I have been planning on going to Santa Cruz Fungus Fair for 2 years. I heard about it through my Orchid Whisperer friend Bob Shimmon and then later from Renee Barone, whom I had met at Ridge Winery a couple years ago. Finally I went and was blown away! Admission was only $10. I’m even considering joining the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz now ($25 for first year for an entire household!) to start foraging with experienced foragers. Check out their upcoming forays and events. They seem like a jolly group of people who love to eat well and drink well!
Here are some of the local vendors I got to meet:
Just add water!
These folks sell plugs and mushroom kits that you can use to grow mushrooms indoors or outdoors. The prices were extremely reasonable! You can order their kits! They currently carry: White Button, Portabella, Crimini, Oyster, and Elm mushroom kits.
These cute mushroom kits were only $5. My friend Marina picked one up! They are super cute and look delicious!
Far West Fungi, carries all sorts of goodies! They are based in Moss Landing and they have a shop in the Ferry Building in San Francisco. They have mini mushroom growing kits (Shiitake and Tree Oyster). They’ve got a smorgousboard of truffle products, from truffle tapenade, pasta, honey and salt! They’ve got a huge selection of dried mushrooms too: Candy Cap, Black trumpet, Morels, Wild Forest Blend, Matsutake, Chanterelles, Domestic Porcini, European Porcini, Organic Shiitake, Organic Reishi, and Winter Chanterelle.
Porcini spagetti!
Mushroom mini farm in a box
Here is Far West Fungi’s mini farm:
Mycological Neutraceuticals are for medicinal use. They are $18/bottle. Totally worth it!
Mycological Neutraceuticals
Mushroom Mini Farm
Far West Fungi has got an adorable news paper growing kit I found on their website. this would make for a great sustainable present! And it’s only $7.oo!
Newspaper Growing Kit
Far West Fungi also sells Fungus Powders. They carry: Domestic Porcini Powder, Shiitake Powder, Maitake Powder, Reishi Powder, King Trumpet Powder, Pioppini Powder, and a Wild Mushroom Blend Powder. Hmmm hmmm! Sounds totally delicious!
The King of Mushrooms is a local chef and is based in San Mateo. I was told he only sells “whole sale”. This to me meant he only wants to sell for commercial use. The website, however, states there is a $100 minimum purchase limit. So one just has to purchase in large quantities. At the festival, you could buy any quantity of fungi from him! 🙂
Baskets of wild Fungi
Jar for Dried Mushrooms & Truffles
You can buy The King of Mushroom’s products online:
Here are the species of mushrooms you can buy from him!
Golden Chanterelles (Oregon) (fresh and dried)
Golden Chanterelles (California)
Golden Chanterelles (Europe)
White Chanterelles
Hedge Hogs
Porcini (fresh and dried)
Lobster Mushrooms (fresh and dried)
Morels (fresh and dried)
Yellow Foot Chanterelles
Black Trumpets
Blue Foot
Alba Pioppini
Brown Pioppini
Velvet Piopparello
Forest Nameko
Hen of the Woods / Maitake (fresh and dried)
Nebrodini / Abalone Cap
King Oyster / Gambone
Oyster
Large Shiitake
Petite Shiitake
Wood Ear
Black Trumpets (dried)
Candy Caps (dried)
White Alba Truffles (dried)
Perigord Truffles (dried)
Black Burgundy Truffles (dried)
Todd Spanier and Sales associate
The King of Mushrooms does local forays for collecting fungi. Here are the King of Mushroom’s upcoming events
Fungi Magazine is for “Fungophiles” (a word I learned at Fungus Fair meaning Fungus Lover)! They are a non profit magazine and provide in-depth educational articles about collecting mushrooms and nutritional benefits of the mushrooms. They also have really cool t-shirts! You can find back issues at the bottom of this page and read lots of their articles in PDF format for free!
The FUNGI magazine shirts are so beautiful and informative! BUY IT HERE!
Such delicate fungi
The Medicinal Fungus issue. It is available through the website! Chaga is good for you apparently!
Chaga issue of Fungi
Glow in the dark mushrooms! Here is one of the luminescent fungi articles.
Glow in the dark mushrooms!
What a great organization! Founded by Miriam Rice, and now headed by her daughter Felicia Rice, the International Mushroom Dye Institute promotes natural dyes from fungi. Miriam Rice has documented her recipes for all the colors of the rainbow in her book Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments & Myco-Stix™
At Felicia Rice’s table, we were in awe of all of the gorgeous naturally dyed yarns, fabric, and paper that were on display!
Felicia Rice of The International Mushroom Dye Institute
Amazing Picture book documenting the shade samples
Myriam Rice’s Myco Stix (Mycelium Crayons! )
Beautiful coral pink fungus
Mycelium Dye Recipes
Fabric Samples with natural mushroom dyes
Beautiful Silk fabrics died with mushroom dyes! Loren’s clothes and accessories are all in the neutral color shades. She has lovely designs on the silk she has.
Fungi on Display
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Me Dangerously Close to a Death Cap
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Marina Holding a Huge Mushroom!
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Helvella Lacunndea (Fluted Black Elfin Saddles
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Lactarius Fragius (Candy Cap)
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Coriolaceae – Trametes Versicolor (Turkey Tail)
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Arora Amanita Amerimuscaria (Fly Agaric, Fly Amanita)
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Sparacidaceae – Sparassis Radicata (Cauliflower Mushroom)
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Hygrophorus Agathosmus
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Leucoparillus Gendareus (Bitter Brown Leucoparillus)
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Armilleriella Mellea (Honey Mushroom)
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Geastrum spp. (Earthstars)
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Stereum Hirsutum (False Turkey Tail)
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Stereum Hirsutum (False Turkey Tail)
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Tremellaceae – Tremella Mesenterica (Witch’s Butter)
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Amanita Phalloides (Death Cap)
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Helvellaceae Helvella Lacunosa (Fluted Black Elfin Saddle)
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Various Coral Fungi
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Russulaceae – Lactarius Rubrilacteus (Bleeding Milk Cap)
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Tricholomataceae – Tricholoma Flavovirens (Man on Horseback)
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Exidiaceae – Pseudohydnum Gelatinosum (Toothed Jelly Fungus)
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Amanitaceae – Amanita Amerimuscaria (Fly Agaric; Fly Amanita)
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Russulaceae – Russula Brevipes ( Short Stemmed Russula)
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Helvella Lacunndea (Fluted Black Elfin Saddels)
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March 24, 2013
urbanhorticulture
urban-horticulture 
