SVIMS Foray with Daniel Winkler 2023

For their last foray of the year, SVIMS members met with speaker Daniel Winkler for a quick tour of the Pearson College path that runs along the inlet.

On the previous evening, December 5, Daniel presented a slide lecture on edible mushrooms in BC and the US Pacific Northwest. The talk was based on his new book, Fruits of the Forest.

About 40 different species were found and IDed on the foray. The list (and pictures) can be found on iNaturalist. The number and freshness of the fungal fructifications were amazing for the first week in December. 

 

Photos of people by Steve Strybosch.

Kem Luther and Andy MacKinnon review the mushrooms found during the foray with guest Daniel Winkler
The foray group listens to Daniel expostulate on puffballs.
Daniel in a discussion with Kem, Josh, and Elora
The mushrooms found on the foray
Phaeotremella foliacea, the Leafy Brain, parasitic on Stereum sanguinolentum

Monthly Meeting Dec 5 — Daniel Winkler

Please join us for our December 2023 SVIMS meeting at St. Luke’s Cedar Hill, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria.

Meeting details. We suggest 6:45pm arrival for a 7 pm meeting. This meeting is in-person only–no simultaneous online broadcast. (A short-term recording, only accessible by active SVIMS members, will later be available on this website.)

Foray. A foray with the speaker will take place on Dec 6. Time and location TBA.

Talk Title: “Fungal Fruits of the Forest – Edible Mushrooms in the PNW and Beyond”

Talk summary: The Pacific Northwest may be the richest region in the Western Hemisphere for great edible mushrooms. Choice edibles–Chanterelles, Hedgehogs, Matsutake, King Boletes, Oysters, Conifer Bearhead, and Cauliflower mushroom–are fairly easy to identify. There is also a variety of often-overlooked mushrooms in our woods that are superb edibles, such as Sweetbread Mushroom, Conifer Woodtuft, and White Coral Fungus. In this richly illustrated presentation, Daniel will help us learn to identify, collect, and prepare many great edible mushrooms.

Speaker bio: Daniel grew up collecting and eating wild mushrooms in the Alps. For the last 27 years, he has been living in the US Pacific Northwest. He shares his enthusiasm as a mushroom educator, photographer, and guide on his mushroaming.com website. Daniel recently published Fruits of the Forest – Field Guide to Pacific Northwest Edible Mushrooms. (It will be available at the talk.) This 400-page, gorgeously illustrated book, which focuses on the edible mushrooms of the PNW, distills a lifetime of mushroom hunting from around the world. Daniel previously published a series of fold-out field guides: Edible Mushrooms of the PNW, Edibles of California (both by Harbour Publishing), Amazon Mushrooms, and Medicinal Mushrooms of North America.  He has also published the MycoCard set “Boletes of Western North America.” His ethno-mycological cordyceps research in Tibet and other Asian locations has been featured in National Geographic, New York Times, NPR, and BBC World Service.

SVIMS Foray Government House Fall 2023

SVIMS members returned on November 8, 2023 to the grounds of Government House. The 18 hectares of the provincial property include extensive natural woodlands (mossy balds, Garry oak meadows) on the south side. 

The foray personnel were composed of both Government House volunteers and SVIMS members. At the end of the foray, participants were welcomed at the Government House cottage for refreshments and sharing of finds.

The 20 or so SVIMS people in attendance divided into four groups. Each group had one recorder (Elora Adamson, Ann McCall, Richard Winder, and Kem Luther played these roles.)

Abundant rains over the last month helped bring out a large number of mushrooms, both mycorrhizals and decomposers. The fungal species from the day can be viewed on iNaturalist. In all, forayers found about 40 different species (as always, the iNaturalist count may change as other people weigh in on the observations). 

Photos courtesy of Steven Strybosch. Click on pics to enlarge.

Bolbitus titubans, the fried egg mushroom, was found throughout the grasslands.
Sarah demonstrates the proper mushroom hunting posture. Eyes on the ground!
Ann records some tree rotting mushrooms.
The group laid out the mushrooms on a table at the cottage and debated IDs.
A jelly fungus, Naematelia aurantia, chows down on some yummy Stereum.

Annual SVIMS Raffle 2023

The Annual SVIMS Raffle is underway! Tickets will be available to purchase at the next meetings until the draw on December 5th! 

Tickets are 2$ each or 3$ for 5

Prizes include…

First Place: Basket valued at over 200$ 
Second Place: One of a kind local art print 
Third Place: Signed Mushrooms of BC book
And many more smaller prizes…. 

Donations from places like Luna Collective, Sea Cider, Foragers Galley and more! 

Please contact svims.mal10@gmail.com for any questions or concerns. 

Happy Foraging! 

2024 SVIMS Calendar

The beautiful 2024 SVIMS Calendar is now available (see front cover below). SVIMS members have contributed their photographs and graphic art for each month. The calendars can be purchased by either members or non-members.

The calendars are $20 each.  They make a great gift to family and friends.

 If you require shipping, please add $5 per calendar for shipping and handling.

See Payment Options on Merch menu.

If you would like to contribute to the 2025 calendar, see the lower part of Merch menu.

Calendar image