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News & Stories / Stewardship From the Incoming CEO, 2001 This year I will be taking over from Deb Johnson as CEO. She has left me some very big shoes to fill and as such I would like to begin by thanking her for doing an outstanding job as CEO for the last two years. Mark Gillespie • September 1, 2001 Mark Gillespie She has been a very gracious and talented leader who will be helping me as I transition into this role. We are looking forward to another great year of collecting and getting together at all of our events. I am looking forward to getting better acquainted with everyone in the organization. Last years light rains made for a shorter season than the past few years, so I am sending my pleas for bountiful rains to the gods earlier this year. We are looking forward to the Lake Tahoe forays later in September. There will be plenty of good company, food, and hopefully mushrooms.We also want to encourage more people to get involved as a minister with the FFSC. This is a great group of people that get together once a month for a good meal and each other's company. You will stay informed and get to hear of upcoming events before they appear in the Duff. This spring you can even run for a position when we have elections for new ministers. Hint hint! I would like to take a moment to thank our editor Madeleine Wyke for continuing with us another year. This is the biggest job in the FFSC with a constant deadline. The Duff s have been outstanding and she deserves a round of applause. All members are encouraged to contribute any articles of interest for the Duff early and often. You can call me if you have an idea and are too shy to put something forth. I would be happy to help out. One thing I have appreciated is the new format she has implemented. It's very clean and easy to read. Over the summer. Phyllis Cole passed along a request from the secretary of NAMA: They had a peek at our organization bylaws and wanted to know if they could be offered for use to other NAMA affiliated groups. These would serve as a template for groups to draft their bylaws as they get started. We made a quick check with the ministers using our new mailing list and decided to give them the nod. Most of the group found it a compliment that our bylaws were so highly thought of. They found the titles of minister for our officers very amusing. It was decided leave those titles out to protect our originality. With that lead in, the long promised mailing list for the FFSC is finally here. Please tell any members you speak with that it is now available. Anyone may post a message to the group. I talked with Mike Wood from the MSSF and got a few tips for managing our list, which I would like to pass along. Please only post messages relating to Federation business. Personal messages are not appropriate, i.e. selling one's automobile. One of the topics that has circulated on the mailing list, are continuing updates on SOD (Sudden Oak Death). This plague now has a name from the scientists who first described it in Europe, Phytophthora ramorum . I had a chance to meet Phyllis Cole's niece Shannon Murphy this summer. Shannon is doing research for her masters' degree with David Rizzo at UC Davis on SOD. I mentioned to her that there might be SOD on some oaks near our house that include Quercus wislizenii , the interior live oak. She responded that no cases have been confirmed on interior live oaks and she may return in the fall to verify that our infections are SOD and in interior live oaks. I talked with a local arborist, Maureen Hamb, who pointed out a possible problem. Interior and coast live oaks ( Quercus agrifolia ) can hybridize together and it can be very difficult to distinguish the two. Shannon gave me an ID tip for differentiating the two species. The underside of the leaves contains side veins that branch off the central vein. Leaves with ten or less side veins are coast live oaks and those with more than ten are interior live oaks. We'll keep you posted if her group determines SOD appears to be in interior live oaks as well. I look forward to seeing all of you in the field and at our events! Mark Gillespie, CEO Note from the Editor : Certain info (email addresses, etc.) was subsequently removed from this article due to updates to privacy laws, etc. