Mushroom Hour

Ep. 140: Today on Mushroom Hour we the privilege to get to know mushroom cultivation artist Kiat. Kiat is the founder of Bewilder, a Mycological Design Studio based in Singapore. As the one-man R&D team behind this project, Kiat knows his science! For him, growing mushrooms is an intense and carefully tuned process that also blends in a fair bit of artistry and intuition. Before founding Bewilder, Kiat worked on a local farm cultivating mushrooms out of waste substrates. These years of experience and experimentation formed him into the self-taught mushroom cultivator he is today. As he explores ever more mysteries of growing fungi, he continues to bow his head humbly to the ways of nature. TOPICS COVERED: Childhood Love of Nature Becomes a Mushroom Addiction Mycophobia and “Success Culture” in Singapore Showing What's Possible, Asking Questions Mushrooms as a Tool for Doing Good Founding Bewilder Design Studio Communities vs Competition in Myco-Entrepreneurship Myco-Composite Materials Government Control and Separation from Nature Seeking Out Native Strains for Food & Mycomaterials Mycelium Lampshades Being Humble, Recognizing Our Place in Nature Relinquishing Control, Reconnecting to Greater Consciousness Importance of Making Mistakes Bewilder Commercial Projects and Research Areas EPISODE RESOURCES: Bewilder SG Website: https://www.bewildersg.com/ Bewilder IG: https://www.instagram.com/bewildersg/ Terrestrial Fungi (Inspiration): https://www.instagram.com/bewildersg/ Ganoderma weberianum (fungus): https://www.mycobank.org/page/Name%20details%20page/name/Ganoderma%20weberianum Filoboletus manipularis (fungus): https://singapore.biodiversity.online/species/F-Basidomycota-000035 Mycena chlorophos (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycena_chlorophos

Ep. 137: Today on Mushroom Hour we are graced by the presence of one of my favorite biophiliacs and artists -Jon Ching. Jon grew up steeped in natural beauty on the island of O’ahu, Hawai’i, which formed the foundation of his deep fascination with the natural and wild world. A self-taught painter, Jon’s devoted art practice and detailed realism is inspired by the interconnectedness of nature. While dedicated to the minute idiosyncrasies of flora and fauna, Jon’s work is a surreal imagining of what limitless wonders and combinations nature can produce. New creatures and symbioses emerge in his meticulously rendered oil paintings, exemplifying the endless potential of life on Earth. His work is often driven by his personal desire to find balance between the human and natural worlds, exploring themes of symbiosis and searching for connections, physical and metaphorical, across nature’s kingdoms. Highlighting man-made threats to the natural world are a regular theme in his work to raise awareness of and evoke compassion for the kingdoms of life. Jon’s ultimate hope is to inspire love and admiration for the universally unique beauty and intrigue of our world. TOPICS COVERED: Childhood in Hawaii as Inspiration Unlocking Biological Imagination Powers of Observation Impact of Becoming a Father Slowing Down Communicating Ecological Messages Through Artwork Fungi Finding Their Way onto the Canvas Navigating the Professional Art World Gallery Shows Materials, Process and Timeline of Creating Paintings From Paintings to Murals Future Projects WTF NFTs Finding Equilibrium with Natural Systems EPISODE RESOURCES: Jon Ching Website: https://jonchingart.com/ Jon Ching IG: https://www.instagram.com/jonchingart/ Jon Ching FB: https://www.facebook.com/JonChingArt Jon Ching @ Beinart Gallery: https://beinart.org/collections/jon-ching Hericium erinaceus (AKA Lions Mane): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium_erinaceus

