Mushroom Identification and Foraging

Programming Cost:  $80/person for the Saturday. Lunch is included. Start registration by clicking the RSVP link; After you submit a registration, we will send you an invoice for payment.

Location: on-site at “Iowisota”, 2472 IA-26, Lansing, Iowa.

What to expect for the Saturday event: Join us for a full day of mycological discoveries in this beginner-friendly mushroom foraging class!  Learn fungal biology basics, mushroom identification techniques, and practical foraging tips during an indoor presentation.  We'll also enjoy hands-on exploration in the woods and search for choice fall edibles like hen of the woods, lion's mane, lobster mushrooms, chicken of the woods, chanterelles, puffball mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and more! Come prepared for off-trail hiking and uneven terrain.  As with any foraging class, the abundance and variety of mushrooms we find in the woods is entirely up to mother nature! Being prepared for uncertainty (and for surprises!) is all part and parcel of wild foraging.

Overnight “B&B” stay:  Additional $75/person (own bedroom) per night or $100/room per night for multiple family members in the same room. Camping is available on-site for $40. Breakfasts are included. Lodging taxes will be added.

     · Stay in one of our 6 guest bedrooms, with all the modern amenities. (See the accommodations tab of the website for information on all the rooms).

     · If you want to camp on-site, we can help you find a good spot to meet your needs. We have several good spots for tents, and a few good spots for small camping trailers. Camping on-site includes access to the bathrooms and common space inside the main Iowisota house, and breakfasts.

  · The setting of Iowisota includes nearly 200 acres of private forest and many trails to hike and explore. The sleeping rooms are a delightful blend of historic, rustic, and modern. The “gathering room” with its stone fireplace, expansive windows, and comfortable seating provides a place to hang out and chat with the hosts and other guests.

About the speaker/guest expert: Andi is a mycologist, wild food forager, and ancestral skills enthusiast. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and master’s degree in biology. Her master’s thesis represents the first published study examining the spread of naturalized golden oyster mushrooms in the US.  After spending 4 years in biotech developing techniques for growing fungi aerially to be applied as a mycelium-based leather alternative, the Wisconsin woods called her home. Her current focus is on the transfer of cultural knowledge and traditional skills for the development of more resilient and sustainable communities in sync with nature's cycles.

About your hosts: Linda and Dennis Haugen both recently retired from careers as forest health specialists with the US Forest Service. Linda grew up on the Iowisota property, moving here with her parents in 1968. Linda and Dennis built the new residence/retreat center and moved back to northeast Iowa in 2023. They have a wealth of knowledge about natural resources in general, and about the Iowisota property specifically.

How to sign up and pay: Registration is limited to 15 participants. On-site accommodation is limited. Click the link for registration, and then fill out the registration form. This will hold your space. Once you have completed the form, we will email you an invoice that you can pay by check, credit card, or paypal. If payment has not been received within 2 weeks of registration, your spot will be released.