Stock photo

For the Star Journal

Whether new to the fabulous world of fungi, or an experienced fan, this year’s Fungi Fest promises something for everyone. Held at Kemp Station, 9161 Kemp Rd., Woodruff, Fungi Fest will be held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27-28. It is free to attend; registration is required only for the two cooking demo sessions.

Event Schedule

Friday
3:00 pm – Demonstration: Cooking with Fungi, with Hunter Le Duc 4:45 pm – Demonstration: Cooking with Fungi, with Hunter Le Duc – Registration required for either session; call 715-358-5667

6:30 pm – Modern Small Scale Mushroom Cultivation, Andrew Griffin, MicroMyco Growers

Andrew Griffin of MicroMyco, located in Madison WI, will give a short presentation on the history of mushroom cultivation, modern mushroom agriculture, and the future possibilities of mushroom cultivation from a sustainable food production perspective, along with a Q&A.

7:30 pm – Monitoring an Invasive Wood Decay Fungus, Megan Dudenhoeffer, Center for Forest Mycology Research

Megan Dudenhoeffer will discuss the current research projects happening at the Center for Forest Mycology Research including the invasive Golden Oyster Mushroom

Saturday
8:30 am – Registration for Foray (simple sign in)
8:45 am – Announcements
9:00 – 11:00 am – Collection on Kemp Station property
11:00 am – 12:15 – Lunch break (on your own)
12:15 – 1:45 pm – Table Talk about foray collection

2:00 – 2:30 pm – Short Film Screening: “Flora, Fauna, Funga”
Flora, Fauna, Funga follows Chilean mycologist and foundress of the Fungi Foundation, Giuliana Furci, as she searches for new mushrooms in far southern Chile on the main island of Tierra del Fuego. She is joined by biologist and author Merlin Sheldrake, as well as biologist Toby Kiers from the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, whose goal is to map the mycorrhizal networks of the world. Together, the three scientists illuminate how fungi underpin every ecosystem on Earth and outline a strategy for greater fungal inclusion in conservation policy.

2:45 – 4:00 pm – Optional breakouts (pick one!):
– Hike: Explore lichens at Kemp with Marie Trest, UW-Madison
– Talk & Walk: “Blister rust: a re-emerging fungal threat to the Northwood’s white pines” followed by an easy short walk to view this lethal disease in Kemp’s woods (weather permitting), with Dr. Glen Stanosz, UW-Madison
– Fungal Microscopy, with Dan Lindner