Excerpt from Episodee #133 w/ Prof. Nancy Turner

Ep. 136: Today on Mushroom Hour we have the privilege of interviewing Professor Vera Meyer from the Technical University of Berlin. Professor Meyer’s career has seen her as a visiting scientist to the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London (2003) and to the department of Fungal Genetics and Metabolomics at Leiden University in the Netherlands (2005 - 2006). In 2008, Professor Meyer was appointed assistant professor for Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology at Leiden University, a position she held for three years. Since 2011, she has been professor at the Institute of Biotechnology and head of its department for Applied and Molecular Microbiology at the Technical University of Berlin. Her scientific work in the field of fungal biotechnology has been published in more than 100 publications. Vera also works as a visual artist, using the pseudonym V. meer. She puts a strong emphasis on sculpting and creating objects from chance finds like forest mushrooms, decaying wood and scrap metal. Inspired by her scientific work with fungi in microbiology, she combines these materials in the sense of a found object. Through her artwork, she wants to enhance the awareness for fungi and their potential in biotechnology and for a sustainable bioeconomy in general. TOPICS COVERED: Childhood Fascination with the Invisible Fungal Biotechnology Seeing Fungi as Friends and as Foes Importance of Multi-Disciplinary Approach Open Science Movement Aspergillus niger, Citric Acid and the Origins of Modern Biotechnology Primary and Secondary Metabolism Modulating Metabolic Processes of Aspergillus in Making Products Synthetic Biology BioReactor Cultivation & Ecology of a BioReactor Mycelium Materials Building a Mycelium Materials Database Transdisciplinary Collaboration Reconciling Biotechnology with Conservation and the Precautionary Principle EPISODE RESOURCES: Vera Meyer Academic Page @ TU Berlin: https://www.tu.berlin/en/vcard/vera.meyer Vera Meyer Art (V.Meer): https://www.v-meer.de/ Vera Meyer IG: https://instagram.com/v.meer_/ Art Lab Berlin: https://artlaboratory-berlin.org/de/forschung/mind-the-fungi/ TU Berlin - Natural Building Lab: https://www.nbl.berlin/ "Beauty of the Morbid" Article: https://fungalbiolbiotech.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40694-016-0028-4 Aspergillus niger: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus_niger Fomes fomentarius: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomes_fomentarius Macrolepiota procera (AKA Parasol Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrolepiota_procera

Ep. 135: Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to chat with Connie Green founder of Wine Forest Foods and author of “The Wild Table”. Since 1979, Connie has been providing chefs like Thomas Keller, Cory Lee, Michael Mina, Traci de Jardins and many more with mushrooms of unparalleled quality. As one of the very first pioneers in the American wild mushroom business, Connie has filled a key role in educating chefs and the public about the wild foods now so widely loved in American cuisine. Over the decades, she has cultivated a network of great mushroom pickers has been woven across the West, Canada, Alaska, Mexico, and even Europe. Hand and hand with this wild life with wild mushrooms is a love and respect for the forest ecosystem from which the mushrooms flow. Connie has always preached principles of sustainability in harvesting and hopes that, in her own words, “commercial mushroom hunting can give a living back to loggers and make our forests economically more valuable in the long term left standing than converted to board feet of lumber”. What a privilege to speak with a culture creator and pioneer in wild mushroom harvesting. TOPICS COVERED: Fields of Chanterelles & Beginning of Commercial Foraging Putting in the Miles in the Forest Scouting Habitat and Making Good Observations Northern California Chanterelle Habitat Ukiah, Oregon - The Town Morels Built Fire & Ecological Transformation in Northern California Tan Oak Destruction Economic Value of Forest Fungal Productivity vs Board Feet of Lumber Regional Fiefdoms of National Forest service Symbiosis of Amateur and Professional Foragers Foraging Sustainably, Cultivating Forage Grounds Commercial Foraging Networks Wild Food Regulation Advice to Enter the Business of Wild Foods EPISODE RESOURCES: Wine Forest website: https://wineforest.com/ "The Wild Table": https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Table-Seasonal-Foraged-Recipes/dp/0670022268 Ukiah, Oregon: http://www.cityofukiahoregon.com/history.html Cantherellus californicus (AKA California Golden Chanterelle): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantharellus_californicus Notholithocarpus densiflorus (AKA Tan Oak): https://calscape.org/Notholithocarpus-densiflorus-() Morchella tomentosa (AKA Gray Morel): http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_tomentosa.html Craterellus tubaeformis (AKA Yellowfoot Chanterelle): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craterellus_tubaeformis

