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AMS EVENT CALENDAR

Upcoming events

    • 20 Mar 2023
    • 9:00 AM
    • 21 Jun 2023
    • 9:00 PM
    • burn areas throughout the state
    Register

    The 2022/2023 winter has been one for the record books. While most of Arizona is desert, good winter snowpack and spring storms allows us Arizonans to enjoy the age old quest for spring morels.

    We get two types of morels in Arizona - those in the valleys and those in the mountains. Those in the valley grow in riparian areas (forests around streams) throughout Arizona where there are cottonwood trees in late March and April. Those in the mountains grow in recently burned areas from April through mid-June. 

    This year, due to the unbelievable winter precipitation, we have created additional maps and are once again providing all of these maps for free to AMS members.


    When conditions are right, burn morels can grow in large numbers in recently burned areas. They grow in habitat ranging from Ponderosa pine forests to higher elevation spruce-fir vegetation. Since they grow from tree roots, they can only be found in areas with these trees. The fruiting of morel mushrooms can be triggered by wildfires, so having a good map of recent wildfire boundaries is a key resource for having a successful hunt.

    Those that grow in the lower elevations along streams with cottonwoods are much more rare and do not occur in burned areas. The "riparian morels" are often found earlier in the season and only for a few weeks. When they are found, there are rarely more than a few. Like the burn morels, finding and searching out their habitat is the best way to find them.

    Hunting the Arizona morels is VERY challenging. You will need to consider key factors of the locations you are looking such as slope, aspect, soil temperatures, tree species, and whether or not the area has been recently burned. To help with the latter, the Arizona Mushroom Society has created maps of recent wildfires that can be downloaded and used by Arizona Mushroom Society members for FREE via the Avenza Maps app. In addition, due to the extreme winter precipitation this year, we have also created a map showing cottonwood-dominated riparian forest, so AMS members can search out and hunt the best habitat for those blonde river morels.

    All AMS members have access to our complete library of existing wildfire perimeter maps available to you from 2018 through 2022 wildfires to help you find morels.


    To access the free Arizona Mushroom Society Burn Morel library and for instructions on how to use these maps, please register for this event and an email with this information will be sent to you.

    • 14 Jun 2023
    • 7:00 PM
    • Natural History Institute, 126 N. Marina St., Prescott, AZ 86303

    Central Arizona members of the AMS may be interested in attending a lecture presentation that will be given on the evening of June 14th by our former President, Chris May, at the Natural History institute in Prescott.


    Chris will be discussing the mushrooms found in Arizona, particularly but not exclusively those that are of culinary value.  There will be a short Q & A session afterwards, and he will give details of a Prescott-area foray that he will be guiding for members of the Natural History Institute later this summer, probably August 19th.

    This is NOT an official program of the Arizona Mushroom Society. It is sponsored by the Natural History Institute of Prescott. Space is limited, and free tickets must be obtained through EventBrite at the following link:

    • 18 Jun 2023
    • 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Flagstaff, AZ
    • 22
    Register


    Get ready... we will be climbing the highest of heights under the punishing June Arizona sun in search of rare fungi that grow along the edges of shrinking mountain snow patches.


    We are looking to find and document the uncommon and ephemeral snowbank fungi! Snowbank fungi are known from high elevation western conifer forests, and unique to these areas from the Canadian Rockies to the lower Sangre de Cristos of New Mexico. They do not grow in Europe or other regions where there are large snow beds of the arctic, alpine habitat, or glaciers. The snowbank fungi are specifically associated with Engelmann spruce in areas with dwindling snowbanks adjacent to dense spruce forests with plenty of downed trees and litter.

    In Arizona, we are lucky  to have a few vestige snowbank fungi populations in the highest elevations most years. While it is unlikely any of the fungi we find will be edible, this foray will be a unique opportunity to discover, document, and learn more about the rare phenomenon of snowbank fungi in the desert southwest. We will also be recording any snowbank fungi we find using the iNaturalist app, which will allow us to contribute to the broader scientific understanding of the range of various snowbank fungi species. 