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Letter from the Outgoing CEO Stewardship Message From Our Incoming CEO 2009 Stewardship Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Kyle Garrone Production Manager, Far West Fungi Kyle Garrone holds a degree in Plant Biology from the University of California, Davis with a focus on plant pathology and mycology. He has been the Production Manager of Far West Fungi since graduating from UC Davis in 2010, with his primary focus on increasing yields and experimenting with new varieties of mushrooms that have potential for wholesale customers. Kyle has traveled throughout the world to find the most successful and efficient growing methods and the most resilient and highest yielding mushroom varieties. He enjoys sharing what he has learned with those who are interested in exotic mushroom cultivation. farwestfungi.com Far West Fungi - Organic Mushrooms, Grow Kits & Mushroom Products Far West Fungi grows and sells fresh organically grown and wild mushrooms, mushroom grow kits and mushroom products. Kyle Garrone Upcoming Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Mushroom Cultivation: Passive and Active Systems Passive and active systems-Kyle will discuss different methods of using the natural environment and appropriate technologies to maximize yields and efficiencies. Applicable for growers… Show More Sunday, January 14, 2024 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Room 1 Mushroom Cultivation Sunday, January 12, 2025 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Sunday, January 11, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Room 1 Past Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 11, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Room 1 Mushroom Cultivation Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 12, 2025 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 1 Mushroom Cultivation: Passive and Active Systems Passive and active systems-Kyle will discuss different methods of using the natural environment and appropriate technologies to maximize yields and efficiencies. Applicable for growers of all sizes. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 14, 2024 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Room 1

News & Stories / Stewardship CEO's Epistle to the Fungophiles: September 2000 Congrats to Phyllis Cole, and also to our new FFSC Ministers — and many thanks to our outgoing ministers! Deb • September 1, 2000 Morchella rufobrunnea and flowers. © Amanda Bueno-Kling (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 267991518) Congratulations are in order for Phyllis Cole, President-Elect of the North American Mycological Association. Phyllis will serve a three-year term as NAMA president. We've been beneficiaries of her efforts in the Fungus Fair, Stores, Programs, and the NAMA '98 Foray, so we know she'll accomplish great things! We also welcome Bob Bickal as FFSC's new Secretary, Horst Kuhlman and Bill McGuire taking over Long Distance Forays from Pete Gonda. Many thanks for all those great trips, Pete! Bob Sellers is assuming the Duff Assistant duties from Toni Gillespie, whose tenure spanned to Duff editors. Thank you for your hard work and good spirit, Toni! I should note here that some of the benefits of being a Minister in the FFSC are meeting for a great dinner once a month and getting to know some very wonderful people. You find out what's coming up before you read it in the newsletter, because you're part of planning the event. As a testimonial to the rewards of Ministership, please note our abundant crop of At Large Ministers. These are former Ministers who take on projects ad lib; it's so good they don't want to leave! Keep that in mind when elections coe around next spring... We're working on several projects to better serve the membership. Our website has moved to Cruzio, has no advertising and will be expanding. Delivery of the Duff by e-mail is in the offing, and you can look forward to speedier registration and admission to events. If you have ideas, thoughts or opinions about club projects, activities, etc., we would like to hear them. Please drop me a note or call. Wishing you an abundant year. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Freezing Mushrooms Cooking and then freezing works well for certain types of mushrooms. You should either sauté or microwave the sliced-up mushrooms before freezing them, depending on how you plan to use them. by Deb Ice cubes (stock photo) Advantages of freezing Quality close to fresh when properly done Works well for chanterelles, bolete buttons, oysters, amanita species, and morels Disadvantages of freezing Takes up freezer space Subject to freezer burn Does not work well for some mushrooms Objective: Storage/Prep Total Time: Approx. 