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News & Stories / Stewardship Notes from the Outgoing CEO To the truly wonderful membership of the FFSC: This is my last article as CEO of the Fungus Federation. In my two-year term it has been a privilege to work with such a dedicated group of people. Deb • May 1, 2001 Debbie Johnson, CEO The ministers have put much time, effort and inspiration into their own duties as well as assisting one another, and I thank them all heartily. They made my job an easy one, and without that unique bunch of humans it wouldn't have been half as much fun! My appreciation also goes out to the members who contributed so much to our many events, taking care of tasks large and small. We couldn't do it without you! Our Culinary Committee has improved and expanded our food-related events and coordinated with restaurants for special dinners. ID classes and local forays continue to further our knowledge of fungi. The FFSC has established a website and is working on functional improvements. Groundwork is being laid to have the Duff posted on our website to eliminate postal delays, and an e-mail list will facilitate communication. Please keep Andrea Webster, Minister of Membership, apprised of your current e-mail address. Elections will be held at the general meeting on May 16. Ministers are elected for a two-year term. The proposed slate of officers is listed below, and any member in good standing may add their name to the ballot for all positions but that of CEO, which requires prior Ministry experience. Should you wish to add your name to the slate, please contact me before May 8. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts From the Incoming CEO, 2001 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

So Long Without Rain. (YWI 16th Annual). Photo by Hugh Smith So Long Without Rain... Hugh Smith So long without rain Mushrooms poking their heads up Soon become crispy! 2014 had been the driest year on record for Santa Cruz, having received only 1.3 inches so far that season of our average 11 inches to date... Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on January 5, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

News & Stories / Field Reports Field Report on January 2015 Local Foray We had a great foray last Saturday on our foray! A big thanks to the all the great folks who participated! Cass Fuentes • January 5, 2015 Craterellus cornucopioides (from another foray). Photo by Hugh Smith Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2015 January Local Foray Wrap Up Field Reports Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

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. Christian Schwarz Upcoming Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Kicking and Screaming: Dragging Mycology into the 21st Century with the Help of Citizen Scientists (aka YOU) Friday, January 11, 2013 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Room 1 Tales from the Cryptogams - Twelve Alternative Lifestyles from the Kingdom Fungi. Beware! Sex, Death and Insanity lie ahead Saturday, January 12, 2013 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Room 1 Mycology for the Citizen Scientist Saturday, January 11, 2014 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Room 1 Meet the authors of "Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast" Friday, January 13, 2017 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Room 3 Slaying the dragon for the love of the forest A vision for phasing out draconian anti-mushroom forgaging laws Saturday, January 14, 2017 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Room 3 The value of old growth forest in fungal conservation Saturday, January 13, 2018 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Room 3 Tales From The Cryptograms: Alternative Lifestyles In The Kingdom of Fungi Saturday, January 13, 2018 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Civilizations' Ten Most Dangerous Fungi Saturday, January 12, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Longevity The life history of Medicinal Polypores Sunday, January 13, 2019 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Room 3 The Most Dangerous Fungi in the World A Mycological Study in Risk Assessment in a world that is rapidly changing. Saturday, January 11, 2020 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Room 3 What’s new in the mushrooming world of; taxonomy, ecology and citizen science. Learn about new species of boletes, hallucinogenic cicadas, matsutake taxonomy and discoveries of East coast mushrooms spreading into California. / Neurogenesis from Psilocybin and… Show More Sunday, January 12, 2020 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Room 3 The World's Most Dangerous Fungi Sunday, January 12, 2020 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Room 1 Mushrooms of Sea Islands, Sky Islands, & Dry Islands The theory of island biogeography serves as an ideal starting point in understanding broader patterns of dispersal, extinction, and adaptation. Friday, January 12, 