Bill Russell’s
BILL RUSSELL’S 2013 PRESENTATION SCHEDULE
AND OTHER LOCAL MUSHROOM EVENTS.
Most are free and open to everyone. You can buy signed copies of my mushroom book at any of these events:
April 21, 1 PM. Central PA Mushroom Club meeting and pot luck at Bald Eagle Park.
April 27, 1-3 PM. “Marvelous Morels and Other Spring Mushrooms”, Montour Preserve, Danville, PA. Info: 570-437-3131.
May 11, 2:30-4:00 PM. Wild mushroom talk and walk, Little Pine State Park. 570-753-6005
May 13, 2:00 - 3:00 PM. Wild mushroom talk. TRADITIONS OF AMERICA at Liberty Hill, Boalsburg PA.
May 18, 11 AM to 1 PM. Book signing at Centre County Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale. Info: 814-355-4897.
May 19, 1 PM Central PA Mushroom Club meeting at Tuscarora Forest.
June 7, 9:30 - 11:40 AM. Mushroom talk. Park Forest Middle School, State College PA.
July 13, book signing at Penn State Press Bookfest.
July 14, 2:00-3:30 PM. Wild mushroom talk and walk. Canoe Creek State Park near Hollidaysburg, PA.
July 20, 2 PM. Wild mushroom talk and walk. Raymond B,. Winter State Park. Near Mifflinburg, PA.
July 27, 10 AM. Wild mushroom talk and walk. Mt. Gretna, PA.
August 10, 1:00 -3:00 PM. Wild mushroom talk and walk. Greenwood Furnace State Park, Huntingdon PA.
August 16-18, Central PA Mushroom Club annual foray at Sieg Center, near Lock Haven, PA. 814-667-1805.
August 17, 1 -3 PM, Mushroom talk and walk for Lycoming Co. Master Gardeners, Montoursville Pa.
September 15, 1 PM. Central PA Mushroom Club meeting at Clarion. PA
October 20, 1 PM. Central PA Mushroom Club meeting and pot luck at Canoe Creek Park.
November 17, Central PA Mushroom Club meeting at Whipple Dam State Park.
All about the wild mushrooms (including morels, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, boletes and other exotic fungi) that grow in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic. states.
Is it legal to gather wild mushrooms in PA State Parks ? Check out the PA Conservation and Natural Resources report, paragraph 11.211 (b) (1).
It clearly states that it IS LEGAL. You may want to print it out and carry it with you when you when you go collecting.
I recently received this clarification of the law from Rory Bower, Reeds Gap State Park manager:
I would ask that you please update the information based upon the following sections of state park regulations: Section 11.211(a)(1) This prohibits the “Cutting, picking, digging, damaging or removing, in whole or in part, a living or dead tree, shrub or plant”. Section11.211(b)(1) states “Gathering edible fruits, nuts, berries and fungi, in reasonable amounts, for one's own personal or family consumption. This permission does not apply to wild plants listed in Chapter 45 (relating to conservation of Pennsylvania native wild plants) as threatened, endangered, rare or vulnerable.”
As you can see, it is permissible to gather only edible fungi in reasonable amounts for one’s own personal or family consumption. Legally, it is not permissible to gather mushrooms for any other purpose.
My wild mushroom guidebook makes a great gift for yourself or another mushroomer. Get it at your local bookstore, at any of my mushroom presentations, or from these sellers in central PA:
Appalachian Ski & Outdoors, 123 South Allen Street, State College PA
Barnes & Noble 365 Benner Pike, State College PA
Belladonna Herbs, 720 Pike St., Lemont PA
Friendship Bookstore, 325 W Freedom Ave Burnham PA
Green Drake Gallery, Millheim PA
Homan’s General Store, Potters Mills PA
The Granary, 2766 West college Ave., State College PA
Nature’s Pantry, 2331 Commercial Blvd,State College PA
Shavers Creek Environment Center, 6 miles S of Pine Grove Mills, off Rt 26.
Tait Farm Store, Rt 322, Centre Hall PA
Websters Bookstore Cafe, 133 E. Beaver Ave, State College PA
For a copy signed by the author contact Penn State University Press.
Starting Monday, May 6, I will begin my free wild mushroom identification sessions: every Monday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at
Websters Cafe and Bookstore, 133 E Beaver Ave State College, PA, (814) 272-1410.
Bring what you find.
Or come for coffee and mushroom chatting.
Photo by Bob Sleigh (Thanks Bob!)
Morchella angusticeps (more-KELL-ah an-GUS-te-seps)
The Black Morel, or Blackie , appears as early as March in a warm and wet season, and continues through April, and sometimes into May. Look for it around ash and tulip trees, but it can appear almost anywhere. Once, I found found it growing in the center of a large open lawn at an apartment complex.
It’s spring. Morel season is finally here!
We have several fine edible and delicious morel species in this region:
Morchella esculenta (more-KELL-ah esk-you-LENT-ah)
The Yellow Morel, or Spongies as I have heard them called here, come on in May when the apple trees bloom. They appear for about 3 weeks. Look for them mainly around dying elm trees and under old apple trees. Sometimes you can find them around pine, tulip, ash, walnut and other trees.
Watch out for this nasty character. It’s the False Morel, Gyromitra esculenta (jye-row-MITE-rah ess-que-LENT-ah). It can be deadly poisonous, although some people believe that cooking it in an open pot will dispel the toxins. Don’t bet your life on it.
Carol Hayes with a handful of Pygmy Morels
Morchella diminutiva (more-KELL-ah dim-in-you-TYVE-ah).
Look for this little sweetie at about the same time as the Yellow Morel. I have found it only under tulip trees.
You bin pickin’ in our morel patch, boy?
Avoid this bad character too. Gyromitra gigas, the Snowbank Mushroom. Poisonous!
Visit our Central Pennsylvania Mushroom Club Web Site
Want to learn about wild mushrooms? Join our club!