Not everyone knows that mushroom foraging season extends well into November in the Berlin area. As the autumn starts to turn towards winter, some of the most well-known wild mushrooms might be finished for the year, but others are just starting to push up through leaf litter, moss and wood. And many of these are among the most delicious species that can be found all year!

On this guided late autumn wander through a forest just outside of Berlin, you’ll receive a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to the basics of mushroom foraging. These fleeting, strange, misunderstood, and often incredibly delicious beings offer so much delight once you know how to safely interact with them.

We'll cover:

some of the most interesting and delicious species that can be found in late autumn and early winter in the Berlin area

important terminology, basic fungal biology, and mushroom anatomy to help demystify mushroom identification

the staggering complexity and beauty of fungal ecology, and the crucial role fungi play in our ecosystem
how to actually get confident taking home & cooking edible mushrooms without worrying about poisoning anyone
particularly dangerous species and how to recognize them
fungal habitats, companion plant and tree species, and how to read the landscape to maximize your luck
sustainable harvesting of edible species
tips and techniques for how to prepare and preserve your edible finds
how to continue learning and expanding your knowledge and foraging confidence

The focus of this workshop is on understanding and identification skills, rather than on filling our baskets with as many edible mushrooms as possible. You will however have the opportunity to do some searching on your own, and you're invited to bring home the edible treasures find along the way!

As with all Wild Path Foraging events, this workshop will be guided by Simka (they/them), a passionate wild food instructor and qualified PilzCoach through the DGfM with over 4 years' experience teaching about mushroom and plant foraging in Berlin.

You can check out what people have said about previous workshops run by Simka here.

The tour will take us through beautiful forest scenery, where we will have plenty of time to relax, explore, and take in the serene surroundings.

Attendance is limited to 14 people to keep the group cozy and ensure everyone has time and space to get all their questions answered.

Though the time and location of the event are chosen to maximize the potential for finding a wide range of species, fungi are fickle beings and their fruiting is determined by many complex factors, so there's truly no way to guarantee what we'll find. That said, it's very hard to imagine not finding an abundance of fungi to get excited about. In case the mushrooms are more sparse than expected, we'll take the opportunity to talk about edible plant species that line the path and are edible in autumn and winter.

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