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Room 3 Mushroom Bioregions of The United States In this talk, we'll explore broad bioregions of the United States from the perspective of mushrooms (which sometimes align with bioregions of plants and… Show More Saturday, January 13, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 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 11:15 AM - 12:15 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 Sunday, January 12, 2025 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Room 3 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 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM 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 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM Room 3 Past Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks 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 serves as an ideal starting point in understanding broader patterns of dispersal, extinction, and adaptation. How do fungi behave in comparison to other groups of organisms? In what ways do island-dwelling individuals differ from their mainland brethren? We'll explore all these topics and more! Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 11, 2026 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM Room 3 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. This concept has been covered extensively in mainstream news and popular science outlets, and has even made its way into movies and fiction! But where did this idea come from? What do we actually know about how it works? We'll talk about the history of the metaphor, take a look at the existing body of research, examine recent challenges to the idea from modern findings, and think about what directions future investigations might need to take. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 10, 2026 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM 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. We’ll talk about the results of this effort by reviewing some of some of the discoveries made by this dedicated crew, and talk about how this non-profit organization has accomplished so much in such a short time. We’ll end by discussing how you can help support us, or even get involved directly. You’ll come away with a sneak peek at some cutting-edge knowledge about the mushrooms in our amazing state. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 12, 2025 4:30 PM - 5:30 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 off from the Australian continent, and it was the last bit of Earth’s land to be inhabited by human beings. This island nation is a wild and wondrous place — very different from anything familiar to a resident of the Northern Hemisphere. We’ll talk about the holistic ecology of the place, using fungi as a lens to understand the bigger picture. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 11, 2025 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Room 3 Mushroom Bioregions of The United States In this talk, we'll explore broad bioregions of the United States from the perspective of mushrooms (which sometimes align with bioregions of plants and animals... but not always!). Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 13, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Room 3 Mushrooms of Sea Islands, Sky Islands, & Dry Islands The theory of island biogeography serves as an ideal starting point in understanding broader patterns of dispersal, extinction, and adaptation. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Friday, January 12, 2024 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Room 3 The World's Most Dangerous Fungi Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 12, 2020 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Room 1 What’s new in the mushrooming world of; taxonomy, ecology and citizen science. Learn about new species of boletes, hallucinogenic cicadas, matsutake taxonomy and discoveries of East coast mushrooms spreading into California. / Neurogenesis from Psilocybin and Analogs: A Paradigm Shift in Medicine? Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 12, 2020 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Room 3 The Most Dangerous Fungi in the World A Mycological Study in Risk Assessment in a world that is rapidly changing. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 11, 2020 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Room 3 Longevity The life history of Medicinal Polypores Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 13, 2019 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Room 3 Civilizations' Ten Most Dangerous Fungi Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 12, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Tales From The Cryptograms: Alternative Lifestyles In The Kingdom of Fungi Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 13, 2018 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 The value of old growth forest in fungal conservation Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 13, 2018 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Room 3 Slaying the dragon for the love of the forest A vision for phasing out draconian anti-mushroom forgaging laws Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 14, 2017 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Room 3 Meet the authors of "Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast" Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Friday, January 13, 2017 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Room 3 Mycology for the Citizen Scientist Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 11, 2014 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Room 1 Tales from the Cryptogams - Twelve Alternative Lifestyles from the Kingdom Fungi. Beware! Sex, Death and Insanity lie ahead Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 12, 2013 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Room 1 Kicking and Screaming: Dragging Mycology into the 21st Century with the Help of Citizen Scientists (aka YOU) Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Friday, January 11, 2013 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Room 1

Porcini and Morel Stroganoff This dish is a delight when you feel extravagant or you have had an especially successful hunt. by Rene Seltzer Morchella snyderi. © jrmorris (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 358456658) Method Slice the porcini and morels to about the same size. Start boiling water (with a little salt) in a pot (large enough for the pasta). In the meantime, sauté onions and mushrooms in the butter (in a large pan, on medium heat) until they release their moisture and are lightly browned. Add sherry to the mushrooms, and cook until evaporated (2 or 3 minutes). Add tofu and stir to warm it through (about 2 minutes). Drop the fusilli into the boiling pot of water, cook until al dente, then drain. While the pasta cooks, lower the mushroom mixture to a simmer, and add milk, crème fraîche and spices. Stir well. Add the cooked pasta to the mushrooms. Let the stroganoff cook until sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper, chopped walnuts, and grated Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.* * As the stroganoff cools, it will form a skin quickly. To prevent this, either serve it in the hot pan; or pre-warm a serving bowl and immediately transfer the the stroganoff to the bowl right before serving. (Don't use a chafing dish, as it will overcook the pasta and break down the sauce texture.) If you'll be taking this dish to a potluck, you may be able to maintain the stroganoff texture by modifying the timing a bit: Make the mushroom and tofu sauce the day before or in the morning, but don't add the milk, crème fraîche, and cheese. Allow the mushroom mixture to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. If you won't have time or means to boil the fusilli at the potluck, you can undercook the fusilli by about 2 minutes in advance, then toss it with olive oil so it doesn't stick, and refrigerate separately from the mushrooms. At the potluck (or right before leaving home), reheat the mushrooms and tofu over medium-low heat, stir in the milk and crème fraîche, toss in the freshly boiled (or rewarmed) fusilli, and simmer until the sauce clings to the pasta (about 5 minutes), then stir in the Parmesan. Recipe contributed: January 2001 This is an earthy, rich dish. I suggest you accompany it with fusilli pasta (or gemelli, cavatappi, or radiatori pasta) to trap the sauce, and a glass of well-aged Rioja. (The amount of mushrooms called for might be considered generous to some. If you don't have access to bountiful bolete or morel foraging spots, experiment by supplementing with other mushrooms, or use more tofu to fill out the dish.) Objective: Main course Total Time: About 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Morel (Morchella sp.) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) Join FFSC or renew your membership to access the rest of this content. Join FFSC Login as an FFSC member to access the rest of this content. Login Ingredients 1 onion 1 Tbsp. butter ¼ cup sherry ¾ lb. fresh Porcini mushrooms (or I cup dried) ¼ lb. fresh Morel mushrooms (or 1/4 cup dried) ½ cup crème fraîche ½ cup milk 1 cup diced firm tofu Dash of salt Cayenne pepper to taste Tabasco sauce to taste (optional) Parmesan cheese Chopped up walnuts (optional) Fresh ground pepper Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

