— 2007—

March 20 - Cultivation Techniques by Mark Spear & Rebecca Miller, WPMC members who work professionally on the commercial propagation of mushrooms, John Plischke III, Club Mycologist, and Jim Tunney, club identifier who does a lot of cultivation work. 

Mark & Rebecca will guide us through cultivation techniques for growing oyster mushrooms.  They will provide those attending with a kit to grow these mushrooms.  Rebecca will also briefly talk about mushrooms called endophytes. John Plischke will bring material to inoculate logs to grow shiitake mushrooms.  More information on what logs to bring will be available on the club’s website or our Yahoo groups in the month before this meeting.

April 17 - Morel Hunting by Mike Lloyd, Member of the WPMC and enthusiastic morel hunter

Mike has learned the basics of hunting morels from club outings and from our club mycologists.  He has assembled the basics into a talk which will be a good guide to new morel hunters.  His experiences will entertain everybody.

May 15 - Five Good & Five Bad Mushrooms You Should Know by Dick Dougall, WPMC President

Everyone who starts hunting wild mushrooms is at first overwhelmed by the surprising number and variety of different mushrooms that are found on a typical walk.  Dick will try to encourage beginners by focusing on some common edible and common poisonous mushroom everybody should know.  More experienced mushroom hunters in the audience will be encouraged to share their experiences as to when and where these mushrooms can be found.

June 19- Mushrooms Have Chemicals by Frank Lotrich, M.D., Ph.D., currently working at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in the area of  “psychopharmacogenomics.”  That is, he does research examining how genes influence the effect of medications on the brain.  He’s been a WPMC member for about five years. 

Mushrooms are amazing chemical generating machines.  We all know that there are mushrooms that are deadly poisonous and others that are hallucinogenic.  Scientists are now finding that some of the chemicals in mushrooms have medicinal properties.  Frank will sort out the many myths about the properties of mushrooms and try to replace these myths with scientific facts.

July 17 - Craft Workshop by Members of the Workshop Committee.

Artists can use mushrooms to make a number of interesting craft projects.  Members of the workshop committee are brainstorming about which project to present for this meeting.  Based on past projects, we should have more fun at this meeting.

August 21 - All About Truffles by Gavin Farkas, Club member and truffle enthusiast. Have you ever found a truffle while hunting mushrooms in Pennsylvania? Gavin Farkas has. He will discuss the lifecycle of truffles and their variety: How to go about finding them and what to do with them when you find them. Come to this meeting and obtain some answers to these and other questions about truffles.

September 18 - Cooking with Mushrooms Cooking with wild mushroom is a topic of interest to many people.  The variety of mushrooms possible and the number of recipes are both large.  Come to this meeting and get some answers to your mushroom cooking questions.

October 16 - Election of Officers & Open Forum

Officers for next year will be elected.  Club members will be encouraged to share mushroom stories, experiences, and slides.  Results of the club’s photography contest will also be presented.

November 20 - Lichens and Fungi

Most of us know a lichen when we see it on a tree or rock.  But the real question is what type of organism are they.  As it turns out, they are a symbiosis of two other organisms that are living together.  The two organisms are algae and fungi.  This combination can live in some of the most inhospitable places on our planet.  They are also one of the longest living organisms on our world.  Some have been growing in the same location for hundreds of years!  Come to our meeting and hear more about these fascinating organisms.

— 2006—

March 21st - Mushrooming on the Internet by Dick Dougall

Dick will talk about mushrooming resources on the Internet, including our own club website.

April 18th - Still Hunting for Morels by Mike Lloyd

Mike will talk about the basics of morel hunting and will entertain us with stories of his own experiences.

May 16th - Microscopes and Mushrooms: The Field Mycologist Goes to the Lab by La Monte Yarroll, WPMC Club Mycologist.

June 20 — Mushroom Propagation by Mark Spear, Rebecca Miller, and John Plischke III

Mark & Rebecca will discuss their methods of growing oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), and will give out oyster growing kits after the talk.  Mark will also show some time-lapse photos of mushrooms growing.  This will answer a common question: “How long does it take for mushrooms to grow to full size?”