Ep. 133: Today on Mushroom Hour we have the privilege of being joined by the University of Victoria Emeritus Professor, Nancy Turner. Professor Turner is an ethnobotanist whose research integrates the fields of botany and ecology with anthropology, geography and linguistics, among others. She is interested in the traditional knowledge systems and traditional land and resource management systems of Indigenous Peoples, particularly in western Canada. Nancy has worked with First Nations elders and cultural specialists in northwestern North America for over 50 years, collaborating with Indigenous communities to help document, retain and promote their traditional knowledge of plants and habitats, including Indigenous foods, materials and medicines, as well as language and vocabulary relating to plants and environments. Her interests also include the roles of plants and animals in narratives, ceremonies, language and belief systems. Dr. Turner has authored, edited, co-authored or co-edited over 30 books. Her 2014 two-volume book, Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge: Ethnobotany and Ecological Wisdom of Indigenous Peoples of Northwestern North America , represents an integration of her long-term research. She has received a number of awards for her work, including membership in Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada, honorary degrees from Vancouver Island University, University of British Columbia, University of Northern British Columbia and Simon Fraser University; and the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences’ Canada Prize in the Social Sciences for Ancient Pathways. TOPICS COVERED: From Berkeley to Missoula to Vancouver Kincentricity Epistemologies & Living Language Traditional Ecological Knowledge Respecting our Non-Human Relatives Residential Schools & the Suppression of Indigenous Ways Traditional Territories & Living Traditions First Nation Agroforestry Practices Cottonwood Mushrooms & Hazlenuts Indigenous Peoples’ Land Rights & Title Models of First Nation Land Access Blending Western Scientific Knowledge & First Nation Knowledge Systems 7 Generation Thinking Society Suffused by Ecological Thinking EPISODE RESOURCES: Prof. Nancy Turner website: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/environmental/people/faculty/emeritus/turnernancy.php "Plants, People and Places" (book): https://www.mqup.ca/plants--people--and-places-products-9780228001836.php "Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge" (book): https://www.mqup.ca/ancient-pathways--ancestral-knowledge-products-9780773543805.php Tricholoma populinum (fungus): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237163157_The_cottonwood_mushroom_Tricholoma_populinum_A_food_resource_of_the_Interior_Salish_Indian_peoples_of_British_Columbia

Horse Manure - Mushroom Valley's Secret Ingredient - Tune in to Episode 161 of the Mushroom Hour Podcast with Dr Greg Brick to learn more about caves, karst and Minnesota's secret Mushroom Valley 🍄 - #karst #mushroomvalley #geology #mycology #cavemushrooms #fungi #mushroomhour

Excerpt from Episodee #161 with Dr. Greg Brick

Ep. 161: Minnesota's Mushroom Valley Today on Mushroom Hour we are going spelunking with the gracious Dr. Greg Brick. Dr. Brick has worked as a hydrogeologist with environmental consulting firms, at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and has taught geology at local colleges and universities. He has edited the Journal of Spelean History for the past 20 years. He has published more than 200 articles about caves and was the recipient of the 2005 Cave History Award from the National Speleological Society. His has written for books including his most recent, "Minnesota Underground", co-authored with Doris Green and released in 2019. He served as co-editor of "Caves and Karst of the Upper Midwest", a textbook covering Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. His work has been featured in National Geographic Adventure magazine as well as on the History Channel. He has led guided tours of caves for the Minnesota Historical Society and the University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education. Today he is taking us on a subterranean journey into the centuries-old caves of Mushroom Valley near St. Paul Minnesota!