    Due to the extreme habitat of snowbank fungi we will need to climb very steep slopes at very high elevations to get to the last melting snows of winter. Please only register if you are in good health and feel comfortable with physical exertion at elevations above 10,000 feet.


    • 11 Aug 2023
    • 9:00 AM
    • 13 Aug 2023
    • 4:00 PM
    • Alpine, AZ

    - Registration To Open In June 2023 -

    Arizona Mushroom Society 2023 ANNUAL FORAY


    Mark your calendars for the August 11-13 Annual Foray in Alpine, Arizona in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. The annual foray is our special opportunity to spend a weekend learning about, finding, talking about and even tasting wild Arizona fungi! 

    .

    SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

     Date/Time

    Activity


    Friday, August 11, 9am – Noonish

    Friday morning group forays, $20/person

    Friday, August 11, 1pm – 4ish

    Friday afternoon group forays, $20/person

    Friday, August 11, 6:30 pm

    @ Alpine Community Center

    Fungi Social, free - Hang out and bring in fungi you found! Specimen collection and informal mushroom ID, vendors, mushroom tasting.


    Saturday, August 12,

    9am – Noonish

    Saturday morning group forays, $20/person

    Saturday, August 12,

    1pm – 4ish

    Saturday afternoon group forays, $20/person

    Saturday, August 12, 5:30 pm @ Alpine Community Center

    Annual Foray Dinner - Must register and pay for separately before event

    Saturday, August 12, 7:00 pm @ Alpine Community Center

    Keynote Presentation by Else Vellinga, Free


    Sunday, August 13, 9am @ Alpine Community Center

    Table Talk, Free

    Sunday, August 13, 1pm – 4ish

    Sunday afternoon group forays, $20/person



    EVENT DESCRIPTIONS

    Wild Mushroom Forays

    Group forays are your opportunity to go on a 1-2 mile hike with an Arizona Mushroom Society foray leader to find and identify wild mushrooms. We are planning for small group forays to occur morning and afternoon for all three days of the event. You and any guest must be registered to attend forays. The cost is $20/person via online payment. 

    Please only register for one foray between August 11-13th. We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to get to attend a foray. There will be opportunities to sign-up for additional forays. They will be posted on a first come, first service basis at the Alpine Community Center the Friday and Saturday evenings prior to the next day forays.


    For the foray you register for here, foray meet-up locations will be emailed to registrants by August 9th, before the event. No refunds available for cancellations.

    The REGISTRATION button on the left side at the top of page is how you register for a group foray.

    Activities at the Alpine Community Center

    This is your chance to meet other fungaphiles, see local finds, and dive deeper and learn from the experts about our local funga. Throughout the Annual Foray weekend, we have many learning opportunities:


    Friday evening, August 11, 2023

    Come by the Alpine Community Center for a mushroom social @ 6:30 p.m. to see and possibly contribute to the specimens, peruse from fungi-inspired vendors, and taste some of the recently found wild edible mushrooms. 

    We will be keeping a collection of fungi finds, both common and uncommon. These will be identified, sorted, recorded and displayed throughout the weekend for teach with and observation. Friday evening will include AMS science-minded folks and guests sorting incoming species and sharing opportunities for learning and trying out microscopy and specimen and tissue preparation for DNA analysis.


    Saturday evening, August 12, 2023

    The Annual Foray Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. at the Alpine Community Center and catered by Foxfire at Alpine for $38/person. There will be an option to buy pizza for children. To join us, you need to register and pay for the meal ahead of time. For more information about the menu and to sign-up for the meal, please register here.