John Plischke will bring material to inoculate logs to grow golden oysters and Pholiota mushrooms.  If you would like him to inoculate your logs, bring a freshly-cut maple log for the oyster mushrooms and a freshly-cut oak log for the pholiota mushrooms.

July 18 — Creating Artistic Designs with Mushrooms by Joyce Gross

Mushrooms are something that an artist can use to make a number of interesting craft projects.  Following last year’s creation of a mushroom Christmas tree ornament, Joyce will show us how to use mushrooms as a replacement for a rubber stamp.  This will allow attendees to use them to make colorful and unique designs, just another way to amaze your non-mycological friends.

August 15 — What If You Eat a Bad Mushroom? by Gavin Farkas

We all know there are edible mushrooms, poisonous mushrooms, and lots that are impossible to eat because of toughness, taste, or minute size.  The speaker will discuss some of the basics of toxic mushrooms.  These include the various types of toxins and how they affect the human body.  Because mushrooms are food, they are also susceptible to spoilage and misuse.  The speaker will give suggestions on avoiding these difficulties so that their best qualities show up in your recipes.

September 19 — Mushrooms: Edible to Interesting by John Plischke III

We all know that morels, chanterelles, and a few other species of mushrooms are great edibles.  John Plischke will expand to a wider variety of edible mushrooms found in western Pennsylvania.  This will be a basic guide to beginners as well as experienced mushroomers.  He will also talk about some other mushrooms which have interesting characteristics or are beautiful when found.  Since John is an award winning photographer, we can expect to see some outstanding pictures of the mushrooms being discussed.

October 17 — Election of Officers & Open Forum

Officers for next year will be elected.  Club members will be encouraged to share mushroom stories, experiences and slides.  Results of the club’s photography contest will also be presented.

November 21 — Mushroom Year in Review: WPMC Panel

Knowledgeable club members will give a critique of the 2006 mushroom hunting season.  Was it a good year for morels?  How good were the summer and fall mushroom seasons?  What techniques or approaches worked for finding the most desirable mushrooms.  How could beginners find their favorite mushrooms more easily?  These are just a few of the questions that will be discussed.

— 2005—

March 15: Orienteering, or, Don't Get Lost by George Yakulis, Treasurer of the WPMC. Do you feel nervous heading into a large expanse of unfamiliar woods? Is your compass just another thing hanging on a cord around your neck? Would you like to learn more about Global Positioning System receivers (GPS) and how to use them? Come to this meeting and get a refresher on using maps and your compass to guide you through the woods. With a GPS you may even be able to return to that special log or morel spot deep in the woods with confidence.

April 19: Morel Hunting Basics by Mike Lloyd, Member of the WPMC and enthusiastic morel hunter. Morel hunting can be frustrating and confusing for many mushroomers. Good hunting areas are not always easy to find (most are kept secret). Spotting morels takes a trained eye. The club's spring forays can be an excellent way to find morels and to develop confidence in one's abilities. Mike will discuss the basics of being a successful morel hunter.

May 17: New Oyster Mushroom Growing by Rebecca Miller & Mark Spear, Cultivation Chairman. They are club members who work professionally on the commercial propagation of mushrooms. Mark and Rebecca will present a new type of oyster mushroom that club members can try growing. Kits for this process will be provided. In addition, they will show club members a way of making a simple microscope at home.

June 21: Mushroom Photography by John Plischke III, Club Mycologist & Walk and Foray Chair. John has won over 60 awards for mushroom photography including many in the advanced division of the North American Mycological Association Photo Contest. He is Chairman of the NAMA Photography Committee. John will give a program on how to photograph mushrooms, both edible and their poisonous look-alikes. Have you noticed that Gary Lincoff, Bill Roody, Walt Sturgeon, John Plischke III, Bobby Boice, Kim Plischke, Elaine Boice and Susan Baker all know a lot of mushrooms? That is because they have all won NAMA Photo Awards. When you photograph mushrooms you tend to learn them a lot faster. Club mycologists Dorothy Fornof and La Monte Yarroll also photograph mushrooms. Come get some tips on photographing mushrooms. You may learn mushrooms a lot faster and you just might soon be giving programs of your own. You will also learn mushrooms at the program.