30 minutes Suggested Mushrooms: Amanita vaginata grp. (grisette) Boletus sp. (bolete) Cantharellus sp. (chanterelle) Morchella sp. ( morel) Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster) Equipment and/or Ingredients Method Sauté Directions Slice or tear cleaned mushrooms into moderate-sized pieces. Sauté prepared mushrooms in butter or oil of your choice until they start giving up liquid into the pan. Cool and freeze, including liquid, in ziploc bag or other container. Microwave Directions An advantage of microwaving is that since you're not choosing a specific fat to cook them in, the mushrooms can be used later in a recipe with either butter or oil, according to the flavor you prefer for the meal. Slice or tear cleaned mushrooms into moderate-sized pieces. Microwave prepared mushrooms until they start giving up liquid into the bowl. Cool and freeze, including liquid, in ziploc bag or other container. Previous Technique All Techniques Next Technique

Oven-Braised Shrimp Russula with Pork and Shrimp Stuffing Drizzle some pan sauce over three or four of these stuffed caps as a satisfying appetizer or first course. by Gregg Ferguson Russula xerampelina. © Rita LeRoy (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 99875726) Method Preheat oven to 350°F. Clean and remove stems from the shrimp russula. Chop the stems and shrimp, and mix with the pork and onion; then blend in flour, soy sauce, salt and pepper until well combined. Stuff caps with shrimp and pork blend, and arrange closely in a baking dish. Pour beef broth around the stuffed caps, drizzling a little over the tops as well. Bake at 350°F to gently braise, until the center of the largest cap reaches 165°F, the caps yield easily when pressed with a fork, and the tops are lightly browned (about 30 minutes). Transfer the stuffed mushrooms to a serving platter (or plates). Spoon a little of the pan juices directly over them (or strain and serve in a small gravy boat). Recipe contributed: October 1986 Objective: Appetizer Total Time: 45 to 60 mins Yield: 6+ servings Suggested Mushrooms: Shrimp russula (Russula xerampelina) 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 20 to 30 medium to small shrimp russula ¼ lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined ½ lb. ground pork ¼ cup onion, chopped 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. salt ⅛ tsp. pepper 1 Tbsp. flour 1 cup beef broth Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Quick Mushroom Tempura If you’ve found some terrific edibles already, what should you do with them? (I suspect you already know the answer) but here is an idea! Tempura really works. by Richard Lyness Boletus edulis. © Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Make the Tempura Wipe your mushrooms clean, and ensure they're bone-dry on the surface. Slice larger mushrooms about ½" thick. (If using small, store-bought chanterelles, leave them whole or slice lengthwise into chunky halves.) Follow tempura batter instructions to make batter. (Typically whisk with about ½ to ¾ cups of ice cold water for 5 oz. of batter mix, to create a thick batter.) Dip mushroom pieces in the batter, and deep fry per the batter mix instructions (e.g., 1 to 2 minutes at 350°F until the batter is light golden and crisp). Prepare at least two or three dipping sauces. Make the Dipping Sauces The quickest way is to buy dipping sauces from the store. If you want to try making your own sauces: Mix 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 3 Tbs. mirin (or water with a pinch of sugar), and a splash of rice vinegar for a soy-based dip. Mix 2 Tbsp. sweet chili cause with 1 Tbsp. sriracha and a squeeze of lime juice for a chili sauce dip. Mix 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. horseradish (in a jar), and a few drops of soy sauce for a horseradish dip. Recipe contributed: November 2009 Objective: Side or first course Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) 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 12 to 16 oz. porcini or chanterelles 5 oz. tempura batter mix (typically sold in 10 oz. packages at Asian markets, Costco or Safeway) Soy sauce Chili sauce Horseradish dip Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Reports Gloria's Excellent Adventure Picture chanterelles, golden chanterelles, masses of golden chanterelles proud above the duff, thousands of golden chanterelles amongst the trees and bushes like blossoms blanketing the forest floor. Gloria Woodside • March 1, 2003 Chanterelles in Gabon. © Anne-Hélène Paradis (from inaturalist.org, ID 334600620) Fantasy? No. Where? Gabon. Africa. Western Africa, on the equator, nine hours by four-wheel drive from