    After dinner, we are proud and honored to present Else Vellinga as the 2023 AMS Annual Foray Mycologist! Else will be presenting at 7:00 p.m. at the Alpine Community Center on the ubiquitous and single cell wonders that are an integral part of all fungi  - spores! You don't want to miss Else's informative and clever discussion of the world of spores, why they are important, how they work, and what mysteries remain.   

    Else is a mycologist who is interested in naming and classifying mushroom species in California and beyond, especially Parasol mushrooms. She has described 22 species as new for California, and also worked at the herbaria at UC Berkeley and SFSU for the Macrofungi and Microfungi Collections Digitization projects. Else cares deeply about using fungi in conservation efforts and likes to spread her love and knowledge of fungi.

    Sunday morning, August 13, 2023

    Come to the Table Talk, starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Alpine Community Center!


    If you have any questions about AZ native fungi, this is the place to answer them. Nowhere else in the world where there be more information about AZ mushrooms available to you!

    At the table talk Else Vellinga and our Scientific Committee Chair, Terri Clements, will go through all of the specimens collected throughout the weekend and share information about their identification, life history, and recent research findings.


    LODGING OPTIONS

    The Arizona Mushroom Society will not be hosting a group campsite this year, however, you can reserve your own campsite near the lake. For more information on Forest Service Luna Lake group campsites, please visit here.

    For those who want slightly more developed facilities or a spot for your RV with hook ups, we encourage you to rent a place at the Aspen Lodge! They have a number of accommodations including a bunkhouse for a group, chalets, and small cabins at very affordable prices.

    The "Maine" cabin at Aspen Lodge

    They also have awesome owners who are eager to learn more about mushrooms since it turns out the lodge is in a prime location for summer fungi.

    You can also look for other lodging in the towns of Greer and Alpine, AZ - the heart of the White Mountains. You can find lodging options in Greer here, for Alpine lodging click here. There are several small cabins for rent, but options are limited due to the small size of the town. Another several miles away are the larger communities of Springerville and Eager, which have a larger selection, but may be further from foray locations. 


    Other nearby options to the west include Pinetop-Lakeside area, which has several blocks of small tourist-oriented restaurants and hotels. If nothing is available in Pinetop-Lakeside, a little farther out you can find more options in Show Low, AZ.

    There are also ample camping opportunities!  There are a number of developed campgrounds you can camp at throughout the area. Some of the developed campgrounds can be reserved at www.recreation.gov, others are first come, first serve. We will be foraying near developed campgrounds including Hoyer, Winn, Rainbow, Cutthroat, Grayling, Brookchar, and Apache Trout campgrounds. To find out more about the nearby campgrounds and if they are available, go to www.recreation.gov.

    Another option is dispersed camping on the national forest. The foray areas and much of the surrounding landscape is part of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. You are allowed to camp without a permit on much of the national forest in the area.


    FOOD SERVICE OPTIONS

    Food service will be very limited during the foray weekend. Please come prepared with lunches and snacks during forays because there is no location to buy food for several miles. 

    Local towns including Alpine, Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low, and Springerville-Eager have restaurants and grocery stores for purchasing supplies or meal service. Alpine has a small gas station with snacks and gas.

    In Alpine, AZ the Foxfire restaurant is a great place to have a meal. They serve continental breakfast. If you are looking for something a little more to start the day, the Bear Wallow Cafe has an earl bird full breakfast.

    We are doing a special Saturday night mushroom meal, which you can sign up for here.

    VOLUNTEERING

    We are looking for volunteers who would be interested in helping setup and run the event. If interested, please contact us at azmushroomsociety@gmail.com

    KIDS AND PETS

    Kids and pets are allowed to attend AMS events, and must be under your supervision at all times. Most forays including walking 1-2 miles on uneven terrain often with downed logs and steep slopes, which is difficult for toddlers and small dogs. Most forays are within the abilities of children 5-6 years old. Very young children will need to be carried, as most forays would not accommodate a stroller or other such mobile device. Dogs that are friendly and can get over logs in the woods generally do well on forays but must be kept on a leash at all times.