July 19: Christmas in July by Joyce Gross, Workshop Chairman. Joyce will lead the Workshop Committee as they show how a Christmas tree ornament can be made using a common mushroom.

August 16: Beginner Mushroom ID Part 1: Mostly Gilled by John Plischke III, Club Mycologist & Walk and Foray Chair This slide show will cover both edible and non edible mushrooms, many of which one is likely to encounter in the woods. The program is arranged into groups of mushrooms and often with an edible mushroom then one or more of its look-alikes. Some mushrooms features, such as spore print, gills, habitat and edibility will be discussed. Some of the more popular covered groups include: Agaricus, Amanita, Lepiota, and Armillaria. For additional information on the program, go to the club's Yahoo Groups site. There you will be able to view or print the 2 page pass-out for the program, which includes a list of all of the species that will be shown. Print it and get a heads up.

September 20: Reproductive Strategies of Fungi by La Monte Yarroll, Club Mycologist & Member of Education Committee. Did you know that the Split Gill (Schizophyllum commune) has about 28,000 genders? What does that MEAN? How do we decide whether or not two fungi are members of the same species? The traditional answer has been to conduct a mating study. What is a mating study and what does it tell us about fungi? We'll review typical mushroom life-cycles and look at some of the more exotic variations in kingdom Fungi. Come see how much fun one person has with fungi without eating them.

October 18: Election of Officers & Open Forum Officers for next year will be elected. Club members will be encouraged to share mushroom stories, experiences and slides.

November 15: Cooking Panel and Photography Contest There are many excellent cooks and photographers in the club. A panel of cooking experts will share their recipes and ideas on cooking with wild mushrooms. This should provide a lively discussion with plenty of tips for anyone interested in preparing wild mushrooms in new and interesting ways.

The club has sponsored a photography contest during the year. The results will be presented at this meeting.

— 2004 —

March 16: A Beginner's Guide to Morel Hunting, Mike Lloyd, Member of the WPMC and a recently successful morel hunter. Morel hunting can be frustrating and confusing for beginning mushroomers.
Good hunting areas are not always easy to find (most are kept secret). Spotting morels takes a trained eye. The club's spring forays can be an excellent way to find morels and to develop confidence in one's abilities. Mike will share the knowledge he has gained hunting with the club.

April 20: Mushroom Habitat — It's Everywhere! Dick Dougall, President of the WPMC. Dick still considers himself a novice in mushroom identification and is working hard on increasing the number of species he knows. Beginners can be overwhelmed by the mystery and unpredictability of mushrooms sproutings. Dick will discuss some common mushroom habitats and which species are associated with each. Seasonal factors will also be discussed. This habitat information can be useful whether one is hunting mushrooms in urban areas or deep in the woods.

May 18: Mushrooms As Food by Tom Chulick, Owner & Executive Chef of the Back Door Café, Johnstown.

June15: Home Mushroom Cultivation with Mark Spear & Rebecca Miller. They are club members who work professionally on the commercial propagation of mushrooms. Mark and Rebecca will revisit their previous presentation (July, 2002) on growing oyster mushrooms. This talk turned many club members into successful mushroom cultivators. They will update the club on their techniques for amateurs with this mushroom. They will also discuss some of their other mushroom propagation projects and equipment. At the beginning of the meeting LaMonte Yarroll will conduct a 10 minute beginner’s workshop. The Fascinating Fungi Topic will be What is a Genus?

July 20: Art with the Artist’s Conk Mushroom, Kim Plischke, Workshop Chair and Robin Durr, Dick Duffy and Joyce Gross, Committee Members would like you to bring along fresh untouched unmarked species of Artist’s Conk along to the meeting. Most people know that there is a mushroom called the Artist’s Conk which has a surface that marks easily when scratched. However, the Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum) can be used in many additional ways. The club has a number of very talented artists on its Workshop Committee. At this meeting, they will give a hands-on demonstration of many techniques of turning Artist’s Conks into true art. At the beginning of the meeting Jim Tunney will conduct a 10 minute beginner’s workshop. The Fascinating Fungi Topic will be Mushroom Keys.