the coast into Lope Wildlife Reserve. Was I there for fungi?No. The gorillas, reclusive lowland gorillas. To see them you hike the thick hilly rainforest: never-see-the-sun thick forest, all tree trunks and green bushes and vines and leafy, muddy trail with the occasional bright flower or fruit or flutter of a brilliant butterfly. Groups of three go with two Baku tribesmen trackers. They are the "pygmies" and know every organism in the forest and what to use it for. We hike steadily, slowly, watching feet, quiet, listening, pausing for sightings of animals with whispered names and plants with uses. We walk about ten hours a day. It's total immersion in the forest to see the animals: eights pecies of monkeys, dozens of gorgeous birds, forest elephants (to be avoided), red river hogs (furry with silly white tufts on their ears and tails), duikers (like little deer), and the main attraction, the gorillas. My group saw them high up in trees above us watching with their ever-so-wise brown eyes. And were terrified by the roaring and chest-pounding display of the silverback behind the bushes. Impressive. But to the chanterelles. The day was getting late and I was dripping, and days of hiking were taking their toll on my legs and feet, and it had been a couple hours since we had seen so much as a monkey, and I just wanted a cold shower and bed. We finally headed back a direct route. That meant straight over the ridges: huff and puff and slog up and then slippy and slidy down. An hour of that and then across a flattened dip in the land and there they were. Gold amongst the green - for hundreds of feet and ever so perfect. The most incredible patch of chanterelles I ever dreamed of finding. Out came the cameras, exhaustion forgotten. The Baku started picking and piling them in huge leaves to wrap up. I wandered about, incredulous - "I don't believe it. I don't believe it." Ten minutes of mushroom heaven in a place I never imagined they could exist. Fungal serendipity. The stuff dreams are made of. A nature encounter of the surreal kind. A highlight of a trip never to be forgotten. - Gloria Woodside, Minister of Archives Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Setas Silvestres in San Sebastian Adventures in Austria Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Past FFSC Events Revisit what we've been doing for the past few years. (Also check out our Upcoming Events and our pre-2021 FFSC Events Archive .) Clathrus ruber. Photo by Anne Elvin Related Info Upcoming Events Events Archive News & Stories Field Reports October 20, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM October 2026 Speaker | Maya Elson : Megafires, Floods and Fungi September 15, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM September 2026 Speaker | Liv Fragiacomo : Organic Strawberries - Bio Alternatives to Plastic August 29, 2026, 3:00 PM – September 6, 2026, 11:00 AM Alaska Long-Distance Foray, September 2026 May 19, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM May 2026 Speaker | Dean Lyons : A Natural History of Gondwanaland Fungi May 19, 2026, 5:00 – 6:00 PM Dinner with Speaker | Dean Lyons May 16, 2026, 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM 2026 Beer and Mushrooms Picnic May 1, 2026, 5:30 – 8:30 PM Fermentation Workshop, May 2026 April 21, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM April 2026 Speaker | Alissa Allen: Color, Craft & Connection: Mushroom Dyeing as a Practice of Presence & Renewal April 21, 2026, 5:00 – 6:00 PM Dinner with Speaker | Alissa Allen: Lillian's Italian Kitchen April 14, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM April 2026 Ministers Meeting and potluck April 11, 2026, 5:30 – 8:30 PM 2026 Wine and Mushroom Fest March 18, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 PM Bonus March 2026 Speaker and Cooking Demo | Olga Tzogas: Mushrooms and Culture of Greece Load More

Potluck Essentials We want everyone to feel safe and comfortable at our potlucks and other culinary events. Thus, please review and follow these policies carefully before preparing and bringing food for potlucks. (FFSC will remove potluck dishes that do not meet our safety requirements.) Birch Chicken with Leccinum and Boletes, made by Peter Mu Please review and follow all of these guidelines, and only use the acceptable mushroom species below for FFSC culinary events. Some people are sensitive to specific mushrooms and other ingredients. Therefore, you must also label your creations using the provided ingredient cards below--no exceptions. All Mushrooms Must be Cooked Sauteed Morels at the 2012 Spring Foray. Photo