Jason Raiti Botany-Mycology Graduate Student Pringle Lab | University of Wisconsin–Madison I’m Jason Raiti—a mycologist, educator, and creative technologist. I’m currently pursuing a graduate degree in Botany at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where I study the evolutionary morphology of Amanita spores in the Pringle Lab. My research integrates ecology, phylogenetics, and computational analysis, with a strong focus on science communication and fungal conservation. I also serve as a board member for the Wisconsin Mycological Society, where I run our speaker series. Prior to joining UW–Madison, I served as a board member of the Central Texas Mycological Society, where I led hands-on workshops in low-tech mushroom cultivation and wild-to-agar cloning. My work has included cultivating bioluminescent fungi in Brazil, co-authoring a paper on robotic water sampling for IROS, and contributing to NASA-affiliated robotics projects, including an autonomous lunar rover and a space-trash cleaning robot! I am also passionate about teaching, interdisciplinary collaboration, and finding unexpected intersections between science, technology, and creativity. From developing conservation-themed mobile games to generating mushroom-inspired AI art and poetry, I aim to foster curiosity and accessible engagement with the natural world. Outside of academia, I enjoy doing anything outdoors- hiking, foraging, surfing, climbing, running etc. I also love to play guitar and make any kind of art or poetry. I believe that creativity and science are deeply intertwined, and I strive to bring a sense of wonder and playfulness to everything I do. Botany-Mycology Graduate Student Pringle Lab | University of Wisconsin–Madison 2026 Jason Raiti 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Fungi in Art Through Space and Time A continent-by-continent exploration of the role the fungi have played in art from 10,000 years ago with petroglyphs, to medieval southeast Asian poetry, to… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 8:40 PM - 9:40 PM Room 3 The Mystery of Amanita phalloides A deep dive into the literature in an accessible form, to tell the story of the invasive fungus Amanita phalloides. This is not your… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 8:40 PM - 9:40 PM Room 3

Vellany Pierce Vellany Pierce is the Prime Minister of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz. She grew up in Santa Cruz County and, always having had an interest in fungi, is a self taught mushroom cultivator who currently works at Far West Fungi , propagating mushroom spawn from cultures grown in petri dishes. She serves the Fungus Federation as minister of digital media, helps lead local forays, and has taught cultivation classes with the Fungus Federation for many years. 2026 Vellany Pierce 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Getting Started with Cultivation Saturday, January 10, 2026 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Room 1 An Introduction to Mushroom Cultivation Saturday, January 11, 2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Room 1

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. Trip Activities Similar to the Spring Foray, the Alaska Foray is not a formally organized foray. Consider it a loose group of mushrooming friends (FFSC members) traveling and meeting in Alaska. And it’s fun! Campfire during the 2024 Alaska Foray We arrange this trip when conditions permit. We usually hold it in August or September, the rainiest months on the Kenai Peninsula. This timing coincides with the early silver salmon and sockeye salmon runs up the Kenai River. Thus, this trip offers the potential for great mushroom hunting and also great fishing. There is shopping available in the much larger City of Soldotna, 11.5 miles to the South. Getting There Participants are responsible for their own transportation to Bill White's Alaska Sports Lodge in Sterling Alaska. Air flights are available to Anchorage AK (Alaska) and car rentals are also available there. The distance from Anchorage AK to Sterling AK is 137 miles, about 2.5 hrs by car. Lodging The accommodations at the sports lodge are basic yet comfortable. There are three cabins with bathroom, kitchen, 2 bed loft and down stairs a 2 bed room, not to forget an outside deck. There are also 2 rooms below the lodge which has 2 twin beds. There is shopping available in the much larger City of Soldotna, 11.5 miles to the South. A bonus is the Lodge's processing shed with some dehydrators for fungi, vacuum packing equipment and several freezers for preserving your fish. When & How to Sign Up FFSC members can learn more about this trip and how to sign up below. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Andrew Ratz Field and Lab Technician | University of Minnesota I am fascinated by biogeography and the dynamic ways life shapes its environment; as well as how these environmental conditions, in turn, structure where organisms live and how they move through the world. I am particularly interested in the processes through which biological communities influence abiotic landscapes and the complex spatial patterns that can emerge from these interactions. This passion has led me to work across a range of systems, from aquatic plants and insects to snow algae and soil microbes. I am equally at home in forest plots, fungal forays, running DNA extractions, and analyzing large and messy data. I graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2024 and now work as a field and lab technician. I enjoy both hands-on ecological work and uncovering hidden patterns in big datasets. Outside of research, I spend my time running around the Twin Cities, bouldering, and delving into lengthy fantasy series that take ages to finish. 2026 Andrew Ratz surprised by Chicken of the Woods 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Fungal Sporecasting: From Continental to Local Spore Drifts and Constraints on Fungal Dispersal Fungi are vital ecosystem drivers, along with delectable and wondrous organisms, yet their dispersal via microscopic airborne spores remains a challenge to study. This… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 10:15 PM - 11:15 PM Room 3 Truffles in the Wind: Unexpected Airborne Pathways for Underground Fungi While most mushrooms cast their spores to the wind, truffles have evolved to stay underground. They release strong scents and can mimic berries or… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Room 3

