Forage Wild Mushrooms and Live to Tell

Class Details

Forage Wild Mushrooms and Live to Tell About It: How-To in 10 Steps

 

Millions of people gather wild mushrooms each year and are just fine. But a (thankfully relatively small) number mushroom-related fatalities happen annually. These are largely preventable, as most cases come from mistaken identification. I’ll start by highlighting poisonous species — some deadly — that resemble popular local edibles, showing them side-by-side. Then we’ll walk through key steps in mushroom identification, with lots of photos for illustration, and I’ll demo how to make a spore print–a fun yet critical part of distinguishing among species. Finally, I’ll touch on 2023’s outbreak of morel-related poisonings that, sadly, caused 3 fatalities, and what some mushroom experts think may have contributed.

 

Students will receive a PDF guide that summarizes the identification steps to be used in conjunction with local mushroom identification books.

 

For more on this topic, check out Marija’s article in Edible New Mexico Magazine – Mushroom Foraging in the Winter? (starts on p. 22)

 

• Class Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
• Class Time: 10am – 1pm
• Cost: $42
• Location: Live Online (Class link will be emailed to all registered students a few days before class.)
• Registration is required.