Online workshops planned to begin May 5 to help safely identify, harvest mushrooms

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer a two-part online workshop in the spring and fall of 2020 for anyone interested in learning more about identifying and foraging local mushrooms. The first spring workshop will be held May 5 from 6-7 p.m. The workshops will be offered via Zoom. To register go to https://bit.ly/isumushroom2020by the May 1 deadline. The workshops are limited to 300 participants.

The course is free of charge. For questions about online registration, contact Katelyn Brinkerhoff at kbrink@iastate.edu, or Carter Oliver at cpoliver@iastate.edu.

Instructor Lina Rodriguez Salamanca is a plant pathology diagnostician with the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State University. She fell in love with mushrooms while studying microbiology in college and teaches morel and oyster mushroom certification classes for the State of Iowa.

Foraging and consumer awareness is important, and there are always risks associated with consuming wild mushrooms. Participants in this virtual workshop will discuss proper identification traits, foraging safety, distinguishing between edible and non-edible varieties and best harvesting practices including how to avoid any potential post-harvest contamination.

Those who register for both spring and fall online workshops will receive a free copy of the soon to be released Safe Mushroom Foraging Guide, which was developed and published by Rodriguez Salamanca and her team. For more information, contact Katelyn Brinkerhoff, horticulture educator for ISU Extension and Outreach Woodbury County, at kbrink@iastate.edu or 712-276-2157.

Carter Oliver, county director for ISU Extension and Outreach Harrison County, can be reached at cpoliver@iastate.edu or 712-644-2105.