food
HUNTING SHROOMS
KEEPING THE FUN IN FUNGI Words by Melanie Wiseman | Photos courtesy Margot Becktell
S
cott Koch is proud to be a fungi fanatic. With
photograph, identify, collect and preserve
the enthusiasm of a kid getting off their first
mushrooms.
rollercoaster ride, Koch shared how he went
from an Americorps Forest Service volunteer
have received so far, this year brings promise
24 years ago in Oregon to the director of the
of becoming one of the memorable ones with
Telluride Mushroom Festival, lifelong researcher
bountiful fruiting of many different mushrooms,”
and owner of the Telluride Mushroom
says David Nazari, CMS president.
Company today.
Typically, mushroom hunting season in
“I discovered this huge thing in the Oregon
Colorado begins in April and lasts through
forest and didn’t know what it was,” says Koch.
September. CMS’s earliest foray on record was
“I did my research, found it was edible, fed it to
actually February 2 of this year, where four
my family and decided that was totally cool!” His
different species were found among the snow.
goal is to promote the relationship people and
the environment have with mushrooms.
good time to hunt for mushrooms,” says Colorado
“Late summer up to the fall’s first frost is a
“Mushrooms and the environment are the
Mesa University biology professor Dr. Margot
foundation of what we see all around us,” adds
Becktell, who teaches the mycology course at
Koch. “I want to educate people on all the benefits
CMU. “You will often find the most mushrooms
of mushrooms, from breaking down soil and
in cool, wet, forested areas — usually in forests
feeding other plants, to improving air quality, to
that are high enough in elevation to support
servicing as food and medicine for people.”
aspens and conifers.”
Koch believes fear of the unknown keeps
Where some grow and help break down dead
many people from cooking with mushrooms,
organic matter, others have a symbiotic
where globally, many countries use them on a
association with the roots of forest trees and
regular basis. He stresses mushrooms such as
shrubs. In other words, Becktell says you will find
buttons, which you purchase at the store, are
some types of mushrooms on dead, decaying logs
easy to grow and are the responsible way to
and plant matter, while others will coexist with
process waste.
the living trees they exchange nutrients with.
“Pop culture has done wonders for
Despite her specialty, Becktell buys her
mushrooms by using it in food,” says Koch. “The
“shrooms” from local growers and grocery stores.
best way to learn about mushrooms is to go on
forays and boost your confidence.”
for different people,” says Becktell. “For me, it’s
Western
40
“Based on the high level of moisture we
Slope
Fungophiles
and
“What makes foraging interesting is different
the
more about the hunting, finding, identifying,
Colorado Mycological Society (CMS) are two
photographing and doing the ‘nerdy biology
active Colorado fungi groups offering plenty
thing.’ Then I leave them alone to finish the
of mushroom forays and educational seminars
reproductive cycle they worked so hard to get to.”
closely associated with the Denver Botanical
Gardens. Their mission is to promote the study
photogenic. As mushrooms may appear
and appreciation of mycology — to discover,
unimpressive looking down from the top,
Becktell finds mushrooms to be extremely
