Special Issue, December 11 and 12, 1999
Mycological Society of San Francisco (MSSF) Fungus Fair
Published about twice a year from Greenvile, CA
by Herman Brown
 
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Comment table of contents top of page Back to HOMEPAGE The following material was donated by some of those who attended the December, 1999 Mycological Society of San Francisco (MSSF) Fungus Fair. I was unable to go, so I solicited pictures and comments from the members of the MSSF OneList (MSSF electronic mailing list), and collected what I could off the MSSF OneList postings. What follows is a result of that solicitation and collecting. A note from Barbara Sommer: I heard that there were 1,000 people in attendance on Saturday, but that is 2nd hand information. I was only there on Sunday and it did not seem like there were that many people -- but the turnout was good. The Amanita table was a big draw -- as always, and people were interested in the deliquescing shaggy manes and blue-staining Psilocybes (see species list). -Barbara

Fair Poster

The Fair

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The following is a brief description of the Fair, posted on the MSSF Onelist by Yu-Shen Ng:

Hi,

I'd like to invite you to the SF Fungus Fair, to be held in Golden Gate Park at the Hall of Flowers on December 11 and 12. The Hall of Flowers (also named the SF County Fair Building) is located near 9th and Lincoln in San Francisco. Here's some more information about the Fair:

Explore the world of mushrooms. See thousands of mushrooms on display, learn to find and identify mushrooms, cook with wild mushrooms, and listen to experts on psychedelics, poisonings, medicinal uses, and more.

Saturday, 12/11, 10am-5pm, and Sunday, 12/12, 11am-5pm.

County Fair Building (generally known as the Hall of Flowers) in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

$6 adults/$3 students with ID and children under 12

Full details at: http://www.mssf.org/

Anyone with a passion for the outdoors and an interest in mushrooms will be able to get a hands-on introduction to the beauty, smells and tastes of the world of mushrooms.

Over a thousand specimens of local mushrooms will be on display at the fair, and visitors will learn, first hand, how to distinguish the deadly poisonous mushrooms from the choice edibles. Mushrooms will be displayed in a setting that assists in their identification and mimics their natural habitat.

EXPERTS TO COVER PSYCHEDLIC EFFECTS, MEDICINAL USES, DIVERSITY AND BEAUTY OF, AND ECOLOGY OF MUSHROOMS

Speakers at the fair will focus on various roles of mushrooms in our society. Multiple speakers will address ethnocultural aspects of mushrooms, including psychedelic mushrooms. Internationally-renowned photographer Taylor Lockwood will present a multimedia show about exotic mushrooms from around the world: "Treasures from the Kingdom of Fungi." Dr. Mo-Mei Chen, Professor of Mycology at the Chinese Academy of Forestry in Beijing, and currently a visiting professor at UC-Berkeley, will discuss medicinal uses of mushrooms. Janet Doell, of the California Lichen Society, will give a multimedia presentation on "Lichens Exposed." Mike Boom, past president of the Mycological Society of San Francisco, will teach beginners how to safely hunt and identify wild mushrooms.

JUST FOR KIDS

Middle and high schools students will enjoy and appreciate most fair activities, and younger students can also participate in artist and author Louise Freedman's Kid's Area. The Kid's Area will provide opportunities to learn about a select set of mushrooms, participate in a mushroom drawing contest, and "hunt" for specific mushrooms among the display tables.

COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS

Cooking shows will be held throughout the day. Francis Wilson, head chef at LaLime's in Berkeley, will demonstrate techniques and recipes for preparing choice wild mushrooms available in the Bay Area. Several other chefs will also be showcasing mushroom cooking techniques.

ORGANIZED MUSHROOM HUNTING FORAYS

In addition to viewing displays and presentations, fair visitors can participate in "mushroom-hunting" by joining one of the pre-fair "mushroom forays." On Friday and Saturday, December 10 and 11, several teams of experts will invite fair-goers to hike through forests, hillsides, trails, and seashores to collect mushrooms throughout the Bay Area. To participate in any of the pre-fair forays, call the Mycological Society of San Francisco's (MSSF's) hotline at 415-759-0495.

The Fungus Fair is not a crafts fair; some mushroom related items, however, including mushroom dyed clothing, posters, and growing kits, will be available for sale.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY

The Mycological Society of San Francisco is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of educational and scientific activities involving mushrooms. The MSSF is the largest regional mushroom society in the United States, and has over 800 members. Founded in 1950, the society is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. The society awards a yearly scholarship to a Northern California graduate student of Mycology, maintains a species database used by city, county and state parks, provides expertise to Bay Area poison control centers, leads identification walks and works to preserve cultural traditions of mushroom collecting.

The Fair Schedule of Events

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The following schedule was posted on the MSSF OneList by Mark Thomsen:

Saturday, December 11th

Outdoor Cooking demonstration

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM John Pisto, chef, restaurateur, author, television personality and mushroom aficionado will be cooking up a wild mushroom risotto. There will be liberal samples at the end of the show. John has been delighting audiences with his love of mushrooms and cooking for years.

Auditorium

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Lichens Exposed. A multi media presentation on lichens by Richard Doell of the California Lichen Society.

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Beginning mushrooms. A slide show presentation on the basics of fungi by MSSF past president Mike Boom. This is a general introduction to mycology and a tour of common California mushrooms.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Treasures from the Kingdom of Fungi. An awesome slide and musical show by Taylor Lockwood, one of the most talented photographers of mushrooms around. This really is a special presentation.

Lecture Room

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM California's rich mushroom heritage. A slide show and lecture by Dr. Mo-Mei Chen, professor of forest pathology and mycology at UC Berkeley/Jepson Herbaria and at the UC Forest Products Lab.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Buddhist saints on drugs: Mushrooms in the history of religion by Scott Hajicek-Dobberstein.

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Intro to Enthnomycology, the discovery of psychedelic mushrooms by the West. Part 1. A presentation by James Arthur.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM A slide show presentation of 19th century American artist Mary Banning's mushroom illustrations.

Sunday, December 12th

Outdoor Cooking demonstration

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Frances Wilson, executive chef at Lalime's restaurant in Berkeley will be preparing a variety of wild mushroom dishes including a candy cap creme brulé. Frances teaches classes in cooking with wild mushrooms at various Bay Area locales.

Auditorium

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lichens Exposed. A multi media presentation on lichens by Richard Doell of the California Lichen Society.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Photographing mushrooms. This is a workshop with tips and techniques on photographing fungi by our (MSSF) webmaster Mike Wood and past president Fred Stevens.

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Treasures from the Kingdom of Fungi. An awesome slide and musical show by Taylor Lockwood, one of the most talented photographers of mushrooms around. This really is a special presentation.

Lecture Room

1:00 AM - 2:00 PM California's rich mushroom heritage. A slide show and lecture by Dr. Mo-Mei Chen, professor of forest pathology and mycology at UC Berkeley/Jepson Herbaria and at the UC Forest Products Lab.

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Intro to Enthnomycology, mushrooms and shamanism Part 2. A presentation by James Arthur.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM A slide show presentation of 19th century American artist Mary Banning's mushroom illustrations.

Barbara Sommer's pictures:

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Barbara used a Sony Mavica MVC 83 digital camera set in the high resolution mode. I reduced the resolution as necessary to fit my screen

Specie List (from Mike Wood)

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The IDs were done by Dr. Dennis Desjardin, Michael Wood, Fred Stevens, J. R. Blair, and Norm Andresen.