    STUDY GUIDE

    Are you wondering what fungi you may find on the foray? Check out our iNaturalist project from last year's foray to see all of the fungi that other participants found!


    • 12 Aug 2023
    • 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
    • Alpine Community Center
    • 133
    Register

    Please join us for the Arizona Mushroom Society Annual Foray Dinner to be catered by hometown favorite, Foxfire at Alpine!

    This is our opportunity to gather together and break bread among fungi friends. We know you will be duly satisfied with the delicious and reasonably priced food from our friends at Foxfire. 


    Meals will be $38 per person. Payment options are available as part of the registration process.

    Meals will be served buffet style and include an entree, sides, dessert and a non-alcoholic drink.

    - - - MENU - - -

    3 entrées to choose from:

    Chicken Fried Steak - Fried, breaded beef fritter servedi with mashed potatoes and peppered gravy.

    Blackened Chicken Alfredo - Spicy blackened chicken blended with Foxfire's creamy homemade garlic alfredo sauce over fettuccine.

    Bumblebee Stew (Vegetarian option) - Foxfire's house-made recipe of black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, green peppers, honey, butter, garlic, onion, cream and lots of spices served over rice pilaf.

    ** Unfortunately, no vegan options are available

    Served with:

    Garlic Bread and House Salad

    Dessert:

    Cheescake! Assorted flavors including vanilla, raspberry swirl, silk tuxedo and chocolate chip.

    Drinks:

    Iced team, lemonade, water

    *** Pizza will be available for order at $1/slice (for children under 10 yo only) at the dinner

    Cancellations are possible prior to August 8th. If you register and cancel your meal prior to August8, there is no cancellation fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations on August 8th or after.