Ep. 161: Minnesota's Mushroom Valley Mushroom Caves & the Unexplored Underworld || Dr. Greg Brick

Ep. 161: Minnesota's Mushroom Valley Today on Mushroom Hour we are going spelunking with the gracious Dr. Greg Brick. Dr. Brick has worked as a hydrogeologist with environmental consulting firms, at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and has taught geology at local colleges and universities. He has edited the Journal of Spelean History for the past 20 years. He has published more than 200 articles about caves and was the recipient of the 2005 Cave History Award from the National Speleological Society. His has written for books including his most recent, "Minnesota Underground", co-authored with Doris Green and released in 2019. He served as co-editor of "Caves and Karst of the Upper Midwest", a textbook covering Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. His work has been featured in National Geographic Adventure magazine as well as on the History Channel. He has led guided tours of caves for the Minnesota Historical Society and the University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education. Today he is taking us on a subterranean journey into the centuries-old caves of Mushroom Valley near St. Paul Minnesota! TOPICS COVERED: Caves, Karsts and Crevices Natural Caves, Artificial Caves, Anthropogenic Caves Exploring Caves & Claustrophobic Limitations US Geography of Caves & Karsts Human Cultures & Caves – Lore and Culture Around Caves Hollow Earth Theory The Underexplored Underground Minnesota’s Mushroom Valley Mole People of the NY Subway Mushroom Farming from the Paris Catacombs to Minnesota Economic Ecosystem that Supported Mushroom Farming in Caves Subterranean Nightclubs - Mystic Caverns & Castle Royal Conservation & Biodiversity in Cave Systems LIDAR & Future of Exploring the Underworld EPISODE RESOURCES: Website: https://drgregbrick.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GregBrick Carver's Cave: https://drgregbrick.com/carvers-cave-wakan-tipi/ David J. Weary & Daniel H. Doctor's Cave Map of the US: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1156/pdf/of2014-1156.pdf Mystic Caverns & Castle Royal: https://twincitiesmusichighlights.net/venues/castle-royal/

Unconventional Fashion - A Dress Made out of Kombucha - Tune into the full conversation with biofashion, biomaterial pioneers Ashley & Aurelie of @osmose_labs on Episode 160 of the Mushroom Hour Podcast - #biofashion #ecodesign #regenerativedesign #mycology #biodesign #biophiles

Ep. 121: Today on the Mushroom Hour Podcast we are joined by Maria Finn, founder of Flora and Fungi wild foods. Maria Finn is an author, journalist, chef and multi-sensory storyteller. She spent many years pursuing obsessions, like tango dancing and surfing by working on fishing boats in Alaska. Prior to COVID lockdown, she was chef-in-residence for Stochastic Labs, a residency for artists, scientists and tech innovators in Berkeley. During the pandemic she launched Flora and Fungi Wild Food Adventures where she teaches people how to hunt for porcinis, chanterelles, seaweed and other wild foods. She has published widely, including essays, articles, and books, some of which have been optioned for television, inducing visions of grandeur that have not yet come to fruition. She was an ocean faring cat lady living on a houseboat in Sausalito with her two tabby cats and native oyster garden. During COVID lockdown, she adopted a truffle puppy and has since spent many hours is in the woods training her to find these buried gems along with other edible fungi; she has spent subsequent hours searching her dog and self for ticks. She is working on a book about truffles around their world – their role in forest ecosystems and our co-evolution with them! TOPICS COVERED: Writing, Food and the Ocean Collide Listening to Nature & Understanding Cycles Learning from the Yupik Peoples Magic of Cooking Wild Food Around a Campfire Becoming a Wild Food Educator Discovering the Magic of Truffles Falling in Love with Lagotto Ramagnolo Learning to Tango with Your Truffle Dog Mentors in Mushroom & Truffle Hunting Coevolution of Truffles & Humans Human Bodies as Fractals of our Planet Truffle Renaissance Democratization of Pleasure Developing New Value Systems EPISODE RESOURCES: Maria Finn Website: http://www.mariafinn.com/ Flora & Fungi Adventures: https://www.floraandfungiadventures.com/ Maria Finn IG: https://www.instagram.com/maria_finn1/ Yupik peoples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yupik_peoples Mycological Society of Marin: https://www.mycomarin.org/ Lagotto Romagnolo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagotto_Romagnolo The Truffle Dog Company: https://truffledogcompany.com/ "Scent and the Scenting Dog" (Book): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/862416.Scent_and_the_Scenting_Dog Tuber lyonii (Truffle): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecan_truffle Craterellus cornucopioides (Fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craterellus_cornucopioides

