Mushroom Lovers: Feb 13 Class List
Hey Mushroom Lover’s Crew!

We have our first round of classes coming up, and y’all get first dibs! More classes will be added as the year goes along. All the classes below are with Jared Urchek, naturalist, owner of Vital Traditions Acupuncture, naturalist and mushroom expert. His knowledge goes far beyond fungi, and can intertwine aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Julian Fortu, a professionally certified forager chef, and Keri Connell, a licensed nutritionist, herbalist and forager, will be leading classes later in the year and providing their professional twists!
Class sizes are VERY limited because some are inside during colder months while still adhering to Covid precautions. Remember, your experience pack includes two regular classes, regardless of price, and one cooking demo. You just have to e-mail us the date and class you’d like to attend, and we will register you. You have 24 hours from when this email is sent to pre-register for classes before we open them to the general public. After that, booking is not guaranteed.
U-Picks items will be determined last minute since they depend on Mother Nature.
CLASS OFFERINGS
Saturday March 6 - The City Ranch, Windsor Mill, MD
10am - Hands On ID - indoor classroom - 1.5 hour class
12pm - Fungi Families & Mini-Hunt - 45 min class indoors, 45 min pseudo-hunt outside
Saturday March 20 - The City Ranch, Windsor Mill, MD
10am - Hands On ID - indoor classroom - 1.5 hour class
12pm - Nature Walk - 1.5 hour walk
1pm - Hot Honey - 2 hour virtual cooking class
Saturday April 3 - Terra Farms & Field, Spring Grove, PA
10am - Fungi Families & Mini-Hunt - 45 min class indoors, 45 min pseudo-hunt outside
12pm - Nature Walk - 1.5 hour walk
Saturday April 17 - Vital Traditions, Ellicott City, MD
10am - Hands On ID - 1.5 hour class
12pm - Fungi Benefits: Supporting Mind & Body - 1.5 hour VIRTUAL class
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
Fungi ID - $37
This is not your normal “text book” class. Be prepared to get hands on with various fungi, dried & fresh, as you search for identifying clues and learn terminology with an expert. This is a class that will involve all of your senses! Available for your use during class are clipboards, specimens of 5 popular dried fungi, and fresh sensory materials, but you will need to bring your own chair. We highly recommend taking notes in a designated “fungi notebook”.
Fungi Families & Mini-Hunt - $30
Field guides for fungi can be overwhelming. This important foundational class is designed to help students at all levels understand families of mushrooms with the help of an expert mushroomer. You will need to bring your own chair for the first portion of class, but we will provide clipboards to write on. You’ll also take an interactive walk utilizing your knowledge of fungi to guess where they might be growing! We highly recommend taking notes in a designated “fungi notebook”. Note: This is not a collection class.
Nature Walk - $30
These walks are perfect for reinforcing your knowledge from other classes as well as introducing you to seasonal sightings of plants and fungi. By developing a working knowledge of the life cycle of nature you’ll hone your own foraging skills into a state of productivity instead of relying on luck. Casual in form, these are a great time to ask questions to high level professionals.
Fungi Benefits: Supporting Mind & Body - Virtual - $30
Fungi are showing up everywhere, from coffee mixes to cakes, and their claims seem too good to be true. Learn what to look for, how to use these products, and, most importantly, what are the benefits for mind and body all from industry experts. We highly recommend consulting with a professional before undertaking any sort of serious self-care which is why we’ve partnered with several professionals in a range of disciplines from acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine to nutrition and professional cooking. Each instructor will share a unique view on this fascinating topic.