by Hugh Smith All mushrooms must be thoroughly cooked before serving to others. Look up what is recommended for the species you're serving, whether they were foraged vs. store-bought, the cooking method you're using (e.g., sautéing vs. simmering), and the size of the mushrooms. Please avoid serving potluck dishes with raw or under-cooked mushrooms. (See The Mycophagist's Ten Commandments .) Permitted Species Lists The permitted species vary depending on your level of experience with mushroom ID. Permitted Species for People Still Learning to ID Mushrooms Roasted mushroom (oyster and shiitake) & yuba (tofu skin) salad by Krista C. New FFSC members (and any members and guests who have not completed a basic mushroom ID class and/or who are still practicing) are encouraged to use commercially cultivated (store-bought) mushroom species. Here are some popular cultivated species (and their latin names) which you can often find in stores and/or farmers' markets : Shiitake ( Lentinula edodes ) Cremini and Portabello ( Agaricus bisporus at different ages) Oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus ostreatus ) Maitake ( Grifola frondosa , also known as hen of the woods) Enoki ( Flammulina filiformis ) Cordyceps ( Cordyceps sp. , also known as caterpillar fungus) Wood ears (Auricularia sp. ) Chocolate ( Theobroma cacao is an honorary mushroom!) Please purchase mushrooms from reputable brands, check for recalls before using them, and be sure to cook all mushrooms thoroughly. Many of our members also bring dishes without mushrooms--especially when it hasn't rained recently. Desserts and salads are always welcome, too! A basket of solid chocolate mushrooms Permitted Species for People with ID Training Tricholoma magnivelare (matsutake). Photo by Hugh Smith Blewitt cross section. Photo by Lisa Vanbuhler Members who are experienced with mushroom identification are welcome to serve any of the following species (as well as the species above): Agaricus augustus (The Prince) , campestris, osecanus, arvensis, lilaceps Auricularia spp. (wood ears, usually cultivated) Boletus edulis (king), regineus (queen) Butyriboletus persolidus (butter bolete) Cantharellus californicus, subalbidus, formosus (chanterelles) Chroogomphus sp. (pine spikes) Coprinus comatus (shaggy mane) Craterellus calicornucopioides (black trumpets), tubaeformis (yellow foot), atroncinereus (black chanterelle) Gomphus clavatus (Pigs Ear) Hydnum repandum and umbilicatum (hedgehogs) Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis (Western Amethyst Laccaria) Lactarius deliciosus (saffron milk cap) Lactarius rubidus , rufulus (candy cap) Lactarius rubrilacteus (bleeding milk cap) Leccinum insigne, manzanitae (aspen and manzanita boletes) Lepista nuda (blewitt) Morchella sp. (morel) Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) Russula cyanoxantha (varicolored russula) Russula xerampelina (shrimp russula) Sparassis sp. (cauliflower mushroom) Suillus sp. (slippery jacks) Tricholoma magnivelare (matsutake) Ustilago maydis (Huitlacoche, Corn Smut) Prohibited Species for Culinary Events Amanita phalloides. Photo by Hugh Smith Galerina marginata grp. Photo by Christian Schwarz Fort Bragg (2021). Photo by Hugh Smith FFSC culinary events prohibit using mushrooms that are generally deemed to be unsafe for consumption, as well as mushrooms that can be easily misidentified, or which are commonly known to trigger sensitivities in some people. For example: No species of Amanita may be served. Chloryphyllum brunneum ( Macrolepiota rachodes ) may not be served. Coprinus atramentarius may not be served. Any other mushroom listed as poisonous or inedible in field guides or on this website may not be served. All mushrooms must be thoroughly cooked. Raw mushrooms should be avoided. When in doubt, stick to the permitted species . Dish Ingredient Cards / Allergen Labels Craterellus Mashed Potatoes by Jeff Emery. Photo by Peter Mu Let everyone know about that great dish you brought! Please print a dish card to accompany your creation. Some people are sensitive to certain mushrooms (even chanterelles and candy caps!). Your dish label allows each attendee to make their own choices about which mushrooms and/or other ingredients they're comfortable eating. List your name, the dish name, the mushroom(s) you used, whether they're store-bought, and circle whether the dish is vegan, gluten-free, etc. Truffle Goat Cheese Pizza by Kari Some people are also allergic or sensitive to other ingredients that might surprise you, such as melon, barley, rosemary, and corn! So it's helpful if you're able to