The Power of Mycelium - A Sustainable Solution for Design and Interiors - Clip from our interview with Ashley & Aurelie, founders of @osmose_labs Tune into this chat about biofashion, regenerative design & more! - #mycelium #mycology #biodesign #ecodesign #biofashion #fungi #🍄

Ep. 120: Today on Mushroom Hour we are joined by illustrious lichen expert Matthew Nelsen PhD. Matthew is a Research Scientist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Matt's research began in botany, ecology and environmental science and has more recently gravitated towards: (i) the evolution of symbiotic associations; and (ii) the evolution of eukaryotic microbes (fungi and algae), and the roles they have played in shaping terrestrial ecosystems and nutrient-cycling over geologic timescales. Both avenues of his research attempt to link diverse fields and organismal groups. He also has conducted work addressing the timing and evolutionary consequences of ant-plant interactions. Matt thank you so much for joining us on the Mushroom Hour! TOPICS COVERED: Fungus & Algae Species Forming Lichen Partnerships Host Specificity in Lichen Partnerships Evolutionary History of Lichen Vascular Plants on Land Before Lichen?! Challenges of Working on “Big Time” Process of Lichen Formation, Fungal Phenotypes Lichen Blurring Species Boundaries Cleptobiosis Role in Carbon & Nitrogen Cycles Lichen as an Ecosystem Lichen & Air Quality in an Environment Lichenometry Analysis of Fungal Coal Formation Hypothesis Ant Plant Interactions EPISODE RESOURCES: Matthew Nelsen Website: https://mpnelsen.com/ Lichen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen Xanthoria parietina (Lichen): https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Xanthoria_parietina Trebouxia (Lichen Genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trebouxia Toby Spribille (Lichen Expert): https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=vPlIL5IAAAAJ&hl=en Betsy Arnold (Endophyte Expert): http://www.arnoldlab.net/ Article on Fungal Coal Formation Hypothesis: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1517943113 Arthrobotrys (Fungal Genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthrobotrys Mycoparasites: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/mycoparasites

Ep. 119: Today on Mushroom Hour we have the honor of being joined by Jacob Alvarez. Jacob is an amateur mycologist focusing on dialing in cultivation methods for Fistulina hepatica, the beefsteak fungus. He started the “Beefsteak culture collection project” last year and has been collecting samples of the mushroom since early 2019. In May 2020 he made a significant breakthrough and successfully cultivated the first ever photo documented Beefsteak mushroom grow on a hardwood bag in the USA. He is based out Southern New Jersey where he owns & operates his farm Garden State Mushrooms. At the farm, he grows a wide variety of different gourmet mushrooms and continues his research figuring out better beefsteak cultivation methods. Beefsteak mushrooms are an intriguing mushroom that can be eaten raw, resemble meat in appearance and even bleed. The cultivation of the beefsteak mushroom can add some tremendous value to the mushroom market for small mushroom farms and he passionately believes the time to grow this mushroom is now! I’m excited to hear insights as to how to cultivate this mushroom and maybe be inspired to never give up on ideas even when things go very, very wrong. TOPICS COVERED: Discovering Wild Mushrooms and Introduction to Fistulina hepatica Fistulina Fundamentals Finding the Best Beefsteak Strain for Commercial Cultivation 2020 Beefsteak Culture Challenge Genetics and Process Over Substrate in Beefsteak Cultivation Process of Collecting Wild Tissue Cultures Extreme Photosensitivity of Beefsteak Mushrooms Growth of Project and R&D Scaling Economic Importance of Beefsteak Mushrooms for Small Farmers Betting the Future of Garden State Mycology on Beefsteak Juggling Research, Business, Fatherhood Advice for Entering the World of Mushroom Farming Creating Jerky, Sushi and More with Beefsteak Mushrooms Open-Source Innovation EPISODE RESOURCES: Garden State Mycology Website: https://gardenstatemushrooms.com/ Garden State Mycology IG: https://www.instagram.com/gardenstatemushrooms/ Jacob Alvarez IG: https://www.instagram.com/hacob_/ Fistulina hepatica (AKA Beefsteak Mushroom): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/fistulina_hepatica.html Myco-Operative Twin Cities: https://www.facebook.com/MycoOpTwinCities/ Mycopolitan: https://www.mycopolitan.com/ Pleurotus eryngii (AKA King Oyster Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleurotus_eryngii Lanmaoa pallidorosea (AKA Bullion Bolete): https://boletes.wpamushroomclub.org/product/boletus-pallidoroseus/

