Central Pennsylvania Mushroom Club
The Central Pennsylvania Mushroom Club (CPMC) is dedicated to the study, protection, and enjoyment of wild mushrooms. It provides a forum for sharing reliable knowledge about the edible and inedible wild mushrooms that grow in central Pennsylvania. Our members include professional mycologists, amateur mushroom collectors at all levels of expertise, enthusiastic mushroom cooks and consumers, and those who just want to see, photograph, and enjoy the beautiful fungi that inhabit our abundant woodlands and parks. More information about CPMC and our club experts. Here's a slideshow from a typical walk and potluck so you can see what you are missing!
Plan now to attend the 2014 Bill Russell Foray. Pictures from the 2012 Foray. View 2011 slideshow. Check the blog for more pictures.
This annual CPMC weekend foray held in August every year is a great opportunity to meet other local mushroomers, find and identify new mushrooms with our experts, and enjoy some great chef prepared meals. The 2014 Annual Foray will be held August 22-24, 2014. Here are pictures from an earlier foray.
Check the events page for details on our meetings: these typically vary from month to month. Club elections are now complete and the new officers are Allan Sutley, President; Chris Cicciarelli, Vice-President; Karen Croyle, Treasurer, and Phyllis "Kuk" Addleman, Secretary. Our new president will be appointing many new committee chairs including a new webmaster and we need some new blood. Please make your interest in serving known at the next club meeting! Just talk to one of the officers.
See the events page for more details. Guests are welcome to attend walks but be aware that minors must be accompanied by a legally responsible adult and no dogs, please. More details about the club and how to join CPMC.
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Bill Russell has been giving mushroom workshops, walks, and talks for nearly half a century. His book, Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic, is invaluable for both novice and expert collectors alike. He has also developed techniques for propagating wild mushrooms. Visit Bill's own website www.brmushrooms.com |
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Dr. Barrie Overton is assistant professor of Biology/Mycology, and Plant Pathology at Lock Haven University. He is very involved in the world of mycology both academically and in the field. Barrie organized the 2007 Peck foray in Pennsylvania and has played a major role in the club's annual wild mushroom forays. He and his microscope are often at our monthly mushroom walks. |
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Karen Croyle has collected mushrooms for the table since childhood, a practice she first learned from her family. For nearly 20 years she has worked closely with Bill Russell and has gained much expertise at his side. Karen's interest is primarily forest-to-table and the beauty of fungi. She has a special gift for finding mushrooms that like to hide from the hunter. |
CPMC is a member club of NEMF, the NorthEast Mycological Federation and an affiliate member of NAMA, the North American Mycological Association.
Featured Fungus
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Strikingly beautiful when young, Ganoderma tsugea (Hemlock Varnish Shelf) is quite common in mature hemlock forests. Most guidebooks list it as inedible due to its bitter taste and woody texture when mature. The varnish shelf contains medicinal qualities and many people chop the mature mushrooms up and boil them to make a healthy, albeit bitter tea. Several of our club members consider Ganaderma tsugea to be a favorite edible mushroom when collected very young (when they look like marshmallows growing from the tree.) We will be looking for these and many other mushrooms at Cooks Forest State Park in May. For more information about the May event take a look at the events page.
