NAMA Seeks Membership Director

If you are a current member of the North American Mycological Association (NAMA), please consider applying for their Membership Director vacancy. Like most club administration positions, it’s unpaid, but not without some great perks! The successful candidate will learn a lot while serving with other volunteers across North America. For more details, please see the announcement below.

For more information about NAMA, visit their website here: https://namyco.org

NAMA is seeking a Membership Director to work with our webmaster and treasurer to welcome new members and support our renewing members—whether individuals or affiliated clubs.

Familiarity with data entry forms, reports, spreadsheets, and customer relations are crucial skills in this position. Training will be provided. You’ll need to regularly respond to membership questions and dedicate time at vital points in the NAMA year: membership renewal January through March and when foray registration opens. You’ll prepare a membership report at the beginning of our fiscal year. Occasional membership drives will give you opportunities to get creative.

The Membership Director also serves as an ex-officio member of the NAMA executive committee. As a result, you and your club would have a voice in many of our significant decisions such as foray locations, speaker invitations, and so forth.
 
You’d also be building a group of mycological and professional mentors as you exercise your leadership, communication, and database skills.   

The Membership Director receives a registration fee waiver to attend the annual foray.

Please contact NAMA President Barbara Ching president@namyco.org to learn more. 

Free Virtual Special Event

Fabulous Fungus Fair
Saturday, November 14, 2:00–3:30 pm ET

Advance Zoom registration required

Explore the wondrous world of fungi! Join Harvard students for a closer look at the mushrooms, yeasts, and molds found in gardens, forests, labs—even in our own refrigerators. This popular annual event turns virtual this year, featuring videos created by Harvard students. Join the webinar to participate in live conversation in response to student projects. Be prepared to see fungi in a whole new way!

Click here to register for the free event. To join the program, you will need to download the free Zoom app in advance. If you already have Zoom, you do not need to download it again. For details on how to improve your Zoom experience, visit the How to Attend an HMSC Program webpage.

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Myco People are Interesting

submitted by Walt Sturgeon

Having been a member of the Ohio Mushroom Society for 45+ years I have encountered some remarkable folks.  Here are some examples.

There was the dousing lady. She had a medallion on a string and was testing mushrooms on the foray display tables. If the medallion swayed, she considered the mushroom was good for her. Fortunately, she was not eating them based on this determination!

Then there was a barefoot young man who announced after he got in a carpool, that there might be an odor as he seldom showered.  Some months later he was looking for OMS references after being arrested for possession of a controlled substance in Montana.

One of my favorite people stories was a phone call.  I did not know the man.  He was interested in finding Gymnopilus spectabilis, a hallucinogenic species.  He wanted to join me in observing it in the woods. I told him that I knew a couple logs where I had found it in the past and that I could contact him if I saw it again.  Then he said he wanted to collect it under the light of the full moon!  Don’t call me, I’ll call you.  This man later became a prominent Amanita muscaria afficionado at the Telluride Mushroom Festival.

I have met two savant boys. One questioned me about a Cordyceps species. It soon became apparent to me that he knew as much or more about Cordyceps than me. As an adult mycologist he has written a book and travels extensively studying fungi. The other would be in the front row when I was giving a talk around the display tables.  His questions were hardly that of a child and his interest was intense.  A couple years later he is giving mushroom slide programs to adult audiences.

My first mushroom program was at Mill Creek Park in Youngstown.  I brought an Amanita muscaria as an example of a common poisonous mushroom.  I probably exaggerated its toxicity a bit. One man in the audience stepped up and in front of the crowd and took a bite of the cap.  So much for my credibility.  I doubt that he ate enough to poison him, but it was a learning experience for me.  The next day a woman went to the park office with a bag of Amanita muscaria. She had washed the warts off the all the caps, and wanted to confirm that this was the mushroom I showed as a good edible.  So much for stressing how toxic it is. Some people hear what they want to hear. Most mushroom hunters are good people and overall are an interesting group.  I have made many good friends in mycological circles.  As in any pursuit, it takes all kinds.

(October) Mushroom of the Month

This should have been our Mushroom of the Month post for October but I’ve “FALL-en” behind, whoops! In any case, enjoy these polypores dressed in their autumn finest, as captured by Pete Richards. We think they’re Ischnoderma resinosa, but feel free to chime in in the comments if you have other ideas.

Look for an entertaining blog post from Walt Sturgeon next week!

Monday, November 9: Using Mold in the Kitchen – Koji Culture for Flavor and Community

If you’re starting to turn your attention from outdoor mushroom hunting to things you can do with fungi indoors, here’s a great online learning opportunity!

On November 9 at 7:30 PM (EST), Jeremy Umansky of the Ohio Mushroom Society will tell us about koji, a fascinating filamentous fungus (Aspergillus oryzae), that adds umami to just about any food. Best of all, Jeremy will show us how to make it at home. Wait until you see how beautiful it is!

Jeremy is co-author, with Rich Shih, of Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation (Chelsea Green,2020). He is also a James Beard Award-nominated chef and chef/owner of Larder: A Curated Delicatessen & Bakery in Cleveland, Ohio.

This event is for NAMA (North American Mycological Association) members only, so if you haven’t joined yet, now’s a good opportunity to do so. As an OMS member, you can get a $5 discount on your membership.

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