recall or even show your full ingredients list, as a kindness to your fellow attendees. You can download this dish card to fill in beforehand, or fill one in when you arrive. Dish card 2018 .pdf Download PDF • 102KB Label Your Serving Dishes & Utensils We want your serving platters, bowls and serving utensils/cutlery to go home with you! Dishes get moved around to make room for other dishes. Pyrex casseroles all start to look alike after a while. So, please mark your name on the back or bottom of your serving bowl, platter, or other dish. Painter's (blue) tape works well for this. We also recommend using sturdy, non-breakable serving dishes and utensils when possible. Please don't bring heirloom china or precious silverware to FFSC events. Zero Waste We are striving for zero-waste events. So, we ask that you bring your own utensils, glass/wineglass/mug, plates, bowls and napkin (and perhaps a separate dessert plate, as dishwashing facilities are usually limited). Label your items to ensure they go home with you. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Editoricus Blatheronsus: Great Kids on Forays Well, once again the Albion Foray has taught me a thing or two about the world of mushrooms. Larry Payne • March 1, 2000 Tiny hedgehog (Hydnum oregonense). © Grace Stark (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 290056938) As you may recall, last year's Albion was my first ever group foray. That was the trip where I discovered that most of the folks on the foray, people I heretofore had considered sane, actually took the time to put the mushrooms they collected into tiny little wax paper bags in their baskets. This is a practice which still baffles me. (As far as I can tell, John Brown and I, the only two who simply throw their mushrooms straight into the baskets, are the only sane folks in the bunch. I mean, everyone knows how normal we are.) Anyway, this year I learned, for the second month in a row, that I can be wrong. In my column last month, I said that I hate kids. Well, it only took the beauty of Albion and the presence of two really great little kids, Henry and Oscar, to make me realize that some kids can be great. Henry was, as usual, Henry. Which essentially means that he was a constant blur of motion wearing a smile. And I will never forget stumbling through the underbrush and coming across Oscar, standing there so proud in the middle of the forest, hands gently cupping a small hedgehog the size of a pea— the size of a split pea. Only on the face of a child could there have been such a look of awe and grace and glee. It was a lot of fun spending a weekend with these two kids. Another thing I learned: The real reason to attend a foray is not necessarily to collect mushrooms. As the absolutely gorgeous weather tempted many of us farther into woods filled with delectable hedgehogs and winter chanterelles, I noticed that various members of the foray started gathering at the cars and heading off for other destinations. Some to a local mineral spa, some to another type of watering hole, some to the beckoning shops of Mendocino. Only a few of us diehards kept our noses in the duff. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / 2006 Fungus Fair: Thanks to Our Volunteers! The 32nd annual Fungus Fair is but a fond memory now. The Fungus Federation should be proud of its participation in making it happen this year. Phil Carpenter • February 1, 2006 Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) at a Fair. Photo by Larry Volpe Many, many volunteers made the quick assembly and smooth running of the event very easy. From all accounts it was a very successful show. Mark reports that we also had over 40 new club members sign up as well as a large percentage of renewals. There were well over 300 species of mushrooms recorded, most of which were on display during the weekend. Stores recorded an after-tax income of $7,233, up 11% from last year. With the$2,800 paid to the Federation by the Museum, the before-expenses income for the fair, including memberships, is over $11,400. That will pay for a lot of FFSC speakers and special project and scholarship expenses! The official count of paying attendees was 2,543 with an unofficial count of 200 additional for the Friday night reception. I feel, however, that the count is low. From past experience, the crowds seemed much more like the 3,000 attendees we’ve seen a couple of times in the past. I cannot offer enough thanks to all of the people who put in time to help out with the many tasks associated with making the show a success. There was no shortage of people to help with