Attention Mushroom Lovers!
Travel Southern Oregon Coast is partnering with WildCraft to offer six mushroom hunting adventures exploring the natural beauty and ecological wonders of the Southern Oregon Coast this coming fall.
What is WildCraft? A studio school based in Portland, Oregon that offers hands-on, immersive workshops in Craft, Textiles, Studio Art, Native Art and Nature, specifically for adults!
With 10 years of experience leading forages throughout the Pacific Northwest, WildCraft is heading south for what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend.
We’re calling our partnership, wait for it… Foraging the Southern Oregon Coast with WildCraft. And yes, you can sign up starting May 16th!
These six seasonal mushroom forays will take place the weekend of September 30th and October 1st. Hunt for porcini, lobster and chanterelle mushrooms while snacking on salal berries and spotting seals, sea lions, or maybe even a pod of Orcas!
Home to breathtaking headlands where the lush forest meets the fury of the ocean, the humid coastal air of the Southern Oregon Coast creates perfect conditions for fungi to thrive. And you’ll get to explore the Coastal communities and natural area surrounding Bandon, Brookings or Port Orford, depending on which of workshops you choose from below.
Mycology & Marine Mammals of the Southern Oregon Coast with Lorelle Sherman
In the forest neighboring Bandon, an abundance of fungi thrive amidst the damp coastal air. From bizarre and colorful to choice edible mushrooms, this class will highlight the diversity and ecology of fungi on the Southern Oregon Coast. With a focus on ethical and sustainable foraging practices, this workshop will cover the essentials of mushroom identification and the role of fungi in the maritime ecosystems of the southern Oregon Coast. If you’re lucky, you may leave with a basket of chanterelles and even catch a pod of orcas or a gray whale passing by.
This workshop will take place within a 45 minute drive of Bandon, Oregon. Exact workshop location will be provided 1-week prior to the workshop date.
Location: In and around Bandon, OR
Dates: Sept 30 & Oct 1, 10am-3pm
Teacher: Lorelle Sherman / @lorellemorel
Class capacity: 16
Mushrooms of the Southern Oregon Coast with Kathleen Dickson
Founder of the Wild Rivers Mushroom Festival in Brookings, Oregon, Kathleen Dickson will lead students on a hike through the celebrated Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor, arguably the most scenic stretch of the entire Oregon Coast! While hunting for porcini, lobster and chanterelle mushrooms, students will explore coastal ecosystems ranging from sandy dunes to spruce-covered slopes and damp salal fields. Kathleen will guide participants in the fundamentals of mushroom identification and best practices for edible wild mushroom harvesting. With any luck, you’ll come away with some gourmet mushrooms to indulge in, and a new appreciation for the Southern Oregon Coast’s amazing and wild, myco-world!
This workshop will take place within a 45 minute drive of Brookings, Oregon. An exact location will be provided 1-week prior to the workshop date.
Location: In and around Brookings, OR
Dates: Sept 30 & Oct 1, 10am-3pm
Teacher: Kathleen Dickson
Class capacity: 16
Mushrooms & More! Wild Foods of the Southern Oregon Coast with Julia Braun
Foraging alongside a professionally-trained cook offers the unique opportunity to taste the unexpected flavors of the forest. Southern Oregon Coast local, Julia Braun, treats us to an experience designed for food lovers and beginning foragers with a full-day in nature, focused on edible mushrooms and plants with unique culinary value.
On this guided excursion, Julia will instruct on both plant and mushroom identification, covering the tenets of responsible and sustainable harvest, leading into how to clean and prepare your wild harvest. Depending on seasonal factors, the group may encounter chanterelle and hedgehog mushrooms, as well as native plant species such as salal and huckleberry. Included in this class will be an on-site cooking demonstration where students will learn how to clean, process and cook raw wild foods into delicious preparations.
This workshop will be held within a 45 minute drive of the town of Port Orford on the Southern Oregon Coast. An exact meeting location will be provided 1-week prior to the workshop date.
Location: In and around Port Orford, OR
Dates: Sept 30 & Oct 1, 10am-3pm
Teacher: Julia Braun / @juliawandering
Class capacity: 16
Register Early
Each workshop is limited to just 16 participants (adults only, please). Registration goes live on May 16th so sign up then and start planning your dreamy Southern Oregon Coast excursion. We can absolutely help you find a great place to stay, recommend nearby restaurants and steer you toward the best places to hike, bike, kayak, go horseback riding or whatever you’re hoping to do while you’re here.
If you’re thinking, I should invite a friend and go for a long weekend… good thinking!
Here are some handy info sheets on where to stay, what to eat and other top things to see and do in addition to your foraging fun with WildCraft. See you soon!
Top image by Gritchelle Fallesgon @gritchelle