Stephanie S. Jarvis, MSc Director of Mycology R & D | M2 Ingredients Founder | Pacific Truffle Growers Stephanie Jarvis is an interdisciplinary mycologist and executive cultivator with over 20 years of leadership in solid-state fermentation, fungal biotechnology, and ecological restoration. With a Master of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from San Francisco State University, her groundbreaking thesis on the Lycoperdaceae of California included statewide fungal surveys, DNA sequencing, and the discovery of two new species. Stephanie has since built a career at the intersection of applied science and regenerative agriculture. She is the founder of Pacific Truffle Growers, where she leads orchard restoration, truffle DNA diagnostics, and mycorrhizal cultivation strategies across the U.S.A. Her dual background in taxonomy and field management has made her a trusted consultant for landowners, mushroom farms, and food innovators alike. Additionally, Ms. Jarvis is the Director of Mycology for the largest functional mushroom farm in North America, M2 Ingredients, where she spearheads many R&D projects to improve the efficacy of the functional mushroom industry. A recognized authority in functional mushroom cultivation, Stephanie has developed substrate efficiency protocols for species like Hericium erinaceus , Cordyceps militaris , and Ganoderma lucidum , leveraging qPCR and NGS to validate species purity and optimize biological efficiency. Her passion for sustainable systems includes pioneering the reuse of wine industry byproducts for Shiitake and Oyster mushroom cultivation. Beyond the lab and field, Stephanie is an award-winning educator, keynote speaker, and lifelong mentor. She has led university biology clubs, authored public-facing educational programs, and served as an advisor to the North American Truffle Growers Association. Certified as both an arborist and fermentation specialist, she brings rare fluency in science, soil, and storytelling — cultivating not only fungi but futures. 2026 Stephanie Jarvis in Spain with Tuber melanosporum 2018 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Truffles: The Egos, Ecology, and Economics of Cultivating and Hunting Nature’s Nuggets of Gold Because these fungi are far more than gourmet ingredients — they’re ecological power players, political lightning rods, and the ultimate test of patience for… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 7:05 PM - 8:05 PM Room 3

Morgan Yacullo Lead Curator, Ken Norris Center for Natural History Morgan Yacullo is a recent Environmental Studies graduate from UC Santa Cruz, where she spent much of her time crawling along the forest floor, photographing the slimy, minuscule marvels of the natural world. Serving as a Lead Curator at the Ken Norris Center for Natural History, she managed the fungarium, led a course on fungal identification, assisted in Christian Schwarz’s Natural History of Fungi course, led numerous field walks, and spent countless hours behind the microscope. She has participated in fungal surveys across diverse California ecosystems—from burn scars to islands and caves—documenting the remarkable variety of fungal life. Alongside academic work, Morgan is a photographer whose practice explores ecological and social resilience through the lens of decomposition. 2026 Morgan Yacullo 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets

Hugh Smith There's a whole world out there waiting to be discovered! FFSC TITLE : Minister emeritus MEMBER SINCE : maybe 2007 ... started out as a child... growing up in the tide pools of the Pacific coast with my marine biologist mother. Since before he could remember, Hugh acquired an intense interest in all of the wonders that nature has to offer. Latin became his second language. Later Hugh became interested in photography, and then his brother took him on his first mushroom hunt in Fort Bragg, California. It was a very successful mushroom hunt! It was a full blown Boletus edulis season. Hugh had never seen a mushroom so big! And there were so many. Being already accustomed to the Macro world he was hooked. Photographing mushrooms is much easier than photographing Nudibranchs in the tide pools. Living in Northern California (Yuba City) he does most of the hunting there and the Pacific Coast. Hugh carries his camera everywhere he goes. There's a whole world out there waiting to be discovered! https://www.hughsmith.org/ 2026 Hugh Smith 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets

Toni with a baked dish Food & Fun From tailgate tastings and potlucks to chef dinners, our foodie fun events are scattered throughout the year. Is it a coincidence that "FFSC" also stands for F un and F ood in S anta C ruz ? (Yes, but we'll take it!) We get together for tailgate tastings, potluck* dinners, and sit-down dinners; as well as demonstration-style cooking programs. Organized foodie fun events are scattered throughout the year. Some recurring favorites are listed below, and we announce others on a case-by-case basis. Not sure what to bring to a mushroom potluck? Explore some of our members' recipes for inspiration! Also see our tips on how to clean and store mushrooms , from drying to salt-preserving to freezing and more. * For all FFSC potlucks, any wild mushroom dish must adhere to the species list for potlucks, serve at least 10 people, and be labeled with a descriptive tag. See our Potluck Essentials page for details. Popular FFSC Culinary Events Learn more about some of our most popular culinary events below, and see the schedule lower on this page for a schedule of upcoming culinary events. Wine & Mushroom Event Our annual Wine & Mushroom Fest is a phenomenal early Spring evening of sampling wonderful wines and fabulous homemade food. This member-only event is always fantastic and is the highlight of our culinary activities. Event Overview Fermentation Friday workshop Shane Peterson, Master Fermentologist of Farmhouse Culture fame, will be our fearless leader. He’ll do a demo, share tastings, and instruct us in creating a few of our own ferments to take home. Join us and bring a friend ! Friday, May 1 5:30pm-8:30pm Register at the link below. FFSC members should login to get the access code to buy tickets at the member price. Event Overview Beer and Mushrooms Picnic As our stories turn to morel hunts and spring kings, we gather for a co-op potluck picnic with the Central Coast Zymurgeeks , a local homebrew group. (Wouldn't you go just to say you had MET a "Zymurgeek"??) Event Overview 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. Event Overview Members Holiday Potluck A Festive Gathering for Members and Their Guests Spend a delicious evening in the company of the great cooks of the FFSC at our annual members' Holiday Potluck! Event Overview Santa Cruz Fungus Fair After Hours Dinner On opening night of the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair each January, we indulge in a multi-course prix fixe meal crafted by a celebrity chef. Event Overview Foray Potlucks After a day of foraging in Mendocino, Tahoe, and farther afield, create an amazing gourmet potluck feast as you share tales of the hunt around a warm campfire. Event Overview 1 day to the event Dinner with Speaker | Dean Lyons May 19, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Special Noodle - Time honored dishes wit, 415 Ocean St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Get to know this month's speaker over a sit-down meal with a smaller group. RSVP Scheduled Culinary Socials Past Culinary Socials RSVP Closed Sat, May 16 2026 Beer and Mushrooms Picnic / Details Prepare to enjoy a fun-filled day with a bunch of Fungiphiles and Zymurgeeks! Our spring picnic is coming up, and you won’t want to miss it. Fri, May 01 May 2026 Fermentation Workshop / Learn more Shane Peterson, Master Fermentologist of Farmhouse Culture fame, will be our fearless leader. He’ll do a demo, share tastings, and instruct us in creating a few of our own ferments to take home. Join us and bring a friend ! Attendance is limited so advanced tickets will be required. Tue, Apr 14 April 2026 Ministers Meeting and potluck / Learn more The ministers meeting and potluck is where we discuss club business and plan for upcoming events. All are welcome and encouraged to join in! Load More