CCCCCookies (Candy Cap Coconut Cashew Cookies) This vegan, gluten-free recipe was a hit at one of our Albion forays, with many attendees asking for the recipe. by Maurissa Dorn CCCCCookies Candy Cap Coconut Cashew Cookies. Photo by Megan Simon & Joe Nudell Method Process cashews in a blender or food processor into tiny crumbles (nearly butter). Transfer to large mixing bowl. Process coconut the same way into tiny pieces. Add to bowl. Add brown sugar and the 2 tsp. powdered candy caps to bowl. Sprinkle salt and baking soda over other ingredients. Mix with an electric mixer, making sure to break up any clumps of brown sugar, etc. (An occasional large piece of coconut or cashew is okay!) Add coconut milk, coconut oil, and vanilla. ½ tsp. minced dried candy caps. Briefly mix using "stir" or "low" speed until incorporated (leaving crunchy nut pieces and minced candy caps intact). Form into 1" balls and space 2" apart on an oiled baking tray. Bake at 350° until slightly browned on edges and top (8 to 10 minutes). When they come out of the oven, gently press to half height with a spatula if poofy (will depend on the coconut milk you use). Let cool, and serve! Recipe contributed: January 2023 Thank you all very much for a wonderful weekend in Albion. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and I learned so much!! Many of you asked for my cookie recipe, so here it is. Let me know if you make it! I adapted it, including heaping the cashews a bit. I'd love to see pictures/get any feedback you may have. —Maurissa Dorn I sadly didn't make it to Albion, but this recipe looked great, so last night I had a whole mushroom evening and baked a batch (see picture above) while our Cortinarius & porcini dye pots were simmering. Everyone I gave a cookie to really loved it. —Joe Nudell Objective: Dessert Total Time: About 30 mins Yield: 24 to 30 cookies Suggested Mushrooms: Candy cap (Lactarius fragilis, Lactarius rubidus, Lactarius rufulus) Join FFSC or renew your membership to access the rest of this content. Join FFSC Login as an FFSC member to access the rest of this content. Login Ingredients 1 ½ heaping cup whole raw cashews 1 cup raw coconut flakes ½ tsp. minced dried candy caps* 2 tsp. powdered dried candy caps* ⅓ cup brown sugar ¼ tsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt ¼ cup liquid coconut oil (may need to heat/melt) 2 Tbsp. coconut milk Cookie sheet Blender or food processor (for chopping nuts) Spice grinder (if making your own CC powder) Clean pepper grinder (or sharp knife) Electric mixer (for convenience) * For example, start with about 5 grams (0.18 oz.) of dried candy caps. Use a sharp knife (or a pepper grinder set to coarse) to finely mince a couple mushrooms until they're the size of coarse ground pepper (about 1/16"), and measure out ½ tsp. Then add use a spice grinder to finely powder the remaining bits along with more of the dried candy caps until you have 2 tsp. powder. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

FAQs and Directions to the Fungus Fair The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair is just a short walk from downtown Santa Cruz. Get intel on parking, directions and more below. FAQs What's Free and What Requires a Ticket? Shopping Areas FREE areas include the vendor areas in Laurel Park; and the vendor rooms, food court, and hallway artwork exhibits inside London Nelson Community Center (space permitting). Interactive Areas and Open Talks Buy General Admission tickets to enter: The Fungi Forest and mushroom displays The Craft Room Any of the open talks (space permitting) and demos that are included with General Admission GA tickets are free for kids under 12 years old Want to visit the General Admission areas for free? Volunteer to help with the Fair! Headliner Talks Headliner talks in Room 3 require a General Admission ticket plus an additional ticket per talk. 2027 Fair Tickets Coming in Dec. Fungus Fair After Hours Dinner The Fungus Fair After Hours Dinner requires separate tickets per person. 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair After Hours Dinner January 9, 2026, 5:30 – 9:00 PM London Nelson Community Center Directions and Parking 301 Center St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Location The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair is held at London Nelson Community Center (at Laurel Park) in Santa Cruz, CA. The London Nelson Community Center is a hub for social, recreational, and cultural activities for the Santa Cruz community. Directions If you're planning to attend one of the open or headliner talks, give yourself plenty of time and plan to arrive early. Admission lines tend to get longer before each talk. From Hwy 17 and Hwy 1 North interchange: Proceed North on Hwy 1. Cross Mission Street. Stay in center lane and merge straight onto Chestnut Street. Go downhill and turn left on Laurel. Londen Nelson Community Center is on the left, at the corner of Laurel and Center Streets Parking Santa Cruz offers free and metered street parking and lots, bike racks and metered bicycle lockers, and parking passes. You may park on city streets nearby if space is available. Check signs for restrictions and time limits. Additional parking is available on Center Street near the police station. There is also plenty of parking downtown and it is only a few minutes walk away. A few spaces for cars with blue disabled person placards are available around the building. More info: Santa Cruz Downtown Parking Lot Facilities & Map , City of Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Downtown Parking , Downtown Association of Santa Cruz Public Transit The nearest Santa Cruz Metro bus stop is Laurel & Center .