Past events

04 Jun 2023 Mushroom Dyeing for All! with Alissa Allen
04 Jun 2023 North Rim Morel Foray
17 May 2023 AMS Spring Mushroom Talk Series: Damon Tighe - Fungi of the Sky Islands
15 May 2023 AMS Spring Mushroom Talk Series: Mack Kleiva + Jade Frolic - Mycoremediation basics, plus overview of their specific work
12 May 2023 AMS Spring Mushroom Talk Series: Ash Ritter - The Meandering Mushroom Path:: Functional Fungi 101
10 May 2023 AMS Spring Mushroom Talk Series: Zachary Hunter - Ethnomycology and ecological diversity of Oaxaca with a culinary focus
08 May 2023 AMS Spring Mushroom Talk Series: Kevin Feeney - Fly Agaric as Medicine: From Traditional to Modern Use
03 May 2023 AMS Spring Mushroom Talk Series: Julie Beeler - Mycology and Color
08 Mar 2023 Sedona Fungi Presentation by Mike Dechter
11 Feb 2023 2023 Dr. Chester Leathers Scholarship
07 Jan 2023 AMS Winter Potluck and Member Meeting 1/7/23
07 Jan 2023 2022/2023 AMS Annual Board of Directors Election
15 Nov 2022 2022 Arizona Mushroom Society Photo Contest
06 Oct 2022 University of Arizona Basics of DNA Sequencing Workshop - Thursday, October 6
15 Sep 2022 Great North American FungiQuest
27 Aug 2022 Flagstaff Area Foray
26 Aug 2022 Mt Graham Sky Island Foray
22 Aug 2022 Monday on Mt Lemmon
13 Aug 2022 Annual Foray Wild Mushroom Dinner with Chefs Brett Vibber and Jaren Bates
12 Aug 2022 2022 Annual Foray Luna Lake Camping Reservations - August 11-15, 2022
12 Aug 2022 2022 Annual Foray - August 12-14, 2022
06 Aug 2022 🍓 Strawberry Lodge Monsoon Celebration and Feast
06 Aug 2022 Mogollon Rim Foray
31 Jul 2022 Flagstaff Snap Foray
14 Jul 2022 iNaturalist - A Key Tool for Amateur Mycology
07 Jul 2022 iNaturalist - A Key Tool for Amateur Mycology
11 Jun 2022 Hot, Straight Uphill, and No Edible Mushrooms Foray
15 Apr 2022 The Great 2022 Arizona Burn Morel Hunt
31 Mar 2022 DIY Build and Grow Your Own Mushrooms Zoom Class!
26 Feb 2022 Snap Verde Valley Plant and Fungi Walk
09 Feb 2022 What the Heck is a Lichen? By Garry Neil
03 Feb 2022 Chef Zachary Mazi: Erecting the Third Culinary Kingdom
16 Jan 2022 Verde Valley Fungi and Plant Walk
05 Jan 2022 2022 Chet Leathers Scholarship
04 Dec 2021 2021 AMS Annual Board of Directors Election
05 Sep 2021 Sunday Fun(gi)day Flagstaff Foray
04 Sep 2021 Flagstaff Educational Mushroom Foray
27 Aug 2021 Mountain Monster Mushroom Foray
20 Aug 2021 2021 Annual Foray - August 20-22, 2021
16 Aug 2021 Arizona Mushroom Week: Dr. Anna Sitkoff
15 Aug 2021 Sky Island Foray
13 Aug 2021 Arizona Mushroom Week: Jess Starwood
13 Aug 2021 Flagstaff Foray
07 Aug 2021 Strawberry Lodge Monsoon Celebration and Feast
07 Aug 2021 Mogollon Rim Foray
24 Jul 2021 White Mountains Snap Foray
07 Apr 2021 Red Rock Lichen Foray
30 Mar 2021 2021 Wildfire Maps for Hunting Burn Morels
27 Mar 2021 DIY Build and Grow Your Own Mushrooms Zoom Class!
14 Jan 2021 Mushroom Hunter Skills Part 3: Online Tools for Mushroom Identification
01 Jan 2021 2021 Chet Leathers scholarship
23 Dec 2020 Mushroom Hunter Skills Part 2: Mushroom Preservation with Modern Forager
09 Dec 2020 How to Access and Use Weather Data
05 Dec 2020 AMS Annual Board of Directors Election
27 Nov 2020 Arizona Mushroom Society Stupendous Online Auction!!!
19 Nov 2020 Terrible Toxins and Perilous Poisons of the Fungi Kingdom
21 Oct 2020 Chef Zachary Mazi Talks Thai Fungi
22 Aug 2020 Flagstaff Small Group Forays - Aug 22, 2020
22 Aug 2020 Special Mushroom Getaway Rental Cabin and Gourmet Meal - Aug 22-23, 2020
14 Aug 2020 Annual Foray - August 14-16, 2020
26 Jul 2020 Mushroom Talk - Zoom Meeting
16 Jul 2020 Southwest Mushrooms Zoom - Learn about local mushroom cultivator Michael Crowe!