Phil Carpenter FFSC Science Advisor Dr. Phil Carpenter has been a member of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz (CA) (FFSC) since the club was founded in 1984. He has been very active in the FFSC since joining, acting as President for many years as well as several other offices, including Minister of Science for many years. He is also currently a Regional Trustee for the North American Mushroom Association (NAMA). Phil has conducted mushroom identification classes for FFSC members for over ten years. In addition, he has taught mushroom foraging and identification at the University of California, Santa Cruz for over 25 years; for local park districts; for private resorts; for food events such as the Masters of Food and Wine and the Gourmet Fest in nearby Carmel; and for private parties. He heads up the mushroom identification service provided at the well-known and highly-attended annual Fungus Fair presented by the FFSC. He has been and continues to be a resource of mushroom identification for monthly FFSC meetings and periodic local and long distance forays. He provides identification and consulting for mushroom poisonings for hospitals and veterinarians. Phil was the 2023 recipient of the Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award given by the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) in recognition of his many years of distinguished service to the mycology community. 2026 Dr. Phil Carpenter 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Introduction to Mushroom Identification Saturday, January 10, 2026 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM Room 1 Introduction to Mushroom Identification Saturday, January 10, 2026 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM Room 1 Question And Answer Session about Identifying and Cooking Wild Mushrooms Sunday, January 11, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Room 1 An Introduction to Mushroom Identification Saturday, January 11, 2025 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM Room 1 An Introduction to Mushroom Identification Sunday, January 12, 2025 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM Room 1 An Introduction to Mushroom Identification Sunday, January 12, 2025 10:30 PM - 11:30 PM Room 1

Foray Potlucks After a day of foraging in Mendocino, Tahoe, and farther afield, create an amazing gourmet potluck feast as you share tales of the hunt around a warm campfire. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Christian Schwarz Research Associate | UCSC Christian Schwarz is a naturalist based in California, the land of milk (caps) and honey (mushrooms). He teaches Natural History of Fungi at UC Santa Cruz and is co-author of " Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast ”" and " Mushrooms of Cascadia ". Fungi satisfy his curiosity with their seemingly endless forms; from the grotesque to the bizarre to the sublime. Besides dabbling in mushroom taxonomy, he loves fish, plants, nudibranchs, moths, and dragonflies. He is passionate about community science, especially through the use of iNaturalist. He is a Research Associate at the Norris Center for Natural History at UCSC as well as the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. 2026 Christian Schwarz 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets The Underground Internet, 30 Years Later By now, almost everyone's heard of "Wood Wide Webs" — invisible forest networks through which trees, fungi, and other organisms communicate and exchange resources.… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Room 3 Sea Islands, Sky Islands, and Dry Islands: the Biogeography of Macrofungi Making maps of the distributions of organisms is one of the most fascinating topics in all of natural history. The theory of island biogeography… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 7:05 PM - 8:05 PM Room 3 Fungi of New Zealand The Ecology of a Young Land Aotearoa — the land more commonly known as New Zealand is young in many ways: In recent geologic history, it nearly drowned after splitting… Show More Saturday, January 11, 2025 7:15 PM - 8:15 PM Room 3 Two Years of the California Fungal Diversity Study What Have We Learned Over the past two years, the CA FUNDIS organization has undertaken a remarkable effort to get to know the mushrooms of California more deeply.… Show More Monday, January 13, 2025 12:30 AM - 1:30 AM Room 3

Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D., L.Ac Faculty, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D., L.Ac. is a fourth generation, internationally known herbalist and mycologist, licensed acupuncturist, herbal clinician, research scientist, consultant to the dietary supplement industry, expert witness, botanist, public speaker, and author of over 20 books and numerous articles with over 40 years of experience. He is the author of the recent book “ Christopher Hobbs’s Medicinal Mushrooms, the Essential Guide ,” with German and English editions. He earned his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley with research and publication in evolutionary biology, biogeography, phylogenetics, the chemistry of plants and fungi, and ethnobotany. Now faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. christopherhobbs.com Home - Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D. DR. CHRISTOPHER HOBBS is a fourth-generation, internationally renowned herbalist, licensed acupuncturist, author, clinician, botanist, mycologist, and 2026 Christopher Hobbs 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets The Magic Mushroom Talk Psilocybin mushrooms are renowned as spiritual guides and tools for dissolving the ego, helping to overcome trauma, limiting beliefs, and mental blocks and clinical… Show More Saturday, January 11, 2025 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Room 3 Magic Mushroom Microdosing Magic mushroom microdosing is gaining global attention, with growing scientific research and personal testimonials highlighting its benefits for cognitive health, brain plasticity, neurogenesis, and… Show More Sunday, January 12, 2025 7:15 PM - 8:15 PM Room 3