Ep. 111: Today on Mushroom Hour we have are honored to be joined by Welsh wild food expert Daniel Butler. Daniel is an environmental writer and wild food enthusiast, starting as a boy with ferreted rabbits and moving on to herbs and mushrooms in his 20s. He leads guided hedgerow and fungal forays from his Welsh smallholding through the summer and autumn. Writing extensively on issues of foraging as a source of free food Daniel aims to demystify edible plants and fungi to make them accessible to all. I’m excited to learn more about foraging in the Welsh countryside, how wild foods can add new dimensions to our lives and even the legal and conservation aspects foragers consider as we enjoy the wild harvest.

Ep. 160: Today on Mushroom Hour we are blessed once more by the presence of Mycomaterial Specialist Ashley Granter. Along with Biofashion Designer Aurelie Fontan, Ashley is a founder of Osmose Studios - a multidisciplinary design studio dedicated to exploring how society should draw inspiration and processes from Mother nature. Working with mycelium as well as natural dyes and fabrics, they aim to bring forward beautiful design that doesn’t cost the planet and actually fosters the regeneration of lost ecosystems. TOPICS COVERED: Birth of Osmose Studios Working with Classic Biomaterials in New Ways Fashion, Materials, Regenerative Design Future of Biomaterials Rooted in Technologies of the Past? Product Design Grounded in Consumer Experience Dresses Made with Kombucha & Mycelium Leather Interior Design made with Mycelium Diverse Landscape of the Biomaterials Industry Scaling Sustainably and Decentralized – like a Fungus Integrating Waste Streams into New Materials Genetic Modification vs Directed Evolution Business’ Role in Preserving Ecosystems and Biodiversity Biomaterials as a Craft vs Mass Production Working with Your Life Partner as a Business Partner EPISODE RESOURCES: Osmose Studio IG: https://www.instagram.com/osmose_labs/ Armillaria (fungal genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armillaria Cantharellus (fungal genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantharellus Francis Crick's books: https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/francis-crick/219274/ "Synthetic Aesthetics" by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg: https://www.daisyginsberg.com/work/synthetic-aesthetics-book

From Condors to Jaguars - Cesar's Journey as a Biologist - Tune into the powerful story of researcher & mycologist @cesarmarin7 on Episode 159 of the Mushroom Hour Podcast - #mycology #forestbathing #biology #hongos #ecologie #biophilia #forestfolk #colombianwilderness #mushrooms

How Fungi Reshape Our Understanding of Biology - Hear more of this fascinating conversation with @cesarmarin7 on Episode 159 of the Mushroom Hour Podcast - #fungi #biology #newparadigm #mycological #hongos #biologia #fungalabundance #mushroomlovers #mushroomhour

The Hidden Unity of Nature - Exploring a Forest's Fascinating Complexity - Listen to the full interview with @chaoticforager on Mushroom Hour Podcast 156! - #deepecology #ecologique #mycology #mushroomfanatics #forestfolk #natureworship #chaoticforager #mushroomhour