Sulphur Shelf with a Sherry Cream Sauce This mushroomy sauce is wonderful over fettuccine or as a filling in a puff pastry. by Rene Seltzer Laetiporus gilbertsonii. © hermitwarbler (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 333740103) Method Melt butter in large skillet. Add shallots, celery, and carrot, and sauté gently until soft. Add mushrooms; let them absorb some pan juices (about 5 minutes). Stir in flour. Gradually add broth, stirring well so the flour is absorbed. Heat gently until simmering, stirring constantly. Add sherry and tarragon. Simmer another 10 to 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the cream and the lemon juice. Season to taste with a dash of celery salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. Recipe contributed: November 2000 Our Laetiporus gilbertsonii (Western Hardwood Sulphur Shelf) is different from the Laetiporus sulphureus (Chicken of the Woods) that fruits in Europe and on the East Coast. Overlapping clusters of bright yellow shelving masses grow mostly on dead stumps or logs, although sometimes on living trees. It fruits in our area mainly in late summer and fall, most commonly on Eucalyptus, oaks, and conifers. For positive identification, consult your field guide and keys. Never eat this mushroom raw; be sure to cook it thoroughly. The older it gets, the more fibrous it becomes, and the only edible parts are the tender edges. Important: A number of people experience a stomach upset when eating this mushroom, especially if growing on Eucalyptus . If this is your first time, eat only a small amount, and as with all wild mushrooms, be sure to cook thoroughly. To complement this recipe with a really nice wine at an incredible value, try Trader Joe's fantastic 1997 Black Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon "Fat Cat." Objective: Sauce / topping / stuffing Total Time: About 45 mins Yield: 4 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Sulphur Shelf (Laetiporus cincinnatus, Laetiporus gilbertsonii, Laetiporus sulphureus) Join FFSC or renew your membership to access the rest of this content. Join FFSC Login as an FFSC member to access the rest of this content. Login Ingredients 4 Tbsp. butter 2 shallots 1 celery stalk, sliced 1 carrot, peeled and sliced 3½ Cups sulphur shelf, trimmed and sliced 5 Tbsp. flour 2 Cups vegetable broth 5 Tbsp. sherry 2 Tbsp. freshly chopped tarragon 5 Tbsp. heavy cream 2 Tbsp. lemon juice Celery salt Cayenne pepper Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

2026 Speaker Schedule Visitors attended fascinating talks by distinguished and up-and-coming mycologists during the 2026 Fungus Fair in January. You can also browse 2026 Fair Speakers by name. The Fungus Fair has two lecture venues: The London Nelson Multipurpose Room ( Room 3 ) is where you'll find our headliners. To attend these talks you will need to buy a separate ticket for each talk , in addition to your general admission ticket. This year we will be selling the majority of these tickets online, in advance of the fair. Though we will continue to sell a few tickets at the door for procrastinators, it is highly recommended that you buy your ticket ahead of time if there is a particular speaker whom you are very motivated to see. Talk tickets for 2026 went on sale in December, along with general admission tickets to the Fungus Fair. A smaller lecture room ( Room 1 ) will have informative and educational talks given by local, or not so local, knowledgeable mycologists. These talks are free, but you must have a Fungus Fair general admission hand stamp to get in, and please note that seating (and standing room) is limited and first-come, first-served. Include room(s): All Room 1 Room 3 Fair days Friday Saturday Sunday Tips and Techniques for Cooking With Mushrooms Chef Bob Wynn ... ... Friday, January 9, 2026 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Room 1 Friday Revealing Fungal Secrets: Apps and Programs for Mushroom Discovery Alan Rockefeller ... ... In this talk, Alan Rockefeller will demonstrate powerful Android and iPhone apps, websites, and computer programs that help mushroom enthusiasts, researchers, and… Show More Friday, January 9, 2026 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Room 3 Friday Introduction to Mushroom Identification Phil Carpenter ... ... Friday, January 9, 2026 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Friday The Underground Internet, 30 Years Later Christian Schwarz ... ... By now, almost everyone's heard of "Wood Wide Webs" — invisible forest networks through which trees, fungi, and other organisms communicate and… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Room 3 Saturday The Top Ten Edible and Poisonous Wild Mushrooms Douglas Smith ... ... Saturday, January 10, 2026 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Room 1 Saturday Truffles: The Egos, Ecology, and Economics of Cultivating and Hunting Nature’s Nuggets of Gold Stephanie S. Jarvis, MSc ... ... Because these fungi are far more than gourmet ingredients — they’re ecological power players, political lightning rods, and the ultimate test of… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM Room 3 Saturday Getting Started with Cultivation Vellany Pierce ... ... Saturday, January 10, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Room 1 Saturday Fungi in Art Through Space and Time Jason Raiti ... ... 