mm Aperture f/3.2 Shutter Sp. 1/300s ISO 160 Flash Off Photo taken on January 2, 2016 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Candy Cap & Sage Pork Tenderloin This savory Candy Cap dish delighted members at one of our long-distance foray dinners. ... Candy caps. Photo by Hugh Smith This savory Candy Cap recipe is the creation of Bernard Glim. It was served at one of our epic El Dorado Long-Distance Foray potlucks to great acclaim. Objective: Main Course Total Time: 1 hour Yield: 6-8 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Lactarius rubidus (candy cap) Ingredients 2 lbs. pork tenderloin 2 - 3 Tbl dried, finely chopped candy caps 2 Tbl finely chopped fresh sage Salt & freshly ground black pepper 4 Tbl butter 2 - 3 Tbl Dijon mustard 1 1/2 c heavy cream Baby red or white potatoes (garnish) Parsley (garnish) Method Meat Directions Rub the tenderloins with salt and pepper.  Mix the candy caps and sage, and apply as a dry rub all over the tenderloins. Melt butter in a large skillet (with lid for later use). Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until deeply and evenly browned. Reduce heat to low, cover skillet and simmer for about 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Center of tenderloin should reach 145°. Transfer meat to a warmed serving dish and keep warm while finishing the sauce. Sauce Directions Stir the mustard into the pan juices. Pour in the cream to deglaze the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until hot but not boiling. Serving Suggestion Carve meat into serving pieces. Arrange some boiled and halved baby red or white potatoes around meat. Pour part of sauce over tenderloin slices and potatoes; garnish with parsley. The remaining sauce can be served in a gravy boat. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Reports Collecting Conditions in Mendocino at ACCF 2014 I went to the All California Clubs Foray (ACCF) in Albion last weekend. We actually found an amazingly large number of mushrooms so the myco-geeks were thrilled. Edibles? - only a few chanterelles, hedgehogs and winter chanterelles. Phil Carpenter • February 27, 2014 Fomitopsis pinicola. © Ember Erebus (from mushroomobserver.org) I just wanted to let you all know that it is my opinion that the right decision was made to cancel Albion II. All of the "usual" places were dry, dry, dry and essentially devoid of fungi. We all sought out the deepest canyons that never saw the sun to find damp spots to collect. Even then, things were sparse (especially edibles). With a lot of people gathering and spending the time, we had plenty of diversity and things to discuss. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the excellent mycologists present to continue my education. It was a good call to bring this subject up for a vote, Wendy! I agree that our group would have been disappointed. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Report from the Mendocino Coast Field Reports 2018 December Albion Foray Species List Field Reports Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Why Join FFSC? Perhaps you’ve gone out on your first foray with a friend, came back with a basket of exquisite mushrooms, and now you’ve caught the myco-bug! Where do you go from there? Andrea and Jeanne at an FFSC Members table. Photo by Vellany Pierce Maybe you learned bit about mushrooming by coming to the Fungus Fair and then studying on your own? And you’ve attended a few of our Monthly Speaker meetings and you're ready to get more involved? Why not Join FFSC? It's only $25/year, per household ! Join FFSC Now Join Our Forays and Explore the Outdoors Nothing compares with learning in the field from experienced collectors. Our foray leaders plan many outings from September to May, depending on what's growing each season. We offer free and discounted Local Forays (one-day outings) for members. Some forays are also opened to non-members if space permits. Plus, we offer reasonably priced Long Distance Forays (weekend or week-long trips) to the Sierras and North Coast for members only. Learn in the field, explore different habitats, and get out in the woods and hills with like-minded people! For the Food and Fun! We love cooking with mushrooms as much as we love finding them, and our Food and Fun (culinary) events and recipes are proof positive. We like to meet new people and have fun, so come get to know us! Formal dinners and free or low-cost potlucks are scattered throughout the year. Some are for FFSC members and their guests only; others are open to the public. Expand Your Knowledge Take it up a notch and gain a lot more knowledge by learning from and alongside a group of experienced foragers, mycologists, and mycophages! Classes and Workshops: Take your knowledge to the next level. Beginning and Intermediate mushroom ID classes are offered to FFSC members at a low cost. (Or if you're pretty knowledgeable already, help teach some classes!) Field Reports: We find more than morels when we hunt! We've collected lists of what types of mushrooms we've identified in specific areas during past forays. Field reports can only be viewed by FFSC members. Stay Connected : Connect with other members in FFSC's private discussion groups. Read about what others are finding, share photos, and get early information about upcoming forays and more. NAMA membership discount : As an FFSC member, you're eligible to join the North American Mycological Association at the Member of Affiliated Club price. FFSC Membership FAQ What is the Membership