col-lecting mushrooms, setting up, sorting and iden-tifying mushrooms, peopling the tables during the fair, take down and all other aspects. I am very pleased to see the very positive response of so many who stepped forward to participate. It was our best volunteer turnout ever. This show just cannot be done without the assistance of volunteers and your efforts are sincerely appreciated. Special thanks go to the FFSC planning committee, a group of dedicated individuals who put in much more than their share of time in both planning and execution of the fair. Specifically, my thanks go to Marje Young (overview, planning and setup), Debbie Johnson (vendor coordinator and setup), Horst Kuhlmann (setup), Marilyn Fenn (art show and publicity), Henry Young and John Brown (ID and science input), Bill White (CEO and help with all phases), Vernetta McGuire (Friday night reception), Mark Gillespie (membership), Monise Sheehan (stores and T-Shirts), Catharine Gunderson (Kid’s room) and Nate Segraves (Mushrooms 101 presentation and ID). Thanks to Phred Molnar and Bridget Binko for their donation of handmade mushroom earrings, necklaces and chocolate mushrooms for sale in Stores. We also appreciate the generosity of our mushroom donors: Monterey Mushrooms, Far West Fungi, Hazel Dell Mushrooms, Fitz Fresh Mushrooms and King of Mushrooms. Jozseph Schultz and Bob Sellers kept the volunteers in hot soup, and Bob Wynn put on his usual wonderful post-cleanup dinner. If I have forgotten anyone, I am really sorry. Your efforts are no less appreciated though I may have failed to to mention your contribution. It is with regret that I announce that this will be the last year that I’ll be able to function as the chairperson of the FFSC planning committee. I’ve worked on the Fungus Fair every year since 1978 and have been part of the planning com-mittee since the role was taken over by the FFSC about 12-13 years ago. However, time constraints of a new job will prevent me from being able to continue to spend the time necessary to fulfill the requirements of the role. So, the position is open for someone to step in and gain the satisfaction of helping put this show together. Yes, it is a lot of work, but it is quite rewarding. Of course, I will assist the new coor-dinator and still plan on working as much as I can at fair time. Phil Carpenter, Fair Coordinator Kids artwork at the 32nd Fair A huge thank you to all of the wonderful helpers in the Children’s Room! They were dynamic, sensitive interpreters of fungi for the younger ones and their families. There were some touching moments, and the room was as busy as I have seen it. All of the volunteers brought something important for children. One magical moment was when a young girl saw a mushroom on a post card in the Children’s Room and then somehow managed to look out of the high (for her) window to see the same mushroom growing down in the front of the Center! My hope is that many of the same great volunteers in the Children’s Room will return next year! Catharine Gunderson, Children’s Room Coordinator Sincere thanks to everyone who helped set up and run the Friday night Fair Preview Reception! Making up trays, moving tables, decorating and serving went off without a hitch. Special thanks go to Jeff Emery of Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards for providing not only won-derful wine but a varied tasting opportunity, and to Massimo Caporale of Gelato Massimo for his incomparable Candy Cap Gelato. A good time was had by all! Vernetta McGuire, Culinary Minister Our appreciation goes out to all of the members who helped with setup, shoveling, sweeping, staffing the Membership and Stores booths, spritzing the mushrooms to keep them fresh, maintaining order in the Programs room and many more tasks, all equally important. Cleanup time set a new record this year: one hour! Really an amazing effort all around. Thanks to all! Mark Gillespie, Membership leader Horst Kuhlmann, Setup leader Monise Sheehan, Stores leader Marje Young, Overview/Planning leader Debbie Johnson, Vendors/Setup leader Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Albion I Foray Species List — December 10-12, 2004 The Albion I, 2004 foray was a great success. The rains let up, the sun came out and we went out and collected 155 species. The potluck was outstanding! John Brown • February 1, 2005 Cortinarius alboviolaceus. © Ron Pastorino (from mykoweb.com) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2006 Albion I Foray Species List Albion I Foray 2007 – Species List Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article