Plant and Mushroom Intensive Weekend
This event is sold out! Scroll down to join the waitlist.
This intensive weekend is tailored to those who want to take their knowledge of the regional flora and funga to the next level, but it is also a great opportunity for eager beginners - we hope you will join us for this one-of-a-kind experience! There will be two full days of immersive talks and walks with two of the most trusted foraging educators in the region. It will happen at the fabulous Wild Arts Learning Center in Springfield, MO on Saturday, June 1st and Sunday, June 2nd.
Each day will feature in-depth and interactive slideshow presentations from both Bo Brown, author of Foraging the Ozarks and Foraging Central Grasslands, and Mike Snyder, regional myco-educator.
There will be snacks and beverages available throughout both days!
Day 1 talks will be deep dives into confidently identifying plants and mushrooms in general, but with a focus on edible species. We will break midday for a wild food tasting bar, where we will share some of our favorite wild food flavors with the group – students are encouraged to bring their own creations to share as well! For the second half of the day, we will venture outside to get hands-on experience with the plants and mushrooms that grow here in the Ozarks in late spring and early summer. Bo will focus on edible plants as well as any other noteworthy species we see and demonstrate how to recognize their key features. Mike will focus on basic mushroom ID and explain the ecological interactions and lifestyles of the fungi we encounter. We will wrap up around 5 PM.
Day two will start with another half-day outdoor excursion. The goal is to provide students with the tools to identify common mushrooms and plants on their own! We will be exploring a different area on Day 2 than on Day 1, so it is likely we will encounter species that were not seen on the first day. The group will end the morning by collecting a wild salad with guidance from Bo that we will share along with any remaining wild food bites left over from Day 1 (if any). After lunch, we will regroup inside for an afternoon of talks from Bo and Mike. Day 2’s talks will focus more on preservation methods, cooking techniques, recipes, possible medicinal uses (especially for mushrooms), and other information gathered over the years by two experienced foragers who are passionate about their craft. We will wrap up at about 5 PM.
Presentations will be detailed, dense, and cover a wide range of topics, so there will be a lot of information to absorb! The guidance you get in “the field” will be highly detailed and interactive, providing invaluable, first-hand experience. You will get up-close interaction with Mike and Bo and the group will be kept small so everyone has the chance to develop a rapport with the instructors and to get clarifications and answers to any questions. Don’t miss this one as we will only offer it once this year!
Participants must secure their own overnight lodging (if needed). However, there are limited accommodations at the Learning Center. Email cina@wildartslearning.com for more information.
Tickets are for one person and non-refundable unless we have someone on the waiting list to replace you.