March 16
Title: Some Interesting Mushrooms from Different Parts of the Country

Speakers: John Plischke III, Club Mycologist

Summary: John has an amazing collection of mushroom photographs, many which have won first places in major photo contests. He will select some of the most interesting mushrooms he found at forays located in Cape Code, Quebec, and Louisiana for his talk. It is sure to broaden our mushroom knowledge.

April 20
Title: Morel Hunting Basics

Speaker: Dick Dougall, Education Chair and a Panel of Morel Hunters

Summary: Spring is the time of year to hunt for morel mushrooms. The WPMC has a wealth of experience hunting these delectable treasures. Dick is putting together a group of club members who will share their experiences and expertise with attendees. All the basic information that beginning morel hunters need will be presented. However, you're on your own trying to pin down exact morel spots from the presenters!

May 18
Title: Mushroom Cultivation Program

Speakers: The WPMC Cultivation Team, 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.

Summary: A major portion of this program will be the assembly of kits to grow oyster mushrooms. Growing oyster mushrooms has been a very popular club activity, and the cultivation team have developed great kits which allows most people to generate a good supply of them. The cultivation team will also have some other surprises which always prove interesting and informative.

June 15
Title: What Fungi Do and How They Do It

Speaker: Esther Allen, Long-time Area Naturalist

Summary: Esther Allen has developed this new program which, rather than focus on identification or edibility, presents the essential role that fungi fill in the natural cycle of life. This is a timely topic which looks at how mushrooms function in our ecological systems. As always, she will share wonderful photographs and her phenomena wealth of knowledge of nature. A real treat.

WPMC Meetings, 2010 (Contd)

July 20
Title: Craft Workshop

Speaker: Bonnie Davis and the WPMC Workshop Team

Summary: Our members have presented many interesting craft projects over the years. We have all been amazed at the many artistic uses they have developed. They are busily planning for this years project.

August 17
Title: Mushrooms in Allopathic, Naturopathic, Homeopathic and

Holistic Medicine

Speaker: Frank Lotrich

Summary: Dr. Lotrich will compare and contrast how mushrooms are conceived of and used in these four different branches of health care. This survey will range from finding medicinal cures for cancer, to investigating supplements to enhance fitness, to immune stimulants for boosting disease protection, to improving ones combined spiritual and corporeal health.

September 21
Title: Agaricus in Pennsylvania and Everywhere Else

Speaker: Rick Kerrigan, Director of Research for Sylvan Mushrooms

Summary: Rick is an expert in the study of the genus Agaricus. This is the genus of the common button mushroom. However, there is a great deal of diversity in this genus which makes it hard for mycologists to discriminate among very similar species. Recent use of DNA sequencing has helped sort out the species and relate the information back to old American names and concepts as well as to European species. Rick will give us the latest picture of the overall genus.

October 19
Title: Election of Officers & Open Forum

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

November 16
Title: Cooking with Mushrooms (Tentative Title)

Speaker: To be determined.

Summary: To be determined.