Description

Mycology 101 with Ancil Jacques of Swampy Appleseed
Date: Sunday, July 11th
Time: 10am to 12pm
Location: Whippoorwill Farms SC
What You’ll Need: water bottle, notebook, something to write with, chair, snack, close toed shoes (preferably boots) and your curiosity
Target Age: 16 and older
Cost: $125 per person (you’ll be able to take up to 1/4 pound of mushrooms foraged from the forest included in your ticket.  Anything greater than 1/4 pound will be an additional $25/lb)

If you have been interested in mushrooms and mycology, Ancil is the man you want to meet!  Ancil was raised in Dixie Union, GA, 13 miles from the nearest gas station (and now they’ve got their own Dollar General!). Both of his parents were science teachers. They instilled a love of nature in both he and his sister from an early age. As a young child his interest in mushrooms was to kick them or throw them against trees. As he grew the fascination grew with him. Soon he wanted to be able to identify the mushrooms he had grown up smashing. It turns out some of them were worth money! He graduated with a degree in English. Less than a month after graduating he began finding Tuber lyonii, the Pecan Truffle. The supply was readily available that year, as was the demand. Applying to grad schools faded behind selling truffles. A couple of years in and he started the mushroom farm. He now cultivates anywhere from three to seven varieties of gourmet mushrooms year-round to supply to local chefs. What started as a hobby has now become a career. He currently produce about 250lbs of mushrooms per week. He’s got his fingers crossed that he can be a professional mushroom nerd for a living!

This class is 2 hours long and is geared toward those interested in mycology.  Enjoy a mycology lecture and then take to the forests of Whippoorwill Farms and learn about the biology of the forests and how they work to help facilitate the growth of mushrooms.  Learn basic mushroom biology and how to help identify the mushrooms in our forests.  Learn about safe collection and handling and feel confident so that you can wander the forests of your home and start collecting your own.  As if that wasn’t enough, leave with your very own Mushroom Grow Kit to jumpstart or nurture your excitement for mushrooms too!

Class sign ups are non-refundable – Class will be held Rain or Shine – Space is limited to allow for a lot of hands on experience and attention to detail for each person.