I've always wanted to learn about mushroom foraging. Actually, I have always loved foraging in general. My fiance gave me a book one Christmas called "Northeast Foraging" by Leda Meredith. If you couldn't tell by the page markers, it is one of those books that I flip through all of the time.
Although I love this book, it doesn't cover mushrooms. And, since wild mushrooms vary, I wanted to learn from an expert, in person. You see, like most kids, I was told to never-ever eat mushrooms I found outside. If I did, I would essentially be poisoned and suffer a gruesome, agonizing, drawn-out death. At least that's what we believed, and our parents didn't say otherwise.
We have been running this website for over a year now, and I have been learning about all kinds of activities close by that I never knew existed!
Green Mountain Conservation Group is located right over the border in Effingham, NH. Before you nix the idea of "traveling", we are literally talking about a 14-minute drive from the Call's Shop N' Save plaza in Cornish.
GMCG offers classes and activities related to nature and our great outdoors. Most of their programs are by donation.
I was SO excited when they sent over information about a mushroom walk! Immediately I RSVP'd, marked my calendar, and published a post about the upcoming class lead by Stephanie Doyle of New Hampshire Mushroom Company.
The weather was beautiful, and the parking lot was packed with people eager to learn more about hunting wild mushrooms in Maine and NH. Stephanie lead our group along the Blue Heron Trail and told us all about the fungi we were finding. Aside from her pointing out mushrooms, we were able to ask "what's this?" over and over. She is a fantastic wild mushroom guide!
I learned a ton of information, and really enjoyed the walk. The biggest thing I learned is that I have a lot to learn about 'shrooms! If you are interested in learning more about growing mushrooms, NH Mushroom Company offers free tours of their facility in Tamworth, NH every Sunday at noon. For upcoming things-to-do, and events by Green Mountain Conservation Group, check out our "things-to-do" section here.