August 17: How to Enjoy Mushrooms Even Without Eating Them by LaMonte Yarroll, Club Mycologist and member of the Educational Committee. Have you ever wondered about people who look for mushrooms without planning to eat them? Did you know that 60% of mushrooms remain unnamed? Do you know the critical roles mushrooms play in ecology? Come catch the excitement of scientific hunting! LaMonte promises plenty of pictures and stories about amateur collectors who've make significant scientific contributions. At the beginning of the meeting Moni Wesner will conduct a 10 minute beginner's workshop. The Fascinating Fungi Topic will be Scientific Names.

September 21: Poisons, Toxins, and Stuff Every Shroomophile Should Know by Frank Lotrich, M.D., Ph.D. Frank currently works at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in the area of "psychopharmacogenomics." That is, he does research examining how genes influence the effect of medications on the brain. He's been a club member for about three years or so. There are many ways for mushrooms to be toxic. People always ask, "What'll this do to me?" and "How bad is it, really?" and "Is there are treatment for it?" Wouldn't you like to know the answers? Come to the talk and find out! At the beginning of the meeting Jim Tunney will conduct a 10 minute beginner's workshop. The Fascinating Fungi Topic will be Drying Mushrooms.

October 19: Election of Officers & Open Forum. Officers for next year will be elected. Club members will be encouraged to share mushrooms stories, experiences and slides. Would you believe we might even have a talent show! At the beginning of the meeting LaMonte Yarroll will conduct a 10 minute beginner's workshop. The Fascinating Fungi Topic will be Basic Groups of Mushrooms.

November 16: Medicinal Mushrooms. Mike Shirota will discuss medicinal mushrooms. He is head of Maitake Products, Inc, a company which is devoted to the development and sale of medicinal mushroom products. Paul Goland will also be here. He will bring some books and other mushrooms items for sale. At the beginning of the meeting Moni Wesner will conduct a 10 minute beginner's workshop. The Fascinating Fungi Topic will be Deadly Mushrooms.

— 2003—

March 18: Major Categories of Mushrooms, Dick Dougall, president of the WPMC. This program will help mushroomers learn more about identifying mushrooms. Identifying mushrooms can be confusing for beginning mushroomers. Dick will share information about mushroom classification.

June 17: Medical Mycology. While some fungi are responsible for a number of irritating but not life-threatening maladies, there are others that may cause extreme sickness and death. Dr. Fred Shrock, Professor Emeritus of the IUP Biology Department, taught a course in Medical Mycology for nearly two decades before recently retiring. He will give a presentation on the significance of fungi in causing human infections. Early in diagnosis they may be missed, ignored, or their importance not recognized. Although some of his slides may not be aesthetically pleasing, they are enlightening.

July 15: Papermaking Using Mushrooms. Mushrooms can be used for a variety of craft projects. A surprisingly easy one is making distinctive paper from some commonly available mushrooms. Kim Plischke, our Workshop Chair, and Becky Plischke, our Newsletter Editor, will lead the audience through the techniques they have developed for this process. You don't have to be crafty to learn to do this. Put on a pair of jeans and roll up your sleeves, we're going to have fun! All equipment will be provided. Members free, non-members $5. Non-members must pre-register by email two weeks prior to the meeting or call 724-834-2358.

August 19: Cooking with Wild Mushrooms. A mushroom enthusiast who brings his knowledge of mushrooms into the preparation of dishes at his restaurant, George Harris, Owner and Chef of The Plates restaurant in Bellevue PA, will share his ideas about ways of using wild mushrooms in his favorite recipes. He also hopes to be able to generate some sample mushroom dishes, which will be available for tasting at the meeting.

November 18: Identifying Mushrooms, photos and keys
A hands-on workshop, including:

1. Identification of mushroom photographs. You will be asked to help identify mushrooms in photos taken by some club members. This will test everyone's ability as identifiers and highlight both the ease and the difficulty of identifying mushrooms from photographs.
   
   
2. A quick introduction to mushroom keys. Some practical examples will be given of using keys in identifying mushrooms.