Ep. 156: Today on Mushroom Hour we are excited to be joined by Gabrielle Cerberville, aka @chaoticforager. Gabrielle is a wild food educator, mycophagist, permaculturist, and interdisciplinary artist. Her entertaining educational videos on Tiktok, where she shares her knowledge of edible plants and fungi, have been viewed by millions worldwide. She has lectured extensively on the importance of ecological awareness and land knowledge and believes that ethics and knowledge must go hand-in-hand to support a sustainable future. TOPICS COVERED: Growing Up in the Mountains of PA Developing Mushroom Identification Superpowers Underrated Edible Fungi Puffball Superstar Expanding the Wild Culinary Repertoire Adventures in Kalamazoo Becoming TikTok Famous Foraging as an Evolving Practice Social Media vs Entertainment Media Success & Mental Health Tips for Social Media Artistic, Acoustic, Ecological Explorations Elevating Mainstream Fungal Understandings Chaotic Future Plans Embracing the Human Role as Nature's Stewards EPISODE RESOURCES: Chaotic Forager Website: https://chaoticforager.com/ Gabrielle's Creative Alchemy: https://gabriellecerberville.com/ Chaotic Forager TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/chaoticforager/ Chaotic Forager IG: https://www.instagram.com/chaoticforager/ Armillaria tabescens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armillaria_tabescens Tylopilus alboater: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tylopilus_alboater Calvatia gigantea: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvatia_gigantea Lab Girl (Book): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25733983-lab-girl Braiding Sweetgrass (Book): https://milkweed.org/book/braiding-sweetgrass

Ep. 51: Today on Mushroom Hour we are blessed to have the chance to chat with international fungi photographer Stephen Axford. Watch the new "Planet Fungi - Northeast India" documentary made by Steve Axford and his partner Catherine Marciniak: https://www.planetfungi.movie/ Stephen is an ambassador for Sony Australia and has an international reputation as a specialist in nature photographer with a particular passion in macro fungi photography. He also has a unique expertise in time-lapse photography of fungi. The beauty and scientific accuracy of Stephen’s fungi photography have captivated national and international media, fungi experts and the general public, with a following that stretches from Patagonia to Vladivostok. His photographs have appeared in international books and magazines, including: Nat Geo Magazine in Spain/Portugal, Geo Magazine in Germany, Roots Magazine in Holland, Guardian Observer [UK], Daily Mail UK, Civilization Magazine of Beijing in China and Sciences et Avenir science magazine in France to name just a few. In recent years, Stephen has shared the science of fungi and his experiences photographing fungi to packed houses in presentations in Australia, China and Chile. A new direction in his work is his collaborations with international universities and fungi organizations to photograph and document fungi in forests around the world. Topics Covered: Origin Story of Steve Axford Mushrooms of Australia Secrets of Fungal Photography The Breakout into Worldwide Recognition Fungal Diversity in Yunan, China Hidden Fungal Hotspots in Southeast Asia "Planet Fungi" Documentary Fungi as a Nutrition & Economic Resource Exploring Assam & Meghalaya in Northeast India Time-lapse Photography Partnership with Catherine Marciniak Australian Fires & Fire Obligate Fungi Sharing the Mystery, Wonder and Appreciation of Fungi with Others Future Documentary Plans Episode Resources: Steve Axford Website: https://steveaxford.smugmug.com/ "Planet Fungi" Documentary: https://www.planetfungi.movie/ Steve Axford & Catherine Marciniak IG: https://www.instagram.com/planet_fungi/ Mycena Interrupta (Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycena_interrupta Mycena chlorophos (Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycena_chlorophos Aseroe Rubra (Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aseroe_rubra Panaeolus Axfordii (Mushroom): https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Panaeolus-axfordii-sp-nov-a-b-Basidiocarps-in-their-natural-habitat-c-Basidiospores_fig1_339459453

