Any mycologists/fans of fungi?

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One of my greatest passions in this life is observing and participating with our vast fungal friends community. Mushrooms, lichen, yeasts, they’re all so fascinating, and we wouldn’t be here without their tireless work preparing the ground for the eons of synergy that has led to us being able to step out of the soil and become aware of the fact that we’ve become aware.

I’ve been learning about and growing mushrooms for over a decade now. I am the founder of both Alaska Mushroom Supply and the Alaska Mycological Society. Though if you dig into either you’ll find there isn’t much to show yet, but the fog clears more and more with every passing day.

One of my greatest ambitions would be to teach en masse for free how to cultivate mushrooms, for the betterment of the self and the planet. If anyone here has any interest in working with these very strange organisms, or has any questions about them, I would LOVE to be a part of the conversation.

Species I’ve worked with:
Hericium erinaceus (and Hericium coralloides): Lion’s Mane
Pleurotus ostreatus (and many close relatives): oyster mushroom
Cordyceps militaris (generally just referred to as ‘Cordyceps’, though the most infamous is Cordyceps sinepsis, the most valuable mushroom in the world)
Lentinula edodes (shiitake, I’ve only worked with its mycelium, I never got it to fruiting stage)
Ganoderma multipilium (Reishi, referred to by the Chinese as the Mushroom of Immortality, used to be strictly reserved for royalty)

Thanks hope to hear from you soon

I like mushrooms on my pizza!

I don't know that much about fungi, but I am reading a biography about Beatrix Potter and she was very into that sort of thing. You would love this book. There is a lot of Latin names used describing what she examined and sketched.

She also wrote about lichen and it's symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi.

Beatrix Potter A life in Nature

Technically, I’m a professional mycologist, but never found work in the dark ages when I graduated.

I can eat wild mushrooms, use some as textile dyes, but have never had much luck cultivating any of them. (When I was in grad school, “they” said it could not be done )

Flown started a thread A-Z of fungi.

There is an old thread on mushroom appreciation. I’ll see if I can find it. I miss Darmok, who was also interested in mushrooms.

I couldn’t figure out how to copy a link, so I just bumped the old thread. Sorry if that offends anyone.

In the process of earning my Conservation Biology degree, I learned about and developed an interest in fungi, finding the mycorrhizal species and their relationships to plants especially interesting. I also think it's neat just how many are out there to find.

I have only participated in the cultivation of some Ecuador Cubensis, aka Golden Teachers, many moons ago. Huge respect for mycology and fungi in general - far more uses & functions than just the magic variety.. but the magic variety are aptly named considering their particular effects on humans.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

I'd sure like some help with cultivation if anyone has any expertise.

After Hurricane Irma downed so many of our oaks, bays and maples, I decided to try inoculating some of the logs. I bought inoculum from Mushroom Mountain in NC and followed all the instructions for shiitake mushrooms. I think I also did one of the Pleurotus sp. Got mushrooms, but not shiitake.

Lucky for me, I decided to double check the identification before I ate them.

Pleurotus grows wild here, so sometimes I find them fruiting here and there. Yum.