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… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 12:40 PM - 1:40 PM Room 3 Saturday Introduction to Mushroom Identification Phil Carpenter ... ... Saturday, January 10, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Room 1 Saturday Fungal Sporecasting: From Continental to Local Spore Drifts and Constraints on Fungal Dispersal Andrew Ratz ... ... Fungi are vital ecosystem drivers, along with delectable and wondrous organisms, yet their dispersal via microscopic airborne spores remains a challenge to… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM Room 3 Saturday Medicinal Mushrooms Traditional Usage in Chinese Medicine and Modern Scientific Research Dr. Bill Schoenbart ... ... Medicinal mushrooms have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. They have also been the subject of numerous scientific studies… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 3:50 PM - 4:50 PM Room 3 Saturday Poisonous Mushrooms Henry Young ... ... Saturday, January 10, 2026 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Saturday Truffles in the Wind: Unexpected Airborne Pathways for Underground Fungi Andrew Ratz ... ... While most mushrooms cast their spores to the wind, truffles have evolved to stay underground. They release strong scents and can mimic… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Room 3 Sunday Question And Answer Session about Identifying and Cooking Wild Mushrooms Chef Chad Hyatt Phil Carpenter ... Sunday, January 11, 2026 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Room 1 Sunday Sea Islands, Sky Islands, and Dry Islands: the Biogeography of Macrofungi Christian Schwarz ... ... Making maps of the distributions of organisms is one of the most fascinating topics in all of natural history. The theory of… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM Room 3 Sunday DNA Sequencing for the Fungus Federation Douglas Smith ... ... Sunday, January 11, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Room 1 Sunday The Mystery of Amanita phalloides Jason Raiti ... ... A deep dive into the literature in an accessible form, to tell the story of the invasive fungus Amanita phalloides. This is… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 12:40 PM - 1:40 PM Room 3 Sunday Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Kyle Garrone ... ... Sunday, January 11, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Room 1 Sunday Mushroom Cooking Demo with Tasting and optional Wine Pairing Jeff Emery Chef Chad Hyatt ... Chef Chad Hyatt will demonstrate his cooking techniques and his creations will be paired with exquisite wines provided by vintner Jeff Emery… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 2:15 PM - 3:25 PM Room 3 Sunday Energetics of Medicinal Mushrooms in Traditional Chinese Medicine: How they Work Along with Herbs to Treat Various Conditions Dr. Bill Schoenbart ... ... Sunday, January 11, 2026 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Sunday What You Need to Know About Poisonous Mushrooms Henry Young ... ... Explore the intersection of poisonous mushrooms and people who accidentally or purposefully eat them. Toxic fungi from the deadly to the lose… Show More Sunday, January 11, 2026 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 3 Sunday

News & Stories / Culinary Event Updates: February 2000 What a great 1999 - 2000 fungal season for our culinary events. We started with the Holiday potluck in December, and then the Wine & Mushroom Dinner in January. Rene Seltzer • February 1, 2000 Pleurotus ostreatus. © Erica Fleniken (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 328857308) We look forward first of all to the Tapas Tasting Party, Tuesday, February 8 at 7:00 p.m at Blacks Beach Cafe, featuring Chef Robert Morris. Blacks Beach Cafe is located at 15th and East Cliff Dr. in Santa Cruz. Tickets are $25.00 per person. Contact Marjorie Young for reservations. Next is the Wine and Mushroom Festival, Saturday, March 11, from 7:00 - 9:30 P.M. at the Louden Nelson Community Center, 300 Center St., Santa Cruz. The annual Wine & Mushroom festival takes place with your help and the help of our local wineries. It's a fun event, but we can't do it without you. If you plan to attend, fungal members and guests must bring huge quantities of food. Literally! Each person in yoμr party should plan on bringing enough finger food for 10 to 20 people. So if there are 4 people in your party, that's finger food for 40 to 80 people. It might sound like too much, but at the end of 2 1/2 hours and 130 people there won't be a morsel left. A few of the possible wineries participating will be: Santa Cruz Mountain, David Bruce, and Ridge wineries. The participating wineries will bring the wine and we will bring the food. Also coming up is the Continental Picnic, Sunday, April 16. The foray will start at 10:00 AM, and at 12:00 noon we will start the mushroom