“I found one!”
Kids exclaimed in excitement as Oregon State University graduate students and mycologists gathered around to identify an ink-producing mushroom, the Shaggy Mane.
On Nov. 9, the Corvallis Park and Recreation hosted Mushroom Day in a cabin at Beazell National Forest, just 20 minutes from Corvallis.
The family-friendly event featured community members from both OSU and various Mycology organizations.
Two sessions were held, one morning session at 9 a.m. and another beginning in the afternoon at 12:30 p.m. Both consisted of two 45-minute segments, one for cooking demos and mushroom identification and the other for a short hike to view mushrooms in the wild.
At 9:20 a.m., Lacey Moore, from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Jesse Ott, Benton County director of natural areas, parks and events, and Joey Spatafora, head of the botany and plant pathology department at OSU, gave a quick introduction followed by mushroom facts and the day’s schedule.
At 9:35 a.m. the large group of participants was split up, half starting with the hike and the other half staying for cooking and identification activities.
The cooking demo was led by Jennifer Macone, owner and founder of The Mushroomery, located in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. Macone explained the best ways to hunt, gather, cook and store several types of fungi. She then cooked Chanterelle mushrooms for everyone to try.
While working at another local mushroom farm, Macone realized that the pesticides and fungicides were unhealthy and bad for the body. At age 22, Macone started her own organic mushroom farm, where they sell both cultivated and wild mushrooms.
Outside the cabin, several OSU graduate and postdoctoral students set up large tables with several local mushroom species. Each mushroom had a label and description, whether it was edible or not, where to find it and key identifying factors.
Michele Wiseman, a postdoctoral student at OSU, told the group about an app called iNaturalist — an AI-powered app for identifying and educating on not only mushroom species but also other plants and animals.
All the mushrooms were gathered by the Mushroom Club and fellow mycology students from OSU.
Back on the trails, Spatafora and grad students guided participants through trails lined with several species of Fungi, from Cat’s Tongue to Ink Caps, the guides shared extensive knowledge with kids and adults alike.
The trails consisted of some elevation, but were mostly flat and walkable for both young children and grandparents. At the end of the hikes, participants are greeted with complimentary cider, hot cocoa, tea and cookies.
The Mushroomy had a booth set up where people could buy, not only fresh mushrooms, but relish, sauce, and mushroom growing starter kits.
Several organizations had their own tables and booths set up, such as the North American Truffling Society, the Corvallis Environmental Center’s NaturePlay Preschool and The Naked Crepe.
Parking at the Cabin was limited to just 15 spaces, so a shuttle was provided from Avery Park to Beazall. Despite parking, there is a lot of space for families to have lunch after their hike or for kids to play.
The Mushroom Day event will return next fall for more educational and family-friendly fun!