Ep. 50: Today on Mushroom Hour we are joined by Dan de Lion of Return to Nature. The mission of Return to Nature is to provide a safe and healing teaching bridge for individuals and communities to recognize Nature as a continual and abundant provider of nourishment, medicine, food, and sacred connection, and to help reconnect the perception that Nature is the very source of our sustenance as humans. By teaching about the edible and medicinal aspects of wild plants, medicinal herbs, and mushrooms, Dan aims to help move humanity towards a Nature appreciation based paradigm which inspires people to forage, wildcraft, create tools for survival and primitive art, treat their own ailments with what nature provides, and get a little probiotic dirt under their fingernails. Engaging with Nature and tapping into ancient and sacred ways to directly carve our intuitive practice and reawaken a self-reliant depth within that seems so lost in today’s society. Once we recognize and reclaim our oneness with Nature and look around with new eyes we realize an ever present bounty Mother Nature provides and we just may see that we have never left Eden. Topics Covered: The Origin Story of Dan De Lion Herbalism - Medicines & Food All Around Us Reductionism vs Systems Thinking Interconnectedness & Correspondence - As Above, So Below Rewilding - Genetic Memory, Instinct and Pattern Recognition Social Alchemy Rise of the Machines & Transhumanism Biomimicry Psychedelics at Society’s Crossroads Localize and Overgrow the System Benevolent Activism Internet Freedom The Global Elite The Power of Ritual Autumn Olives, Garlic Mustard, Plantago Return to Nature Classes and Future Plans Episode Resources: Return to Nature Website: http://returntonature.us/ Return to Nature IG: https://www.instagram.com/returntonature/ Alan Watts: https://www.alanwatts.org/ Terence McKenna: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_McKenna Manly P. Hall: https://www.prs.org/manly-p-hall.html Lactarius Volemus (Mushroom): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/lactarius_volemus.html Lactarius Corrugis (Mushroom): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/lactarius_corrugis.html Lactarius Hygrophoroides (Mushroom): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/lactarius_hygrophoroides.html

Ep. 49: Antonio Cosme is an indigenous (Coahuiltecan and Boricua) writer, public speaker, entrepreneur, radical economist, educator, artist, beekeeper and farmer from Southwest, Detroit. Much of his work has been dedicated to lecturing, writing, and acting in opposition to the neoliberal assault on Detroit and water. Antonio has a unique gift for connecting social movements with struggles for land reclamation and intersectional environmental justice. Setting down in urban SW Detroit, our guide Antonio helps us clear the mists of our historical amnesia. We face the genocide and removal of indigenous people from the land and how that is directly connected with the degradation of Michigan's environment and clear-cutting of old growth forests. That foundation of injustice shaped how a land evolved and we find the mentality echoed throughout Michigan's history right up to the incredible loss of civic rights for black and brown communities after the 2008 financial crisis. Through experience in local politics, Antonio found he could have the most impact in addressing the repercussions of these social, economic and political forces as a community organizer. In wrestling with massive issues, Antonio sought replenishment through a relationship with nature and the land. In creating an urban farm from derelict properties stolen by banks, he found a powerful ally in mushrooms. As he began cultivating and foraging for fungi, he recognized their ability to heal soil, but also heal people. Through projects like Black to the Land and his work with the National Wildlife Federation, he is exposing children from inner city Detroit to the power of natural spaces. While it can be hard to mobilize POC communities who are the most impacted by urban pollution, he hopes by having people fall in love with nature they can take up their rightful place on the front lines of championing environmental justice. Wading through more and more examples of systemic inequality, we have to ask - can the US political system actually offer lasting solutions when it comes to making positive environmental, social and economic change? What Antonio proposes is a continued effort from the grassroots and local government level on up to shift our cultural narratives around economics, environment, land and US history. By escaping the polarizing political party lines, we can find a populist common ground and collectively dictate a new path centered on fundamental human values like access to clean food and water, access to nature, access to education, access to land, and access to meaningful work. Directed, Recorded, Produced by: Mushroom Hour (@welcome_to_mushroom_hour) Music by: Ancient Baby (https://peckthetowncrier.bandcamp.com/) Art by: Wyn Di Stefano (http://www.wyndistefano.com/) Episode Resources Antonio Cosme IG: https://www.instagram.com/swdetroitjesus/ The Soul of Soil (book): https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Soil-Soil-Building-Gardeners-Farmers/dp/1890132314 The Entrepreneurial State (book): https://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurial-State-Debunking-Public-Private/dp/1610396138 Hajoon Chang (economist): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha-Joon_Chang Ryan Gates (inspiration): https://www.instagram.com/terrestrialfungi/