It’s finally time to get out and do some mushroom identification! The end of June straight through the fall is prime time for mushrooms in our region. I have a passion for sharing knowledge and I’m excited get in the woods and do just that. On my tours you’ll learn a variety of edible wild mushrooms, how to identify them and feel comfortable picking them on your own. You will also learn toxic and deadly varieties, along with some of the great medicinal and edible plants. With over 2,000 different kinds of mushrooms in our forests, it’s impossible to learn them all, as some haven’t even been identified yet! You can expect to learn some of these on a typical walk, but not guaranteed as it depends on what we find.
Edible/Medicinal: Chanterelles (6 types), Chicken of the Wood, Oyster, Boletes, Milky mushrooms, Russulas, Jelly, Hen of the Wood, Shrimp of the Wood, Turkey Tail, Reishi, Lobster, Honeys, Beef Steak, Cauliflower, Hedgehog, Puffball, Berkeleys Polypore and Lions Mane.
Toxic/Poisonous: Amanitas, Jack O Lanterns, Sickeners, Pecks, Pepper Caps, Deadly Galerina, Satans Bolete.
Plants: Mullein, Solomons Seal, Indian Pipe, Indian Cucumber, Pipsissewa, Partridge Berry, Mayapple, Green Briar, Rattlesnake Plantain, Broad Leaf Plantain, Jewel Weed, Clover, Nettle, Sassafras, Heal All, Cohosh, Galax, Blood Root, Chickweed, Yarrow, Horse Mint, Bear Corn
Tours last about an hour and a half and cost $50 per person. The hikes are a mile or two total and not strenuous. Kids are half price. All participants will be required to sign a waiver. Locations vary but are typically no more than 20-25 mins from Asheville. I will inspect mushrooms collected along the way at the end of the hike and you can take home what is safe to eat. I also offer home visits, where I walk your property with you for a cost of $60/hr.
My availability is quite flexible. If unseen events happen such as thunder showers, overly dry conditions, emergencies, etc, rescheduling is not a problem. You will pay in person on the day of the tour. The best way to set up a tour is contacting me via email: blueridgechaga@gmail.com or text message 828-423-3875. Please include your name and how many in your group. I will be scheduling walks on a week by week basis. I will be out of town at the beginning of August for a few weeks so no walks during that time. I can’t wait to see some of you out in the woods!!