Price? A single Household Membership only costs $25/year per household. Who qualifies as a member in my household? We usually consider a "household" to include up to 2 adults (18+ years) plus minor children (under 18 years) living at the same address. Each of those individuals qualifies as an FFSC member. The single $25 annual subscription covers all of them. (They do not need to purchase separate memberships.) Each individual can participate in members-only events. Each individual is eligible for member prices/discounts (when offered). Limitation : Currently, only the primary account holder (the login associated with the membership subscription) can access members-only content and checkout as a member on this website. You are welcome to list the other members of your household in your account, so that we can look them up to confirm their membership status at events. How does the membership renewal work? You can pay for one year at a time, or choose the subscription option so that your membership automatically renews each year. The price is the same in both cases. If you choose the subscription (automatic renewal) option: Your membership starts (or renews) as of the date of payment. Your membership is processed as a subscription, and it will renew automatically every year. You'll receive an email reminder each year, a few days before the renewal. You can cancel your upcoming (next) renewal at any time from your Account. If you cancel, your current membership will still remain active until the expiration date, as long as you still have an account. If you delete your account, your membership records will be deleted as well, and will not be recoverable. What if I join during the off-season? Most FFSC activities are held during California's wild mushroom season from September to May. Membership dues are not pro-rated for members joining late in the mushroom season, because your membership will remain active through the same date the following season. You'll get the same amount of benefit per dollar regardless of when you join. Should I renew before my membership expires? If you renew early, the fee won't be pro-rated . Each year of membership begins on the date of payment, and expires a year later If you choose the subscription (auto-renewing) option, your membership will renew automatically on the stated expiration date. Just allow it to renew. (If the payment fails, you'll receive an email at your registered email address, so you can fix it.) If you choose the 1-year option, the system will send an email reminder when your membership expiration date approaches. You can login on or after the expiration date to pay for another year. Your new membership will expire 1 year from the latest date of payment. What are my membership fees and other fees used for? FFSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Learn more about what our fees are used for on our FFSC Financials page. Why does FFSC use PayPal as the payment processor? All of the different online systems and vendors that we use (such as this website, our domain host, Ticket Tailor, and others) support PayPal, and some include PayPal integrations. More Funds for Giving: The fact that the PayPal support is already built-in means FFSC can allocate more funds to cover scholarships, monthly speakers, etc. If we used an unsupported payment processor or multiple processors, then we would need to reallocate those funds to manage more systems. Less Complexity for FFSC Volunteers : Some of our online systems provide support for other payment processing options as well. However, PayPal is the only processor they all have in common . By using fewer payment processors, we reduce complexity (and save time) for the generous volunteer who reconciles financial reports across all our systems. Plus, our many event volunteers only need to learn one type of card reader and system, which helps us complete transactions more smoothly for participants. We re-evaluate the latest payment processing options and cross-platform integrations options periodically. If the situation changes, we'll adapt accordingly. Join FFSC Now Not Ready to Become an FFSC Member? You can still learn and get to know us! Amanita muscaria at the Fungus Fair, by Linda Williams The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair: The general public can explore a re-created wild mushroom habitat, learn from experts, and sample culinary delights at our biggest event, the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair , held over three days each January in Santa Cruz. Local Forays: Non-members are welcome to participate in some of our local forays without a member discount, when space permits. Monthly Speakers and Social Hour : Connect with others, learn from presentations by informative and renowned mycologists, and get your fungi finds properly identified at our Monthly Speakers events. Non-members are welcome to stop by to see what we're all about, but may not vote on business topics. Join our Google Group and Public Social Media : We're on social media and iNaturalist, plus we have a moderated mailing list. Visit our Contact FFSC page to learn more. Books and More: Carefully selected field guides, books, posters and other mushroom-related products are available for purchase at some club events and at the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair. We also provide free resources on this website, such as information about local mushrooms. Have fun, learn and be safe! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC