fungi part II. redemption.

this is a follow-up post to jay justice takes the fun out of fungi. it took a week, but, he’s not being judged on timeliness. it looks like jay has seen the error of his ways. he’s redeemed himself in my book. read on.


> Subject: Mushrooming in Arkansas
> Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:46:21 -0500
> From: JUSTICE@adeq.state.ar.us
> To: me
>
> Ok,here is some info about the Arkansas Mycological Society
>
> The purpose of the Arkansas Mycological Society is to impart to its members sufficient taxonomic skills so that they will be able to distinguish safe edible mushrooms from poisonous ones and to promote the overall interest in mushrooms and fungi that can be found in Arkansas.
>
> Members are encouraged to develop and sharpen their taxonomic skills by attending field trips or forays that are convened on selected Saturdays throughout the fungal fruiting season (March-November). We meet at previously selected sites, usually Lake Sylvia Recreational Area or Woolly Hollow State Park both of which are not too far from Little Rock, sally forth into the woods with our baskets and enthusiasm and collect mushrooms/fungi until we feel we have collected enough. After a brief lunch to refresh ourselves, we spread out all our fungal finds onto a picnic table and go about the business of identifying the little beasties! While the intent of these forays is to learn the identity of new mushrooms and not fill our baskets with edible mushrooms, on occasion we have come across large collections of edible mushrooms and knowing that if we do not pick these edible mushrooms they will most likely decay in situ, we avail ourselves of the bountiful harvest that nature sometimes bestows upon us.
>
> The society will conduct its annual Fungus Fair at Pinnacle Mountain State Park on November 7. This is an all day affair and includes an interpretive walk in the morning, a slide presentation entitled "Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of Arkansas", a lecture on growing wild mushrooms at home, and a mycophagy session where several examples of wild mushrooms are sautéed and eaten. At this event I also have many examples of fresh and dried mushrooms on displayed with proper labels showing their correct identification. AMS members may attend this fair at no cost, but non-members over the age of 18 are asked to pay a fee of $10.
>
> The society does publish newsletters throughout the year. Our next one will be coming out soon. The newsletter gives information about the forays on Saturdays. Membership in the AMS for the remainder of this year is $5 for individual membership and $7.50 for family membership. Checks for membership can be made out to the AMS and sent to me (Jay Justice), 16055 Michele Drive, Alexander, AR. 72002.
>
> I will also be doing a mushroom workshop at Devil's Den State Park on Oct. 3 of this year from 10AM - 4 PM.
>
> Attached is a file listing the field guides that I recommend for identifying mushrooms that can be found in Arkansas. I suggest that individual purchase a copy of the Audubon field guide and/or the Phillips' guide and supplement these field guides with a regional one such at Field Guide to Southern Mushrooms or Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States by Bessette, Roody, Bessette and Dunaway.
>
> There is some information about the kinds of Mushrooms/Fungi that one can find in Arkansas at http://www.hsu.edu/content.aspx?id=48368
>
> Fungal-mentally yours,
>
> Jay Justice, President Arkansas Mycological Society

ok, anyone up for the mushroom workshop at Devil's Den State Park on Oct. 3?