Forage & Cook Wild Edible Fall Mushrooms in Alberta

No. The workshop is built for people who are starting from the beginning. The sessions cover what a mushroom is, the parts that matter for identification, and the field guides worth using, so you'll have the working vocabulary and a deeper understanding of Fungi before you go into the woods on Sunday.

It's built for beginners and works well for people who have done some foraging on their own and want to put their identifications on a firmer footing. The species we cover are fall mushrooms you should know.

Both Zoom sessions are recorded, and you'll get the recording within a day. The field day on Sunday is the one session you'll want to attend live, since the foraging and the cook & taste happen in person and isn't recorded.

The location is in the Greater Edmonton area and is chosen the week of the workshop based on where the best chances of finding mushrooms fruiting. We email the meeting location and directions to registered participants 24 hours before the field day.

A basket or a mesh bag for finds (no plastic, which makes mushrooms sweat), a small knife or pair of scissors, sturdy footwear, weather-appropriate layers, water, and a snack. If you have a field guide you like, bring it. If you don't, that's fine, we'll discuss the ones worth owning.

The workshop is capped at a small group so everyone has time to look closely at finds and ask questions in the field.

Mushroom fruiting depends on temperature, moisture and even a well-timed workshop can land on a slow week. There are always some mushrooms to find. We walk habitats where the mushrooms are usually found, and look at whatever the woods are giving us that day. Understanding habitats and mushrooms habits will apply to your future mushroom outings.

Yes we will, but they might not be the ones we expect. That is the beauty of mushrooms. Sometime it is the surprises that can make your day. That said, no honest forager will promise mushrooms before going out. The workshop is built so you leave with the skills regardless of how the basket fills.

The walks are a single event. They're a quick introduction to mushrooms of that particular day. This workshop is three sessions built around the variety of fall mushrooms: two evenings of valuable pertinent information about fall mushrooms, plus a field day with a cook & taste at the end. If you've done a walk and want to go further on a specific season, the workshop is the next step.

The two Zoom sessions are open to anyone, and the content on mushroom identification, and habitat discussion applies anywhere these species grow in Canada and the northern US. The field day is in the Edmonton area, so the in-person component is most practical for people within driving distance. If you have enough participants in your local area, Martin could come to you.

Yes. Every mushroom that goes into the kitchen is identified by Martin before it's cooked, and anything questionable is set aside. Mushrooms are always cooked thoroughly before eating, which is the standard for any wild mushroom going to the table.

Let us know in advance and we'll work around it. We can accommodate most common dietary needs with notice. If you'd rather not eat what we cook for any reason, you're welcome to bring your own snacks and join in the conversation. We can certainly try to keep the mushroom samples simple and customized to you.