While many people dislike the rain, mushroom enthusiasts welcome it.
With the rain comes an abundance of mushrooms, including choice edibles like the chanterelles, lobster, hedgehogs and oysters.
These edible mushrooms are easy to identify and workshops offered this fall will help novice mushroom pickers to differentiate between the delicious and the deadly.
“Many people are excited by the idea of eating wild mushrooms, but afraid of poisoning themselves” said biologist and workshop leader Jessica Wolf. “While caution is necessary, you can learn to safely forage for many delicious mushrooms.”
Workshops participants will have the opportunity to take a close look at samples of edible wild mushrooms and their look-alikes during a show-and-tell session. Afterward they can stroll through the forest in search of specimens growing in their habitat.
For people who are also interested in learning the values of local plants for food and medicine, a second workshop will be offered which combines both plants and mushrooms.
“Foraging for wild food is like a treasure hunt. You never know what you will find when you head into the woods,” said Wolf.
The wild edible mushroom workshops are offered Nov. 16-18 at Wildwood Forest in Yellow Point. Cost is $45 per person.
One hundred dollars from each Wildwood workshop will be contributed to The Land Conservancy of B.C.
For more information or to register, please go to www.jessicawolf.ca or call 250-327-6931.