In this beginner-friendly mushroom foraging class, we'll discuss mushroom identification techniques, and practical foraging tips. We'll explore the woods together in search of edible and medicinal mushrooms like lion's mane, lobster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, chanterelles, hedgehog mushrooms, puffball mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and more! Come prepared for off-trail hiking and uneven terrain. As with any foraging class, the abundance and variety of mushrooms we find in the woods is entirely up to mother nature! Being prepared for uncertainty (and for surprises!) is all part and parcel of wild foraging.
Summer Dates:
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Ages: Adults (responsible teenagers are welcome to enroll with a participating adult)
Instructions: Come prepared for time in the woods by dressing for the weather. Closed-toe shoes, long sleeves, and long pants tucked into socks are recommended to protect against ticks and thorns when venturing off trail. Please also bring something to collect mushrooms in. Containers that allow airflow are best, e.g. baskets, canvas bags, mesh bags, paper bags, etc., and a small pocket knife is useful if you have one. Be sure to bring a water bottle!
Sliding Scale Course Fee Guidelines
Supporter Level Ticket: $80
If you move through the world with financial ease and the means to fulfill many of your wants as well as your needs – you are able to eat out when you want, abundantly meet your needs through employment or can comfortably not work, have access to family wealth, own property, etc. – consider paying at this level, which will help us ensure the long term sustainability of our programs while keeping our offerings accessible to those with access to fewer resources.
Sustainer Level Ticket: $65
If you are able to meet your needs with relative ease while budgeting your educational and entertainment spending – for instance, you are able to take classes and eat out occasionally as long as you are mindful – consider paying at this level, which will help sustain the work of the Folk School at a modest level.
Supported Level Ticket: $50
If you struggle to fund your basic needs and have limited access to resources in your family and community, or if you would not be able to access this offering without a discounted payment option, consider paying at this level. We value your presence and contributions to our community and do not want any economic circumstances to be a barrier to attendance!
Intstructor Bio — Andi Reisdorf (née Bruce)
Andi is a professional mycologist, avid wild food forager, and amateur rockhound with a green thumb and a love affair with the natural world. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies with a focus on environmental sustainability and social justice. She also has a master’s degree in biology with a focus on mycology, the study of mushrooms and other fungi. Her master’s thesis represents the first published study examining the spread of non-native golden oyster mushrooms in the United States. After spending 4 years as a scientist in the San Francisco Bay Area’s biotech industry, the Wisconsin woods have called her home to focus on the transfer of cultural knowledge and traditional skills.
(She is also currently the DFS Registrar!)