tasting, potluck and beer. I know a lot of Fungus Fed members are also members of the Sempervirens Fund, a public non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the natural character of California's Santa Cruz Mountains. Sempervirens has purchased an old camp, 6.5 miles up the road from Boulder Creek. The wooded site has tent cabins, an unheated swimming pool, and a volleyball court. Originally this event was held in April, but for the past few years 1t was held in June. We unanimously decided to return to the April schedule, because there's a better chance for finding mushrooms. The Home-Brew Club brings the beer, and Fungus Fed members provide the mushrooms and all the food. Plan to join us on April 16: it's a beautiful drive on a Sunday to the foray/picnic site. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

FFSC Financials Our Minister of Exchequer counts everything (except how many mushrooms we collected...) Have a better photo? Photo by Fungibartl (Dan Tischler) FFSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. (Learn more about FFSC and our mission .) How We Use Fees that We Collect Santa Cruz Fungus Fair: This is our primary fundraising event of the year. In addition to raising money for scholarships and to pay our speakers, this volunteer-run event supports our community with three days of fun, food, entertainment and education. Scholarships and Grants: We use a portion of our membership fees, event fees, and other fundraising to support students and researchers who are expanding the world's knowledge of fungi. Learn more or apply for funding on our Scholarships page. Educational Speakers: The fees also fully or partially subsidize the cost of bringing in guest speakers to present a variety of topics to the general public and our members. These include our FREE Monthly Speakers events, as well as speakers at other events like the annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair. Event Tickets: FFSC's event fees (when charged) typically cover external costs such as optional accommodations (for long-distance forays), venue rentals (for classes and dinners), each venue's liability insurance requirements, charitable fundraising, and/or guest chefs. Product Inventory: We offer club T-shirts, stickers, and other items for sale to members and the general public at cost (or with great discounts). We use some of our fees to pay vendors up front to make the items, or to reimburse volunteers for the cost of out-of-pocket supplies. We also buy mushroom books to sell at or near cost to members and the public at our events. Operational Costs: The remainder of the fees cover costs such as venue rentals, equipment rentals and decor for club dinners, liability insurance requirements, legal fees, and (rarely) vendors/contractors when none of our volunteers are qualified or available to do certain work. Plus, we pay for storage units to hold FFSC inventory, booth equipment (signage, tables, chairs, etc.), customized Fungus Fair decor and more, in cases when volunteers don't have room in their own garages. What about Staff? FFSC's club leaders (ministers), trip leaders, ID class instructors, event organizers, and event staff are all unpaid volunteers! We do this because we are passionate about mycology! Here are some of the past financial statements for the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz. FFSC Balance Sheet Aug 31-2025 .pdf Download PDF • 178KB FFSC 2024FY P&L .pdf Download PDF • 177KB FFSC-2023-Balance-Sheet .pdf Download PDF • 29KB FFSC-2022FY-PandL .pdf Download PDF • 30KB FFSC-PandL-2021-22 .pdf Download PDF • 180KB FFSC-PandL-2018-19 .pdf Download PDF • 108KB Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Writings Cooking Tips with Shea Moss – What is Galangal? At the FFSC September General Meeting, Jozseph Schultz used galangal in one of his dishes. What is galangal? Shea Moss • October 1, 2009 Galangal rhizome ready to be prepared for cooking (from Wikipedia) It is a member of the ginger family that is used extensively in Thai and other southeast Asian cooking. It differs from other gingers in both consistency and smell, with a non-fibrous texture and fragrance similar to balsa wood. Listen to the pronunciation here: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galangal You can use it sparingly to lighten very strong flavors, such as reconstituted dried honey mushrooms or in a fresh shitake stir-fry. It is an excellent foil for gamey foods and makes excellent bolete or chicken stock. Simply cut a 1” slice and simmer with soup for a clean-tasting broth. Remove it from the dish after cooking, as galangal is not meant to be eaten but is a flavor enhancer (like a bay leaf ). I have not tried it with tomato based soups, but it works well with 'Magical Leek' soup base (vegan) as described in the book French Women Don't Get Fat . You can purchase galangal at TinTin Market on Bollinger and Blaney in Cupertino, Lion Foods on Tully and King in San Jose, and sometimes at Staff of Life in Santa Cruz. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Mushroom Soup Tip – Fried Dried Mushrooms Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article