18 Apr 2020 CANCELLED - Best of the Seasons Fungi Feast and Cooking Demo
14 Mar 2020 Verde Valley Winter Fungi and Plant Walk
15 Feb 2020 Tucson Mushroom Cultivation Workshop - 2/15/2020
09 Jan 2020 Tempe Cultivation Class 1/9/2020: Non-sterile Tam method for growing oyster mushrooms
14 Dec 2019 Winter Potluck and Annual Meeting
11 Nov 2019 REGISTRATION FULL - Exclusive AMS rate for "The Phoenix Takeover" Event
11 Sep 2019 Tucson Area Late Season Snap Foray
02 Sep 2019 Labor Day Snap Foray
25 Aug 2019 2019 Hart Prairie Preserve "Pick and Cook" Foray
23 Aug 2019 Flagstaff Arboretum Fungi Foray
10 Aug 2019 White Mountains Snap Foray
02 Aug 2019 2019 AMS Annual Foray
18 Jul 2019 Educational Lecture: Mushrooming Arizona for Beginners
29 Jun 2019 Morel Feast at Strawberry Lodge
23 Jun 2019 Flagstaff Mushroom Cultivation Workshop
13 Jun 2019 Presentation - Impact of Substrate, Temperature, and Lighting on Oyster Mushroom Bio-efficiency and Nutrceutical Content
08 Jun 2019 Presentation - American Truffle Revolution
01 Jun 2019 Morel Foray #5 - POSTPONED to June 1, 2019 - Jacob Lake
19 May 2019 Morel Foray #4.5 - Sunday May 19, 2019 - CANCELLED
09 May 2019 Morel Foray #4 - Thursday 9 May 2019 - Mt. Graham
08 May 2019 Morel Foray #3 - Wednesday 8 May 2019 - Mogollon Rim
05 May 2019 Morel Foray #2 - Sunday 5 May 2019 - Mogollon Rim
04 May 2019 Morel Foray #1 - Saturday 4 May 2019 - CHANGED TO MOGOLLON RIM
16 Mar 2019 Educational Lecture: Mushrooming Arizona for Beginners
19 Feb 2019 Educational Class: New non-sterile method for growing oyster mushrooms
16 Feb 2019 Learn how to Cultivate Mushrooms Workshop
08 Dec 2018 2018 Winter Meeting & Potluck
26 Nov 2018 Taylor Lockwood Fungal Photography Lecture
10 Nov 2018 AMS Leadership Meeting
03 Nov 2018 1st Annual Fall Mushroom Harvest Potluck
06 Oct 2018 Snap foray: Fall morel look and learn
30 Aug 2018 Educational Lecture: Mushrooming Arizona for Beginners (Tucson)
25 Aug 2018 Hart Prairie Preserve "Pick and Cook" Foray
18 Aug 2018 Coppa Cafe Forager's Feast
18 Aug 2018 Flagstaff Arboretum Mushroom Field Trip and Tasting 2018
10 Aug 2018 2018 AMS Annual Foray
04 Aug 2018 The "Consolation" Foray on the Mogollon Rim
02 Aug 2018 Educational Lecture: Mushrooming Arizona for Beginners (Reprised)
19 Jul 2018 Educational Lecture: Mushrooming Arizona for Beginners
16 Jun 2018 AMS Board of Directors Meeting - June 2018
09 Dec 2017 2017 Winter Meeting & Potluck
04 Sep 2017 Labor Day Snap Foray
26 Aug 2017 Hart Prairie Preserve "Pick and Cook" Foray
18 Aug 2017 Flagstaff Arboretum Mushroom Festival and Foray
10 Aug 2017 2017 NAMA Regional Foray in Arizona
05 Aug 2017 2017 AMS Annual Foray
27 Jul 2017 Educational Lecture: Mushrooming Arizona for Beginners
27 May 2017 Last Chance North Rim Morel Foray - Late May 2017
06 May 2017 Spring Mushroom Dinner at Salt Restaurant
23 Apr 2017 Mid-April 2017 Morel Foray
25 Mar 2017 Culinary Committee Meeting 3/25/17
17 Dec 2016 2016 Winter Meeting & Potluck
17 Sep 2016 Coppa Café Mushroom Dinner & Preservation Workshop
31 Aug 2016 Tucson Member Meeting August 2016
14 Aug 2016 AMS Annual Foray 2016 - Sunday Sessions
13 Aug 2016 AMS Annual Foray 2016 - Wild Food Dinner
13 Aug 2016 AMS Annual Foray 2016 - Saturday Sessions
30 Jul 2016 Katey's Memorial Porcini Foray
30 Jul 2016 Flagstaff Snap Foray
10 Dec 2015 Annual Winter Meeting & Potluck
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The AMS is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, tax-deductible Arizona non-profit corporation.

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