About Hunt for Halloween Mushrooms Guided Hike
It’s almost Halloween! Our special foray at Chestnut Hill Farm will be to find fungi and we will focus on some “scary” and Halloween-themed mushrooms. You’ll learn about Witches’ butter, Jack o’ Lantern mushrooms, Dead man’s fingers, and varieties of bleeding fungi. As day turns to dusk, you’ll also get to experience how certain mushrooms are bioluminescent and glow in the dark!
As we discover Halloween mushrooms, we’ll also discuss the role mushrooms play in our ecosystem, how sustenance foraging can be utilized to diversify our diets and combat food insecurity, as well as the future possibilities of mushrooms as medicine, cosmetics, and a valuable source of protein in our growing and changing world. We will focus on safety while foraging, how to avoid poisonous look-alikes and do a deep-dive into a handful of easily identified common edible and medicinal fungi found in Massachusetts.
Our mushroom programs are led by knowledgeable guides and focus on the ecology of mushrooms and their vital role in the ecosystem. Please note, we will forage mushrooms for educational purposes only and not for consuming. Join us as we discover the wonders of mushrooms and their natural habitats.
This is a family-friendly program best suited for families with children ages 6 and up.
About your guide:
Trustees guide Amanda Dye is an amateur mycologist with experience in foraging New England’s edible and medicinal fungi, growing edible mushrooms in commercial settings and researching and developing myco-remediation techniques. She is a combined Global Environmental Studies master’s student at Clark University, with a focus on food systems, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and utilizing fungi as a tool for addressing food insecurity in urban communities.
A founding member of the Clark University Mycology Club, Amanda is a member of the Boston Mycology Club, an employee at Fat Moon Mushroom Farm in Westford, MA and the creator of The Fungi for Everyone Project. The project focuses on the creation of a small-scale community fungi farm in the heart of Worcester that recycles cardboard waste from local residents to produce varieties of Oyster mushrooms, Wine Caps, and Shiitake for nearby residents to eat. The farm provides delicious, protein-rich food, and hands-on agricultural education for children and adults.
Amanda shares her fungi facts and foraging on Instagram @mandysmushrooms and updates on her fungi-growing process and @FungiForEveryone.
Please note, though we love dogs, they are not permitted at Chestnut Hill Farm.
Questions? Want to become a Trustees member and enjoy free and/or discounted programs? Contact ChestnutHillFarm@thetrustees.org.
Cancellation Policy: In the event The Trustees cancels a program due to severe weather, low enrollment, or other circumstances, we will notify registrants by email and issue a full refund or transfer to another scheduled program within two weeks of the cancellation. To cancel a reservation, please contact Chestnut Hill Farm 7 days prior to the start of the program to receive a full refund. Refunds and transfers will not be granted for cancellations placed fewer than 7 days before the start of the program.
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